The Observer, December 9, 2005
Volume XXXVIII, Issue 13
Hundert's salary is among highest
click to enlarge
In an issue published by the Chronicle of Higher Education, Case's president, Edward Hundert was ranked as one of the highest paid presidents at a research university.
The publication reported that Hundert received a salary of $754, 868 for the 2003-04 academic year. However, officials at Case report that this sum is incorrect and off by about $100,000. The amount included a portion of his compensation from the 2002-03 year. Compared to other private institutions and without the additional sum of $100,000, Hundert's base pay was similar to that of presidents from Harvard, Brown, Stanford, and Princeton universities in 2003-04.
Since Hundert's reported salary for 2003-04 included amounts from the previous year, the amount that Hundert will receive for 2004-05 will reflect the corresponding decrease in his compensation, according to Lara Kalafatis, Vice President for University Relations. In the Nov. 22 issue of The Plain Dealer, Frank Linsalata, the Board of Trustees chairman at Case, stated that for this academic year, Hundert will earn under $600,000 in salary and about $40,000 in benefits.
Hundert's salary is a decision that is made by the Board of Trustees. The decision was reached with the help of an outside consulting firm that benchmarked compensation of presidents at private research universities.
One factor that is considered when determining the salary is the fact that Hundert possesses a medical background that may be helpful in forming relationships with surrounding healthcare institutions such as the Cleveland Clinic and University Hospitals. "President Hundert is one of a small group of presidents that has an M.D., which is relevant in the value we place in our collaborative relationship of Case with our healthcare partners," Kalafatis said.
Under Hundert's leadership, the Cleveland Clinic Lerner College of Medicine at Case was created, and the National Center of Regenerative Medicine and the Case Comprehensive Cancer Center were established, said Kalafatis.
Officials also state that his compensation reflects the changes that have been made to the overall undergraduate experience through the implementation of SAGES, the development of the Village, and the increased enrollment rates.
Hundert has a five-year contract with Case that will be in effect through the 2008-09 school year.
