At $911, 613, University President John J. DeGioia’s earnings in the 2008-2009 fiscal year stack up short of 30-plus university executives making more than $1 million during that time, according to a new survey.
DeGioia’s salary that year was $269,000 more than his salary the previous year, according to Internal Revenue Service tax filings. The president’s most recent salary available on public record is almost double what he received for the 2001-2002 fiscal year, his second full year as Georgetown’s president.
According to The Chronicle of Higher Education, which released the survey results, the upward movement in college presidents’ salaries is a national trend.
More than 30 executives of private colleges made at least $1 million last year. The presidents of New York University and Clark-Atlanta University both made over a million dollars in base pay. DeGioia’s compensation places him second in D.C., behind The George Washington University President Steven Knapp, who was paid $985,353.
According to university spokeswoman Julie Bataille, the board of directors said that DeGioia’s salary is consistent with the pressures placed on him as Georgetown’s top official.
“The board of directors believes that President DeGioia’s salary and compensation package are commensurate with his performance and the demands of leading a highly selective, global research university,” Bataille wrote in an email.
DeGioia’s salary was comprised of $543,888 in base pay and $367,725 in additional compensation and benefits. The additional pay included reserves for a retirement annuity and funds that paid for DeGioia’s university-provided housing.
In January 2009, DeGioia announced an 18-month freeze on his and all university vice presidents’ pay. The post-freeze status of DeGioia’s salary is not yet available.
Though DeGioia’s salary pushed the $1 million mark, it was significantly lower than presidents’ salaries at comparable universities.
Nicholas Zeppos, chancellor of Vanderbilt University, made $2,407,588 last year, making him the highest-paid president of a research institution for fiscal year 08-09. The presidents of Yale and the University of Pennsylvania made $1,530,008 and $1,367,004, respectively. Harvard University’s president was among those who made less than DeGioia, with $822,011 in yearly earnings.
According to The Chronicle, the overall increase in university executives’ pay has not resulted in tuition increases, since the salary represents such a small portion of university budgets.
Still, many students feel that DeGioia’s high salary does not make sense considering Georgetown’s tuition cost.
“It does seem a little outlandish,” Arturo Altamirano (COL ’14) said. “Tuition is [over] $50,000 a year [including fees and room and board], so it’s essentially like 18 students are paying their tuition to be the yearly salary of President DeGioia. . It’s a weird concept.”
Sam Fox (COL ’14) said that DeGioia’s salary could be too lofty in light of university finances.
“Especially given the university’s money problems, and the difficulties funding the science building, if that has been a problem, then the fact that [DeGioia] is getting paid almost a million dollars to do his job seems excessive,” Fox said.
Some students felt that DeGioia’s compensation was fair considering the competitive market for university executives, however.
“If the president’s salary is similar to that of other college presidents, then I think it’s fair,” Annalise Dragic (SFS ’14) said. “I think that the university should allocate an appropriate salary given President DeGioia’s contribution to the school.”
