For the second time in a row, an external provost search has ended with the selected provost stepping down to become a regular WSU faculty member within the first weeks of assuming the office. In the first case, under President Floyd, the person was paid his full provost salary for seven years after stepping down, because that was what was stipulated in his contract when he assumed the provost’s office. The question now that this has happened a second time is: is the latest provost to step down, Prof. Montoya, also going to be paid her full provost salary for the next seven years, or will she be paid a salary commensurate with her role as a full professor in the Carson College of Business?
The concern is that, if external provost candidates are routinely guaranteed their full provost salary even if they step down early, they have a significant incentive to step down early and earn a salary far higher than they would as a regular faculty member, as they can earn this high salary without the increased responsibilities of being provost.
In conferring with the president’s office, Dr. Montoya’s contract provides that she will be paid her provost’s level salary for one year after her return to the faculty. Afterwards, she will be paid a salary commensurate with her faculty status.
Standard contract status follows:
EMPLOYEE’s rate of compensation upon return to faculty status shall be set at the time of return at a rate of pay equal to the average of the three (3) highest paid tenured full professors in EMPLOYEE’s academic unit or, in the event there is no applicable unit, in the College.