Tiger Weekly - Serving Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge, Louisiana

University's priorities evident through salaries

By Chase Trichell

Due to a struggling economy and Louisiana's budget cuts, the salaries of individuals who run academic institutions have become increasingly important. Because LSU plans to cut more than $50 million from its budget, some of their 3,286 employees from the 2008-2009 school year will either be let go or receive a pay cut. So how exactly was the $219,217,241 of LSU's salaries divided between the employees last school year?

The average salary at LSU was $66,712.49. Excluding athletic directors and coaches, the highest paid employee was Eli Jones, the dean of E.J. Ourso College of Business, who made $299,999. The highest overall salary was $400,000, which went to Gary Crowton, the offensive coordinator for the football team. The head coach of the football team, Les Miles, reportedly earned $300,000.

However, those salaries do not include bonuses or endorsements. The highest paid football coach in the country is Bob Stoops of Oklahoma, who makes $6.5 million per year. The second highest paid coach is Charlie Weis of Notre Dame, then Pete Carroll of USC, and then Les Miles, who makes $3,751,000 - $1,000 more than Alabama's Nick Saban. That means LSU's football coach makes $3,451,001 more than the highest paid dean. So where is all the money coming from?

In football, there are five BCS bowls: the Rose Bowl, Sugar Bowl, Fiesta Bowl, Orange Bowl, and the National Championship Bowl. Each team that makes a BCS bowl receives $17 million, which goes to its conference - in LSU's case, the Southeastern Conference (SEC). LSU has made four BCS bowls in the last eight seasons. Since the BCS's inception in 1998, the SEC has made a combined seventeen BCS bowls, which translates to a lot of money. That does not include ticket sales, LSU gear, sponsorships, television endorsements, etc.

The high salaries are not limited to the football staff. Joe Alleva, LSU's athletic director, reportedly made $350,000 last year. Alleva's predecessor, Skip Bertman, made $385,000 as the Athletic Director Emeritus - though it has been reported that Bertman's contract dictated he be paid $425,000 annually. According to LSU's salary database, basketball coach Trent Johnson and women's coach Van Chancellor each made $250,000.

LSU's College of Business and the Flores MBA Program are highly ranked, the landscape architecture program is No. 2 in the country, and the U.S. News and World Report ranked LSU in the top tier for the first time in school history. The graduation rate is at an all time high and so is the average ACT score for incoming freshmen. LSU is also one of only 21 universities that are on a land, sea, and space-grant status. Aside from coaches and athletic directors, why are there only 22 employees on LSU's payroll who make over $200,000 per year? That is about 0.07 percent of the staff. The recruiting director for the LSU football team makes $225,000 per year.

LSU has a very successful athletic program, which gives the school international recognition and financial comfort. However, the country, state and university are in the middle of a recession and cuts have to be made. Considering the distribution of salaries is so eclectic, LSU may have to start at the top and work its way down. Consequently, the sports programs are at the top.

Originally Published: July 22, 2009

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