On Oct. 18, Allan Hancock College’s Board of Trustees unanimously agreed to give President Jose Ortiz a raise and a three-year extension to his contract, retaining him as the college’s top administrator until 2014.
The 2.1 percent “longevity increase” is retroactive to July 1, and increases Ortiz’s base salary to $210,133. It resulted from a performance review by the board at its annual retreat in August.
Because Ortiz is at the highest pay grade, his raises are built into his contract, which is up for renewal every three years.
“[The increase] was in accordance with the existing contract,” board vice president Larry Lahr said. “We felt it wasn’t necessary to renegotiate his contract as we didn’t renegotiate those of any of the other [employee] groups.”
The decision will cost Hancock $4,674 out of its general fund for the 2011-12 fiscal year, and comes at a time when the college is experiencing severe budget cuts. Hundreds of classes have been dropped in the past year and full-time student enrollment has decreased by nearly 1,000 students for the fall and spring semesters.
Hancock professor Roger Hall, vice president of the college’s Faculty Association, questioned the timing of the action, and said the money spent on Ortiz could’ve been used to benefit students.
“Nobody is getting advanced except those at the highest pay rate, the top administrators,” he said. “He just happens to be the highest paid, and the perception doesn’t look very good. It certainly would have bought him a lot more goodwill had he decided to turn it down, or the board simply said, ‘This year, we’re not going to pay you that.’”
Hired in 2005, Ortiz has received two previous longevity raises, in 2007 and 2009; the latter he donated back to the college, citing the school’s financial difficulties at the time. According to college spokeswoman Rebecca Alarcio, Ortiz has indicated he will keep the most recent increase.
“Right now, we have a solid and stable budget, and he will reconsider as we go into the next fiscal year,” Alarcio said.
The board also made several changes affecting students, voting to increase the student health fee for the first time since 2008. The fee will go up from $17 to $18 per semester, beginning in spring 2012, and from $14 to $15 for summer sessions.
This article appears in Oct 27 – Nov 3, 2011.
