Topeka ? Kansas University Chancellor Robert Hemenway will receive a 4 percent pay raise from the state beginning next month.

The Kansas Board of Regents approved the increase at its meeting Thursday.

Hemenway’s new salary from the state will be $231,619, up from $222,711 last year. He also receives about $50,000 per year from private funds, bringing his overall salary to nearly $282,000 per year.

Hemenway joined Presidents Jon Wefald of Kansas State University, Donald Beggs of Wichita State University and Ed Hammond of Fort Hays State University in receiving 4 percent raises for the fiscal year beginning July 1.

Presidents Tom Bryant of Pittsburg State University and Kay Schallenkamp of Emporia State University received 6 percent raises.

Regent Lew Ferguson of Topeka, who chaired the CEO compensation committee, said 4 percent was used as a base for increases for the presidents and chancellor because it’s what most faculty members would be receiving in the upcoming fiscal year. The 4 percent includes 3 percent given to all state employees and 1 percent in additional compensation provided by the Legislature for faculty.

Ferguson said the committee recommended giving Schallenkamp and Bryant 6 percent increases because they made significantly less than Hammond. ESU, PSU and FHSU are the so-called regional universities in the regents system.

“It’s an equity issue,” Ferguson said. “We wanted to close the gap.”

Hemenway would be allowed to receive a salary of up to $298,023, if more private money were donated to his salary. He began receiving a salary supplement this year when Charley Oswald, a KU alumnus from Edina, Minn., donated $1 million to the KU Endowment Association.

Oswald also donated $1 million to boost the salaries of Wefald and Beggs by up to $50,000 a year. Their new salaries, including private funds, will be $265,285 and $223,966, respectively.

Reggie Robinson, president and CEO of the Board of Regents, received a 6 percent increase. Ferguson said Robinson refused a pay increase last year, his first year on the job.

Although faculty at most regents universities will receive a 4 percent increase, KU’s faculty will receive 6 percent. KU has earmarked money for an additional 2 percent raise from money collected in tuition increases.

Unclassified staff will receive a 5 percent raise next year — 3 percent from the state, and 2 percent from tuition increases. Classified staff will receive a 3 percent increase.