photo by: Richard Gwin

KU Chancellor Bernadette Gray-Little

TOPEKA — With one exception, state university presidents will not get raises for the coming year.

The Kansas Board of Regents on Thursday voted to keep five of the six state university CEOs’ salaries the same for fiscal year 2017 and to increase the base salary of Pittsburg State University president Steve Scott by 2 percent.

“For the most part, other than that, I think we’re largely in line with the market and will stay status quo,” said Regent Joe Bain, who made the motion.

Rather than going into effect immediately, Scott’s raise will be in the form of deferred compensation, details about which the board will negotiate with him, Bain said.

Scott, who has led Pittsburg State since July 2009, is now the state’s senior-most university CEO, Regents members noted. (Kansas University Chancellor Bernadette Gray-Little took office in August 2009.)

Last year all university CEOs got 2 percent raises, which the Regents called necessary to bring compensation up to competitive market rates. However, citing their schools’ budgetary challenges, leaders stated at the time they would donate their raises back to their universities.

Salaries for fiscal year 2016, which will stay the same for the coming year, are as follows, according to figures from the Regents: Gray-Little, $510,041; Wichita State University President John Bardo, $357,179; Emporia State University President Allison Garrett, $263,000; and Fort Hays State University President Mirta Martin, $265,200.

The salary of recently departed Kansas State University President Kirk Schulz was $476,290 in fiscal year 2016, according to the Regents. Regents spokeswoman Breeze Richardson said a specific salary for the currently open position — the search for which formally opened Thursday — has not yet been confirmed.

Interim K-State President Richard Myers is being paid a salary of $350,000 per year, according to his letter of appointment from the Regents.

Scott’s 2016 salary was $263,358, according to the Regents; 2 percent of that is an additional $5,267.