Regents OK 3 percent raise for UM president

Ann Arbor — The University of Michigan’s president was given Thursday his second pay raise since taking office two years ago.

The Board of Regents voted to give Mark Schlissel a 3 percent pay boost, raising his base salary by $23,175. His annual salary will be $795,675.

Regents also approved an additional $100,000 to Schlissel’s retirement annually — on top of a $20,000 annual supplement that is part of his contract.

Regent Andrew Richner commended Schlissel, 58, for his work: elevating the school’s excellence, retaining top deans, advancing long-term strategies, and ensuring enrollment, student financial aid and fundraising are flourishing.

“Campus life is thriving,” he said, “which I think is the direct result of care and concern you have shown.”

Regent Denise Ilitch told Schlissel, the university’s 14th president: “You’re our Miguel Cabrera,” referring to the Detroit Tigers player widely regarded as one of the best in baseball of his time.

In other business, regents approved a provision in its bylaws to give UM students more input into shaping the decisions that come before the board.

Student Body President David Schafer presented to the regents why they want to have a more prominent voice in university decisions.

“Student voice should be included throughout our campus,” he said.

Earlier, he had said the students don’t want to make the final decisions but since they are important stakeholder in the university community, their voices deserve to be heard.

UM used to have a bylaw that included student participation in university decisions, but that was dropped in February 2011.

The updated and revised resolution states the Vice President for Student Life will help students set up mechanisms for input.

A 2010 survey by the Association of Governing Boards of Universities and Colleges showed that 70 percent of governing boards at public institutions include one or more students.

Among the Michigan universities that have student representation on governing boards is the Oakland University Board of Trustees, which has had two student liaisons since 1994, according to OU spokesman Brian Bierley.

“They are the student advisory part of the board,” he said.

The regents also approved construction of a $90 million structure to replace the 57-year-old engineering building at the school’s regional satellite campus in Dearborn.

KKozlowski@detroitnews.com

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