The University of Oregon Board of Trustees approved a new contract for President Michael Schill, increasing his annual salary by up to $78,000 and solidifying his position at the university through 2023.
In early September, the Board approved a revised contract for President Schill. The contract increases Schill’s base salary from $660,000 annually to $720,000 annually. After June 2020, his base salary is set to increase to $738,000 annually.
Schill’s first contract was set to expire in June 2020, but the Board unanimously extended his term.
Since his hiring in 2015, President Schill has been the highest paid university president in the state, and the raise makes him the second-highest paid president of a Pac-12 public university, according to base salary data from The Chronicle of Higher Education.
The same data show that the raise makes Schill the eighth-highest paid president of the 34 public universities in the Association of American Universities, a collection of universities in North America distinguished by their high research activity.
The contract also includes new incentives for retirement contributions and annual bonuses. The bonus structure allows the Board to award the president a bonus of up to $200,000 each year for meeting or exceeding certain goals to be set by the Board. In addition, if Schill remains at the UO through September 30, 2021, he is guaranteed an automatic $200,000 retention bonus.
Schill was appointed president in 2015 by the then-newly formed Board of Trustees. In comments at the meeting this September, Board Chair Chuck Lillis lamented on the state of the university at the time of Schill’s hiring, saying that UO “had serious issues in previous presidents’ relationships with the faculty” and that “there was quite a bit of student mistrust in how open the university was being.”
The Board expressed their approval of Schill’s work on these challenges over his first three years. Trustee Ann Curry expressed her approval of Schill’s efforts.
“I think Mike has had an impact that can be lasting long after you continue at the university,” Curry said, addressing Schill prior to the Board’s vote on the contract.
Similarly, Lillis justified the contract extension and pay raise in his comments at the meeting.
“Mike exemplifies some of the values that are very near and dear to the Trustees: commitment to access and affordability and involvement of everyone in every activity and opportunity,” Lillis said.
Following the Board’s unanimous approval of his contract, President Schill thanked the Trustees for their support, saying: “This is a difficult time in universities. One thing I have known that is important is that I have your support. I am surrounded by a wonderful team… inside Johnson Hall and outside Johnson Hall.”