Of all of the individuals on the state's $4.6 billion payroll, University administrators are the ones who take the top spots for earning the highest salaries, according to a report recently released by The Richmond Times-Dispatch.
The salary figures, which are compiled annually and released in accordance with the Virginia Freedom of Information Act, identify the top 10 earners as state college officials. Of those 10, six are affiliated with the University.
University Provost Arthur Garson, who has a medical degree and has worked as a pediatric cardiologist, tops the list at $706,800, all of which is provided by state funding.
Medical School Dean Steven Dekosky earns the next highest salary. The state contributes $417,755 to his total salary of $650,000. The rest of his salary is funded by two endowments, University spokesperson Carol Wood said.
Gov. Bob McDonnell, meanwhile, came in 711th place, earning $166,250 this year because of a 5 percent pay cut related to trimming the state's budget. On average, state employees earned about $50,298 this year.
Other notable University officials in the top 10 include Dr. Irving Kron, chair of the health system's surgery department; Darden School Dean Robert Bruner; Leonard Sandridge, executive vide president and chief operating office; and University President Teresa A. Sullivan.
Sullivan's $485,000 salary - $176,104 of which comes from state funds - ranks seventh on the state payroll and second among Virginia's public university presidents. Virginia Commonwealth University President Michael Rao is the highest paid university president at $488,500.
Many athletic staff members were included on the list, as well. Virginia football coach Mike London and basketball coach Tony Bennett each receive $300,000 from the state payroll but also receive supplements from the Virginia Athletic Foundation through contributions not reported to the state. George Mason basketball coach Jim Larranaga cracked the top 10 with his $525,000 state salary.
Wood noted that not all of the state-provided money comes from taxpayer dollars and that no taxpayer dollars go toward coaches' salaries.
"For 2010-11, only 24 percent of [a salary] is from tax appropriations. The rest is made up of other University self-generating funds, including tuition," Wood said. She added that the Darden and Law Schools deans are not paid with any taxpayer money but instead entirely through those schools' self-sustaining revenue streams.
Wood pointed to "years of experience, expertise, accomplishments and previous positions" as factors taken into consideration when determining salaries for University administrators, as well as comparable salaries of counterparts at peer institutions.
"I think it's important to note that the University leaders included in this list are among the most accomplished individuals in their fields in the country, if not the world," Wood said. "They bring to the University not only their expertise, but also their ground-breaking research. They enhance teaching and learning for undergraduate and graduate students and help to attract the very best faculty, the very best students to our institution"
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