Some members of the Michigan State University community are upset about the Board of Trustees approving a $1 million raise for university president Kevin Guskiewicz.
The decision to increase his salary was made during a meeting Sunday night. Trustees voted 6-1-1.
Frustrated social media users are questioning where the money would come from, especially as the university faces 9% cuts to general spending.
Trustees said Guskiewicz is being pursued by other universities, and the raise is necessary to retain him. The board also said Guskiewicz was unaware they were giving him the raise.
Part of the money could come from the university's general fund, Trustee Sandy Pierce said.
"I fully intend, with the help of the other trustees, to approach sources outside of the general fund," Pierce said. "I just can't commit to it because I haven't done it yet."
Trustee Mike Balow voted no because it was unclear where the money would be coming from.
"My vote is conditioned on a couple things, like we're making a big financial commitment," he said. "Hopefully it's going to come from the donor community."
Trustee Rema Vassar abstained from voting. She said the raise was unnecessary, as Guskiewicz said he wants to remain at MSU.
"We are competing against ourselves," she said. "Manufacturing urgency where none exists and doing so without the basic due diligence that any responsible board would require before approving a contract of this magnitude."
She also expressed concerns about the source of the $1 million.
"The public has already paid more than $500 million in the last decade alone because of failures of governance and institutional accountability at Michigan State," Vassar said. "This board should not be cavalier about where money comes from, how it's promised, and to whom it creates obligations."