Five university presidents were paid more than $1 million dollars in the 2003-2004 fiscal year, according to the Chronicle Of Higher Education.
Topping the salary chart with $4.5 million in deferred compensation was Donald E. Ross of Lynn University in Boca Raton, Fla., according to a survey of college presidents' salaries.
The data was released at a time when Congress is investigating university salaries, and university boards of directors are more sensitive to punishments regarding large compensation packages, according to the Chronicle.
In addition, a decreasing number of presidential candidates is forcing salaries upward, according to the Chronicle.
"Compensation isn't the only thing" that works in wooing a president to a college, said Jean A Dowdall, a vice president at Witt/Kieffer, who specializes in searches for presidents, vice presidents and deans. In fact, she said, "it's absolutely something that gets people's attention"
