Despite Getting Fired Chancellor Shirvani Will Get Two More Pay Raises

According to Chancellor Hamid Shirvani’s separation agreement, he’ll be on administrative leave starting July 14th of 2013 and, starting January 2nd of 2014, he’ll cease being an officer in the North Dakota University System.

But Chancellor Shirvani will continue to get paid until June 30th of 2015, and will even get two pay raises during that time. From the separation agreement:

Shirvani will continue to receive his full salary, about $350,000, for two more years plus he’ll get 4% pay raise next month and a 3% pay raise next year. On top of that, he’ll continue to receive state health care for two more years and contributions to his retirement account in the amount of 11.5% of his salary until January 1st of 2014 and 12.5% of his salary after that.

Not bad for a guy who was actually on the job for just a little more than a year.

It’s hard to blame Shirvani for this. Pay in the higher education industry is inflated to unbelievable levels around the nation. North Dakota is no different. Who is to blame are the folks on the State Board of Higher Education who hired this guy, signed him to a lavish contract, gave him an aggressive mandate for reform and then balked when some university presidents and their pets in the legislature threw a fit.

Now the taxpayers are not only on the hook for a lengthy, and lavish, severance for Mr. Shirvani but what will no doubt be a generous contract for a new chancellor.