News Talk 94.1/AM 1600 Where The Upper Cumberland Talks
The Tennessee Tech Board of Trustees approved a raise and bonus for President Phil Oldham Tuesday which sparked a debate among the board.
Oldham was given a two percent pay increase in his salary, as well as a $60,000 bonus. However, Trustee Capt. Barry Wilmore proposed giving the president a larger bonus based on Oldham’s track record and ability to bring money to the school.
“I think about what is a fair compensation; if we’re going to do this bonus, what is fair?” Wilmore said. “I think that for something that’s going to garner $4.2 million per year, and I think about all the budget shortfalls we talked about earlier, and if we didn’t have the $4.2 million this year, we’d have a greater shortfall.”
Wilmore proposed a 2.5 percent bonus based on first-year’s salary for Oldham, which would have increased the bonus to $105,000.
“I think a fair compensation for me would be a percentage of at least the first year,” Wilmore said. “If we are gaining $4.2 million over the next several years going forward, based on an individual’s work and effort, and we decide we want to compensate him for that in a bonus, I think a fair bonus, for me, would be at least 2.5 percent first year’s income.”
TTU Trustee Barry Wilmore (right) pleads his case in giving President Phil Oldham an additional bonus as Trustee Barbara Fleming (left) listens. The Board voted for a $60,000 bonus but could not pass a $105,000 proposal by Wilmore (Photo: Logan Weaver)
Trustee Melissa Geist, however, disagreed with Wilmore, citing budget shortfalls as a reason not to increase Oldham’s bonus.
“To me, a bonus means that everything was spectacular,” Geist said. “If we are going to give someone a ($105,000) bonus, it means we did not have any shortfalls, we did not have any upheavals on campus. I mean, we have a charge of research misconduct.”
Trustee Dr. Barbara Fleming was also against increasing the president’s bonus to $105,000.
“I think at some point we have to say enough might be enough,” Fleming said, “now if you can’t live on, what would it be, $400,000 in Cookeville, Tennessee, I can tell you how it’s done-”
“That’s not the issue, that is not the issue, I’m sorry-,” Wilmore intervened. “Barry, please, excuse me,” Fleming added. “Please do the courtesy and let me talk to him.”
The trustees voted 7-1 in favor of the pay raise and $60,000 bonus, with Geist being the lone vote against the proposal. The board then voted 4-2 against the additional bonus, with Board Chair Tom Jones and Vice Chair Trudy Harper abstaining from the vote.
