Supporter of Hardin gives $500
Posted on Saturday, July 19, 2008
A Conway senior citizen has donated $ 500 to the University of Central Arkansas to help reimburse President Lu Hardin one day for the $ 300, 000 bonus he returned earlier this week.
Pauline G. Newman, 80, who holds two degrees and an educational administrator’s certificate from UCA, wrote the check on July 7, a few days after UCA administrators started questioning the legality of drawing the bonus from a campus endowment fund.
The fund contained revenue from campus book and food sales, which raised the question whether the fund contained public or private money. If the fund contains public money, using it to pay the bonus bumped Hardin’s public salary above a statemandated cap.
But there’s no limit on the amount of private money he can accept to supplement his public salary — money like Newman sent to the university this week.
Jack Gillean, UCA vice president for administration, said the university received the check on Wednesday, the same day Hardin announced plans to return the entire bonus.
Gillean said the university has not received any other donations to reimburse Hardin for the returned bonus.
The UCA Foundation has not received any donations for that purpose, said board Chairman Robin Nix.
Newman said she’s a longtime backer of the university and Hardin, and wanted to do something to support him.
“I think he’s done wonderful things for my school,” Newman said. “I have the utmost trust in Mr. Hardin.” The board of trustees gave Hardin the bonus — which amounted to $ 199, 650 after taxes — on May 2. Hardin gave UCA a check for $ 200, 000 — $ 350 more than he owed — on Thursday.
The trustees originally approved the bonus in 2005, to pay in 2010, as a reward for staying at the university five years.
Trustee Rush Harding III said the board decided in executive session May 2 to accelerate the payment in an attempt to keep Hardin at UCA long-term.
He said Hardin has had opportunities before — and now — to leave UCA for other jobs.
But the board never voted on the May 2 executive session decision publicly. Hardin originally denied, through a spokesman, getting a “raise” when questioned by reporters, but then acknowledged the existence of the “deferred compensation” package in early July.
He also drew criticism from faculty for accepting the bonus during a year when teachers might not get raises and some staff members had their retirement benefits cut.
Hardin said he decided to give the money back to keep publicity over the mistake from interfering with the start of fall classes in August and to follow the wishes of his faculty.
He has said he’ll take the money back, but not until after the faculty receive raises and an obviously private source is secured for the funding.
The board is still in the midst of trying to sign Hardin to a longterm contract.
FEEDBACK:
Something to say about this topic? Submit a Letter to the Editor online
