Gov. Mark Dayton Tuesday appointed five new members to the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities Board of Trustees and reappointment of one member.
“They will be strong supporters of Chancellor Rosenstone’s important new initiatives,” Dayton said in his announcement.
Last year, when Steven J. Rosenstone was appointed MnSCU chancellor, he outlined a plan for MnSCU that called for more access, reasonable prices and more innovation. That’s the right approach.
We urge these new and reappointed members to study any bonuses proposed for MnSCU administrators and hope a part of the chancellor’s initiatives include keeping a watchful eye on bonuses.
The appointments to the board include Ann Anaya, Margaret Anderson Kelliher, Dawn Erlandson, Alex Cirillo, Alfredo Oliverira and Maria Peluso. MnSCU is governed by a 15-member Board that is appointed by the governor. The board has policy responsibility for system planning, academic programs, fiscal management, personnel, admissions requirements, tuition and fees, and rules and regulations. The governor’s appointments to the board are with the advice and consent of the Senate, noted a statement from Dayton.
Last year, Minnesota State Colleges and Universities system paid out nearly $300,000 in bonuses to its top staff members. In 2010, we criticized the $415,875 in bonuses paid to the top 35 administrators in MnSCU. And in 2009, we criticized the system for spending $287,500 in bonuses.
At a jobs summit held in International Falls in 2011, Dayton said the bonuses were approved by trustees appointed by the previous administration and he pledged that when he appointed trustees they would scrutinize any proposal for bonuses.
Nobody can argue that a good day of work shouldn’t be rewarded, but with tuition increases and cuts to services, bonuses should not be paid until our economy drastically turns around. And then, bonuses should be paid sparingly, and only for positions that go above and beyond their job description.
