Temporary Pay Reductions are a Good Start but OU's Leaders Need to Do More to Truly Lead

OU-AAUP welcomes President Nellis’s announcement that he and EVPP Sayrs will take a temporary 15 percent reduction of their base salaries as well as forego their annual performance bonuses. We note this reduction still leaves President Nellis with a rather substantial base salary of approximately $404,998. Also, Ohio University has several other extremely well-compensated executive administrators and head coaches. Will they also be taking substantial voluntary salary reductions? 

In its statement of principles, OU-AAUP has called for significant and permanent reductions of the base pay of executive administrators and upper-level athletics personnel and a halt to any further administrative hiring as first steps in responding to our financial crisis. We insist moreover that any further austerity actions occur only with the meaningful and effective involvement of faculty representatives in the decision-making process.