According to DePauw University’s 2012-2013 Form 990, released in May 2014, University President Brian Casey makes $461,819, before benefits.
The president of the United States makes $400,000 a year, before benefits, according to a Feb. 17, 2014 USA Today article, “Report: The 10 richest U.S. presidents.”
The next highest paid DePauw employee, according to Form 990, is Brad Kelsheimer, vice president for finance and administration, at $244,784 before benefits. From there, salaries on the list continue to fall until the 11 required listings are reported.
To put the salaries in context, the total cost of attending DePauw in 2014-2015 is $54,026, before scholarships, according to the DePauw admissions and financial aid site. Assuming each student paid full cost (most don’t), Kelsheimer’s salary could cover 4.5 students’ years at DePauw. Casey’s could cover 8.5.
This editorial board does not mean to discredit any of the employees listed on the Form 990 or the work they do. We do want to point out that these salaries are exorbitant.
In The DePauw’s article, “Form 990 reveals 11 highest paid employees at DePauw,” The DePauw reported that one department secretary makes an annual salary of roughly $19,000. That’s $530 less than the 2013 poverty line for a family of three, according to the U.S Department of Health and Human Services. Granted, that secretary could have a spouse bringing in the same salary or could live alone, in which case the poverty line in 2013 was $11,490 and the secretary would have made well over that.
But with administrators who make over 10 times the salary of the secretary, a small raise for faculty and staff that make less than $100,000 a year wouldn’t have to make an unreasonable dent in these administrator’s salary.
In “Form 990 reveals 11 highest paid employees at DePauw,” published today, Kelsheimer is reported saying that DePauw salaries are competitive with the salaries of other schools in the Great Lakes Colleges Association. But DePauw doesn’t have follow the norm.
DePauw is known for a lot of things: Greek life, engaged alumni and a bubbly President that isn’t afraid to tout his school’s reputation nationwide. While this ed board recognizes the importance of Casey’s networking, we think faculty and staff salaries should be reevaluated. Why not be a school known for more equal pay as well?
-Nicole DeCriscio did not contribute to this article.