Top faculty and administrators of Fairfield University find their salaries at their highest level while students fear that their college grants and financial aid will be reduced significantly and tuition increased this academic year.
The school released its IRS 990 form in early March, which listed the past year’s budget spending and plans for the coming year.
Mirror investigation of the issue began when the University first refused to release copies of the latest IRS 990 forms, a release of information that the University is required by law to do.
According to the information gathered, the highest paid administrator is President Jeffrey von Arx with approximately $300, 000 in annual salary and compensation worth $74,572, earned from 2009 to 2010. He will donate his salary to the Jesuit society.
Bill Lucas ‘69, the former vice president of finance who passed away in November, would have followed von Arx’s earning with a complete total of $314,717.
Following Lucas in highest total salary is Senior Vice President Billy Weitzer, who earned $301,634 in total compensation.
Former coach of the men’s basketball team Ed Cooley received a total compensation of $345,048 this past academic year. From the 2008-2010, his compensation had jumped by 22.39 percent.
Stephanie Frost, vice president of Advancement, has the fifth highest compensation of $309,251.
The new statistics brings many unanswered questions. Many students question the salaries the faculty members receive and note the higher the salaries rose, the higher the tuition increased as well.
As noted at a recent budget meeting, the tuition for the university will be hiked by more than 4 percent for the coming year, a move that worries many students who are concerned with college payments for the next academic year.
Gov. Dannel Malloy made a proposal to cut federal state grants by 50 percent in an effort to reorganize the state budget to an equilibrium. A rally occurred on March 1 to protest Malloy’s cuts.
The release of the salary numbers of Fairfield administrators seems to only reinforce this worried feeling of many students.
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