University presidents get pay boost amid tuition increases, staff cuts in Kansas

15 June 2023

TOPEKA (KSNT)- The Kansas Board of Regents approved a plan to increase pay for six university presidents on Thursday. This comes after voting to raise tuition rates for universities this fall, and as Emporia State University (ESU) is reeling from a round of mass layoffs.

The pay raises are for FY 2024, which is effective July 1. The highest raise will be going to Kansas State University President Richard Linton, who received a 10.2% increase to his base salary. Linton will be making $52,500 more compared to this past year (FY 2023). 


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ESU President Ken Hush, who’s received backlash for a proposal cutting more than two dozen faculty and staff members this year, will be receiving a 4% salary boost to $286,000. Hush will make $11,000 more this year.

The Board usually considers salary increases every year around June. The amount varies from year-to-year.

Not every university CEO has received a pay boost in year’s prior, but this year six presidents, including the president of KBOR, received a pay increase. 

This comes just one day after the Board voted to increase college tuition for in-state and out-of-state students this fall. Undergraduate students will be paying at least 5% more at Board-affiliated state universities, starting this school year. 

A full table listing compensation for university CEOs this upcoming fiscal year (FY 2024) compared to this past year (FY 2023) is included below.

InstitutionCEO/PresidentFY 2023 CEO CompensationFY 2024 CEO CompensationPercent (%) IncreaseUniversity of KansasChancellor Douglas Girod$630,000$655,0004%Kansas State UniversityPresident Richard Linton$512,500$565,00010.2%Wichita State UniversityPresident Rick Muma$475,000$500,0005.25%Fort Hays State UniversityPresident Tisa Mason$300,000$318,0006%Pittsburg State UniversityPresident Daniel Shipp$275,000$286,0004%Emporia State UniversityPresident Ken Hush$275,000$286,0004%Kansas Board of RegentsPresident Blake Flanders$265,000$280,0005.7%CEO Compensation approved by Kansas Board of Regents for FY 2024

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