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NANTICOKE — Not only will Luzerne County Community College President Tom Leary see an increase in his paycheck in the upcoming year, the increase will be retroactive for the last two years.
Susan Unvarsky, chairwoman of the college’s Board of Trustees, said at a board meeting Monday night that although the increase will bring Leary’s salary to nearly $167,000 annually, of the 14 college presidents across Pennsylvania, he is still the second-lowest paid.
Leary was previously receiving $155,000 annually.
“It is important to note that Mr. Leary has not received a pay increase since 2011,” she said. “That’s five years.”
The salary bump took place after an extensive evaluation, according to Unvarsky.
“We did an evaluation of the president over the summer and, based on that evaluation and other factors such as the market reference range of Pennsylvania State Community College Presidents,” she said, “he was awarded the increase.”
Unvarsky said the increase correlated with the most recent faculty contract and its increases for teaching staff at the college.
Leary will be receiving the difference between his new salary and his current salary retroactive for the last two years which will amount to about $12,000 per year, or $24,000.
A 2013 hit-and-run crash involving Leary had initially cost him his school-provided car, a week’s pay and a raise, keeping his annual salary at $155,000. The chair of the school’s Board of Trustees in March 2013 had amended Leary ’s contract in response to the Nov. 2, 2013, crash in the parking lot of a Kingston restaurant.
The changes required Leary to immediately return his car to the school. He was allowed to use his own vehicle and submit for mileage reimbursement.
In addition, Leary was not to be entitled to a “discretionary increase” that had been in the contract he signed on Dec. 6, 2011, and renewed on Dec. 11, 2013, for two more years. The amendment froze his salary at $155,000 a year and docked him a week’s pay, effective the next pay period.
In another matter, the board also established a Legislative Affairs and Community Outreach committee.
“It is now a standing committee because we anticipate a continuing need for it,” Unvarsky said.
During Leary’s report to the board, he credited the institution’s PATH program for providing opportunity for training unemployed and underemployed students for in-demand careers. The program offers degrees in diesel, welding, engineering design and manufacturing.
Brandon Hynes, a student of the PATH program, said it helped him overcome adversity he had experienced in his life.
Hynes, said he originally attended the college in 2009, but during his recent enrollment in the PATH program had allowed him to be more focused.
“I made the Dean’s List,” he said. “That is something that I didn’t do before.”
The board also voted to accept several grants, including the ALTA Family Literacy grant to be funded at $304,000 and the ALTA Adult Basic Education grant to be funded at $698,000.
The college is partnering with East Stroudsburg University, which received a $3.9 million National Science Foundation S-STEM grant aware. LCCC will receive about $30,000 over a five year period, with funding going to supports and scholarships for students in science related fields of study.
The next Luzerne County Community College Board of Trustees meeting is scheduled for Dec. 20.