Prof on leave paid $390,000

Toronto Star
Apr. 10, 2006. 01:00 AM
DANIEL GIRARD, EDUCATION REPORTER

In a move the faculty association calls offensive, the University of
Toronto paid nearly $390,000 in salary and taxable benefits last year to an
English professor on leave.

Shirley Neuman, who in early 2004 abruptly left her post as the
university's provost, or chief academic officer, has been on what school
brass call a "research and administrative leave" for the past two years,
pulling down nearly triple what her teaching colleagues earn.

Neuman had a salary of $351,972 plus $36,750 in taxable benefits last year,
according to recently released salary disclosure figures from the
provincial finance ministry.

"I can't discuss details of the package," Rose Patten, chair of U of T's
governing council, said of the severance terms. But, she added, Neuman has
now retired "so you will not be seeing this in the future."

Neuman was dean of literature, science and the arts at the University of
Michigan in Ann Arbor when she was lured back to her native Canada in 2002
by then-university president Robert Birgeneau. It was a move that proved
controversial because she was chosen over more popular on-campus
candidates.

Neuman was paid a salary of $336,352 plus taxable benefits of $52,272 in
2003, her only full year in the provost position.

When Neuman resigned in February 2004, 19 months after taking the job, she
cited "compelling personal reasons."

Neuman could not be located for comment.

U of T faculty association president George Luste called the salary issue
an "unfortunate" one for the university that appears to represent "a golden
parachute for her sudden departure as provost."

While acknowledging he doesn't know the terms of Neuman's severance, Luste
said: "I believe it offends most, if not all, of my faculty colleagues who
are hard working and will never achieve this level of annual income." The
average salary of a U of T professor in 2004-05 was $134,680.

Luste said it's even harder to accept at a time when funds are scarce at
the university, budget cuts are looming and faculty positions are likely to
go unfilled.

But Patten, a senior officer at the Bank of Montreal, rejected any
suggestions the university acted inappropriately.

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