Northwest Arkansas Community College president receives raise, bonus

BENTONVILLE -- The Northwest Arkansas Community College Board on Monday approved a 1 percent raise and a 4.5 percent bonus for President Evelyn Jorgenson.

The salary increase passed by a 5-1 vote. Todd Schwartz was the only trustee who voted against it. Schwartz declined to comment on the matter when reached by phone Tuesday.

The raise increases Jorgenson's salary from $187,594 to $189,470. The amount of her raise is prorated for this fiscal year, which began July 1, according to Steven Hinds, the college's director of public relations and marketing.

The board also voted 6-0 to grant Jorgenson a bonus payment of 4.5 percent of her annual salary, or $8,442. College employees in June received bonuses of between 1.5 percent and 4.5 percent based on merit, Hinds said.

"The 4.5 percent payout would be like getting an 'exceeds expectations' if it were on an evaluation form," Hinds said.

Trustees Ron Branscum and Mark Scott were absent. Trustee Keven Anderson abstained from both votes.

Anderson abstained because his wife, Lisa Anderson, is a college employee who reports directly to Jorgenson.

"I shouldn't be making decisions on Dr. Jorgenson's pay or her performance when she has the same responsibilities toward my wife," Keven Anderson said.

The board's votes followed a nearly two-hour executive session to review Jorgenson's performance following its monthly meeting Monday.

The board evaluated her in April as well, and at that time voted to give her a new three-year contract that took effect July 1. She didn't request and she didn't receive a raise at that time.

Dan Shewmaker, board chairman, said there were several initiatives implemented by Jorgenson and her administration that hadn't had time to develop in the spring, so the board agreed to do another review this week.

"What's transpired since then is that we've had significant cost savings in our self-insurance plan. We've seen enrollment stabilizing. We've got a balanced budget that we didn't agree upon until May," Shewmaker said.

He called the votes approving Jorgenson's salary increase and bonus a "vote of confidence" that she is accomplishing her goals and objectives.

The college last week reported this semester's enrollment at 7,973 students, an increase of 11 students from last fall semester. The slight increase was welcome news considering enrollment at the college has fallen 7.8 percent from the school's all-time high of 8,648 in fall 2011.

Jorgenson began as president in July 2013. She previously spent 16 years as president of Moberly Area Community College in Moberly, Mo.

Northwest Arkansas Community College is the biggest community college in the state. Pulaski Technical College is the second-largest. Its president, Margaret Ellibee, was making $176,826 as of the end of June, according to a copy of her contract.

NW News on 09/14/2016

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