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University Relations | January 2006

The $871 million

In November 2005 the San Francisco Chronicle reported that $871 million had been distributed system-wide by the University of California in "bonuses, relocation allowances, stipends and an array of other hidden cash compensation." The newspaper did not report that:

• Of the $871 million, $600 million is compensation paid to doctors and clinical faculty for treating patients and to campus faculty for additional teaching and research performed during the summer. (1)
• System-wide, senior administrators received only $7 million — less than 1% of the $871 million. For a complete accounting of the UC compensation figures, see the documentation online. (1)

Compensation at Berkeley

• Senior administrators at Berkeley received $609,518, less than 0.1% of the $871 million total. (1)
• This additional compensation includes items such as relocation expenses, vacation accrual, separation agreements, car allowances and stipends for faculty members who have assumed additional, senior administrative responsibilities.
• Berkeley's senior managers have received the same general salary increases as their employees: 1.5% in 2002-03 and 0% in 2003-04 and 2004-05. (1)
• Chancellor Robert Birgeneau's annual salary of $400,000 is 27% less than the average salary of private university presidents. (2)
• Only 120 members of Berkeley's staff and faculty appeared on the Chronicle's list of the 2,227 UC (system) employees who earn $200,000 or more a year. (3)
• The Chronicle did not report that the two Cal employees who made the top ten, Coaches Ben Braun and Jeff Tedford, derive more than 85% of their compensation from private sources. (3)
• Salaries paid to UC Berkeley's associate professors and full professors are 22% below the average of our institutional peers. (4)
• In the last 5 years private institutions have made 122 offers to members of our faculty, succeeding 30% of the time. (4)

Sources:
(1) University of California, Office of the President
(2) July 2004, Mercer Salary Survey of UC Chancellors
(3) UC Berkeley, Office of Public Affairs
(4) UC Berkeley, Office of the Provost