Quote from another thread:

By: Budget
RE: RE: Unsubstantiated Malone Gossip

Is his compensation a matter of public record? It must be stupendous, considering the number of positions he fills.

K. Malone
$49,500  Chief Operating Officer/Gulf Coast
$49,500  Chair Hattiesburg Economic Development & Planning
$11,000  Restricted Funds

TOTAL $110,000
Source: 2004/05 budget, published summer 2004. Not inclusive of mid-year raises, incentives, kickbacks, bonuses, hush money, etc.
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     $49,500?  Thames is again employing the infamous Pileum contract, one-penny-less rule.

     401.0102.a. Board approval shall be required for creation, appointment, elimination, or significant modification of the position of Vice Chancellor, Provost, Vice President, Dean, or Associate/Assistant Provost, Vice President or Vice Chancellor who supervises Deans. Board approval shall also be required for the appointment of any employee making a salary of $50,000 or more.

Board of Trustees, Institutions of Higher Learning State of Mississippi, POLICIES AND BYLAWS, www.ihl.state.ms.us/admin/downloads/policiesandbylaws.pdf

     I'll bet you exactly $499.99 that Thames established 2 different positions, both at $49,500.  Each line was under the $50,000 radar; therefore, the Board  didn't have to be informed of them or approve them.  Next, Thames appointed Malone to one position at $49,500.   A short time later, Thames assigned Malone the extra responsibilities of another $49,500 job.  Although his salary then came to $99,000, he escaped the provisions of 401.0102.a because he was originally appointed at $49,500.  If asked, Thames can say the dual position is "temporary."  Klumb and the Risk Manager probably applauded the plan, if they didn't concoct it in the first place.

     The Board wins because it doesn't have to acknowledge what Thames is doing, even if it knows full well.  Thames wins because he gets to circumvent the intent of a policy designed to keep a university president from creating high-paying administrative positions without IHL oversight.  Malone wins biggest of all, and gets $11,000 more from other sources, and perks too, to keep him in line with other Thames-job-search appointees.

IllEagle