The secrecy by the state College Board to choose a leader for Mississippi State University is deplorable, but the way university presidents are paid is shoddy, too....
...Most Mississippians might assume that the salary of a state university president is paid by the state. But that would be wrong. Taxpayers will pay Foglesong $200,000 while the MSU Foundation will pay him an additional $199,000 annually.
What if the private foundation refused to provide its "half" of the salary to the board's preferred candidate? There's nothing the board can do.
Since it's private, and since the state only pays half of what is considered a competitive salary, the foundation can call the shots....
Is it not customary for university foundations & similar groups to supplement presidential salaries, just as they supplement coaches, endowed chairs, etc.?
As an aside, don't ever think the C-L is getting "wise." The only reason that they're squalling now is that Sid Salter is an MSU alumnus. If the "secret hiring process" had come down at USM -- and when it comes down a year from now -- don't look for the C-L to make very much ado about it.