Western Promises Fair Review Of President's Salary

Western University is promising a public and impartial review of President Amit Chakma's compensation.

The review comes after outrage over Chakma's double payout in 2014. The president collected an extra year's pay in lieu of taking administrative leave, granted in his five-year contract, banking nearly $1-million.

He has since apologized and agreed to pay back the year's salary. The Board of Governors announced Justice Stephen T. Goudge would be conducting a review of the university's compensation practices.

"The board recognizes that Goudge’s review, which is specifically focused on President Chakma’s contract, may not fully respond to some of the concerns raised recently within the university community," school officials say in a document released today.

As the board promises and urges transparency, journalists were reportedly asked to leave a meeting on Tuesday where Chakma was meeting with faculty to discuss concerns over his leadership style. The board also fails to disclose how much the review will cost the school.

The board says Justice Goudge will consider if Western's presidential compensation practices are in line with those of peer institutions and if the board has the appropriate accountability and reporting mechanisms in place with respect to executive compensation. And finally, Goudge will answer the following three questions:

• Is a contractual provision that grants a year-long administrative leave at 100 percent of salary for each term in line with university presidents’ contracts offered by peer institutions?
• Is a provision that permits salary to be paid in lieu of taking a leave in line with presidential contracts offered by peer institutions?
• In satisfying the contractual provision for an administrative leave for a sitting president in each term, what options are appropriate with respect to such leaves between terms?

Chakma has repeatedly apologized for taking the money at Senate meetings, where members have been asked to cast a vote of non-confidence in the president. The vote of non-confidence was defeated at a special meeting last week, meaning Chakma will remain at the helm of the university.

At the end of his term in 2019 Chakma has said he will take his administrative leave to prepare for a return to teaching chemical engineering.