Gallagher, five other administrators awarded 2.25% raises

By DONOVAN HARRELL

Chancellor Patrick Gallagher and five other Pitt leaders will see a 2.25 percent salary increase in 2019 thanks to the Compensation Committee of the Board of Trustees.

Committee members, who mostly met remotely on Dec. 20, unanimously voted to give Gallagher a pay bump to $555,000 from $536,813, in addition to deferred retention incentive payments of $100,000 for each year he’s served at Pitt. This means he will receive a bonus of $500,000 in July 2019 in addition to his new base salary.

Materials presented at the meeting included highlights of Gallagher’s annual report on Sept. 28.

Pitt Board Chair Eva Tansky Blum praised Gallagher.

“The progress the institution has made during the last year has been remarkable,” Blum said. “And despite the challenging environment of higher education, the university continues to flourish, providing a world class education for tens of thousands of students and changing countless lives through our innovation-based research developed in our labs and really serving as an economic driver for the region and the commonwealth.”

In July, the Board approved a 2.25 percent salary raise pool for faculty and staff in the University’s 2019 budget — 1.5 percent for maintenance and .75 percent extra for merit, market and equity.

The other five officers who will receive increased base salaries include:

  • Kathy Humphrey, senior vice chancellor for engagement and secretary of the Board of trustees, $418,575
  • Arthur Levine, senior vice chancellor for the health sciences and John and Gertrude Petersen Dean of the School of Medicine, $891,667
  • Robert Rutenbar, senior vice chancellor for research, $414,600
  • Greg Scott, senior vice chancellor for business and operations, $350,375. Scott also received a 1.5 percent market adjustment increase.
  • Geovette Washington, senior vice chancellor and chief legal officer, $418,575.

In addition, Pitt’s senior executive vehicle program will be discontinued in 2019, which will lead to a salary adjustment of $5,600 for each of the officers.

Since Provost Ann E. Cudd, Chief Financial Officer Hari Sastry, Chief Investment Officer Greg Schuler and Treasurer Paul Lawrence joined Pitt this year, their salaries aren’t yet eligible for raises.

Donovan Harrell is a writer for the University Times. Reach him at dharrell@pitt.edu or 412-383-9905.