Former president of the University of North Florida and University of South Florida college of business dean steps into a new roll with a considerable earning.
By Julia Ferrara
The University of South Florida recently welcomed its ninth president, Moez Limayem this past year, and offered him a 5-year contract with a base salary of $1.25 million.
According to an article from the Tampa Bay Times, Limayem could also make an additional $625,000 this year from performance-based incentives and $300,000 from deferred compensation, or delayed pay.
As the former president of the University of North Florida, Limayem worked there for 3 years and had a base salary of $525,000 in his last year.
Former USF President Rhea Law, who resigned from her position early last year after serving the university for three and a half years, had a base salary of $825,000 in her last year and a total eligibility or $1.23 million.
To determine his salary for the role of president, the university consulted the presidential salaries of several “peer institutions”, namely Florida State University, the University of Central Florida, and the University of Florida. Each of their base salaries sit at around or above the $1.2 million mark.
However, according to USF’s presidential search packet, the University of Florida’s president, Donald Landry has a base salary of $2 million with the potential bonus pay of $500,000. This makes him the highest-paid public university president in Florida.
According to this packet, FSU’s president, Richard McCullough, has a base salary of $1.25 million and a contract bonus potential of $500,000. UCF’s Alexander Cartwright earns $1.2. million each year with a contract bonus potential of $696,000.
The terms of Limayem’s contract state that all compensation over $200,000 must be paid from non-state, or private sources.
In its entirety, Limayem’s bonus compensation could earn him $1.9 million in a year.
Following his confirmation, Limayem shared in a Board of Governors meeting that he plans to put student and faculty first.
“You have my word that I will lead with transparency, community, and purpose. Every decision I make will be guided by one question: What is best for our students, our faculty, staff, our community, our state, and our country,” said Limayem.
