Sweet defends chief's raises

The issue, YSU's president says, is 'return on investment.'
By JoANNE VIVIANO
VINDICATOR EDUCATION WRITER
YOUNGSTOWN -- Youngstown State University's director of development has been given two salary increases, amounting to a 40 percent raise, since February.
Paul McFadden has also received the new title of "chief of development" and a new country club membership. McFadden is a former YSU football place-kicker who played in the NFL.
His January salary of $63,654 was increased to $78,650 on Feb. 1 and to $90,000 on July 1.
Dr. David C. Sweet, YSU president, said the move was necessary to keep McFadden in Youngstown. He had been recruited by the University of Toledo's Vern Snyder, vice president for institutional advancement, who was once McFadden's supervisor at YSU.
McFadden said he was honored to be considered for a position at the University of Toledo and was interested because of his past relationship with Snyder, whom he considers a mentor. He said he chose to stay at YSU in part because of Sweet's leadership. "I really believe in where we're going right now," he said.
Similar offer
Sweet said the University of Toledo had offered McFadden $100,000 and a country club membership, so he stepped in to make a comparable offer.
"I believe it's very important for the university to retain outstanding faculty or staff when an alternative offer is made to recruit them from the university," Sweet said. " ... I told Paul I didn't want to see him leave because he is essential to the university."
Sweet called McFadden his "lead person" in terms of cultivating donors and turning them into "investors in the university." He has been key to the success of an effort to raise $12 million in donations to fully fund construction of a campus recreation and wellness center, Sweet said. Since January 2002, $9 million has been raised for the project. McFadden will also head up an upcoming centennial capital fund-raising campaign.
He has also made personal donations to YSU, said Ron Cole, YSU manager of news and information services. Earlier this year, McFadden and his wife, Dianne -- a 1992 YSU graduate and former basketball coach -- pledged $20,000 to YSU over the next four years. Half will establish a McFadden Family Scholarship, $5,000 will go to the recreation center, and $5,000 will go to other areas.
Union reactions
Some union leaders, however, wondered if the salary increase was fair.
"Does that happen for all employees if they're offered another job?" asked Christine Domhoff, incoming president of YSU's Association of Classified Employees. "Every time someone gets an offer does that mean YSU is going to meet that demand, even in the face of the economic crisis they were in?"
Dr. Michael Finney, incoming president of the YSU faculty union, said Wednesday was the first he had heard of McFadden's raise.
"Given the budgetary situation I am surprised but I'm not shocked," he said.
A recent Chronicle of Higher Education survey shows that the average salary for full professors at YSU was $73,900 in 2002-03, Cole said. Current YSU contracts give faculty 3.5 percent annual salary increases and members of three other YSU unions 3 percent annual raises.
Another Chronicle survey shows that university administrators who handle fund-raising make an average of just less than $99,000, Cole said. The survey showed salaries averaging $183,000 at large research universities and just under $75,000 at small liberal arts schools.
Budget cuts
"State share of instruction" funding has fallen from $46 million in 2001 to about $41.5 million this year. In response, YSU trustees have raised tuition by 9 percent this fall, after increasing rates by 8 percent in fall 2002, 5.5 percent in spring 2002 and 5.1 percent in fall 2001.
In April, in the face of uncertain state funding numbers Sweet froze the salaries of senior administrators, including the president, vice presidents, deans and executive directors, and nonunion employees earning more than $90,000. The freeze does not apply to McFadden.
Sweet said the market for people in the development field is competitive and finding a candidate with McFadden's interpersonal and technical skills and familiarity with the community would have been difficult.
"Anybody that can take the lead in raising $9 million, I'll be happy to continue to invest in," he said. "The issue is return on investment."
McFadden was hired as YSU's director of athletic development in July 1993 and moved to director of development in August 2000. He is responsible for YSU's annual fund and other fund-raising initiatives and chairs YSU's Development Council. He established a University Legacy Society to encourage bequests and solicited the largest gift in YSU history, $2 million.
His NFL career ran from 1984 to 1989, when he played for the Atlanta Falcons, the New York Giants and the Philadelphia Eagles.
viviano@vindy.com