U of M coaches top list of highest-paid public employees
Forum Communications reports that 18 of the top 20 highest-paid state public employees work for the University of Minnesota.
For a special report that covers the last fiscal year, and a slideshow of the top 20 highest-paid, Forum requested salary data from the university and the Minnesota Management and Budget office.
The top 5:
1. Former basketball coach Tubby Smith, nearly $1.9 million
2. Football coach Jerry Kill, $1.5 million
3. University President Eric Kaler, $588,000
4. Professor of pediatrics Dr. Bruce Blazar, $575,000
5. Chairman of Surgery Department Dr. Selwyn Vickers, $529,000
Perhaps it's no surprise that former Gopher men's basketball coach Tubby Smith tops the list, given a trend where nearly every state's best compensated worker is an athletics coach.
The fiscal year 2012 ran from July 1, 2011 to June 30, 2012. The U of M fired Smith in March, and has since hired Richard Pitino.
The Forum findings mirrored similar findings in a report late last year.
Kaler is in the top 20 percent for salary among other university presidents.
