Regents OK extension for Southeast president

Southeast Missouri State University's Board of Regents voted Monday to offer Carlos Vargas-Aburto a new, three-year rolling contract to continue as president of the university.

No salary increase or additional compensation was awarded at this time, according to a news release from the university.

This action bucks a national trend of public university presidents' salaries increasing, overall by 5.3 percent last year, with several topping $1 million, according to Associated Press reports citing an annual survey by the Chronicle of Higher Education.

In 2016, the board set Vargas' salary at $278,000 for the new fiscal year beginning July 1, and his annual annuity at $30,000.

The contract, effective Saturday, runs through June 30, 2020, according to board president Jay Knudtson.

All six regents voted to approve the contract.

Knudtson said the new contract was based on the board's assessment of the university's accomplishments and Vargas' leadership during the last two years.

Knudtson said the board felt it was imperative to reward Vargas for the superior job he was doing, while holding the line on any salary increase to remain consistent with the faculty and staff.

In the release, Knudtson cited several accomplishments, including:

• The university's elimination of a nine-hour upper-division University Studies requirement, allowing many students to complete their degree programs more quickly at lower cost;
• Implementing several high-skill STEM-based undergraduate programs, including Geographic Information Science, Unmanned Aircraft Systems and Industrial and Systems Engineering;
• The Transfer Mentor Program, designed to help community-college students complete degrees by offering guided pathways to success, concurrent enrollment opportunities and reverse transfer credits;
• The Southeast Shout-Out Award, which celebrates Southeast employees who go above and beyond to help, challenge and inspire students.

"I am very humbled and honored by the Board's action to extend my contract," Vargas said in the news release. "I have enjoyed working with the Board and appreciate their leadership and support. At Southeast, we are fortunate to have dedicated faculty and staff that play vital roles in ensuring the success of our students, and the accomplishments presented to the board are really the result of our collective efforts.

"Pam and I are delighted to be at Southeast, and I look forward to continuing to work with the Board of Regents and the entire University community to enhance the profile of Southeast locally, regionally, across Missouri and throughout the United States."

mniederkorn@semissourian.com

(573) 388-3630

Pertinent address: 900 Normal Avenue, Cape Girardeau, Mo.