STROUP BASE SALARY IS COMPETITIVE WITH OTHER SCHOOL CHIEFS

Southeast Missouri State University President Kala Stroup has the fourth highest base salary among presidents of the state's 10 public, four-year colleges and universities.

Stroup, who has a year remaining on a three-year contract, makes a salary of $105,000.

Members of Southeast's Board of Regents said they believe the salary is competitive with the pay received by other university presidents in the state and well justified.

"Truthfully, the board feels like she earned that salary," said Carl Ben Bidewell of Poplar Bluff, board president.

The president of the four-campus University of Missouri system has the biggest paycheck $150,000, according to a survey of presidential salaries by the Missouri Coordinating Board for Higher Education.

Regents at Southeast said, however, it's difficult to compare the salary of the president of the University of Missouri system with those at the other four-year, public schools in the state.

The presidential salaries at the other institutions for fiscal year 1992 are:

Central Missouri State University, $116,089;

Southwest Missouri State University, $108,756;

Missouri Southern State College, $99,981;

Lincoln University, $99,792;

Northeast Missouri State University, $96,800;

Northwest Missouri State University, $94,950;

Harris-Stowe State College, $92,000;

and Missouri Western State College, $84,156.

In addition, all but three of the institutions provide housing for their presidents. Those providing housing are Southeast, Central, Lincoln, Northeast, Northwest, Southwest and the University of Missouri system.

Those seven institutions also provide their presidents with housekeepers. Utilities are also provided at these schools, and at Missouri Western.

Missouri Western doesn't provide a house for its president, but it does provide a $15,000 housing allowance, the coordinating board survey shows.

Each of the 10 institutions provides a car for their president. Many of the presidents also are reimbursed for entertainment expenses, the survey shows.

Those receiving reimbursement are the presidents of Southeast, Central, Harris-Stowe, Northeast, Northwest, Southwest and the University of Missouri system.

Regent Donald Harrison of Cape Girardeau said Stroup's salary and benefits are "just a good, fair deal for all concerned."

Harrison said one has to view Stroup's salary in the context of the university as a big business. "She is a chief executive officer of a $50 million business," he pointed out.

"It is up to her to bring the money in and steer the ship, and do all the public relations work.

"It takes a rather unique person to be able to do all these with skill," he said. "We certainly do not feel that she is over compensated."

Regent Mark Pelts of Kennett said that while Stroup's base salary ranks very favorably with the salaries of other university presidents in Missouri, her total compensation package doesn't include some of the benefits that many of her colleagues receive.

For example, the president of Central Missouri State receives $4,738 in deferred compensation and an annuity benefit of $11,609.

The president of Harris-Stowe receives an annuity benefit of $15,000 and a retirement benefit of $14,263, the survey shows.

The presidents of Northwest and Southwest each receive retirement benefits of $20,000 or more. The president of Southwest also receives deferred compensation of $55,000 from private funds.

"When you look at the whole package from the other universities, you realize what a bargain we've got," said Pelts.