Staff Report
The UNM Board of Regents voted unanimously to rescind an executive bonus plan Tuesday.
UNM President Louis Caldera said the plan was a pilot project to give University executives bonuses of up to 20 percent of their salaries based on individual performance. He originally presented the plan to the regents in June.
Caldera said the plan is good in theory, but UNM is not ready for it.
"We decided the timing just wasn't right," he said. "We started to hear criticisms from the press and other individuals, so we decided it wasn't worth it."
Caldera said the controversy over bonuses could overshadow more important work the University will be doing during the next legislative session.
"If there is even a possibility that this is going to be a distracter, then let's just take it off the table," he said.
Jamie Koch, president of the Board of Regents, said in July he was concerned UNM would not have the funds available for the bonus plan because students' fees were already raised by 10 percent last year. He said he feels the administration can't ask students to do it again.
Caldera said UNM wouldn't be ready for a plan like this anytime soon.
During the June regents meeting, six administrators were given bonuses, which will not be taken away.
David Harris, executive vice president for administration, was given $41,000. Michael Carroll, vice president for advancement, received $10,000. Rudy Davalos, director of athletics, got a bonus of $25,000.
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Caldera said it wouldn't be fair to take the money away from the people who were already given bonuses.
"There are legal issues involved, too," he said.
Davalos will continue to get a raise if the men's and women's basketball teams continue to do well, Caldera said, which is just a part of Davalos's employment contract.
Other top administrators, including Caldera, will continue to receive bonuses if it is written into their contracts.
