MISSOULA — The state Board of Regents approved 2 percent pay raises for many university system administrators and coaches.
The raises approved Tuesday increase the base pay for Montana State University President Waded Cruzado, University of Montana President Royce Engstrom and Commissioner of Higher Education Clayton Christian to $309, 207.
The Missoulian reports (http://bit.ly/1PpGd3j) Regent Martha Sheehy of Billings questioned why the 2 percent across-the-board raises were being approved at a time that UM was facing a decline in enrollment, a budget shortage and was cutting about 200 full-time positions. MSU Billings also is seeing enrollment declines.
The regents also approved a base salary of $180,000 for new MSU football coach Jeff Choate while UM coach Bob Stitt saw a 2 percent increase in his base salary to $178,500.