MEMPHIS, Tenn. — University of Memphis President M. David Rudd announced Thursday he will decline a significant raise proposed by the school’s Board of Trustees.
The Board of Trustees recommended to give Rudd a $96,000 raise in the September meeting, but in an email to students and staff, Rudd said he would not accept the raise.
“I appreciate the thoughtfulness, support and officer from our Board of Trustees, but ultimately believe it in the best interest of the institution to forgot any salary increase at this time,” Rudd said in the email. “Overall institutional efficiency has been at the forefront of my agenda from the day I started, a value I firmly believe and will continue to live.”
The $96,000 raise would have bumped Rudd’s salary from more than $428,000 to $525,000.
After the raise was proposed, groups representing campus employees pushed back against the school, saying many workers at the school were not making a $15 per hour living wage.
Rudd said there is a plan to get to $15 per hour for all campus employees, but such a plan has not been provided by the school.