Good compensation in Administration!

The Province of British Columbia has released its public service compensation tables for 2009 and one thing seems pretty clear, if you want a six figure income administration in public service is where you want to steer your career boat.

Of Interest to Northwestern BC will be the remuneration highlights for some high profile positions in education and health care for our part of the province…

(from  the blog a town called podunk, click on the link below to see the entire article atowncalledpodunk.blogspot.com/2 … 2303563404 )-

“But by far the compensation award for 2008-09 went to Don Cozetto, the Former President and Vice Chancellor who received a compensation package worth $647,000 last year.”

That included a severance package since he did not complete his contract. He left suddenly ‘by agreement’ it seems. Cozetto’s reign as president of UNBC was brief, costly and confusing. His theory seems to have been that UNBC, like many US universities, should try to attract students from afar and boost enrollment with inter-collegiate sports and facilities the cost of which started to compromise academic programs.

Of course PG is not much a destination other than for having the biggest big box stores in the region. It also has the worst pollution, and a high crime rate etc. Lower admission standards and tuition are more of a draw, especially for northern students. Much of UNBC’s focus is actually on regional centres, far from the sporting facilities and events in PG. Many students are older or pursuing degrees part-time, and are preoccupied with part-time jobs, families and other podunkian priorities. In short, he did not seem to understand that UNBC is actually in Northern BC. A costly lesson for the university I think. 

Whatever else may be said about ex-Chairman Dan Veniez, he is not even remotely close to the higher echelons of last year’s rankings, having received a T4 from Ridley Terminals in 2008 for $12,500, thus setting a good personal example for fiscal prudence that probably should be his legacy, but undoubtedly will not be what he is remembered for, having angered coal companies who prefer subsidized services, and made many federal and municipal politicians uncomfortable with his musings about how to defend the interests of Canadian taxpayers who ultimately cover any shortfalls in the cost of ‘supporting’ big coal and its stockholders.