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MTU President Koubek gets 4% salary increase

Garrett Neese/Daily Mining Gazette Michigan Technological University President Rick Koubek addresses the Board of Trustees during Thursday’s meeting.

HOUGHTON — Michigan Technological University President Rick Koubek is receiving a 4% raise.

The Michigan Tech Board of Trustees approved a 4% increase to Koubek’s base salary at its meeting Thursday. Koubek had been making $470,475, according to the spring Tech salary report.

Trustee Steven Tomaszewski said the raise was consistent with the increases being given across campus with the university’s updated pay structure.

At Koubek’s request, his $45,000 performance bonus will be given to student scholarships and 

administered by the Michigan Tech Fund. 

“It was President Koubek who asked that to be done,” said Trustee John Bacon. “He was given a bonus. He’s chosen to give that to students.”

In his report to the board, Koubek said this year’s incoming freshman class is on track to be the second-largest since 1983. Tech’s research expenditures are also 16% above last year’s previous high.

“I’m personally delighted to be part of such a dedicated community of faculty, students, staff and alums, as we launched this new academic year,” he said. 

In other action, the board:

• Recognized employees with 35 or more years of service: Jean Burich, transfer services coordinator, registrar’s office (41 years); Donald Close, system administrator, information technology (37 years); Barbara Hendrickson, administrative aide, financial services and operations (39 years); Sharri Karppinen, senior administrative aide, registrar’s (40 years); Michael Monette, building mechanic, facilities management (43 years); William Predebon, department chair, mechanical engineering-engineering

mechanics (47 years).

• Gave appointments with tenure to professors Jin Woo Choi (Electrical & Computer Engineering), Amy Clarke (Department of Materials Science & Engineering), Kester Clarke (Department of Materials Science & Engineering) and Ye Duan (Department of Computer Science).

• Awarded emeritus and emerita rank to Kathleen Feigl (Mathematical Sciences), Jeffrey Burl (Electrical and Computer Engineering), Michael Roggemann (Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering), Franz Tanner (Department of Mathematical Sciences).

• Appointed Julie Seppala as treasurer. Seppala had been associate vice president for finance since 2017.

• Approved the future sale of a 2011 drill rig at a fair market price. The Department of Geological and Mining Engineering and Sciences requested the sale because of trouble finding suitable locations for student projects, and difficulty transporting it. The current book value of the equipment is $72,622.

• Approved revisions to board policy adjusting limits upwards on the dollar value of some transactions for which approval is needed.

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