MnSCU Board of Trustees commends chancellor for superior performance

The Minnesota State Colleges and Universities Board of Trustees commended Chancellor James H. McCormick today for superior performance under difficult conditions.

“Chancellor McCormick has done an outstanding job leading the 32 colleges and universities to improve efficiencies while maintaining the high quality of our programs and services,” said David Olson, who chairs the board. “This is truly remarkable considering that we have had record enrollment increases while operating with about the same amount of state funding that we had in 2006.”

A statement released by the board’s Ad Hoc Chancellor Assessment Committee, said, in part, “The board is aware of the significant challenges ahead for the system and is confident that Chancellor McCormick will continue to provide superior leadership that will assist with the transition to a new chancellor in 2011.”

McCormick’s contract expires Aug. 1, 2011, and he has not sought to extend it.

For the second consecutive year, the board did not increase McCormick's base annual salary, which will remain at $360,000. This decision reflects the wage freeze in place for nearly all other system employees. The board approved a one-time performance incentive of $40,000.

The incentive pay was awarded based on the chancellor’s performance in 2009-2010. He was eligible for a performance incentive of up to $50,000.

McCormick, 71, was the founding chancellor of the State System of Higher Education for the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania before assuming his position in July 2001, as head of the Minnesota system. McCormick and his wife, Dr. Maryan Garner McCormick, live in Woodbury.