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General Ohio University Discussion/Alumni Events Topic
Topic: Another $100k
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Bobcat Love's Sense of Shame
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Posted: 10/6/2020 9:47 AM
Mike Johnson wrote:expand_more
The football and basketball salaries send a signal to alumni OU is reasonably serious about athletics. The pay buys you more experience than the entry level D1 salaries do.
According to USNews, we rank 271st in alumni giving. Only 3.8% of alumni give a dime. Not sure that investment's paying off.

Edit: For comparison's sake, here's where a few other MAC schools fall:

Miami ranks 41st, 17.3% of alumni donate.
Buffalo ranks 90th, 11.3% of alumni donate.
BG ranks 224th, 5.1% of alumni donate.
WMU ranks 254th, 3.9% of alumni give.
Kent's tied with us.
NIU is a bit below at 3.5%.
Akron is at 3%.
EMU is at 1.8%
3.8% Surprisingly low in view - if my memory is correct - of Ohio's endowment being largest - by narrow margin over Miami - of Ohio MAC schools.

All of the above percentages suggest that relatively few alumni feel strongly enough about their college experiences to provide a measure of financial support.
If Ohio's endowment is the largest, and their giving rate's that low that would speak to a. . .high quality finance team.
Mike Johnson
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Posted: 10/6/2020 10:04 AM
Bobcat Love's Sense of Shame wrote:expand_more
The football and basketball salaries send a signal to alumni OU is reasonably serious about athletics. The pay buys you more experience than the entry level D1 salaries do.
According to USNews, we rank 271st in alumni giving. Only 3.8% of alumni give a dime. Not sure that investment's paying off.

Edit: For comparison's sake, here's where a few other MAC schools fall:

Miami ranks 41st, 17.3% of alumni donate.
Buffalo ranks 90th, 11.3% of alumni donate.
BG ranks 224th, 5.1% of alumni donate.
WMU ranks 254th, 3.9% of alumni give.
Kent's tied with us.
NIU is a bit below at 3.5%.
Akron is at 3%.
EMU is at 1.8%
3.8% Surprisingly low in view - if my memory is correct - of Ohio's endowment being largest - by narrow margin over Miami - of Ohio MAC schools.

All of the above percentages suggest that relatively few alumni feel strongly enough about their college experiences to provide a measure of financial support.
If Ohio's endowment is the largest, and their giving rate's that low that would speak to a. . .high quality finance team.
Perhaps. At the moment I am recalling when Jim Schaus was in the early stages of building the Bobcat Club. He reached out to several alums, asking they volunteer to serve as district leaders in raising funds. As I recall, my district in northeastern Ohio led to my receiving a list of 25 or so alumni. In contacting them, what came through was how enthusiastic they were about donating to alma mater. I remember some on that list expressing gratitude that someone had taken time to phone them and ask for their support.

That program endured for about three years before it ended. Not sure why.
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Bobcat Love's Sense of Shame
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Posted: 10/6/2020 10:48 AM
Mike Johnson wrote:expand_more
The football and basketball salaries send a signal to alumni OU is reasonably serious about athletics. The pay buys you more experience than the entry level D1 salaries do.
According to USNews, we rank 271st in alumni giving. Only 3.8% of alumni give a dime. Not sure that investment's paying off.

Edit: For comparison's sake, here's where a few other MAC schools fall:

Miami ranks 41st, 17.3% of alumni donate.
Buffalo ranks 90th, 11.3% of alumni donate.
BG ranks 224th, 5.1% of alumni donate.
WMU ranks 254th, 3.9% of alumni give.
Kent's tied with us.
NIU is a bit below at 3.5%.
Akron is at 3%.
EMU is at 1.8%
3.8% Surprisingly low in view - if my memory is correct - of Ohio's endowment being largest - by narrow margin over Miami - of Ohio MAC schools.

All of the above percentages suggest that relatively few alumni feel strongly enough about their college experiences to provide a measure of financial support.
If Ohio's endowment is the largest, and their giving rate's that low that would speak to a. . .high quality finance team.
Perhaps. At the moment I am recalling when Jim Schaus was in the early stages of building the Bobcat Club. He reached out to several alums, asking they volunteer to serve as district leaders in raising funds. As I recall, my district in northeastern Ohio led to my receiving a list of 25 or so alumni. In contacting them, what came through was how enthusiastic they were about donating to alma mater. I remember some on that list expressing gratitude that someone had taken time to phone them and ask for their support.

That program endured for about three years before it ended. Not sure why.
When I was in school, it was really common that students be hired to do phone banking asking for donations. I never did so myself, but a bunch of friends did, and the running joke was that you could make money if you were intent on spending an afternoon getting hung up on.
Mike Johnson
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Posted: 10/6/2020 11:52 AM
Bobcat Love's Sense of Shame wrote:expand_more
The football and basketball salaries send a signal to alumni OU is reasonably serious about athletics. The pay buys you more experience than the entry level D1 salaries do.
According to USNews, we rank 271st in alumni giving. Only 3.8% of alumni give a dime. Not sure that investment's paying off.

Edit: For comparison's sake, here's where a few other MAC schools fall:

Miami ranks 41st, 17.3% of alumni donate.
Buffalo ranks 90th, 11.3% of alumni donate.
BG ranks 224th, 5.1% of alumni donate.
WMU ranks 254th, 3.9% of alumni give.
Kent's tied with us.
NIU is a bit below at 3.5%.
Akron is at 3%.
EMU is at 1.8%
3.8% Surprisingly low in view - if my memory is correct - of Ohio's endowment being largest - by narrow margin over Miami - of Ohio MAC schools.

All of the above percentages suggest that relatively few alumni feel strongly enough about their college experiences to provide a measure of financial support.
If Ohio's endowment is the largest, and their giving rate's that low that would speak to a. . .high quality finance team.
Perhaps. At the moment I am recalling when Jim Schaus was in the early stages of building the Bobcat Club. He reached out to several alums, asking they volunteer to serve as district leaders in raising funds. As I recall, my district in northeastern Ohio led to my receiving a list of 25 or so alumni. In contacting them, what came through was how enthusiastic they were about donating to alma mater. I remember some on that list expressing gratitude that someone had taken time to phone them and ask for their support.

That program endured for about three years before it ended. Not sure why.
When I was in school, it was really common that students be hired to do phone banking asking for donations. I never did so myself, but a bunch of friends did, and the running joke was that you could make money if you were intent on spending an afternoon getting hung up on.
Interesting. In making calls to those alums I didn't experience a hang-up or any form of rudeness.
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bobcatsquared
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Posted: 10/6/2020 1:01 PM
I'm guessing the difference, Mike, is that you were given a list of generous alum from the AD, while BLSS was likely making cold calls.
Alan Swank
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Posted: 10/6/2020 2:43 PM
OhioCatFan wrote:expand_more
The football and basketball salaries send a signal to alumni OU is reasonably serious about athletics. The pay buys you more experience than the entry level D1 salaries do.
According to USNews, we rank 271st in alumni giving. Only 3.8% of alumni give a dime. Not sure that investment's paying off.

Edit: For comparison's sake, here's where a few other MAC schools fall:

Miami ranks 41st, 17.3% of alumni donate.
Buffalo ranks 90th, 11.3% of alumni donate.
BG ranks 224th, 5.1% of alumni donate.
WMU ranks 254th, 3.9% of alumni give.
Kent's tied with us.
NIU is a bit below at 3.5%.
Akron is at 3%.
EMU is at 1.8%
It would be interesting to see the OHIO breakdown by college. I suspect, for instance, that a higher percentage of engineering graduates contributed compared to those in the College of Arts and Sciences. I could be entirely wrong, but that's my guess. Also, I suspect medical school graduates, once they get through residencies and into practice a few years, give at a higher rate. The actual data here would be very telling.
The level of engagement while in college is one of the single biggest indicators of future giving - residence life, student government, and Greef affiiation are three of the leading categories at least at smaller private schools.
Mike Johnson
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Posted: 10/6/2020 6:21 PM
Alan Swank wrote:expand_more
The football and basketball salaries send a signal to alumni OU is reasonably serious about athletics. The pay buys you more experience than the entry level D1 salaries do.
According to USNews, we rank 271st in alumni giving. Only 3.8% of alumni give a dime. Not sure that investment's paying off.

Edit: For comparison's sake, here's where a few other MAC schools fall:

Miami ranks 41st, 17.3% of alumni donate.
Buffalo ranks 90th, 11.3% of alumni donate.
BG ranks 224th, 5.1% of alumni donate.
WMU ranks 254th, 3.9% of alumni give.
Kent's tied with us.
NIU is a bit below at 3.5%.
Akron is at 3%.
EMU is at 1.8%
It would be interesting to see the OHIO breakdown by college. I suspect, for instance, that a higher percentage of engineering graduates contributed compared to those in the College of Arts and Sciences. I could be entirely wrong, but that's my guess. Also, I suspect medical school graduates, once they get through residencies and into practice a few years, give at a higher rate. The actual data here would be very telling.
The level of engagement while in college is one of the single biggest indicators of future giving - residence life, student government, and Greef affiiation are three of the leading categories at least at smaller private schools.
That sounds about right. I chose to live 4 years in Gam where I took several leadership roles. The morning after graduation I volunteered Army. Not long afterward I had reason to value my Ohio education; after completing training, the Army took note of my Scripps School education and decided it needed an Army correspondent and liaison specialist in Korea. Two years later I started my business career with General Electric in New York. My boss made it clear that I was his choice because of the combination of my Scripps work and my Army experience. All that made it easy to begin donating to alma mater.
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OUPride
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Posted: 10/7/2020 9:41 AM
OhioCatFan wrote:expand_more
The football and basketball salaries send a signal to alumni OU is reasonably serious about athletics. The pay buys you more experience than the entry level D1 salaries do.
According to USNews, we rank 271st in alumni giving. Only 3.8% of alumni give a dime. Not sure that investment's paying off.

Edit: For comparison's sake, here's where a few other MAC schools fall:

Miami ranks 41st, 17.3% of alumni donate.
Buffalo ranks 90th, 11.3% of alumni donate.
BG ranks 224th, 5.1% of alumni donate.
WMU ranks 254th, 3.9% of alumni give.
Kent's tied with us.
NIU is a bit below at 3.5%.
Akron is at 3%.
EMU is at 1.8%
It would be interesting to see the OHIO breakdown by college. I suspect, for instance, that a higher percentage of engineering graduates contributed compared to those in the College of Arts and Sciences. I could be entirely wrong, but that's my guess. Also, I suspect medical school graduates, once they get through residencies and into practice a few years, give at a higher rate. The actual data here would be very telling.
The things that I have read--none of them Ohio specific--point to Arts & Science grads donating at the same rate as more utilitarian majors. I might assume that early career average donations might be smaller than for engineers or finance majors but that would even out as mid-career earnings even out between Arts & Science and Business/Engineering majors.
Last Edited: 10/7/2020 9:42:27 AM by OUPride
rpbobcat
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Posted: 10/7/2020 10:12 AM
OUPride wrote:expand_more
The things that I have read--none of them Ohio specific--point to Arts & Science grads donating at the same rate as more utilitarian majors. I might assume that early career average donations might be smaller than for engineers or finance majors but that would even out as mid-career earnings even out between Arts & Science and Business/Engineering majors.
In my case,I was an engineering major.

But I've never donated to that college.

I've donated for the IPF and Academic Center.

I also donate annually to the 110 and Wrestling program.

As far comments about student callers seeking donations.

I get a couple of calls a year.

I always talk to them about what's going on at O.U.

I just make at clear that I don't donate to anything,over the phone.
OhioCatFan
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Posted: 10/7/2020 10:15 AM
OUPride wrote:expand_more
The football and basketball salaries send a signal to alumni OU is reasonably serious about athletics. The pay buys you more experience than the entry level D1 salaries do.
According to USNews, we rank 271st in alumni giving. Only 3.8% of alumni give a dime. Not sure that investment's paying off.

Edit: For comparison's sake, here's where a few other MAC schools fall:

Miami ranks 41st, 17.3% of alumni donate.
Buffalo ranks 90th, 11.3% of alumni donate.
BG ranks 224th, 5.1% of alumni donate.
WMU ranks 254th, 3.9% of alumni give.
Kent's tied with us.
NIU is a bit below at 3.5%.
Akron is at 3%.
EMU is at 1.8%
It would be interesting to see the OHIO breakdown by college. I suspect, for instance, that a higher percentage of engineering graduates contributed compared to those in the College of Arts and Sciences. I could be entirely wrong, but that's my guess. Also, I suspect medical school graduates, once they get through residencies and into practice a few years, give at a higher rate. The actual data here would be very telling.
The things that I have read--none of them Ohio specific--point to Arts & Science grads donating at the same rate as more utilitarian majors. I might assume that early career average donations might be smaller than for engineers or finance majors but that would even out as mid-career earnings even out between Arts & Science and Business/Engineering majors.
Thanks for the info. I would like to see the Ohio-specific data, but I’m sure it’s considered top secret information in Cutler Hall. In terms of the medical school, they benefit by having their own alumni relations and development folks, who from my personal observations do an excellent job.
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BillyTheCat
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Posted: 10/7/2020 12:14 PM
Bobcat Love's Sense of Shame wrote:expand_more
The football and basketball salaries send a signal to alumni OU is reasonably serious about athletics. The pay buys you more experience than the entry level D1 salaries do.
According to USNews, we rank 271st in alumni giving. Only 3.8% of alumni give a dime. Not sure that investment's paying off.

Edit: For comparison's sake, here's where a few other MAC schools fall:

Miami ranks 41st, 17.3% of alumni donate.
Buffalo ranks 90th, 11.3% of alumni donate.
BG ranks 224th, 5.1% of alumni donate.
WMU ranks 254th, 3.9% of alumni give.
Kent's tied with us.
NIU is a bit below at 3.5%.
Akron is at 3%.
EMU is at 1.8%
3.8% Surprisingly low in view - if my memory is correct - of Ohio's endowment being largest - by narrow margin over Miami - of Ohio MAC schools.

All of the above percentages suggest that relatively few alumni feel strongly enough about their college experiences to provide a measure of financial support.
If Ohio's endowment is the largest, and their giving rate's that low that would speak to a. . .high quality finance team.
The endowment is managed by the foundation and contains assets of the foundation. This employee does not oversee the foundation. OOOPs, even better, she actually serves both the University and the Foundation as treasurer. This is exactly the type of issue that many have issues with in regards to how these foundations work and their lack of transparency.
Last Edited: 10/7/2020 12:49:17 PM by BillyTheCat
BillyTheCat
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Posted: 10/7/2020 12:21 PM
Even better, according to the ANews, this bonus and the NEXT bonus were voted on by the Trustees behind closed doors. And the bantering between the interim president and the board, neither wanting credit for this is a sign of dysfunction and lack of leadership.
Bobcat Love's Sense of Shame
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Posted: 10/7/2020 2:16 PM
BillyTheCat wrote:expand_more
Even better, according to the ANews, this bonus and the NEXT bonus were voted on by the Trustees behind closed doors. And the bantering between the interim president and the board, neither wanting credit for this is a sign of dysfunction and lack of leadership.
I'd venture to guess that a once every three year bonus of 100k in an organization with an operating budget that exceeds 2 billion dollars over that same time period simply isn't a decision that the President or Board of Trustees puts much thought into at all. Why should they?

So far the only answer I've seen is "optics." But that answer tends to come from the people upset about the optics.
Last Edited: 10/7/2020 3:29:36 PM by Bobcat Love's Sense of Shame
Alan Swank
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Posted: 10/7/2020 4:29 PM
Bobcat Love's Sense of Shame wrote:expand_more
Even better, according to the ANews, this bonus and the NEXT bonus were voted on by the Trustees behind closed doors. And the bantering between the interim president and the board, neither wanting credit for this is a sign of dysfunction and lack of leadership.
I'd venture to guess that a once every three year bonus of 100k in an organization with an operating budget that exceeds 2 billion dollars over that same time period simply isn't a decision that the President or Board of Trustees puts much thought into at all. Why should they?

So far the only answer I've seen is "optics." But that answer tends to come from the people upset about the optics.
Has anyone asked this question? How many other non-athletic contracts does OU currently have out there with a longevity clause in it?
BillyTheCat
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Posted: 10/7/2020 9:51 PM
Bobcat Love's Sense of Shame wrote:expand_more
Even better, according to the ANews, this bonus and the NEXT bonus were voted on by the Trustees behind closed doors. And the bantering between the interim president and the board, neither wanting credit for this is a sign of dysfunction and lack of leadership.
I'd venture to guess that a once every three year bonus of 100k in an organization with an operating budget that exceeds 2 billion dollars over that same time period simply isn't a decision that the President or Board of Trustees puts much thought into at all. Why should they?

So far the only answer I've seen is "optics." But that answer tends to come from the people upset about the optics.
I guess you miss the point, lack of transparency And with this case a lack of responsibility, lots of finger pointing.
BillyTheCat
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Posted: 10/7/2020 9:52 PM
Alan Swank wrote:expand_more
Even better, according to the ANews, this bonus and the NEXT bonus were voted on by the Trustees behind closed doors. And the bantering between the interim president and the board, neither wanting credit for this is a sign of dysfunction and lack of leadership.
I'd venture to guess that a once every three year bonus of 100k in an organization with an operating budget that exceeds 2 billion dollars over that same time period simply isn't a decision that the President or Board of Trustees puts much thought into at all. Why should they?

So far the only answer I've seen is "optics." But that answer tends to come from the people upset about the optics.
Has anyone asked this question? How many other non-athletic contracts does OU currently have out there with a longevity clause in it?
Exactly!
Bobcat Love's Sense of Shame
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Posted: 10/8/2020 10:01 AM
BillyTheCat wrote:expand_more
I guess you miss the point, lack of transparency And with this case a lack of responsibility, lots of finger pointing.
I missed that point because it isn't the point you made.

Your first post directly questioned her value as an employee. No mention of transparency or responsibility.

Your second post was about how you disagree with the idea of retention bonuses. Your third point was the same. You stated that the problem is that "these bonuses are longevity based and not performance based. To me, that’s a problem."

You didn't mention transparency until your fourth post on the subject, and it wasn't in anything I responded to. Transparency seems pretty far down the list of your concerns.
Mike Johnson
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Posted: 10/8/2020 10:35 AM
Let me ask again: Does anyone on this board know if the university's strategic plan includes measurable objectives and if it uses KPIs to track progress - and thus hold accountable individuals tasked with meeting the measurables?
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Bobcat Love's Sense of Shame
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Posted: 10/8/2020 12:05 PM
Alan Swank wrote:expand_more
Even better, according to the ANews, this bonus and the NEXT bonus were voted on by the Trustees behind closed doors. And the bantering between the interim president and the board, neither wanting credit for this is a sign of dysfunction and lack of leadership.
I'd venture to guess that a once every three year bonus of 100k in an organization with an operating budget that exceeds 2 billion dollars over that same time period simply isn't a decision that the President or Board of Trustees puts much thought into at all. Why should they?

So far the only answer I've seen is "optics." But that answer tends to come from the people upset about the optics.
Has anyone asked this question? How many other non-athletic contracts does OU currently have out there with a longevity clause in it?
Not sure how we'd know. But in an organization of this size, I'd be shocked if there aren't more retention bonuses. It's not abnormal practice for employers.
Bobcat Love's Sense of Shame
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Posted: 10/8/2020 1:33 PM
Does anybody here know if Solich and Boals took pay cuts?
Alan Swank
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Posted: 10/8/2020 2:14 PM
Bobcat Love's Sense of Shame wrote:expand_more
Does anybody here know if Solich and Boals took pay cuts?
It was either 10 or 15%.
Alan Swank
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Posted: 10/8/2020 8:48 PM
Bobcat Love's Sense of Shame wrote:expand_more
Even better, according to the ANews, this bonus and the NEXT bonus were voted on by the Trustees behind closed doors. And the bantering between the interim president and the board, neither wanting credit for this is a sign of dysfunction and lack of leadership.
I'd venture to guess that a once every three year bonus of 100k in an organization with an operating budget that exceeds 2 billion dollars over that same time period simply isn't a decision that the President or Board of Trustees puts much thought into at all. Why should they?

So far the only answer I've seen is "optics." But that answer tends to come from the people upset about the optics.
Has anyone asked this question? How many other non-athletic contracts does OU currently have out there with a longevity clause in it?
Not sure how we'd know. But in an organization of this size, I'd be shocked if there aren't more retention bonuses. It's not abnormal practice for employers.
We'd know if we had any media coverage of what is happening here in Athens. Since Terry Smith retired and Conor Morris moved to Cleveland, investigative journalism has disaappered from Athen County. Heck, we have a council person proposing an ordinance where if you plant a few polinator friendly plants in your yard, you don't have to mow your grass all year. No one knows about this because we have no press coverage. A simple records request asking for a copy of all contracts containing a retention bonus would do the trick.
BillyTheCat
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Posted: 10/8/2020 9:58 PM
Alan Swank wrote:expand_more
Even better, according to the ANews, this bonus and the NEXT bonus were voted on by the Trustees behind closed doors. And the bantering between the interim president and the board, neither wanting credit for this is a sign of dysfunction and lack of leadership.
I'd venture to guess that a once every three year bonus of 100k in an organization with an operating budget that exceeds 2 billion dollars over that same time period simply isn't a decision that the President or Board of Trustees puts much thought into at all. Why should they?

So far the only answer I've seen is "optics." But that answer tends to come from the people upset about the optics.
Has anyone asked this question? How many other non-athletic contracts does OU currently have out there with a longevity clause in it?
Not sure how we'd know. But in an organization of this size, I'd be shocked if there aren't more retention bonuses. It's not abnormal practice for employers.
We'd know if we had any media coverage of what is happening here in Athens. Since Terry Smith retired and Conor Morris moved to Cleveland, investigative journalism has disaappered from Athen County. Heck, we have a council person proposing an ordinance where if you plant a few polinator friendly plants in your yard, you don't have to mow your grass all year. No one knows about this because we have no press coverage. A simple records request asking for a copy of all contracts containing a retention bonus would do the trick.
Bingo! And I’m sorry to those who failed to realize that all reports are this is a longevity bonus and not a performance bonus. My bad, I thought you’d actually read online news before commenting with you opinions. This, according to the interim president, this was longevity only. New bonus was/is longevity as well. That alone screams that performance is not an issue.
Bobcat Love's Sense of Shame
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Posted: 10/9/2020 8:44 AM
BillyTheCat wrote:expand_more
Even better, according to the ANews, this bonus and the NEXT bonus were voted on by the Trustees behind closed doors. And the bantering between the interim president and the board, neither wanting credit for this is a sign of dysfunction and lack of leadership.
I'd venture to guess that a once every three year bonus of 100k in an organization with an operating budget that exceeds 2 billion dollars over that same time period simply isn't a decision that the President or Board of Trustees puts much thought into at all. Why should they?

So far the only answer I've seen is "optics." But that answer tends to come from the people upset about the optics.
Has anyone asked this question? How many other non-athletic contracts does OU currently have out there with a longevity clause in it?
Not sure how we'd know. But in an organization of this size, I'd be shocked if there aren't more retention bonuses. It's not abnormal practice for employers.
We'd know if we had any media coverage of what is happening here in Athens. Since Terry Smith retired and Conor Morris moved to Cleveland, investigative journalism has disaappered from Athen County. Heck, we have a council person proposing an ordinance where if you plant a few polinator friendly plants in your yard, you don't have to mow your grass all year. No one knows about this because we have no press coverage. A simple records request asking for a copy of all contracts containing a retention bonus would do the trick.
Bingo! And I’m sorry to those who failed to realize that all reports are this is a longevity bonus and not a performance bonus. My bad, I thought you’d actually read online news before commenting with you opinions. This, according to the interim president, this was longevity only. New bonus was/is longevity as well. That alone screams that performance is not an issue.
At what point did anybody say this was a performance bonus? Feel free to quote them. It's one of the benefits of a conversation online -- all of the words are there.

All I've said here is that retention bonuses aren't uncommon and are used by employers when they feel like continuity is important on particular teams or for particular people. I know I'm supposed to grab a pitchfork and start screaming, but just not seeing it here.
Last Edited: 10/9/2020 8:57:09 AM by Bobcat Love's Sense of Shame
Alan Swank
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Alan Swank
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Posted: 10/9/2020 12:14 PM
Bobcat Love's Sense of Shame wrote:expand_more
Even better, according to the ANews, this bonus and the NEXT bonus were voted on by the Trustees behind closed doors. And the bantering between the interim president and the board, neither wanting credit for this is a sign of dysfunction and lack of leadership.
I'd venture to guess that a once every three year bonus of 100k in an organization with an operating budget that exceeds 2 billion dollars over that same time period simply isn't a decision that the President or Board of Trustees puts much thought into at all. Why should they?

So far the only answer I've seen is "optics." But that answer tends to come from the people upset about the optics.
Has anyone asked this question? How many other non-athletic contracts does OU currently have out there with a longevity clause in it?
Not sure how we'd know. But in an organization of this size, I'd be shocked if there aren't more retention bonuses. It's not abnormal practice for employers.
We'd know if we had any media coverage of what is happening here in Athens. Since Terry Smith retired and Conor Morris moved to Cleveland, investigative journalism has disaappered from Athen County. Heck, we have a council person proposing an ordinance where if you plant a few polinator friendly plants in your yard, you don't have to mow your grass all year. No one knows about this because we have no press coverage. A simple records request asking for a copy of all contracts containing a retention bonus would do the trick.
Bingo! And I’m sorry to those who failed to realize that all reports are this is a longevity bonus and not a performance bonus. My bad, I thought you’d actually read online news before commenting with you opinions. This, according to the interim president, this was longevity only. New bonus was/is longevity as well. That alone screams that performance is not an issue.
At what point did anybody say this was a performance bonus? Feel free to quote them. It's one of the benefits of a conversation online -- all of the words are there.

All I've said here is that retention bonuses aren't uncommon and are used by employers when they feel like continuity is important on particular teams or for particular people. I know I'm supposed to grab a pitchfork and start screaming, but just not seeing it here.
But doesn't seen a tad odd that the original bonus idea came from the board and not from the president who was her immediate supervisor who has gone on record as saying he would not have considered such a payment?
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