UC Violates Salary Policies
University of California-San Diego Medical School Dean Edward Holmes received $128,649 in overcompensation since 2001, according to an independent audit of UC pay practices released Tuesday, the San Diego Union-Tribune reports.
The audit found that in a sample of the 100 highest-paid UC employees, 17 individuals benefited from administration exceptions of compensation rules that often violated or circumvented policies and resulted is substantial overpayments and retirement benefits.
According to the audit, Holmes has received an additional $5,000 monthly to offset payments to the university related to his stock holdings from corporate boards. Under university rules, some UC health sciences personnel must pay a portion of the value of the stock to the university, but UCSD "circumvented the policy and used university funds to pay Holmes an extra $128,649," the audit states.
In addition, Holmes continued to receive extra compensation after he fulfilled his percentage of stock contributions to the university.
University officials said Holmes should not be required to repay the money, the audit said. A spokesperson for UCSD denies wrongdoing by the university (Yang, San Diego Union-Tribune, 5/3).
Additional coverage of the UC audit is available online:
- "Audit Says UC's Pay to Top Staff Violated Policies" (Stern, Sacramento Bee, 5/3).
- "Auditor Slams UC's Salary Practices" (Schevitz/Wallack, San Francisco Chronicle, 5/3).