2008 Woodie Awards
President's contract extended
By Lexxie Shiring
Rocket Contributor
Issue date: 10/26/07 Section: News
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In order to have a contract extension, the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education's Board of Governors must receive a written evaluation from the Council of Trustees. Then the chancellor, who oversees all 14 state system schools, does his or her own evaluation of the president.
"In the five years that I have been president, Slippery Rock University has gone from the bottom in enrollment to third in the state system," Smith said.
Sometimes, however, extensions are not granted.
"If the chancellor does not rule an extension for your contract," Smith said, "then it means that the president, vice president or dean probably have some performance issues.
"Once you are down to two years, and you are not granted the extension back to three years, then you have two years to improve your performance. If you do not improve your performance by the time the last year is up, then you will no longer have a contract with the institution."
Smith, 62, explained that he is an at-will employee of SRU.
"(Being an at-will employee) means that at their pleasure, the chancellor and the board of governors can choose to dismiss me at any point without reason," Smith said, "but they would owe me the value of salary and benefits until the last day of my contract in 2010."
The only way that Smith would not be rightfully given his salary and benefits is if he would mutually agree to end his contract or if he committed a felony.
"My role is to realize the vision for how great this university can become," Smith said, "and I try to help us achieve that vision."
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