Ex-President Of GWU Leads In Pay Survey

Among private school chiefs, Trachtenberg's $3.7 million beat No. 2 by $2 million

Former George Washington University president Stephen J. Trachtenberg received $3.7 million in pay and benefits in 2007-08, $2 million more than the total compensation that year for any other current or former leader in private higher education in the United States, according to a survey of executive pay released Monday.

Compensation for presidents of private colleges and universities rose 6.5 percent in 2007-08, to a median of $358,746, according to an annual survey of 419 institutions by the Chronicle of Higher Education. The trade publication analyzed federal tax documents for the 2007-08 fiscal year.

Within a more select group of major private research universities, median pay rose 15.5 percent to $627,750. That group includes American University President Cornelius M. Kerwin, who received $1.4 million in 2007-08, fifth among all current presidents in the survey.

Steven Knapp, former provost of Johns Hopkins University, replaced Trachtenberg at GWU, where he received $379,000 in 2007-08. At other Washington area institutions, former Johns Hopkins president William Brody received $1.1 million in 2007-08; Georgetown President John DeGioia, $643,000; and former Howard University president H. Patrick Swygert, $560,000.

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