A Western Illinois University spokesperson said the administration hopes to know this week whether the institution has a remaining financial obligation to former president Jack Thomas now that he has accepted a new job.
The spokesperson said the university’s General Counsel is reviewing information from Central State University in Ohio. Central State announced on February 7, 2020 that it hired Dr. Thomas to serve as its next president.
Thomas stepped down as Western’s president at the end of June, 2019 but he still has a contract with the school. You can read it here.
The deal between WIU and Thomas calls for Thomas to spend a couple years on administrative leave while receiving his full presidential salary of $270,528 per year. After that he would be reassigned to the tenured position of Distinguished Service Professor. The title required him to teach one class per semester for a salary of at least $300,000.
However, the agreement calls for payments to end if he makes more than $350,000 a year in a new job.
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