CCC president recieves more than $43,000 bonus

Ryan Lengerich

It pays to stay at Clovis Community College. At least it has for President Beverlee McClure, who has received a bonus of $43,496.31 as part of an incentive plan she agreed to in 1999.

CCC’s board of trustees voted unanimously last week to reward the bonus and to amend McClure’s contract, which will include another incentive plan for longevity.

Mike Schmidt, CCC Vice President for Finance and Human Resources, said the bonus was based on her remaining the college president for five years, a time frame she reached this month.

A new three-year contract has been designed as a result of the Feb. 4 vote by the trustees. The amended contract will be submitted to the board and McClure for approval at the next board meeting on March 3.

Schmidt said McClure’s current base salary is $139,500. The proposed amended deal will pay her $142,500 in base salary, about a 2 percent increase. The proposed contract would also pay an additional $16,667 each year she remains at the college over the next three years, Schmidt said. That amount will be paid at the end of each year she completes.

“With the things that are going on at the college now and her knowledge and experience with the legislation and governor’s office, I feel like this was not the time to be searching for a new president,” CCC board member Russell Muffley said.

McClure was selected as one of six finalists for the state Secretary of Education position in October. She also served on the state board of education. Muffley said her political connections in Santa Fe are an advantage for the school.

“That makes things a lot easier to get things for Clovis and Clovis Community College,” he said.

McClure was out of town this week and could not be reached for comment.

On top of her salary and incentives, McClure receives more than $22,500 in expense allowances and a Ford Expedition, Schmidt said.

Muffley said the board considered president salaries at similar-sized New Mexico colleges in working out McClure’s contract.

“We actually looked at salaries of other community colleges and tried to keep in line with that,” Muffley said. “I know she has been approached by other community colleges and I just felt this was something we didn’t want to lose.”

At New Mexico Junior College in Hobbs, which has roughly the same enrollment as CCC, president Steve McCleery’s base salary is $107,000, school officials said. McCleery receives no expense allowances, personal vehicle or longevity bonuses. He has been president at the school since 1998.

The president at San Juan College in Farmington said her base salary is $144,200, with expense allowances up to $40,000. Carol Spencer said SJC provides her with a Cadillac.

SJC is about twice as large as Clovis Community College.

Spencer said she also spent 11 years as president at Cedar Valley College in Dallas. She said her contract does not include incentives for longevity, but she had one at the Dallas school. She said they are common at larger institutions.

“It is a way for boards to encourage their senior executives to not drop off,” Spencer said.