Yudof picked as new leader of UC

At the same time, jobs at public institutions are seen as tougher, with all the politics and dealings with state legislatures, according to Ronald Ehrenberg, director of Cornell University's Higher Education Research Institute. "I wish they didn't have to do this. I wish there were really great people who were willing to work for less. But we don't observe that to be happening," he said.

Terry Hartle, a senior vice president at the American Council on Education, said it was hard to imagine Yudof taking a pay cut. "The University of California is quite possibly the best public university the world has ever seen. If they want the best possible leader for that system, they are going to have to pay what the market demands," he said.

But Patrick Callan, president of the National Center for Public Policy and Higher Education in San Jose, said the regents should have been more cautious in the current economic squeeze and in the aftermath of the controversy over executive compensation. Yudof seems well qualified, he said, but "as a matter of principle, this is not a time for dramatic executive compensation increases of any level."

In other UC news, Schwarzenegger appointed a former advisor, Bonnie Reiss, 52, of Malibu, to the regents board. Since September 2007, she has been operating advisor to Pegasus Capital Advisors, a private equity firm based in New York. She previously was senior advisor to the governor on education and children's issues.

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larry.gordon@latimes.com

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Top earners

Mark G. Yudof, confirmed Thursday as the new president of the University of California, will rank near the top in compensation for heads of U.S. public universities. Below are the highest-paid such leaders. Figures reflect total compensation, which includes annual salary and other benefits.

David P. Roselle

University of Delaware

$874,687

Mark G. Yudof *

University of California

$828,084

John T. Casteen III

University of Virginia

$753,672

Mark A. Emmert

University of Washington

$752,700

Mary Sue Coleman

University of Michigan system

$743,151

J. Bernard Machen

University of Florida

$726,849

T.K. Wetherell

Florida State University

$702,127

Carl V. Patton

Georgia State University

$701,524

John C. Hitt

University of Central Florida

$684,708

Charles W. Steger

Virginia Tech

$681,434

* Yudof's compensation for 2008-09. Roselle's compensation is for 2005-06; all other figures are for 2006-07. per Chronicle story; OKd with Steve

Source: Chronicle of Higher Education