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Dunn receives glowing review, donates salary increase

Dec. 17, 2010

KALAMAZOO--The Western Michigan University Board of Trustees lauded President John M. Dunn for his "outstanding" level of performance and for his "commitment to student success, diversity, civility and excellence in each of the many roles the University plays and with every constituent group it serves."

Photo of Western Michigan University President John M. Dunn.By unanimous vote, the board increased his salary by 1 percent--a figure to in keeping with salary increases given to campus employee groups this year. The 1 percent increase takes Dunn's annual salary from $362,457 to $366,082.

Dunn responded by thanking the board for its support and noting his intention to donate the increase back to WMU for student scholarships.

"Consistent with my personal philosophy and as I have every time I've had an increase, I will donate it back to the University, in a cumulative way, for student scholarships," he said. "I've done that always in the spirit, that while we are thankful and appreciative, it is about our students."

Dunn said his donation would reflect the difference between his starting salary of $345,000 and his new annual figure. That amount is $21,082.

This is the third time the board has positively assessed and recommended a compensation increase for Dunn since he became president in 2007. In each of the previous years, he donated his salary increase to be used for student scholarships.

"In 2010, we repeatedly saw new examples of the strengths we found in President Dunn when we selected him as president three years ago," WMU Board Chair Larry Tolbert of Kalamazoo noted in his remarks about Dunn's performance. "…The University and community have individually grown stronger as the ties that bind WMU and Kalamazoo together have become more focused on leveraging common strengths and goals."

Tolbert listed a number of Dunn's recent accomplishments and ongoing initiatives he said were outstanding. They included such items as Dunn's work to establish a medical school, his continuing commitment to special student groups such as veterans and former foster care youth, the launch of two important campus building projects and strengthening relationships with Michigan community colleges.

The board added its praise for the work of the president's wife Linda Dunn for "her work on behalf of the university and her involvement in community initiatives and causes about which she cares so deeply. She has proven to be a perfect ambassador for WMU."

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Media contact: Cheryl Roland, (269) 387-8400, cheryl.roland@wmich.edu

WMU News
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