By Kimberly Manahan (Story Editor)

Before Wesley College President Scott Miller left the school in December 2007, he took nearly a half-million dollars with him, and raised salaries for many professors and administrators, IRS records show.

Miller, who now is president at Bethany College in West Virginia, had been accused of plagiarism, and received a vote of no-confidence in May 2006 from half of the faculty before he left.

During the 2006-2007 school year, Miller was paid $232,100. During the 2007-2008 school year, when he left after only one semester, he got $435,675.

“It was because of the tax role that one year,” said Eric Nelson, vice president of finance.

Some things had to be counted in his salary that had not in previous years, Nelson said.

Miller declined comment.

In 2006, 43 of 162 (about 26 percent) employees made more than $50,000, according to the IRS.

This number rose to 68 of 162, or more than 40 percent of employees one year later.

“When Miller was president, he was significantly increasing faculty salaries to help us keep up in academic industry in education,” Nelson said.

Some “officers” of the college saw their pay increased between those two years.

In 2006, Dr. Thomas Sturgis made $90,117. After Sturgis became acting president when Miller left in December of 2007, he earned $138, 954.

Nelson’s salary rose from $78,986 in 2006 to $130,642 the following year.

According to Nelson, he helped with the presidential search and was able to cash out on vacation time.

His salary went back to normal this year, he said, but would not say what it is.

Dr. Malcolm D’Souza made $127,460 last year, becoming the highest paid teacher at Wesley.

Paul Olsen, assistant vice president of academic affairs, came in second at $102,879, while athletic director Michael Drass made $96,567 in 2007.

D’Souza did not respond to an e-mail, and both Olsen and Drass declined to comment – but Lucille Gambardella, chair of the nursing department, who made $87,380, did.

“Everyone’s basic salary is based on a 12-credit load,” Gambardella said.

A teacher gets paid more if she teaches more 12 credits, she said. Even more money is paid out based on rank.

Many salaries expand and contract based on number of classes taught from one year to the next, Nelson said.

For example, the year before last, Gambardella made $94,827.

Salary is also determined by education and work experience, Nelson said.

“[I’m in my 26th year here], which is also partially an explanation for the salary,” Gambardella said. “I’m very happy here.”

Depending on what they do at the college, the lowest starting salary for faculty is in the mid $30,000’s, Nelson said.

Full time faculty and staff will be receiving a 2 percent pay increase this year, President Johnston announced recently. The college had announced at the end of end of last semester that all salaries would stay the same because of the economy.