Take it home & try it, George Mason for sale

George Mason was a fine, freedom loving, anti-slavery slaveowner.

He introduced the Virginia Declaration of Rights before the Declaration of Independence.

George Mason University is a state school in Fairfax, Virginia. They've developed a new funding model, where they sold their Econ department to the highest bidders. It's not really that unusual for academic economists to have "For Sale" signs. Most of the ones published in news stories sold out a long, long time ago.

What I wondered was whether the new model  - giving the Koch brothers control over corricula & faculty - would produce a different looking model of compensation.

The answer is clear: not at all. The highest paid:

Name Position Department Salary


James Larranaga Head Coach,men\'s Basketball Intercollegiate Athletics $525,000

Alan Merten President President\'s Activities $468,000

Lloyd Griffiths Dean, School Of Information Te Vse Academic Admin & Student Svc $348,296

Peter Stearns Provost Provost Activities $340,000

Daniel Polsby Dean/professor Of Law Law Academic Admin & Student Svcs $325,583

Mark Ginsberg Dean, Cehd Cehd Acad Admin & Student Svcs $315,000

Jorge Haddock Dean, School Of Management Som Academic Admin & Student Svcs $310,000

Maurice Scherrens Senior Vice President Senior Vice President $276,000

Sushil Jajodia University Professor Applied Information Technology $269,829

Thomas O\'connor Asst Vp/dir Ica And Rec Sports Intercollegiate Athletics $265,000

Marc Broderick Vp For Univ Develop & Alum Aff Development $260,000

Joy Hughes Vice Pres For Information Tech Info Tech Administration $260,000

Linda Schwartzstein Vice Provost For Acad Affairs Provost Activities $255,392

Basketball is their only Division 1 revenue sport. The players get squat. There are the usual armies of Deans & VPs, and professors in the $150,000 range, which isn't particularly high for the DC area. The main enhancement is easy access to wingnut welfare for anybody willing to put their name on the junk.

Updates : As hard as I try (not very, really) I can't hold a candle to this thorough look at GMU, much less the Mashey indictment they're linking to. Summary : GMU lies an awful lot, too.