Higher Education

TSET's Not the Only One

June 28, 2016

There has been a lot of media attention surrounding the newly created $250,000-a-year job at the Tobacco Settlement Endowment Trust (TSET). The position—originally offered and eventually turned down by former Corporation Commissioner Patrice Douglas—is controversial because of the salary that went along with it. Many people, including Gov. Fallin, believed the pay was inappropriate considering the recent budget crisis Oklahoma has faced.

However, TSET is not the only government agency that has offered large salaries to former elected officials and legislative staffers in recent years. Take a look at this list of former government officials hired into higher education.

Who: Glen Johnson
Before Higher Ed: Oklahoma Speaker of the House
Higher Ed Job: Chancellor, State Regents for Higher Education
Higher Ed Salary: $411,931

Who: David Boren
Before Higher Ed: 21st Governor of Oklahoma
Higher Ed Job: President, University of Oklahoma
Higher Ed Salary: $372,203

Who: Brian Maddy
Before Higher Ed: Former Senate Chief of Staff and Fiscal Director
Higher Ed Job: CEO, OU Physicians
Higher Ed Salary: $370,887

Who: Howard Barnett
Before Higher Ed: Chief of Staff for Gov. Frank Keating
Higher Ed Job: President, Oklahoma State University-Tulsa
Higher Ed Salary: $290,397

Who: Jason Ramsey
Before Higher Ed: Legislative Liaison, Governor’s Office
Higher Ed Job: CEO, Board of Regents for the Oklahoma Agricultural and Mechanical Colleges
Higher Ed Salary: $235,080

Who: Larry Rice
Before Higher Ed: Oklahoma House of Representatives
Higher Ed Job: President, Rogers State University
Higher Ed Salary: $218,993

Who: Danny Hilliard
Before Higher Ed: Oklahoma House of Representatives
Higher Ed Job: Vice President for External Relations and Planning, University of Oklahoma
Higher Ed Salary: $210,000

Who: Randy Beutler
Before Higher Ed: Oklahoma House of Representatives
Higher Ed Job: President, Southwestern Oklahoma State University
Higher Ed Salary: $202,000

Who: Amanda Paliotta
Before Higher Ed: Director, Oklahoma Senate Fiscal Staff
Higher Ed Job: Vice Chancellor for Budget and Finance, State Regents for Higher Education
Higher Ed Salary: $191,400

Who: Sean Burrage
Before Higher Ed: Oklahoma State Senator
Higher Ed Job: President, Southeastern Oklahoma State University
Higher Ed Salary: $175,857

Who: Tony Hutchinson
Before Higher Ed: Director of State Finance, State of Oklahoma
Higher Ed Job: Vice Chancellor Strategic Planning, Analysis, Economic Development and Workforce, State Regents for Higher Education
Higher Ed Salary: $162,750

Who: Cal Hobson
Before Higher Ed: Oklahoma Senate President Pro Tem
Higher Ed Job: Executive Director of Operations, University of Oklahoma Outreach
Higher Ed Salary: $147,000

Who: Jessica Russell
Before Higher Ed: Legislative and Policy Analyst, Oklahoma State Department of Education
Higher Ed Job: Director, State Government Relations for the Oklahoma Agricultural and Mechanical Colleges
Higher Ed Salary: $131,999

Bonus

Who: Hollye Hunt
Higher Ed Job: Governmental Relations, State Regents for Higher Education
Higher Ed Salary: $150,626

Hunt's job is to lobby the state legislature on behalf of the State Regents for Higher Education. Though she didn't come from the halls of the state capitol before joining the regents, Hunt’s father, Rep. Earl Sears, R-Bartlesville, is the chairman of the Appropriations and Budget and the Joint Committee on Appropriations and Budget.

As Red Dirt reported in 2011, Hunt's salary is "appropriated by her father and her job performance is judged primarily by how effectively she convinces her father to direct taxpayer's dollars toward her employer."