UC gave workers $916 million in pay and perks beyond their salaries in 2005-06, officials say

The University of California, criticized for giving millions in undisclosed or questionable compensation to top managers in recent years, said Wednesday that it had paid its employees $916 million in pay and perks outside their regular salaries for the 2005-06 fiscal year.

The amount, which includes compensation beyond base salaries and overtime for all UC employees -- except those at UC-run national laboratories -- jumped from $843 million the previous year, according to a preliminary payroll report.

Senior managers received about 1% of the total -- or $7.17 million in “above base pay” compensation in 2005-06. That was up from about $7 million the previous year.

In contrast, nearly 80% of the total -- about $724 million -- went to employees in academic occupations, including clinical professors, lecturers and researchers, the report showed.

In a letter with the report, UC Regents Chairman Gerald L. Parsky defended the increases, saying there was nothing “inherently inappropriate” about the growth in payroll generally or the extra compensation specifically.

The report said the increases were still being analyzed, but they appeared to be due to several factors. They included a UC system workforce that grew during the year by about 2,000 employees -- to about 170,000 -- and the university’s need to compete for talented faculty and staff by offering additional compensation and other incentives.

The types of compensation listed included car, housing and relocation allowances, special stipends and payments to university doctors for patient care.

For the last year, UC leaders have struggled to get beyond the controversy over the university’s pay practices, which began with media reports.

Last spring, audits found numerous irregularities in the compensation system.

The report is available at https://www.universityofcalifornia.edu/news/compensation/payroll2005-0 6/welcome.html

rebecca.trounson@latimes.com