Bill Perry currently makes $28,930 more than President Lou Hencken, and he’s only a provost.

According to a media representative at Texas A&M University, Perry’s salary as provost is $228,600, while Hencken’s salary at Eastern is $199,670.

But Texas A&M also has a 45,000-student body, while Eastern’s is closer to 12,000.

This difference was one of a few factors that Eastern’s Board of Trustees considered when negotiating a contract and salary for Perry as Eastern’s next president.

“There are a number of factors that go into determining the presidential salary,” said Robert Webb, vice chair of the board and chair of the presidential search advisory committee.

After three weeks of negotiations between the board and Perry, both parties settled on a salary of $260,000, with $32,289 for housing and a five-year-contract.

Webb said Perry’s salary is a median salary for other state graduate-level universities in Illinois.

According to the Illinois Board of Higher Education, Southern Illinois University in Edwardsville has a student body of 13,460 and its chancellor has a salary of $217,500. Western Illinois University has a student body of 13,404, and its president makes $243,348. Illinois State University has a student body of 20,653, and its president has a salary of $274,250.

Webb said regional salaries of comparable universities were considered when determining Perry’s salary, but so was the fact that this was a national search.

“You are more than likely going to have to be more competitive on your salary,” Webb said of the national search. Southern Illinois University at Carbondale, Governors State University and Northeastern Illinois University are a few schools that were also looking for a new president this year.

When the search for Eastern’s next president began, search consultant Elaine Hairston informed the board that they should be prepared to offer a salary upwards of $300,000 to be competitive on the national level.

The board also knew before the search began that the educational degree held by the new president and his or her previous position and salary would also be factors.

“We knew pretty much the range that we were going to have to be in,” Webb said. “It’s a combination of all those things that determined what the final offer and acceptance would be. You don’t know the answer to all those factors until you know the candidate you’re going to offer the position to.”

Hencken declined to comment on his salary or on the difference between his own paycheck and what Perry’s will be.

Webb said the board complied with President Hencken’s wishes in regard to his salary.

Hencken’s current salary is the lowest among Illinois public university presidents, which is part of the reason for the nearly $60,000 difference between his and Perry’s salaries.

“The types of responsibilities that now days a university president carries, I think are what merit the salaries that they’re paid,” Webb said. “The salary that is required to bring in a president with the qualification that Perry brings to bare at Eastern Illinois University, we think will be reflected in his ability to bring in resources to the university.”