U. Washington president declines pay increases, America’s Intelligence Wire reported today.

“In the past few years Rawlins has been at WSU, salaries for presidents in similar institutions outside of Washington state have gone up, said William Marler, WSU Board of Regents president.”

Washington State University President V. Lane Rawlins is paid $254,065 annually and is the second-highest-paid president among Washington state public colleges. He has denied salary increases for the past two years, even though salaries for presidents in similar institutions outside of Washington state have gone up.

“I feel that leadership requires that you share the conditions of all in the organization, and I did not feel it would be appropriate for me to take an increase when most people are not getting them,” Rawlins said. “We have made several special increases in the past two years, but I think my effectiveness would be diminished if I accepted an increase while we are making budget reductions.”

The Board of Regents is attempting to keep the president’s salary competitive with that of other universities.

“The university as a whole is grossly underpaid,” said Robert Rosenman, chair of the Department of Economics. “It is laudable that Dr. Rawlins has turned down raises when the university staff and faculty are not getting raises.”