The Kansas Board of Regents (KBOR) approved a 4% compensation increase for Wichita State President Richard Muma, as part of an annual review of CEO compensation among Kansas universities. The CEO’s increases ranged from 4% to 12% overall. 

Muma’s current total compensation is $610,000; the approved increase adds another $25,000, making his compensation $635,000.

Muma is the third-highest-paid college president in Kansas. University of Kansas Chancellor Douglas Girod was approved to make $1 million annually, followed by Kansas State President Richard Linton, who will make $750,000 in the upcoming fiscal year.

“Leaders matter,” said KBOR Chair Carl Ice. “Leaders set a vision … they help support and unlock people to bring their unique talents towards those visions.”

The compensation increases came just weeks after the Kansas Board of Regents approved a 3.5% tuition rate increase at WSU and a 4.8% cut to the university’s General Use budget, which covers salaries and operating costs. The budget reduction followed a projected 4–5% shortfall, which President Muma attributed in a May KBOR meeting to funding challenges, including meeting market-based compensation, declining international enrollment and financial pressures from changes to NCAA Division I athletics.

A mix of public and private funding is used to compensate the Kansas university CEOs. Private funding cannot exceed 49% of the total compensation funding, according to Board Policy Manual, Chapter II, Section C.3. 

KBOR sets the initial salary and compensation of Kansas university CEOs when they are hired, and gives annual increases based on existing compensation policy, comparisons to peer institutions and market data.

Muma was inaugurated as WSU’s president on Oct. 29, 2021, starting at $450,000 annually — the same rate as his predecessor, Jay Golden.