In a move many see as a slap in the face, the University of Illinois trustees adopted a 9.5 percent tuition increase at the same time as approving a salary for the new president that’s $170,000 higher than his predecessor.

With the tuition hike, students will now pay $10,386 to attend the Urbana-Champaign campus, $9,134 for Chicago and $8,108 for Springfield.  Out of state students will now pay $24,528 for tuition alone and international students will pay a surcharge of $2,000 per year. 

The new president will now be paid $620,000 per year, nearly 38 percent higher than his predecessor.  On top of that, the new president will receive a retention pay bonus of $225,000 if he stays for five years, will receive $45,000 in his first 30 days on the job and will be eligible for a one year paid sabbatical after he leaves the job. 

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