To the editors:
Monday’s editorial, “An Open Letter to President Bergeron,” contained two inaccuracies that we would like to clarify for the record:
– The College did not furlough any employees during the pandemic. During the period when students could not be on campus because of the state mandates around COVID-19, some staff were placed on reserve status. These staff received 40% of their salary and the College continued to cover their health benefits.
– President Bergeron did not accept a bonus in 2019. The compensation recorded from July 2019, prior to the pandemic, was a payment required by the contract that she received from the Board of Trustees in 2013, to be made in lieu of a one-year sabbatical following the end of her first 5-year term. This has long been a contractual practice in higher education given the competitive market for college and university presidents.
Thank you.
Sincerely,
Tiffany V. Thiele
National Media Relations Manager
