Many Cal U employees paid more than $100,000 per year

You'll have to travel to California to find an employer with a significant number of jobs paying $100,000 or greater.

California University of Pennsylvania, that is, where President Angelo Armenti Jr. leads the pack with a salary of $227,160.

He ranked No. 7 among 3,600 state employees paid $100,000 or more a year, based on Tribune-Review, a sister publication of The Valley Independent.

That listing that included elected officials, judges, state police, welfare supervisors and college personnel.

This is not to imply that Dr. Armenti isn't earning his pay. Quite the opposite. He has expanded facilities, programs, staff and reputation to make the university of more than 9,000 sudents a rising star among peers. The institution has become a cornerstone of what remains of the Mid-Mon Valley's economy.

A fair assessment would have to compare his responsibilities and achievements with compensation paid to other public and quasi-public employees, everyone from public school administrators to the Port Authority's highest-paid bus driver ($122,699 with overtime) to Pitt's new football coach Todd Graham (nearly $2 million).

The Trib's list showed more than 100 Cal U employees are being paid $100,000-plus salaries.

The State System of Higher Education, of which it's a part, was the top category with 1,490 employees, followed by the Department of Welfare, 181, and State Police, 180.

President judges in Fayette, Westmoreland and Washington counties are paid $165,319. Their Common Pleas Court colleagues collect a few bucks less, $164,602.

Several former area residents made the list, including Al Lepore, of Uniontown, who's paid $135,350 as deputy chief counsel to the state Turnpike Commission, and Robert Kline, a Webster native, who's paid $127,915 as chief of staff for Democratic caucus operations in the General Assembly.

PennDOT District 12 Executive Joe Szczur, whose oversight includes our area, receives $121,957. State Police Capt. Sheldon Epstein, in charge of Washington-based Troop B that also covers our area, collects $120,844.

Names and backgrounds of all locals aren't familiar to me. At the state and regional levels, I recognized scores on the public dole.

Most state employees do "real work" and do it well. But some owe their jobs more to politics than to qualification, merit and zeal.

In its report, the Trib listed the two dozen highest paid employees in print. Readers could go online to see the rest, but it required searching an 85-page database.

I did it for you.

Because so many hail from Cal U and live around here, I'll name names. It should interest students whose tuitions are about to increase. Keep in mind that what happens in California happens in academia across Pennsylvania.

Geraldine Jones, provost/VP for academic affairs, $159,036; Charles Mance, VP for information technology, $149,650; Kevin Koury, dean, College of Education and Human Services, $147,591; John Cencich, dean, Graduate Studies and Research, $147,380; Leonard Colleli, dean, College of Science and Technology, $146,451.

Also, Bruce Barnhart, associate provost/VP for academic affairs, $136,694; Harry Langley, associate provost, $136,427; Norman Hasbrouck, special assistant to the president, $136,341; Lenora Angelone, VP, student development, $125,280; Robert Thorn, interim VP, administration and finance, $125,127; Ronald Huiatt, VP, development, $125,000.

Also, Sharon Navoney, associate VP, development, $121,301; Daniel E. Engstrom, director, student teaching, $117,529; Mitchell Kozikowski, associate VP, university advancement, $117,316; Timothy Susick, dean, student development, $116,485; Michael Peplinski, physical plant director, $116,025; Richard J. Kline, director, institutional research, $114,079.

Also, Harold Goldstein, associate VP, university advancement, $113,917; John Fisler, associate VP for advancement, $111,263; Craig Butzine, interim VP, university relations, $108,998.

Also, Barry Niccolai, associate VP, student development; $104,122; Nancy J. Pinardi, associate VP, student development, $103,115; Andrew Caudill, director, IT operations, $101,471; Sharon Elkettani, EHS director, $101,471; Lisa McBride, special assistant to the president, $101,471; Douglas T. Philp, university architect, $101,000.

Also, John Luckhardt, football coach, $136,837; Karen Hjerbe, associate athletic director, $115,723; Richard Bertagnolli, softball coach, $111,575; Mark Swasey, women's basketball coach, $101,363; Frank Bauer, associate VP, athletic fund-raising, $100,659.

In addition, 59 Cal U professors are paid $107,870 each. Four other professors get $105,239 each, while three more earn $102,672 each, another three receive $101,471 each and five professors get $100,228.

Thought du jour - Only 27 more days until summer officially starts.