UH adds academic provisions

In an effort to boost academic performance among its athletes, the University of Hawaii-Manoa is offering its new athletic director, Ben Jay, three bonus incentives that were not extended to his immediate predecessors.

According to a copy of the conditional letter of offer presented to Jay on Dec. 3 by Manoa Chancellor Tom Apple and made available to the Star-Advertiser on Monday, Jay would receive a $10,000 bonus if each team had an NCAA Academic Performance Rating of 960 or better.

A $5,000 bonus would be offered if all teams top 940. The bonuses are not cumulative, the letter says.

A bonus of $15,000 could be reached if the grade-point average among all athletes is greater than 3.0. They are among 15 bonus provisions contained in the four-page letter.

The contract of Jim Donovan, Jay’s immediate predecessor, and the last one of Herman Frazier’s tenure preceding Donovan, did not contain the same provisions.

Ten of 18 UH sports had single-year APR scores of 960 or above in June, the date of the last NCAA report. Fifteen scored 940 or above.

The conditional letter of offer did not specify if single-year or multi-year scores would be used.

Jay, whose base salary is listed at $293,000, is scheduled to make his first campus appearances since being named AD on Thursday. He is scheduled to meet with staff and media.

Jay is eligible for a $15,000 bonus for each year "the athletics program has a year-end balanced budget," the letter said.

Frazier was offered a $15,000 bonus if the athletic program operated with a net increase in net assets for two consecutive years and the program repaid a $1 million note payable to UH. Donovan was offered a $15,000 bonus if the athletic program operated for two consecutive years with a net profit.

Neither collected on the provisions.

UH had a $1.8 million deficit for the 2012 fiscal year that ended June 30, 2012, and has run an annual deficit in nine of the previous 11 years. UH has an accumulated net deficit of $11.3 million compiled since 2002.

Like his predecessors, Jay will receive a month’s salary if the football team is the champion of its conference. In his case, that would be $24,417.

UH requires that Jay "not seek or apply for other employment without prior written notice to the Chancellor." If he violates the agreement, he will be required to pay UH one half of his base salary for the remainder of his employment term.

Jay is eligible for relocation reimbursement for "household moving expenses and/or replacement costs up to $30,000."

In addition he may participate in the courtesy car program. If a courtesy car is unavailable, the agreement said he is "entitled to a car allowance of $276 per month."

He is also permitted to take his spouse and minor children (he has three children) on up to eight mainland conference or NCAA event trips per year at UH expense, subject to the Chancellor’s approval.