HILO >> The University of Hawaii at Hilo added seven new administrator positions and increased its total budget for executive pay more than 60 percent over the past five years.

The Hawaii Tribune Herald reports this increase comes even though the school cut pay across-the-board pay in 2009 and froze salaries in 2010.

UH-Hilo Chancellor Donald Straney said the school has had to add new executives to the payroll because it opened a College of Pharmacy and College of Business and Economics.

He said enrollment grew 20 to 25 percent during the same period.

Straney said the school has worked hard to expand offerings to students even though the state has cut its budget cuts.