BLINN BOARD APPROVES PAY RAISE FOR DR. HENSLEY
(Blinn College)
Blinn Chancellor Dr. Mary Hensley is receiving a pay raise.
Last week, the Blinn Board of Trustees approved an amendment to Dr. Hensley’s contract that gives her a 3 percent increase in annual base salary. The 3 percent raise includes a 2 percent increase that will be given to all Blinn employees on September 1st.
With this raise, Dr. Hensley’s base salary for the period starting July 1st and ending June 30, 2022 will be $378,338.
Dr. Hensley will also receive an additional $10,000 in compensation effective July 1st, in accordance with a section of her contract titled “Annual Priorities – Additional Compensation.”
The amendment made no other changes to the terms of Dr. Hensley’s contract.
The contract amendment was listed on the consent agenda for the meeting last Tuesday, meaning the item was considered routine by the board and voted upon without discussion. KWHI submitted an open records request for the information on Wednesday, June 16th and received documents pertaining to the request on Tuesday.
Having read all these comments, I think that a high salary can be justified by the demands of the job and the rarified person that can wrangle them. The labor market is inherently competitive and competition is good. That goes for instructors too, of course. The best instructors receive the best jobs, pay, and prestige. They can always fall back on private industry if that’s not working out, and Blinn can always counter by offering higher wages if they’re worth it. If there are a bunch of qualified wannabe academics chomping at the bit for an opportunity then it may very well not be. However, if leadership is poor and it is genuinely out of touch then that’s an entirely separate matter from simply that they are well compensated. Dr. Hensley’s salary could be $1 per annum and that would be too much if she’s doing a bad job. We the public do need to be sure that we are getting what we pay for. I’m not sure that we are, but I’m also not sure that we aren’t. If the leadership is bad, tell me what it is that makes it bad.
Obviously you are not employed at Hitler college!!!! Or you are a board member!
Let’s play a participation game, shall we?
Blinn employees, please just anonymously enter your annual salary. Let the community know where our taxes are actually going. They’ll be shocked.
Her salary could pay approximately 12.61 people at $30,000 a year. I know darn good and well, not a lot of people make close to that! I also know those 12 people would contribute way more than she EVER will!
Ready for this!…..8yr employee. 26k.
Is there a way we as the taxpayers can be able to view a copy of her
contract titled “Annual Priorities – Additional Compensation.”
It definitely would be an interesting read!
https://www.blinn.edu/general-counsel/public-information-open-records.html
Yes, please! I too want to know about that part.
I’m sure she is a very educated and skilled person, but this ia obscene for any employee at a small, public community college. This is what happens when you circumvent the free market and force local property owners to foot most of the bill for other people’s grown kids to postpone adulthood for a few years. The county could hire 5+ deputies for her salary, or BISD could hire 5 teachers. Which would add more value to taxpayers?
Blinn is not run by the county. Nor does the “county” have jurisdiction to decide who the College hires. The money Blinn makes does not go to the county, either. While I do agree with you that the amount is unjustified for a college of that size and for her very “hands-off” position, they are not one and the same.
My uncle is an average city paid employee for Brenham. I work for a neighboring city 50 miles away. My retirement is six percent more per paycheck, than a Brenham employee. That is ridiculous. It is obvious why the top paid management and their hired cronies don’t care about retirement percentages since they are overpaid on the front end. That is obviously why city of Brenham management and their cronies don’t care about the average workers like my uncle. Brenham city council needs to take notice of these deplorable management and crony practices and fire the culprits or reduce overpaid wages and then fix the retirement problems for their working employees.
At least the city gives cost of living wages to their employees. The state agency I work for doesn’t. When you start out making $27000.00 a year and after ten years, you are still making that amount, something is wrong!!
But I do agree with others about the salaries for Blinn. The worker bees make next to nothing.
There are other companies in Brenham that don’t give a cost of living increase either. It will continue to get harder and harder to live and work in this community at this rate.
What this woman makes in a month I make in a year. I work in a position at Blinn that is a Artery for the college. I am one that can’t work from home, I am one that can’t just call in sick, I am one that goes above and beyond then what I should and get paid less than 31k a year. I absolutely love my job only because of the STUDENTS! What needs to happen is not base someone’s salary of a job title but rather what essential role do that play. The third floor I’m sure has never seen a average student. Has that 3rd floor person come out and greet students on a weekly basis? Nope! One person has in the 8 yrs I have worked for Blinn and that was MR. NOLTE! That man knew My Name….A nobody like me…Why though? Cause he got out and met people…He got out and mingled at ANY gathering the school was having. Not just sit in the stands at a ball game and ignore people.
Now the Board Members….Highly Highly disappointed in this decision you have made if this was unanimous. We as a community PUSHED for one of you to get on that board and make some changes and we have yet to see that. Just wondering…Do we need to stock up on facial tissue for you to wipe them noses off?
Now this really makes us Blinn Employees want to work for how we are paid and nothing more.
What a Shame this is!!
Can I get my property tax portion that I pay back that goes towards Blinn? I don’t support paying someone $350,000 per year. No one deserves that amount of pay for a junior college. Shame on you Blinn board for approving this! Shame on me for paying my taxes and throwing my hard earned money towards this while the staff/teachers/custodians/coaches get paid chicken feed and peanut shells. Oh, I forget-they probably get a reduced gym membership to the recreation center.
To be truthful: At one tinn myself in Brenham, built a side business to add to my income with the job that paid everything.
I CLOSED it a few years later – not because it wasn’t successful – but due to the merchandise tax.
Which one – at least at the time, was there highest piece of the taxes bill pie?
Blinn.
I honestly made the choice more because of this portion, but that gets more personal than I’m going to say.
Knowing the hard workers- they just had their Sports Info Director get the NATIONAL NJCAA title for her job (and when they moved all fall sports to the spring this year, it’s more prestigious) – get a 2% raise compared to this…?
There’s something VERY wrong.
Honestly, it only bolsters some of College Station’s argument they should get more funds. They’ll argue If they can pay the Colltge president this much, they can give CS and the other satellite campuses money too.
They need to reconsider.
Being an employee of Blinn College, this is a HUGE slap in the face. I know a lot of us would LOVE to talk to the Board, but we have been “warned” that we are not allowed to. Also, there are some Board members who will not speak to the employees. I could name one for sure, but I am sure this will not be published if I did. It is really sad as a lot of us are taxpayers in Washington County. The corruption is rampant, and has been ever since Dr. Hensley took over, but nothing has been done about it by the Board. What else can we do other than to sit idly by and watch this college go down the tubes? It saddens me to have seen so many talented people who have retired or left due to things that have happened since she came as well. I hope that since the employees cannot talk to the Board members, people in the community will.
Ridiculous – the list of board members -85% are of substantial financial means. Regardless, on the Blinn job openings site today – There are 11 full time Faculty positions open, and 56 Part time faculty positions advertised – this is at bryan and brenham locations. No kidding how do you get by with this? For very long time most faculty positions are only part time positions – these are teaching positions that require at a minimum a Masters Degree in the teaching field. The base salary posted on their site is about $45,000 for full time and a range of 45 -68K. Value all the employees of Blinn! – cost of living raises are not raises, even the masters degreed instructors are devalued at low pay and only offered part time employment, the staff and hourly employees all need to be considered in livable wages not threats of lucky to have a job in beautiful Brenham. Board of directors out of touch with the army of dedicated Blinn employees that keep Blinn afloat and ‘looking good’ in the public eye. The disparage of salary range is shameful. $ 378,000 pay plus all the given perks would be more eye popping for one individual – not even addressing her actual work performance. To the Board of Blinn – Get real and have more integrity.
This is the problem with higher education today. The management gets most of the money, teachers and staff even less, and the students get tricked into paying for it all because, “college is necessary”.
It is happening all over the country. It is a huge scam, subsidized by the tax payers.
Isn’t nice that these people get rich while most of the students get useless degrees, go into debt, so the administration can get bonuses?
Sad, very sad.
I feel that in all fairness a CEO of a private company with a budget the size of Blinn’s that has to manage both the ongoing operations as well as major capital projects in addition to regulatory compliance would likely earn considerably more. Public sector careers can be like that for pretty much anybody that isn’t a football coach. On the other hand, I also agree with you that careerist admins leapfrog from one position to another by taking on large new capital projects while milking certain programs and student populations for a profit, whereas perhaps they should have been conservatively managing the resources and facilities they have in order to keep costs low and enhance the value proposition of an education. I also agree that this is a problem throughout the United States.
I agree that a CEO of a private business would make that much money! But that CEO would also have at least a small idea of what is actually happening with what the employees are having to go through this past year with all of the pandemic issue! She has no clue, and never will have a clue because she does not care in the least about those low paid employees that are covering her and all of her cronies back sides by doing all of the work!
Actually, according to Payscale.com the median compensation for a CEO of a private company with a $120 million budget would be $300,000.
As an employee of Blinn, I can tell you that people are irritate and offended. This raise and bonus are an insult to the real people doing the job, not the face. The chancellor does not live in Brenham, does not pay local taxes and has a vehicle, gas & housing in BCS paid for by the taxpayers. Why would she need that salary especially when positions at Blinn pay around 50% of the state average for same position? Check out the openings listed with starting pay. How could the board unanimously approve this with enrollment down? Also, Why was this article pulled from the KWHI news feed? Lots of questions with no answers. It’s heartbreaking to see this once renowned institution slip away.
Can we get Bryan-College Station to cover taxes for this pay raise? Or is that too sore of a subject?
Bryan College Station pay Blinn taxes too, right?! It isn’t just Washington County residents that pay the Blinn taxes. Am I wrong?
The Blinn Junior College District is not an active taxing unit in Brazos County, only Washington County. Now I will add that I am almost 100% sure that by law, that tax revenue has to go towards facilities in Washington County. I believe Blinn charges a higher out-of-district fee to students not in Washington County. Things may have changed, but that is what I remember.
Shame on the Blinn Board for approving a raise for this position! I agree with commenters stating the facts that she does not even live in our county nor does she patronize local businesses! What a disgrace.
Below are your elected Blinn Board members, they approved the 3% raise for Hensley instead of sending the money to the low wage earners at Blinn and truly working on the income disparity problem. If we ever want to make any strides towards harmony, this has be a primary concern, income disparity effects everything,.
Ask them to amend the decision and remove Hensley and give that position to a Masters Degree for $150,000 a year. A PhD is not needed, and it might be harmful to common sense. They owe an answer to you as the tax payer and voter. Most importantly, don’t forget and run for the board if you don’t like it.
Jim Kolkhorst
Dennis Crowson
Charles Moser
Randy Wells
Douglas Borchardt
Teddy Boehm
Rebecca Ehlert
Exactly. Thank you.
How does the board actually work? They are voted on by city or county residents. Do they answer to the citizens? What are the requirements to be a board member? How can we change it up?
What did they elect to pay someone so much who doesn’t even live here? Her property taxes go to Travis County, I believe.
We as taxpayers continue to get ripped off by leaders on so many levels of governments. The president of Blinn college is being paid almost as much as the President of the United States! Our city manager who continues to step on his own toes with costly blunders and poor judgement is vastly overpaid, our school leadership has been overpaid for years, and we as taxpayers sit back and take it. When will we say enough is enough. What are they doing to earn these super high salaries that are so far above the average taxpaying citizen in this area. Enough really is enough!
So true
2% raise? I read that right? Inflation is typically 3% per year on average. This year we have seen 4-6% increases in just the last 6 months. Pardon me if I’m not impressed Blinn Board. Two issues here. First, is the definition/terminology of “raise”. A pay raise is anything over and above that exceed a COLA (cost of living adjustment). Secondly is the fact that we are supposed to be grateful for accepting an adjustment LESS than a COLA, and far less than actual inflationary measures in the last 2 quarters of 2021 (reference Published CPI data). Sorry Blinn Board, I’m not impressed/grateful — I am an Economist, and the Board needs educated.
To further bolster our esteemed economist’s post, this week’s Navasota Examiner mentions discusses the city budget and refers to the 3% increase in city salaries as a “cost of living adjustment.”
Meanwhile professors are just barely scraping by on meager salaries. Then she has the audacity to take a larger raise than the rest of the employees? This is absolutely maddening. Pay your professors wages they deserve, you don’t have any students without professors.
First of all, THANK YOU KWHI for getting this information!!! The taxpayers of Washington County and employees of Blinn College need to know what is going on right under their noses. Second, what kind of “leader” accepts a raise larger than his/her employees? Most times, you read about leaders giving up their salary or taking a cut to give more to their employees because they value their emoloyees’ work. So, what does this say about Blinn’s leadership? Last, what exactly has warranted this much of a raise and for Dr. Hensley to be paid this much?
We always get 2% raise. Yeah, it sucks. Barely covers my insurance increase every year. My question is…..what was the $10,000 for? A bonus? Cost of living adjustment? Fuel for her Cadillac?
Various employees have been stunted by Blinn waiting for Status Changes and told “they’re still lucky to have a job” when requesting any kind of raise at all (even if it was a measly $1000/year) meanwhile upper execs are getting pats on the back for barely doing anything (because the lower ranked employees are doing it) and this isn’t just Dr. Hensley. Must be nice knowing you make more in a month than what many of your lower full time 12 month employees will make in a year, even the average pay employees receive is pretty close to that monthly number. This isn’t speculation, quite a bit of it is in open records. There’s a reason why Blinn is considered one of the most expensive 2 year colleges in the state of Texas. This is why.
It’s good to know that the board gave a raise (as if that’s needed when you make that much) and it’s the taxpayers of the districts where Blinn has a campus who will be paying for it. Can’t the ‘chancellor’ live in a Blinn-owned house in Brenham and be happy with that? She can’t even live in Brenham. Good to see that my property taxes can help someone who needs more, especially when I filed my taxes and made $28,560 working all year in 2020.
If I’m not mistaking there is a house for her on the campus, a nice one, but she doesn’t live in it, it just sits there. I didn’t even know that she doesn’t live in Brenham. Her salary is ridiculous and not fair. I am a full time employee there barely getting by with 22k yearly. A 2% “raise” is nothing, and not right. I always wondered how much she was making, now that I know, I am not happy. Also a 10k compensation?? Get real!!
Typical Blinn – the most toxic work environment and zero benefit for those who actually work or care. Hensley reigns and no one will stop it. 2% for the staff, you should be ashamed of yourself.
Unbelievable THIS WOMAN MAKES MORE THAN THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES !!!!
Presidents salary 400K PER YEAR
Brenham Superintendent salary over 200k per year. ONE HALF OF PRESIDENT SALARY.
AVERAGE TEXAS SUPERINTENDENT SALARY
https://academicpartnerships.uta.edu/articles/education/how-much-texas-superintendents-make.aspx
City manager close to 166,000 – 200k
AVERAGE SALARY IN TEXAS
https://www.salary.com/research/salary/recruiting/city-manager-salary/tx
Read locals that decide rates!!!! Spending our tax dollars!
This is crazy raises tax rates up ! Not acceptable! Where are our raises? Better yet WHEN WILL YOU LOWER TAXES BRENHAM?
WHEN WILL YOU LOWER SCHOOL HIGHER UPS Salarly WHEN THEY ARE HIRED INTO OUR SCHOOLS FROM OUT OF TOWN?
WHEN WILL YOU ALL REALIZE ALL THE MONEY FROM TAXES GOES TO PAY THESE POSITIONS. THE LAST CITY MANAGER IS LIVING HIGH AS A HOG OFF HIS RETIREMENT PACKAGE !!! AS IF HE WAS THE GREATEST CEO OF ALL TIME!
Spending needs to stop ! Taxes need to come down ! People need to open their EYES !
KWHI did opens record request… Maybe someone opened their eyes, unlike the Board that are completely blind to what is going on at the college. Go spectator, jump in on her with both feet. She does not live her, does not buy or support local and is barely seen on campus.
Outraged tax payer and life long support of Blinn College.
Please, look into the “Annual Priorities – Additional Compensation” compensation. We would like to know why, in this time of COVID, less work was done but a bonus was paid. Why was that clause put into the contract? What were the stipulations? How does any of this make sense?
Faculty worked twice as hard as this woman. They deserve a larger raise than 2%. It’s absolutely disgusting.
Well isn’t that nice! An $11000+ a year raise plus another 10 grand for someone who is already making over $350,000/year! I’m sure the rise in tuition and housing will be more than enough to cover that if the enrollment isn’t down right? What a load this is! Shame on the Blinn Board for this!