UConn president Susan Herbst establishes new VP position to focus on statewide economic development
The Hartford Courant
August 18, 2011
UConn's new president, Susan Herbst, is so concerned about the state's economic development — and the university's contribution to it — that she is establishing a new university vice president position.
Herbst embarked on the search for a vice president for economic development earlier this month and hopes to have the job filled by mid-September.
"It's one of my highest priorities for the university," Herbst said. "I want to get it done as quickly as possible."
The new vice president will "work with all kinds of industries and disciplines to create jobs and fuel the economy," Herbst said, "but also will help faculty take their inventions to market and form companies. … This is meant to signal that we are far more serious about trying to create jobs and boost the economy."
The salary for the position has not been established, but Herbst said her staff is studying what salaries for similar positions are like elsewhere.
"We will try to make sure we are within the national norm," Herbst said. She said she knows of people in similar positions at other schools making $200,000 to $300,000, but she also knows of someone who made $500,000 or $600,000. "We absolutely won't be in that category," she said.
