Former Gov. Garrey Carruthers' 26 percent pay raise as New Mexico State University's business dean is being discussed as NMSU holds public forums on Carruthers and other finalists for president of the southern New Mexico school.
According to the Albuquerque Journal, it's been previously reported that Carruthers received a raise of nearly $43,500 last year.
That increased his salary to just under $210,000 at a time when faculty and staff went without raises.
Carruthers says he didn't request the raise and that the then-president awarded it to compensate him for his varied responsibilities.
Along with heading the business college, Carruthers is vice president for economic development and director of the Domenici Institute.
Faculty Senate President Tim Ketelaar says Carruthers is "worth every penny" of his salary.
Copyright 2013 The Associated Press.