MPC's Doug Garrison did NOT get a recent raise

An alert student of Monterey Peninsula College called to share some rumors that President Doug Garrison had just received a pay raise. Funny, I thought, since I didn't see a review on the agenda (that's when usually superintendents get raises). And I sort of remembered he'd gotten a pay cut, along with the rest of the staff, when budget cuts hit.

So I called Barbara Lee, associate dean of human resources, and she confirmed Garrison has NOT received a pay increase.

Garrison's annual salary is $240,557.56 -- the same since July 1, when he took a 2 percent pay cut. Garrison also declined to take the 5 percent raise specified in his contract during his August annual review, so he's making 7 percent less he could have been making if the economy was rosier.