Laurentian University’s incoming president and vice-chancellor, Dr. Lynn Wells, will be paid an annual base salary of $286,815.
This according to her Dec. 1 employment agreement, of which Sudbury.com has obtained a copy.
Earlier this month, Laurentian announced that Wells has been appointed as the university's 12th president and vice-chancellor.
Her employment contract is for a term beginning April 1, 2024 and running through until March 31, 2029. At the end of her five-year term, Wells is entitled to signal to be renewed as the president and vice-chancellor.
Upon the expiry of her term as president, Wells also has the “option of assuming her duties as a full professor or voluntarily retiring from her employment with the university.”
Her contract said she “shall have supervision over and direction of the academic work and general administration of the University and the teaching staff thereof, and the officers and servants thereof, and the students thereof, and shall also have such other powers and duties as from time to time may be conferred upon or assigned to Dr. Wells by the Board.”
In terms of her salary, the contract said that under provincial legislation, the university is “not permitted to increase her salary.”
However, effective for the July 1, 2025 to June 30, 2026 pay year, Wells is “eligible for an annual non-pensionable performance-related merit pay of between 0 per cent to five per cent of her annual base salary.”
Wells’ contract said she will “receive an annual research grant of $30,000 with full carry forward from year to year of any unused funds in support of her scholarly/professional/research activities. The research grant is subject to and must be utilized in accordance with guidelines established by the university for such research grants.”
Laurentian’s current interim president, Sheila Embleton, is being paid substantially more than her successor will be. Embleton has been seconded to Laurentian from York University.
According to the secondment agreement for Embleton, York University was to continue to pay her base salary of $315,984.72, less statutory deductions.
In addition, Laurentian University was to pay Embleton an annual salary top-up of $24,015.28, less statutory deductions, in recognition of her taking on the role of interim president at Laurentian. This adds up to nearly $340,000 per year.
The secondment agreement said that during Embleton’s time at Laurentian, “York University shall invoice Laurentian quarterly for 100 per cent of the full quarterly cost of the Compensation Arrangements applicable to Dr. Embleton.”
Laurentian University has been under interim leadership since the departure in the late fall of 2022 of former president Robert Haché, who was terminated by the university on a “without cause” basis shortly before LU exited insolvency.
According to information available through the Public Sector Salary Disclosure Act, Haché earned $271,750.96, plus $15,463.20 in taxable benefits in 2021. He earned $269,049.56, plus $10,544.76 in taxable benefits in 2022.
A notable difference between Wells’ and Haché’s contracts is in regard to the provision of housing.
Haché’s contract said he had the use of the Laurentian president’s house at 179 John St. However, Laurentian plans to sell this property, so there’s no such provision in Wells’ contract, although there is a clause related to moving fees.
“The university will pay the normal and customary expenses associated with the cost of moving of household to the City of Greater Sudbury,” said the moving expenses clause in Wells’ contract.
“This includes real estate commissions, land transfer tax, and legal fees for the sale of a home as well as the cost of moving the contents of Dr. Wells’ current residence to Sudbury, as well as the cost of any temporary accommodation required in moving to Sudbury as per Canada Revenue Agency guidelines for allowable moving expenses.”
Heidi Ulrichsen is Sudbury.com’s assistant editor. She also covers education and the arts scene.
