Smithsonian Pay Criticized in Report

A report by the Smithsonian Institution’s acting inspector general raised concerns about the museum’s pay practices, noting that 19 top executives were paid higher salaries than the vice president of the United States, reports The Washington Post.

While many of the museum’s employees are paid based on a government scale, other salaries are paid out of a fund from private donations and thus can exceed government caps.

But the report faulted the museum system for not having more-stringent accounting practices.

Smithsonian Secretary Lawrence M. Small earned $884,733 in 2006; Ned Rifkin, undersecretary for art, earned $440,000; and Sheila P. Burke, deputy secretary and chief operating officer, was paid $400,000.

Smithsonian officials said they agreed with much of the report, but said the institution’s salaries were fair compared with jobs at other institutions with similar duties and responsibilities.

For more on executive compensation, read The Chronicle of Philanthropy’s annual compensation survey.

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