A Sad Picture of Nonprofit Salaries

To the Editor:

After reading countless six-to-eight-digit monetary figures and meaningless jargon regarding the rationalization for pensions, deferred-compensations, etc., at nonprofit organizations, I was disappointed by the underlying message in the article “Nonprofit CEO’s See Salaries Rise” (September 23).

Amid a lengthy, uncomfortable recession, nonprofit organizations “somehow” have the ability to raise the salaries of their CEO’s. But these nonprofit organizations are in existence due to someone’s wish to better the lives or raise the odds of a less-fortunate individual to go to school or participate in activities that he or she otherwise would not be able to do without the aid of the organization. For instance, Sallie Mae, known for its financial-aid loan contributions at higher-education institutions, gave the president of the Lumina Foundation for Education $1.1-million to apply to her retirement plan. What is terribly wrong with this picture? Not anywhere in the article is there a quote from a leader stating that he or she declined or will refuse a raise for the sole purpose of saving money for the people who need it. I am greatly saddened by this fact and the other contents of this article. Numerous international students and almost all U.S. citizens are quick to boast about how great the United States is compared with other countries. I read this article and question myself, “Are we really that much different?”

Memoria James-Aguilar
University of Southern California
Los Angeles