Chair Rebecca Matthews’ recommendation that President Dr. Martha Saunders receive her full 20% performance bonus received unanimous approval from the University of West Florida Board of Trustees.
Because of Saunders’ resignation in May, the board implemented a streamlined approach to her evaluation.
“The intent was to see how we could shorten this but still give a thorough evaluation,” Matthews explained. Last month, the board authorized her to gather comprehensive evaluation information for the 2024-2025 performance period through May 31.
The chair worked closely with Board of Governors Chair Brian Lamb on the evaluation.
She highlighted the value of the collaboration: “He’s been working with President Saunders for years now. And then obviously, as you all know, I’ve worked with her for about six months at this point. He had a lot of good perspective from the past and into the current time in terms of all the work that she’s done and built up the university and all of our wonderful performance over the years.”
Matthews added, “He and I had a really nice, thoughtful discussion on all of that and what I’ve observed and learned and talked to President Sanders about over the past several months.”
Though she provided no specific details of the discussion, Chair Matthews simply said: “So I would say she’s had a commendable year of service and appreciate everything that she’s put towards it.”
However, she recommended the full performance incentive: “And I also recommend that we give her the full 20% increase or bonus incentive bonus that is within her contract.” The approved amount totals $107,255.
Matthews formally presented the recommendation to the board: “So I would like to recommend this to the group. May I have a motion to approve 2024-2025 Presidential performance evaluation report with a summary stating that Saunders’ performance was commendable—She’s had a wonderful year—and approval for the recommended 20% one-time performance incentive payment.”
The motion received unanimous approval from the board.
Thank You, Martha
After the vote, several trustees expressed their appreciation of Dr. Saunders.
Susan James praised Dr. Saunders’ exceptional leadership abilities, particularly her team-building talent: “You have a knack for building teams, bringing in Dr. Kuhl (UWF Provost) was such a great decision.”
She noted how her energy and community involvement inspired others. “You really make me feel bad about myself sometimes because I look over at you and you’re like an Energizer bunny, and you go to the sporting events, you sit on all the boards in this community. I have to give myself a pep talk sometimes saying, ‘I don’t want to go to three graduations, but Martha’s going to do it, so I’m going to do it.'”
Trustee Dick Baker said, “Lord, we were the bottom of the metrics at that point. That actually cost money, took money away, and it was a very difficult struggle to go. But what she did is formed this so-called ‘war room,’ and the intensity of that is how we’ve risen in the metrics and all at the same time, the community for, and the morale out here has just gone up and up and up and up.”
Scott expressed deep appreciation for Dr. Saunders’ impact on both the campus and community. He shared a personal memory: “I can tell you one of the joyous moments I had with her was when we won the 2019 national championship and I got this wonderful hug from her where we were standing up on this beautiful stadium football stadium that we need here in Pensacola, and she gave me this big hug, and I am using that picture as part of my retirement ceremony in September.”
Scott emphasized her advocacy role: “Dr. Saunders has been your advocate for this community for years.” He also urged continued high standards: “We’ve done a lot of work over the last eight and 10 years of Dr. Saunders’s tenure, and I want to make sure we continue going down that path of success.”
Good for her: she excelled at her job.
BUT, what is up with this board raking her over the coals weeks ago and then praising her success now?
The DeSantis politicization of our universities is transparent. Sad that Floridians are just rolling over for this. Will take years if not longer to recover our credibility and integrity.
It’s like the Old South, good-ole-boy system but under new management. The corrupt, single party Dem state government has been replaced by a single party GOP state government.