El-Sawi receives nearly quarter-million dollars as part of compensation package
An employee's resignation can come at a price for Central Michigan University.
According to documents obtained via a Freedom of Information Act request, the compensation package for Dr. Nehad El-Sawi, a former associate dean for the College of Medicine, totals $238,691.76 as part of her recent resignation agreement.
El-Sawi was hired into the college in May and began work as the associate dean of Medical Education and Faculty Development on July 9. She resigned from her position Jan. 25.
As severance, El-Sawi will receive $112,000 of her annual $200,000 salary; an allowance for six months of contributions for medical, dental and prescription drug plans, totaling $2,663.28; and 10 percent of her base salary for retirement contributions, totaling $20,000. She also is eligible to collect any unused vacation pay and will receive money from long-term disability insurance, employee life insurance and tuition wavers.
CMU will also pay a $9,521.60 contribution toward her social security.
Steve Smith, director of public relations, said in an e-mail the university does not comment on personnel matters and consequently would not comment on the provisions of El-Sawi's severance and release agreement.
Several calls to El-Sawi were not returned.
During her final month of employment, El-Sawi was absent for three full, paid days: Jan. 10, 11 and 25, the date of her resignation. She used 3.34 hours of paid absence time and 4.66 hours of vacation pay Jan. 24.
El-Sawi was eligible for up to $7,500 in moving costs in relocating to Mount Pleasant from Kansas City, Mo., where she was a professor of microbiology at Kansas City University of Medicine and Biosciences.
She was a tenured faculty member, effective from the July 2010 meeting of the board of trustees.
In her letter of resignation dated Jan. 24, El-Sawi said she enjoyed her time at CMU and the relationships she had established.
"Per our recent discussions, I am hereby submitting my resignation from the position of Associate Dean/Medical Education and Faculty Development," she wrote.
The university spent $2,227.91 on recruitment costs through various print and online advertisements, General Counsel Manuel Rupe said in an e-mail.
Dr. Ernest Yoder, College of Medicine founding dean, said in an e-mail with Central Michigan Life the search has begun to fill El-Sawi's position, but did not mention a date in which the position would be filled by.
"The search has commenced ... we have several applicants already," he wrote. "We will charge the search committee this week"
