There is increased speculation that Rutgers University President Jonathan Hollway will not seek a contract extension and will depart at the end of his five-year contract next year.
Hollway could inform Rutgers Board of Governors members as early as this month, three sources with knowledge of Holloway’s internal conversations had told the New Jersey Globe on the condition of anonymity.
Two Rutgers spokespersons did not immediately respond to calls and emails seeking comment.
It’s not immediately clear if Holloway has applied for another position. It’s also unclear whether the Rutgers board is prepared to incentivize Holloway
That could set up a national search for a new state university president with a budget of over $5.4 billion, nearly 70,000 students, and over 10,000 employees.
Hollway’s current contract includes an annual base salary of $780,000, plus incentives that could bring his annual paycheck to almost $1.4 million. That comes with a house, a car, and a driver. Once he serves for five years, he’s entitled to a one-year sabbatical at his full salary – and a golden parachute post as a professor as the highest earner in his department.
Since assuming the Rutgers presidency in 2020, Holloway has been central to some important controversies. Professors went on strike for five days after failed negotiations with three unions – Gov. Phil Murphy, not Holloway, played a pivotal role in forging an agreement from both sides — and the Rutgers Senate overwhelmingly passed a motion of no confidence in his leadership.
Some severely criticized him – and won praise from others– for agreeing to negotiate with protestors who set up a Gaza solidarity encampment and demanding Rutgers’ divestment from investments from Israel.
Holloway has hired a leading law firm to investigate allegations of mistreatment of members of the Rutgers gymnastics team.
Rutgers will face significant changes over the next few months: a replacement for Patrick Hobbs, who abruptly resigned as athletic director, and general counsel John Jay Hoffman, who is expected to be confirmed as an associate justice of the New Jersey Supreme Court on September 30.
The Star-Ledger reported that Hobbs was under investigation for an “inappropriate consensual relationship” at the time of his August 16 resignation.
The 57-year-old Holloway came to New Jersey after serving as a dean at Yale and as provost at Northwestern. He played college football at Stanford with Cory Booker, now the state’s senior U.S. Senator.