In brief: Ex-Penn State head was public colleges’ top-paid

BUFFALO, N.Y. – Former Penn State President Graham Spanier became the highest paid public college president of 2011-12 when he was forced out over his handling of the sex abuse scandal involving former assistant football coach Jerry Sandusky, according to a survey released Sunday.

The Chronicle of Higher Education’s annual ranking of public college presidents’ earnings said Spanier’s $2.9 million pay, which included $1.2 million in severance and $1.2 million in deferred compensation, put him well ahead of his peers when he left Penn State in November 2011.

Spanier, who led the college for 16 years, is awaiting trial on criminal charges of perjury, obstruction, endangering the welfare of children, failure to properly report suspected child abuse and conspiracy stemming from administrators’ handling of sex abuse allegations against Sandusky. Spanier has vigorously denied the charges.

While the median compensation for public college presidents was $441,392, a 4.7 percent increase over 2010-11, Spanier was one of four chief executives to surpass the $1 million threshold in 2011-12, one more than the previous year. The others were Auburn University President Jay Gogue, who received $2.5 million; E. Gordon Gee of Ohio State University, who earned $1.9 million; and now-retired George Mason University’s Alan Merten, whose total pay plus benefits and deferred compensation totaled $1.87 million.

Walters to announce her retirement today

NEW YORK – Barbara Walters is retiring.

The veteran ABC News anchor is set to announce this morning on “The View” that she will retire from TV journalism next summer.

ABC said in an announcement late Sunday that, until then, Walters will continue to anchor and report for the network, anchor specials throughout the year, and appear on “The View.” She will remain executive producer of “The View,” the weekday talk show she created in 1997.

The 83-year-old Walters has spent 37 years at ABC News, joining the network in 1976 to become the first female co-anchor on an evening news program. Three years later, she became a co-host of ABC’s “20/20” newsmagazine.

Before coming to ABC, she spent 15 years at NBC News, where she was a co-host of the “Today” show.

“I am very happy with my decision,” Walters said, “and look forward to a wonderful and special year ahead.”