The Northwestern Michigan College (NMC) Board of Trustees unanimously approved contract amendments for President Timothy Nelson Monday.

The Presidential Performance and Compensation Committee compared Nelson’s contract to national benchmarks and found his contract to be "below the mean average." The new contract will include the following:

 - The term will run for five years from July 1, 2016 to June 30, 2021.
 - Compensation will be benchmarked against the mean average using College and University Professional Association (CUPA) data for CEO of a Single Institution/Campus within System. It should be noted that this benchmark is the second lowest average of the national benchmarks examined. Using this benchmark, the mean average indicates his salary should be $205,328, compared to the current amount of $186,684.
 - President Nelson’s salary will be moved to the benchmark over a two-year period and checked in the third year similar to the process for staff and administrators.
 - Salary changes will occur on January 1 of each year as they do with all other NMC employees. The first increase to $196,006 will occur January 1, 2017.
 - Annual percent increases will be the same as those provided to staff and administrators.
 - Additional vacation days have been added with the proviso that President Nelson take a required number of consecutive days off for rest and recharging. The number is 10 days in each of the first two years and 20 days in each of the remaining three years.
 - An Executive Health Program to be reimbursed by the college has been restored to the contract.
 - An arbitration clause and process has been added to settle any disputes.

Board Chair Kennard Weaver said, “President Nelson has an incredible vision for this college leading the future of higher education for this region and beyond. He has consistently executed on that vision during his tenure. Our learners today, and for years to come, will benefit from his leadership.”