Brand nearly doubles pay as head of NCAA

<br>INDIANAPOLIS (AP) _ Former Indiana University President Myles Brand almost doubled his pay when he became president of the NCAA. <br><br>Brand's annual compensation is $763,000, The Indianapolis

Friday, February 27th 2004, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) _ Former Indiana University President Myles Brand almost doubled his pay when he became president of the NCAA.

Brand's annual compensation is $763,000, The Indianapolis Star reported Friday, citing tax forms the NCAA is required to file with the Internal Revenue Service.

That includes more than $395,000 in salary and use of a car and nearly $96,000 in benefit plans, according to figures extrapolated from Brand's first eight months on the job.

Brand's salary is set by the chairman of the NCAA executive committee and the university presidents who head each of the nonprofit association's three divisions.

``In their view, the compensation matches the complexity, profile and leadership expected of the position,'' Jeff Howard, spokesman for the NCAA, said Friday.

Brand was making $392,000 when he left IU for the NCAA in January 2003. Jim Isch, the NCAA's chief financial officer, said a consultant had reviewed compensation at 12 nonprofit groups _ five universities, four national associations and three foundations _ and Brand's pay was neither highest nor lowest.

Wally Renfro, senior adviser to Brand, said that the NCAA has a higher profile than any nonprofit group in the nation.

But some critics said Brand's reported compensation was inappropriate for the head of a nonprofit organization, particularly given his push for college sports to shift their focus to academics rather than money.

``I think it reflects the fact that they (the NCAA) really are a corporate entity and not an academic one,'' said Linda Bensel-Meyers, head of the Drake Group, an association of reform-minded faculty members.

Brand's pay compares with $434,000 paid to American Heart Association chief executive M. Cass Wheeler. The NCAA reported $433 million in revenues and 357 employees, while the Heart has revenues of $525 million and 3,446 employees.

Brand's pay is $47,000 less than what his predecessor, Cedric Dempsey, made in his last full year in 2002, the Star reported. It also is lower than that of many college coaches.