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The University of Alberta’s third-highest earner last year no longer lived or worked in the province.

As part of the administrative leave negotiated in her contracts, past president Indira Samarasekera received $578,315.24 in compensation during 2016, according to the university’s disclosure list.

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It’s standard across Canada for university presidents and vice-presidents to have the post-service perk included in their contract. Prior University of Alberta president Rod Fraser left with at least $620,000 in administrative leave pay.

While university students are being asked for more tuition dollars and schools trim programs to keep the books balanced, some are asking whether the practice of negotiated contract payments has gotten out of hand.

“I think it’s been obviously distorted recently, and seen as a perk, and a way of attracting people to the job,” said David Robinson, executive director of the Canadian Association of University Teachers.