State Sen. John Thrasher, who is up for re-election in three weeks, could move into the president's house at Florida State University less than a week after the ballots are counted.
A draft of a proposed $430,000-a-year, five-year contract released Tuesday has the St. Augustine Republican taking over as the university's new president Nov. 10.
The FSU board of trustees is scheduled to hold a conference call Monday to discuss the eight-page contract.
The state university system's Board of Governors is expected to sign off on Thrasher's appointment during meetings Nov. 5 and Nov. 6 at Florida Atlantic University in Boca Raton.
Thrasher, 70, is a controversial selection for president, as he was vigorously opposed by some students and members of the faculty who questioned his conservative political leanings and lack of academic credentials.
Trustees voted Sept. 23 to select Thrasher to become FSU's 15th president. A day later, he said he wouldn't be a hard negotiator on the contract.
Asked about the proposed contract Tuesday, Thrasher responded in a text, "I'm good."
Thrasher, an avowed FSU "homer" who received his undergraduate and law degrees from the Tallahassee school, has been key in getting funding for the school while a state lawmaker. As House speaker, Thrasher was able to advance the creation of the university's medical school.
Thrasher will succeed Eric Barron, who left earlier this year to become president of Penn State University.
Barron's FSU contract had a base salary of $395,000 a year, with a bonus of $100,000 for each $100 million reached in fundraising.
Thrasher's contract offers an annual performance bonus of $100,000 for meeting goals and a 15 percent annual contribution into a retirement plan.
He will also be granted a tenured faculty appointment as a professor in the College of Law.
Thrasher, who has a downtown Tallahassee condominium in addition to his home in St. Augustine and property in Orange Park, Orlando, Green Cove Springs and Sky Valley, Ga., will be required to reside at the university-owned president's house, which will be staffed for grounds keeping, repairs and general maintenance.
The school is offering to cover "reasonable" moving expenses, as the contract says trustees want Thrasher on campus "in order for him to be immediately available to properly perform his duties and responsibilities."
He can also receive $250,000 for completing the five-year deal.
Money for Thrasher's base pay would come from the school, the University Foundation, and the Seminole Boosters, which will also cover his business expenses and dues for The Governors Club and University Center Club in Tallahassee. The school, foundation and boosters will also cover the "reasonable" expenses of Thrasher's wife, Jean, on university-related business trips.
The school is also offering $900 a month for car costs or an automobile fitted with an FSU license plate for his official use.
After receiving the long-expected presidential selection, Thrasher resigned as chairman of Gov. Rick Scott's re-election campaign. However, he kept his re-election bid alive noting the state Board of Governors isn't expected to review the contract until a day after the Nov. 4 election,
A resignation from the seat after the election would require a special election to be called for his Republican-leaning district, which includes Flagler, Putnam and St. Johns counties and part of Volusia County.
