Katz signed contract with MSSU in September

Norman Katz, who was hired to teach accounting at Missouri Southern despite pleading guilty to embezzlement earlier this year, signed an employment contract with the University more than a month before he filed a motion in Ohio seeking permission to travel to Missouri for a teaching job.

Katz was hired to teach four accounting classes in the spring semester for an annual salary of $49,259. Southern hired Katz at the instructor level, rather than assistant professor. An assistant professor in business could have commanded a salary in the $70,000 range, according to CUPA data. The University pays 85 percent of CUPA median salaries.

His faculty contract, obtained by The Chart through a Sunshine Law request, was signed by Vice President for Academic Affairs AJ Anglin on Aug. 16. Katz signed the document on Sept. 7. 

Katz filed a motion Oct. 20 seeking permission to travel to Missouri for a “temporary teaching job.” A judge granted Katz permission Oct. 22. 

According to the motion filed in court, Katz said his salary would “nearly double,” thus allowing him to complete restitution payments earlier. After pleading guilty to embezzling $129,000 from an Ohio museum, Katz was sentenced to five years probation and ordered to pay the money back. He has paid around $95,000 back so far, court records show.

Katz told the court his permanent residence would remain in Ohio, and he anticipated the teaching job beginning in January. According to the motion, Katz will return to Ohio for the summer and then teach the fall semester.

His employment contract with Southern, however, runs from Jan. 1 2011 to May 31, 2012.

Katz, who is currently teaching a distance education course for Southern, also signed a part-time contract on Aug. 23 for the fall semester that pays $1,800.