Gregory Homer filed an action for breach of contract against his employer, the Board of Regents of the University System of Georgia d/b/a Fort Valley State University. Homer alleged that the BOR had miscalculated his revised teaching salary after his employment position at Fort Valley changed. Homer sued to recover lost salary, benefits including retirement benefits, and attorney fees for bad faith. The trial court granted summary judgment to the BOR. Because we find that the trial court correctly concluded that no breach occurred, we affirm the judgment. When reviewing the grant or denial of summary judgment, we conduct a de novo review of the law and the evidence and construe the evidence and all reasonable deductions therefrom in favor of the nonmoving party. Holbrook v. Stansell , 254 Ga. App. 553 562 SE2d 731 2002. In reviewing a trial court’s ruling on a legal question, we owe no deference to that court. Suarez v. Halbert , 246 Ga. App. 822, 824 1 543 SE2d 733 2000.
So considered, the evidence shows that Homer began teaching at Fort Valley in 1979 and advanced to the tenured position of associate professor. During the 1997-1998 academic year, then consisting of three quarters, Homer’s compensation as an Associate Professor of Criminal Justice was $49,537. In July 1998, Homer was appointed Associate Vice President for Student Affairs/Associate Professor at a 12-month salary of $70,000 for July 1, 1998 to June 30, 1999. Homer’s employment contract expressly recited: You are not guaranteed to hold your administrative position for the duration of the contract, because you hold your administrative title and position at the pleasure of the President. Your tenure status applies only to your appointment as a faculty member and not to your appointed position as an administrator. Should your administrative position be vacated and, if you are reassigned, your salary may be changed. Over the next three years, Homer executed a series of one-year contracts, each of which provided for pay increases. The contract for July 1, 1999 to June 30, 2000, paid Homer an annual salary of $73,500. The contract for July 1, 2000 to June 30, 2001, paid Homer an annual salary of $75,429. Under the final contract for July 1, 2001 to June 30, 2002, Homer was to receive an annual salary of $79,495.
