It is known fact that the Texas State Legislature is dealing out notable spending cuts to compensate for our more than $24 billion deficit. While many areas of spending have been affected, one of the most significant areas that will see massive funding cuts is education. Higher education, alone, is facing more than an expected $9 billion in cut in funding for Texas Universities and Colleges. Unfortunately, many schools are resorting to tuition hikes to make up for the damages. The University of Houston is increasing student tuition by 3.95% while Texas Tech has decided to raise tuition 5.9% at their Lubbock campus. Even higher, San Angelo State University has agreed upon an astonishing 9.9% jump in tuition. With the absence of some of their much needed state funding, many of Texas’ higher education institutions have no choice but to push this financial burden onto their students… or do they?
While reading through the Texas Tribune earlier this week, I came across some rather interesting information regarding the salaries of Government employees in the state of Texas. In particular, the salaries of many University and College professions caught my eye. Most notable of these was Mack Brown, the well-known head coach for the famous University of Texas football team. While universities and colleges alike are struggling to keep their tuition rates flat, Brown rakes in an annual $5.1 million or more in earnings. (Richard Barnes, another head coach at the University of Texas Athletic Department, earns $2.2 million.)
To compare, the median salary for a UT professor is in the area of $112,000 and the maximum professor salary for any UT professor is currently at one million. Appalling. As our college students bear the cross for the financial cuts plaguing their schools, coaches like Mack Brown are being paid ridiculous sums of money for a profession that by all means, is not education related. I am well aware of the financial gains brought to the State of Texas from the UT football team. Additionally, I understand that in Texas, football isn’t a game; it is a way of life. However, what I cannot comprehend is the fact that while Brown is sitting on an annual paycheck in excess of $5mil, the President of UT MD Anderson Cancer Center is making about one-fifth of that sum. Indeed, Texas is known to have fanatics, but is football really more important that cancer? This of course is a far-fetched statement; however, the comparison works well to illustrate how Texas doesn’t exactly have its priorities straight when it comes to the issue of funding public education. I believe Brown should be content with taking a measly million and let UT use the rest to allow those who are struggling the opportunity to attend college.
To compare, the median salary for a UT professor is in the area of $112,000 and the maximum professor salary for any UT professor is currently at one million. Appalling. As our college students bear the cross for the financial cuts plaguing their schools, coaches like Mack Brown are being paid ridiculous sums of money for a profession that by all means, is not education related. I am well aware of the financial gains brought to the State of Texas from the UT football team. Additionally, I understand that in Texas, football isn’t a game; it is a way of life. However, what I cannot comprehend is the fact that while Brown is sitting on an annual paycheck in excess of $5mil, the President of UT MD Anderson Cancer Center is making about one-fifth of that sum. Indeed, Texas is known to have fanatics, but is football really more important that cancer? This of course is a far-fetched statement; however, the comparison works well to illustrate how Texas doesn’t exactly have its priorities straight when it comes to the issue of funding public education. I believe Brown should be content with taking a measly million and let UT use the rest to allow those who are struggling the opportunity to attend college. 