By Ralph K.M. Haurwitz
AMERICAN-STATESMAN STAFF
Published: 11:41 p.m. Monday, Dec. 14, 2009
A resolution criticizing the $5 million pay package for University of Texas football coach Mack Brown as "unseemly and inappropriate" was approved in an unofficial vote at a Faculty Council meeting Monday despite an impassioned defense of the package by UT's president.
"I think this was a good investment in our financial strength and stability as we go forward," said President William Powers Jr., adding that the athletic program under Brown has had no subsidies or deficits and has channelled $6.6 million into academic programs in recent years.
Faculty members were not convinced. The resolution was approved 23-15, with four abstentions.
The vote was unofficial because a quorum of the council was not present, said Janet Staiger , council chairwoman and a communication professor. Because it was unofficial, she allowed voting by others attending the meeting, including campus administrators, most of whom voted against the resolution. Powers abstained.
"College sports is widely viewed as an out-of-control train on a collision course with academia," said David Hillis , a professor of integrative biology. "Right now, UT is stoking this train to make it run ever faster."
The special meeting of the Faculty Council was called after the UT System regents modified Brown's contract last week. The revised contract makes permanent a $2 million "annual service payment" after each season he stays on the job. He was already scheduled to receive such a payment by Feb. 1 — for a total of $5 million in compensation this year — but the previous contract language did not provide for continuation of the annual service payment in future years.
Brown's guaranteed compensation next season, assuming he stays, will be $5.1 million because of a $100,000 annual raise that will continue to be part of his contract, which expires in 2016.
Rightardia coment: We have written articles discussing the bloat of American football. A college football team with its offensive, defensive and special teams has more than 80 players. Football is a sport that is primarily played in North America. it is not a universal sport like soccer which the rest of the world calls 'football."
Many college football teams run in the red and have to subsidized by a university. Most colleges would save money by dumping the football team and by setting up men's and women's soccer teams. Soccer teams are usually under 20 players and are inexpensive to equip.
We applaud Hostra University, who recently discontinued its football program. College is about academic achievement and preparing students for occupations. It should not be about preparing elite athletes for professional football careers.
No football coach should make more money than a college professor who works the entire year and has to teach and write books to remain employed.
Rightardia understands why football has been called "The Sport of Kings.' It costs $250 to$300 dollars for a family of four to attend an NFL game with lunch.
Would you would like to attend the 2010 BCS National Championship Game Tickets (Alabama vs Texas)? Tickets start at $820 each.
source: http://www.statesman.com/news/texas/mack-brown-s-salary-deemed-unseemly-121287.html
source: http://rt.com/Top_News/2009-12-11/stalin-letter-sothebys-auction.html#
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