At UC, you get what you pay for

Re “The value of big-buck professors,” Opinion, May 18

Michael H. Schill sidesteps the issue about compensation in the University of California system. The issue is not what a professor or administrator should be paid but whether any compensation package was properly approved.

If the UC administration violates the Board of Regents’ policy that it must approve compensation packages, what should be done to those who violate the policy?

If compensation or benefits have been paid without the proper approval from the regents, it should be returned.

As a UC Berkeley and UC Hastings College of Law graduate, the entire controversy looks like total arrogance to me.

President Robert C. Dynes obviously considers himself above UC policy. Obtaining approval for a compensation package from the regents is not rocket science.

It seems odd to me that Schill, the dean of the UCLA School of Law, does not address whether those compensation packages were properly approved. Was Schill’s compensation package properly approved by the regents?

ROBERT KHOURY

Los Angeles

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Schill was eloquent in discussing the problems of the UC system. Californians need to realize the greatness of our UC system and give it the financial support it needs to remain great.

To attract the best and the brightest to lead the UC system, we also need to recognize that monetary compensation has to be as near as possible to the private sector.

There have been accusations of improper payment/compensation to UC officials and professionals, but I believe that we don’t pay them anywhere near what they might get in the private sector.

I am sure Schill took a big pay cut to be at UCLA, as do many other UC professors, doctors and lawyers. When will we stop attacking and nitpicking and start recognizing these individuals for what they do?

A few thousand dollars, or even tens of thousands of dollars, may sound like a lot, but it is not that much compared to the amount that they give up by working in the public sector.

VINCENT HOANG MD

Yorba Linda