As students head back to the University of California system this month they face increased fees, reduced enrollment caps, and scaled-back services as a result of massive budget cuts across the state.
Meanwhile, many UC executives are enjoying pay raises, stipends, and other benefits.
The San Francisco Chronicle reported today that during a July 16 meeting, the UC Board of Regents simultaneously approved increased pay for more than two dozen executives while slashing $813 million from the system's budget.
UC officials said that the move helps the system attract and retain talented employees at a time when good leadership is desperately needed. They also said that the raises allow schools to simply eliminate a position once it is vacated and delegate that position's responsibilities to other executives instead of hiring a new employee.
But opponents note that thousands of employees are now doing more work for less money as a result of the budget cuts, if they were fortunate enough to keep their jobs at all.
About 40 students marched in front of UC president Mark Yudof's Oakland home on Wednesday to protest the actions of the Regents Board.
