Reply #156: I bet salaries are only the tip of the iceberg. In Boston and Cambridge, free housing in

[No Elephants]

very high priced areas (not subject to real estate tax), travel, etc. are all part of compensation for university brass and favored faculty. (Those who posted on the Prof. Gates arrest may recall that Harvard U. was the owner of record of his residence.)

Thing is, though, if the smarties are getting bonuses of $50 million a year, plus salary, plus perqs, how can universities compete? Do we want the best and the brightest teaching our kids in our schools and universities, or only those who could not get better paying jobs anywhere else?

And, if we settle for (or at least risk settling for)only those who could not get much, much better paying jobs elsewhere, where will our families and our country be in another generation or two?

It's a dilemma. I don't know the solution, but we have to look a the big picture.