University of California's Golden Parachutes

The San Francisco Chronicle reports:

When UC Berkeley Associate Athletic Director Mark Stephens was passed over for a promotion at Cal last year, the university promised to keep Stephens on the payroll for three years at an average salary of $61,000 per year -- as an adviser and allowed to work a full-time job outside the university.

Two years ago, UC Davis agreed to give a medical professor, Dr. Casey Daggett, $150,000 in exchange for his resignation and promise to drop all legal claims against the university.

In 2002, the UC Berkeley athletic department forced administrator Kevin Reneau to step down but agreed to keep him on the payroll for 2 1/2 years at $86,000 per year so he could reach retirement age and qualify for subsidized health care for his family.

During the past five years, UC has negotiated at least 700 separation agreements worth about $23 million, UC spokesman Paul Schwartz said Tuesday in response to a public records request by The Chronicle.

Ever wonder why tuition has outpaced inflation year after year? Public sector greed.