Texas Lawmakers Criticize Raise For Rick Barnes
AUSTIN (AP) Several Texas senators are criticizing a $200,000 raise for Texas basketball coach Rick Barnes as the university faces likely budget cuts.
School regents approved the raise Wednesday. Barnes was owed a $75,000 increase under his contract. Another $125,000 was added to keep him among the 10 highest-paid coaches in the country.
The Texas athletic department is self-supporting and the raise does not include tax money.
State Sen. Kirk Watson, a Democrat representing Austin, says the regents are tone deaf to a state budget crisis that could result in heavy cuts to Texas higher education.
In January, Texas Tech gave football coach Tommy Tuberville a $500,000 raise, prompting complaints by university faculty in Lubbock.
(Copyright 2011 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
