MAILBAG:

State Sen. Tom Harman’s rant in Forum (“UC administrators’ salaries burden the taxpayer,” May 28) shows clearly that the good senator understands little about compensation.

He bemoans the $850,000 salary of the University of California’s new president Mark Yudof without pointing out that Yudof is responsible for a statewide higher education system with more than 220,000 students and 170,000 faculty and staff on 10 campuses, including five medical centers with an annual budget of $18 billion.

I would like to see a private industry recruit a president of an operation of this nature at a salary of $850,000. The corporate annual reports I receive show presidents of money-losing corporations earning $12 million a year and more.

Perhaps the best salary comparison on the university level is the salary of new UCLA football coach Rick Neuheisel: $1.25 million, plus benefits, incentives and perks. What does USC pay Pete Carroll? He gets a base of $2.8 million a year.

So come on, Harman. Yudof is a bargain. And the president’s house he will occupy? Perhaps few students will be hosted there, but countless potential donors will be hosted there — donors required to make up the university’s deficit voted by senators like you.

MARTIN A. BROWER

Newport Beach