UW's President Mark Emmert got a pay raise this week. Most consider a $150,000 salary something to be envied, but when people hear that $150,000 isn't the paycheck but the raise, some get angry.

Three days after an annual survey by the Chronicle of Higher Education ranked Emmert as the third-highest paid public college president, which moved him down from last-year's first place, the UW Board of Regents voted to increase his salary to $905,000.

Amid yearly tuition hikes, it's hard not to see the extra figures on our loans pouring directly into Emmert's pocket, but despite these visions, it's worth the cost to keep Emmert on board.

Much of the president's work is bringing money into the school. Whether it be from private donations or from rallying state support, representing the UW as a college worth investing in is the core of the president's job.

Last year alone, with the state grants Emmert secured for Restore the Core and the hike of general funding provided by the state, he has either been ridiculously lucky or his talent has proven itself.

Some might ask why — if Emmert is doing an exceptional job — tuition is still making its yearly jumps. Since the '70s, state funding of students on campus dropped from about 90 percent to about 70 percent. Emmert's success in the Legislature brings hope for the halting of that shift.

Emmert's success is important to everyone at the UW, and someone willing to take a smaller salary cannot easily replace Emmert's work. Progress in the legislature would be up in the air.

According to The Seattle Times, Emmert has received offers from other universities. The competition is out there, and although we do not mean to question his loyalty to the school, we need to give him incentives to stay.

We agree it's frustrating that public universities have to offer such exorbitant benefits to keep presidents, when no such benefits trickle down to the staff. Although many of us being prospective journalists regard $30,000 a good deal for a first job, we understand that a $60,000 salary is a true test of a professor's love of teaching. It's sad when professors take a pay cut to teach at one of the best universities in the world (no exaggeration — the world).

While most would agree to give professors a raise instead of Emmert, maintaining Emmert is the best thing the school can do to increase funding.

So before hundreds rush to the Internet to write angry blogs regarding Emmert's raise, they should consider that it's a price the University has to pay to keep the money rolling in and tuition affordable.