Mike Lang's article, "U.Va. employees out-earn other officials" (Oct. 19) illuminated some very important information when it comes to how the University values its employees. According to the article, six of the top 10 highest-paid state employees are University officials - an outstanding number when taken in isolation - but a highly troubling number when considering the pay scale of U.Va.'s lowest tier employees. For years, the University's excuse for paying shamefully low wages has been that the money is simply not there. The hollowness of such statements is clear whenever the pay of the highest-tier employees is considered. Salaries of more than $700,000, coupled with million-dollar severance packages for failed coaches, shows that there is money at the University. It is an unjust pay disparity and total lack of empathy on the part of the administration - not lack of funds - that continues to deny hundreds of University workers a living wage.\n\nJoe Huennekens\nSARC III