Keep in mind also that none of this is taxpayer money. In fact most of his salary is not paid for by the taxpayers.
He's worth the money. He generates tens of millions of dollars for the University. He is a good return on investment. Yes, it is somewhat disconcerting that football coaches make more than neurosurgeons, but even those guys profit from the publicity and money Kirk brings to the university.
Kirk earns his millions, unlike many of those crooks on Wall Street who make way more than him just in bonuses (hey, thanks for tanking the American economy and causing a global recession, here's 30 million bucks! Bravo!) He actually provides something of value.
Amen to that. I was reading about one of those banks that tanked last year. They fired their CEO, but gave him $20 M or so to leave! WHAT?! So we're gonna fire you but give you this charity money, because god knows your wife can't possibly live without her $2000 Gucci purse, and you couldn't possibly fly commercial, you just GOTTA have that personal jet.