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Baggot: Raising a question after Alvarez’s raise

What was your reaction when it was announced last week that University of Wisconsin athletic director Barry Alvarez was getting a $150,000 raise, boosting his salary to $750,000 for 2008-09?

“Good for you, big guy?”

“Boy, that sure is a lot of coin?”

“What the heck?”

“Why I oughta â?¦?”

Here’s mine: UW chancellor John Wiley is the one retiring, so why is Alvarez the one getting the going-away present?

Wiley, as is his wont, went before the UW Board of Regents and lobbied for the 25 percent raise for Alvarez, citing “long-term performance and the market,” according to a board member.