Is Matthew Whitaker's salary why college costs so much?

A July 15 blog by Laurie Roberts ( “What was city's hurry to hire Whitaker for police training?”) on Dr. Matthew Whitaker, an ASU professor, and his recent demotion, mentioned an interesting fact:

“Instead of being a full-fledged professor earning $165,500 a year, Whitaker will be an associate professor earning $153,500 a year. Instead of being director of the school's center for the Study of Race and Democracy, he'll be co-director, reducing his stipend from $20,000 to $10,000. Whitaker taught one class in the spring and one this summer. He'll be on a state-paid sabbatical this fall."

Is this the reason college is so expensive? Two classes and a paid sabbatical for the sum of $153,500 a year.

— B.A. Montgomery, Phoenix