Progressive Reaction to Budget Cuts for Higher Education

If push come to shove the progressives are willing to make cuts to higher education based on salary level making sure to protect the lower paid employees but with local colleges cutting the starting salaries of low income employees one has to wonder just how effective those cuts will be and how much lower income employees will be protected. Local colleges have been know to use savings for the past year to offset cuts made by the state when it comes to income so would higher earning employees simply use savings from cutting low income earners beginning salaries to protect their own salaries? How far will rich vice presidents go to protect their own salaries during a year of budget cuts?