Edward Samuels pleaded guilty to 100 counts of possessing child pornography Monday - but the school has kept him on paid leave.

Samuels, 53, who was busted in August, had more than 100,000 kid-porn pictures on his computers, including shots of babies being sexually assaulted and young children being whipped, prosecutors said.

Dorothea Perry and Robert Gross - the techies who say they were wrongfully fired for reporting what they found on Samuels' computer - are appalled by the school's stance, said their lawyer, Luis Pechman.

"Instead of shooting the messengers, the school should have at least suspended Samuels without pay," Pechman said.

Perry and Gross are suing the school for $15 million, charging their routine "excellent" ratings from their bosses turned into negative ratings and pink slips after they reported finding vile pictures on Samuels' computer.

One student at the school, where tuition is $28,000 a year, said, "Our reputation is at stake, and this reflects badly on the school."

An alumnus said he'd thought Samuels had been "set up" - until the professor pleaded guilty. "How could a smart man be so stupid? He's sick," the lawyer said.

Samuels is free pending his June 23 sentencing.