Vice-chancellor's pay 'embarrassing'

by Lauren Rosenfeld

The University and College Union (UCU) has described University vice-chancellors’ pay as “embarrassing”, as it was reported that the former rector of the University of the Arts London received £307,000 last year.

Lord Bichard allegedly took home the amount as major funding and course cuts were being debated.

The UCU also revealed that the vice-chancellors were among some of the highest earners in the public sector.

In 2009, the average pay for vice-chancellors increased by more than 10 per cent to approximately £197,000 - a figure which equalled the salary of the previous prime minister, Gordon Brown.

UCU general secretary Sally Hunt said: “One of the reasons vice-chancellors' pay is so embarrassing for universities is because of the complete lack of transparency or reason behind the arbitrary, but usually handsome, rises."

Professor Malcolm Grant, the Provost of University College, London (UCL) has a pay packet that now amounts to £404,272, while Sir Howard Newby, the vice-chancellor of Liverpool has a package of around £386,000.

This figure is over 20 per cent higher than his predecessor from the previous year.

Mandelson announces cuts

Many students and teaching staff have protested against these figures, which came just after Lord Mandelson announced £950 million of cuts to the budgets of higher education institutions.

Lecturers are paid on average, £46,251 and are currently facing hundreds of job cuts.

A rise in tuition fees has also been proposed - an increase from the current limit of £3,145 - to allow a US style of £20,000 a year fees, although whether this will come to fruition under the new government remains to be seen.

After the release of the pay rise figures last year, Jocelyn Prudence, head of the Universities and Colleges Employers Association, said: “With a very different outlook ahead, we would not expect to see this trend continue”.

Times Higher Education has stated that negotiations for the next academic year are already underway, with at least five unions submitting a claim, whereby only a minimum four per cent increase in wages will be sanctioned.