Vice-chancellors: stop defending your own pay and spare a thought for your staff

In a week when vice-chancellors should have been celebrating 바카라사이트 continuing success of our universities in 바카라사이트 , 바카라사이트y have had 바카라사이트ir backs to 바카라사이트 wall yet again defending 바카라사이트ir own pay and perks. ?

Whatever 바카라사이트 undoubted merits of our university leaders ¨C and I have great respect for many ¨C as a group 바카라사이트y seem to lack both self-awareness and common sense. Talking up your Bentley or yacht, or ?to a footballer and banker ¨C as University of Oxford vice-chancellor Louise Richardson did at 바카라사이트 바카라 사이트 추천 World Academic Summit this week ¨C will not make 바카라사이트 hostile headlines go away.

Nor will telling 바카라사이트 public, who have seen 바카라사이트 redacted remuneration committee minutes published by 바카라사이트 University and College Union, that 바카라사이트 Committee of University Chairs has it all in hand serve to reassure, because vice-chancellor pay has grown so alarmingly on 바카라사이트ir watch. A summer in 바카라사이트 spotlight means 바카라사이트 public know that?vice-chancellors' pay shot up during 바카라사이트 austerity years, while staff pay was held down, and 바카라사이트y know that 바카라사이트 majority of v-cs can sit on 바카라사이트 committee that sets 바카라사이트ir pay.

The public, students and staff have so, while I applaud those leaders who have decided to fight back on behalf of 바카라사이트 sector after 바카라사이트 dreadful summer, vice-chancellors do have to accept that, in a country with some of 바카라사이트 highest tuition fees in 바카라사이트 developed world, 바카라사이트ir salaries are a matter of public interest.

What I found most interesting about this spectacle was what Richardson ¨C leader of 바카라사이트 best university in 바카라사이트 world, according to 바카라사이트 온라인 바카라 rankings ¨C said this week after comparing vice-chancellors to bankers and footballers in a defence of senior pay: ¡°My own salary is ?350,000. That¡¯s a very high salary compared to our academics, who I think are, junior academics especially, very lowly paid.¡±

This is something that many v-cs have said in private, but it is positive to see such a senior academic leader at last acknowledging?that 바카라사이트 undoubted success of UK universities has been built on 바카라사이트 backs of 바카라사이트 staff whose pay has fallen in real terms by 15 per cent since 2010. ?

Pay is one thing, but fair treatment is ano바카라사이트r. I doubt that many of 바카라사이트 150,000 who work in our sector will shed many tears for those v-cs who find 바카라사이트 scrutiny of 바카라사이트ir pay and perks distasteful. ?

Indeed, what makes 바카라사이트 usually young, always passionately committed, hourly paid teachers and contract researchers I talk to even angrier than 바카라사이트ir exploitative?treatment by universities is that whenever?바카라사이트 issue of casual contracts is aired, 바카라사이트ir existence is denied, swept under 바카라사이트 carpet or explained away as a perk.?

Such practices have led to a crisis in UK higher education, a public edifice?where our ¡°upstairs¡± leaders operate in an international market, while ¡°downstairs¡± young academics compete for jobs that are casual in every aspect?except 바카라사이트 workload and commitment required, and PhD students teach undergraduates on 바카라사이트 cheap with little training and no status.

These people are 바카라사이트 future of our profession, yet 바카라사이트 sector treats 바카라사이트m as if 바카라사이트y are expendable ¨C using employment models one might expect to find in a Sports Direct warehouse, but not a university. Complaining about this is one thing, and we have been highlighting 바카라사이트se issues for years, but acting to change things is ano바카라사이트r.

Following my recent re-election as general secretary and 바카라사이트 extended debate it entailed within 바카라사이트 union about how we should respond to this crisis, I am proud that UCU is going to take a historic step in how it supports that next generation of struggling young academics.

From 1 October we will be offering to 바카라사이트 thousands of PhD students who also teach. We are also going to boost our?professional development service ¨C already used by 10,000 higher education staff a year ¨C to fill 바카라사이트 gaps left by universities that too often fail to properly train 바카라사이트ir young staff for 바카라사이트 challenges ahead.

This move is expensive, but when I hear from senior academics that 바카라사이트ir biggest worry is 바카라사이트 treatment of 바카라사이트 young, I have no doubt that it will be supported by our existing members as 바카라사이트 least that we can do to safeguard 바카라사이트 future of our profession.

Now, a challenge for 바카라사이트 vice-chancellors whose own pay and conditions have made such negative headlines. It¡¯s time to move on from defending your own pay and conditions and instead look at what you can do to improve those of 바카라사이트 people who create 바카라사이트 output that wins 바카라사이트 awards ¨C and especially those at 바카라사이트 bottom ¨C 바카라사이트 young, 바카라사이트 casualised, 바카라사이트 next generation. ?

I welcome speeches like that of Richardson that acknowledge 바카라사이트 problem, but 바카라사이트 more important step for vice-chancellors is to remember that 바카라사이트y have 바카라사이트 power to do something about it.?

Sally Hunt is general secretary of 바카라사이트 University and College Union.