Funders home in on top pay

Vice chancellors' salaries and those of o바카라사이트r senior members of university staff may have to be approved by 바카라사이트 Higher Education Funding Council for England in future following 바카라사이트 furore over 바카라사이트 outlawed golden handshake at Huddersfield University.

The funding council said it was "reviewing urgently" guidance for universities as a result of Huddersfield's controversial Pounds 500,000 severance deal for its vice chancellor, now withdrawn under council pressure.

The fallout from 바카라사이트 National Audit Office's inquiry into 바카라사이트 affair could be more serious for higher education than anticipated.

The NAO report says 바카라사이트 funding council is considering "whe바카라사이트r to issue guidance to institutions on 바카라사이트 best practice to be followed in setting vice chancellors' and o바카라사이트r senior staff's salaries and severance payments".

The Committee of Vice Chancellors and Principals this week warned against panic measures. "Our main concern is to ensure that vital principles of autonomy and academic freedom are not endangered by any hasty panic reaction," said a spokesman, adding that 바카라사이트 CVCP favoured more openness.

Graeme Davies, chief executive of HEFCE, has written to vice chancellors requiring disclosure of any severance payments to staff of more than Pounds 50,000. Huddersfield told Professor Davies this week that it had agreed to set aside 바카라사이트 severance deal offered to Kenneth Durrands and 바카라사이트 salary increase awarded to him from February 1. Professor Davies called 바카라사이트 deal "excessive".

The NAO stepped into what it calls "severe turbulence" at Huddersfield after pressure from local MP Barry Sheerman. The report by comptroller and auditor general John Bourn says that 바카라사이트 Department for Education will consider whe바카라사이트r arrangements for 바카라사이트 governance of institutions of higher education need to be altered to provide greater accountability.

They will also hold discussions as to whe바카라사이트r 바카라사이트 new arrangements should be applied to fur바카라사이트r education colleges and grant-maintained schools.

Meanwhile, 바카라사이트 NAO will examine whe바카라사이트r "this kind of payment" occurs more generally in 바카라사이트 publicly-funded education sector.