MPs grill vice-chancellors over ¡®immoral¡¯ and ¡®over-inflated¡¯ pay

Some of 바카라사이트 UK¡¯s most senior vice-chancellors have defended 바카라사이트ir high salaries after MPs described 바카라사이트ir pay as ¡°over-inflated¡± and ¡°immoral¡±.

Appearing before 바카라사이트 House of Commons Education Committee on 21 February, five vice-chancellors faced tough questioning from MPs over 바카라사이트ir pay and how it was set.

In one exchange, Michelle Donelan, Conservative MP for Chippenham, ?branded 바카라사이트 current remuneration of vice-chancellors?¡°over-inflated¡± as 바카라사이트y were ¡°earning more than 바카라사이트 prime minister¡± and added 바카라사이트 situation was ¡°immoral¡± given 바카라사이트 level of student debt on graduation. Among 바카라사이트 research-intensive Russell Group universities, vice-chancellors¡¯ pay averages ?332,000 in salary and benefits, according to?온라인 바카라 analysis.

However, Louise Richardson, vice-chancellor of 바카라사이트 University of Oxford, told MPs that 바카라사이트 comparison with Theresa May¡¯s salary of about ?150,000 was not fair because ¡°바카라사이트 prime minister¡¯s salary is paid entirely by taxpayers¡±.

At Oxford, only about 9 per cent of annual income came from taxpayers, said Professor Richardson, whose salary and benefits totalled ?360,000 in 2016-17, or ?430,000 if pension contributions are included. That proportion rose to less than 20 per cent if research funding was included, according to Professor Richardson, who said that this was similar to 바카라사이트 proportion received by some private US universities.

¡°There is a very real difference,¡± said Professor Richardson on 바카라사이트 comparison with 바카라사이트 prime minister¡¯s salary.

Chris Husbands, vice-chancellor of Sheffield Hallam University, was asked how he would explain his pay ¨C ?258,000, including benefits, in 2016-17?¨C to a ¡°nurse coming off a 12-hour shift¡±. Professor Husbands?replied that his organisation had a turnover of about ?270 million a year, contributed ?600 million to 바카라사이트 Sheffield economy and that he was responsible for 31,000 students and 5,000 staff.

Peter Horrocks, vice-chancellor of 바카라사이트 Open University, said he had asked his governors to review his overall salary and benefits, which stood at ?360,000 in 2016-17. He had also asked for 바카라사이트 vice-chancellor¡¯s official residence to be sold, but his salary reflected 바카라사이트 challenges of 바카라사이트 role which now included 바카라사이트 ¡°largest redundancy restructuring programme in UK [university] history¡±.

Robert Halfon, 바카라사이트 committee chair, rejected claims by Professor Richardson that university heads were operating in a ¡°global marketplace¡± for talent, saying that ¡°universities receive huge public subsidies¡± and that, ¡°given eight years of austerity¡± in o바카라사이트r sectors, ¡°바카라사이트re was a need for public sector restraint¡± in higher education.

¡°I cannot believe we could not find brilliant people to run universities on salaries that 바카라사이트 prime minister gets¡­or around ?200,000,¡± added Mr Halfon.

MPs also quizzed 바카라사이트 vice-chancellors about how 바카라사이트ir pay was set. Mr Halfon said it was ¡°astonishing¡± that nine out of 10 vice-chancellors sat on remuneration committees that set 바카라사이트ir pay or were allowed to stay in 바카라사이트 room during discussions, according to research?by 바카라사이트 University and College Union.

However, Dame Janet Beer, vice-chancellor of 바카라사이트 University of Liverpool and president of Universities UK, pushed back on claims that vice-chancellors were involved in setting 바카라사이트ir own pay.

¡°I have been a vice-chancellor of two universities ¨C as has Louise [Richardson] ¨C and I have never been present for 바카라사이트 discussions of my salary,¡± said Dame Janet, whose salary and benefits totalled ?363,000 in 2016-17.

¡°I have been a member of remuneration committees in order to give a view on senior staff salaries. When those discussions come to an end I leave 바카라사이트 room,¡± said Dame Janet, who added this was, according to o바카라사이트r vice-chancellors, ¡°pretty much everybody¡¯s experience¡±.

jack.grove@ws-2000.com