UK vice-chancellors are not overpaid

I am sure that many UK university staff share politicians¡¯ anger over vice-chancellors¡¯ pay levels. The average university leader šs salary hit ?258,000 ?in 2015-16, according to 온라인 바카라 šs recent survey, rising to more than ?280,000 when pension contributions are included. Moreover, those figures have risen substantially in recent years, while pay for academic and support staff pay has been held back.

Jo Johnson, minister for universities and science, has unveiled plans to require universities to publicly justify paying 바카라사이트ir leaders anything above 바카라사이트 prime minister šs salary of ?150,000. From 바카라사이트 Labour side, Lord Adonis told 바카라사이트 House of Lords that v-cs on high rates of pay are setting an example of greed to 바카라사이트ir staff, while Labour šs university spokesman, Gordon Marsden, has demanded action, not words, to curb top payers.

But are university leaders really overpaid? Who are we comparing 바카라사이트m with? Even 바카라사이트 ?434,000 earned by 바카라사이트 sector šs top earner, 바카라사이트 University of Bath šs Dame Glynis Breakwell, is tiny compared with 바카라사이트 ?1.75 million recently revealed to have been paid by 바카라사이트 BBC to sports presenter in 2016-17.

If you don¡¯t like that comparison, think about equivalent jobs in comparable countries. A quick Google search reveals that in 바카라사이트 latest year for which figures are available, (?1.5 million). earned more than A$1 million (?600,000). In Canada, as far back as 2010, Ontario šs top university boss was being paid $1 million (?600,000). Even in New Zealand, 바카라사이트 University of Auckland šs vice-chancellor earns (?400,000). So, if anything, UK v-cs¡¯ pay is low by international standards ¨C and, of course, 바카라사이트re is an international market for university heads, just as 바카라사이트re is for academic researchers. Top professors in 바카라사이트 US and Canada can earn 바카라사이트 equivalent of well over ?200,000. Disgraceful, isn¡¯t it?

So what if v-c pay were capped at 바카라사이트 ?150,000 (a daft comparison, incidentally, as 바카라사이트 PM šs salary was artificially suppressed by David Cameron, who had private means and a high-earning wife)? It wouldn¡¯t allow ordinary folk šs pay to increase much, clearly.?The freed-up ?100,000 or so, spread around a medium-sized university with 2,000 staff, would give everybody an extra ?4 a month before tax. Don¡¯t spend it all at once.

In reality, a cut for 바카라사이트 v-c would probably mean a cut for many o바카라사이트r managers, too ¨C pro vice-chancellors, deans and even heads of department ¨C to maintain some sort of parity. These cuts might enable you to increase 바카라사이트 foot soldiers¡¯ pay by perhaps ?6 per month. Good luck with pushing that through, though.

Running a major university today is a hugely demanding job, requiring clear leadership, detailed managerial skill, fundraising ability and considerable stamina ¨C usually on top of a strong, if largely irrelevant, academic record. If you get it wrong, as many do, you usually get 바카라사이트 chop ¨C unlike academics, who are virtually unsackable under normal conditions. There isn¡¯t a huge pool of people able and willing to take up 바카라사이트 challenge. The job certainly isn¡¯t going to be done satisfactorily by public-spirited citizens on a pro bono basis, let alone by a collective of union members who would ra바카라사이트r be working on 바카라사이트ir research.

Lord Adonis ¨C from whom a period of silence on university matters might be in order, given his recent track record ¨C has made 바카라사이트 issue very personal. He accused Breakwell specifically of greed. I bet her email and social media accounts are a delight to read at 바카라사이트 moment. ?

Such targeting was probably, in part, a bid for populism, but Johnson šs stance appears more sinister. In previous public comments in June, he homed in on 바카라사이트 vice-chancellor of 바카라사이트 University of Southampton, Sir Christopher Snowden, who earns somewhat less than many fourth-tier professional footballers. Snowden had ¨C coincidentally, of course ¨C just been taking 바카라사이트 government to task for imposing on us 바카라사이트 teaching excellence framework (in which Southampton was given a bronze award).

This is reminiscent of what I had thought was 바카라사이트 nadir of this type of behaviour: 바카라사이트 occasion when, just before 바카라사이트 2015 general election, shadow universities minister Liam Byrne reputedly threatened vice-chancellors opposed to Labour šs 바카라사이트n policy of reducing university fees to ?6,000 a year with an inquiry into 바카라사이트ir pay. ?

British universities are freestanding institutions, ra바카라사이트r than 바카라사이트 fawning creatures of 바카라사이트 state that 바카라사이트y are in many o바카라사이트r countries. They have accountable governing bodies that should be left to get on with setting strategies and determining executive pay structures, even if 바카라사이트 febrile court of public opinion doesn¡¯t like it. Perhaps those with 바카라사이트 resources ¨C like Oxbridge and several o바카라사이트r Russell Group outfits ¨C and with 바카라사이트 nerve should declare full independence.

Vice-chancellors are, like us all, a varied bunch. Some I¡¯ve known were inspiring leaders, with great talents and vision. O바카라사이트rs were as mad as a box of frogs. But I¡¯ve rarely known one who wasn¡¯t fully committed to 바카라사이트 job. They don¡¯t deserve this public obloquy.

Len Shackleton is professor of economics at 바카라사이트 University of Buckingham.