Inflation-busting pay increases have been awarded to university heads despite demands for restraint from the government.
Salary hikes of up to ten per cent have been handed out to vice-chancellors at a time when inflation has hit a five-year high of three per cent.
Some 32 out of 40 – or four in five – whose packages were examined in a Sunday Times investigation were also found to have received more than the 1.1 per cent increase for lecturers.
Salary hikes of up to ten per cent have been handed out to vice-chancellors at a time when inflation has hit a five-year high of three per cent. Bath University’s Dame Glynis Breakwell (pictured) has also come under fire after receiving £468,000 this year
The highest increase went to Kathryn Mitchell at Derby University, who received 9.7 per cent extra. This added nearly £27,000 to her package, taking it to £270,000.
A nine per cent rise was awarded to Robert Allison at Loughborough in July, leaving him on £283,000.
Janet Beer of Liverpool, who is also president of Universities UK, the body which represents higher education institutions, receives £363,000 after a 6.3 per cent increase which included a £50,000 performance bonus.
Huddersfield Vice-Chancellor Bob Cryan was given a 1.7 per cent pay rise, moving him from £365,000 to £371,000.
Universities minister Jo Johnson said universities would have to justify salaries that are higher than £100,000 and ratios of top pay to median pay – currently around six or seven to one – needed to be fairer.
‘I have made it clear we need to see pay restraint,’ he added.
Universities minister Jo Johnson said universities would have to justify salaries that are higher than £100,000 and ratios of top pay to median pay
Vice-Chancellors have come under fire for the extraordinarily generous packages they receive, which include pay, pensions and benefits.
Last week it emerged Bath Spa University paid Australian Christina Slade, 64, £808,000 last year under a ‘golden goodbye’ arrangement.
She received a severance package of £429,000, on top of her salary of £250,000, pension contributions of £89,000, a £20,000 housing allowance and other benefits worth £20,000.
Prince Edward, Earl of Wessex accompanied by Professor Dame Glynis Breakwell (former Vice-Chancellor of the University of Bath). She left her job last month amid criticism over the institution’s handling of senior staff pay
Theresa May’s spokesman said the university would have to explain why it approved the payment, which will have to be justified to the new universities regulator.
The Office for Students will have the power to fine universities that are unable to justify paying £150,000 or more to their vice-chancellors.
Last week it emerged Bath Spa University paid Australian Christina Slade, 64, (pictured) £808,000 last year under a ‘golden goodbye’ arrangement
Ex-education minister Lord Adonis has branded university chiefs ‘latter-day Prince-Bishops’.
He laid into Professor Slade’s remuneration package, describing it as a ‘sick joke on students’ and accused her of having her ‘snout in the trough’.
The following day University of Sussex vice-chancellor Professor Michael Farthing was found to have been given a £230,000 golden goodbye in his final month last year.
Bath University’s Dame Glynis Breakwell has also come under fire after receiving £468,000 this year.
Lord Adonis has called for an independent enquiry to recommend limits to top pay.
He suggested it could be run by the Archbishop of Canterbury as he is paid just £80,000 but ‘runs an organisation much like a university ‘and ‘like many vice-chancellors he lives in a palace’.