Plus ça change...

In 2010 The Guardian published an article "University Head's 'Salaries Soar'".  At the time, more than 80 heads of universities earned more than the Prime Minister, whose current salary is £142,500.  Undoubtedly, more than 80 heads of universities earn more than that now.  Our very own Vice Chancellor, Don Nutbeam who currently earns £294,000 ( which increases to £333,515 when the full package such as pension is taken into account) is one such member of this privileged group.  In fact, he earns more than the President of America, whose take home salary is $400,000 (£243,029).

The justification that is often given for such high levels of remuneration is that the Vice Chancellor leads a complex, international organisation with a multimillion pound turnover.  If this argument had any validity then we can only assume that Cameron and Obama are in charge of the local paper shop.

However, more to the point is the observation in The Guardian article that in 2008-9 salaries rose substantially but by 2009-10, due to financial constraints, salaries were less generously uplifted:

"The sector's own research into the remuneration of vice-chancellors and principals in 2008-09 shows the median increase was 8.9% which is in line with the overall staff pay rises for that same time period.

"We are now in quite a different funding climate and the results of our survey of vice-chancellors and principals' salaries for this year (2009-10) reflect this.
"For this period (2009-10), the average increase is 0.5% with 70% of vice-chancellors and principals receiving uplifts of 0% or 0.5%."

The article goes on:

The UCEA said: "Feedback from institutions where the outcome of 2009/10 pay reviews have been finalised show that 70% of heads of institutions are either receiving no increase at all or 0.5%.

"Institutions are facing extremely tight budgets and financial constraints and recent announcements of cuts to sector funding suggest that this is a trend that will continue."

 Everyone knows that the financial restrictions are still in place - allegedly.  Remember, on 31st October when we stood on the picket lines, Don told us specifically that there was no money for a pay rise.

With the financial restrictions still in place we now have had at least two years of inflation busting pay rises for the people who are saying that there is no money for pay rises. 

We would like to know what the justification is for such pay rises at those levels.  We have all heard about the Vice Chancellors who are remunerated for their expert leadership and who have sailed their institutions to financially more fruitful waters; who have achieved higher rankings and improved visibility on the world stage.  In this last respect the number of places near the top are evidently limited so not every Head can justify their increase on these grounds - certainly not our Captain since our own place on the world stage is slipping into laughable obscurity.

At best this looks as though the upper echelons are being a bit dragonish - sitting on their hoards and not sharing.  At worst, this looks ...well - you decide what it looks like.