University chiefs 'fat cat' charge

A survey suggesting the pay of university vice-chancellors has risen by more than double the increase offered to their staff has angered lecturers' unions.

The average salary of university chiefs rose by 6.3% to £111,000 per annum, a survey by the Times Higher Education Supplement found.

Top five earners

John Quelch, London Business School: £266,000

Michael Wright, Aston University: £161,000

Arthur Lucas, King's College London: £158,000

Sir Stewart Sutherland, University of Edinburgh: £156,000

Sir John Daniel, Open University: £153,000

Source: Times Higher Education Supplement

The highest salary is paid to the Dean of the London Business School, John Quelch, at £266,000, the survey suggests.

The biggest percentage rise, 27%, went to Lord Oxburgh at Imperial College, London.

Lecturers' unions - currently locked in dispute with the Universities and Colleges Employers Association over pay and conditions - said the findings pointed to double standards.

The Association of University Teachers (AUT) described vice-chancellors as "fat cats".

The association will be joined by represnetatives of six other higher education trade unions and the National Union of Students to present a 25,000 strong petition to university vice-chancellors in London on Friday.

"These new figures reveal a shameless attempt by vice-chancellors to reward themselves for the hard work and effort of university academics and teaching staff," said the AUT's general secretary, David Triesman.

'Hypocrisy'

"The fat cat mentality smacks of hypocrisy of the highest order as vice-chancellors and principals award themselves double the increase offered to other staff."

Vice-chancellors should think very carefully before they accept salary increases of this magnitude

Tom Wilson, Natfhe

How could lecturers be expected to settle for 3% when vice-chancellors were taking twice as much? asked Tom Wilson from the university and college lecturers' union (Natfhe).

"Vice-chancellors should think very carefully before they accept salary increases of this magnitude and consider how it affects staff morale," he said.

Alison Goddard from THES said the vice-chancellors' salary rise this year was far greater than the increases offered to the people who worked for them.

"Given the pressures facing higher education at the moment, it's hard not to sympathise with those arguing that these funds could be shared more widely," she said.

But a spokeswoman for Universities UK, which represents vice-chancellors, said pay was a matter for individual universities.