UNITED KINGDOM

Fury as university bosses accept big pay rises

Bosses of Britain’s top universities came under fire last week for accepting big pay rises as their staff suffered cuts. Pay and benefits for university vice-chancellors increased, on average, by more than £5,000 (US$7,500) in 2011-12, writes Mark Ellis for the Mirror.

The average pay and pensions package for vice-chancellors hit almost £250,000, according to the annual Times Higher Education-Grant Thornton pay survey. The University and College Union said university bosses pleaded poverty when it came to paying staff and their pay was now “an embarrassment to higher education”.

University leaders saw their basic salary and benefits package (excluding pension) rise by 2.62% in 2011-12 to £219,681 on average. By contrast, higher education staff received a flat increase of just £150 in 2011-12 – the third successive year they were given pay rises below 1%.
Full report on the Mirror site