University heads took home salary packages worth more than £250,000 each during the last academic year, with some vice-chancellors enjoying pay rises of more than 10%, it has emerged.
University leaders also claimed thousands of pounds for hotels and flights – often travelling in first or business class – and other expenses, according to freedom of information requests submitted by the University and College Union (UCU).
The findings come despite warnings from ministers that universities should curb vice-chancellors’ salaries. Last year, Vince Cable, the business secretary, and universities minister David Willetts said they had serious concerns about the “substantial upward drift” of pay packets, and that university leaders should be exercising “much greater restraint”.
UCU general secretary Sally Hunt said staff and students would be amazed at the size of university leaders’ salaries and the “largesse” enjoyed by some in expenses.
Hunt also criticised some institutions’ refusal to disclose information about top pay, calling the lack of transparency “a national scandal”. In total, of 155 UK universities surveyed by UCU, 24 did not respond or refused to answer all of the questions posed.
Of the 150 universities that did provide information , 18 university leaders enjoyed a salary increase of more than 10% last year. The average salary, including benefits in kind and pensions, was £260,290.
Prof Neil Gorman of Nottingham Trent University received the largest increase of 70.2%. Gorman, also the top earner, retired from Nottingham Trent last year with a pay packet including benefits and pension of £623,000.
The lack of transparency and accountability surrounding senior pay and perks [is] a national scandal.
Sally Hunt, UCU Richard Bullock, chairman of Nottingham Trent University’s board of governors, said the former vice-chancellor received a 2% salary pay rise in his final year, but that additional money reported in the university’s financial accounts was “paid under a scheme that was instigated in 2008 to operate over a five-year period”.
The scheme was put in place at a time when the university required continuity of leadership, he said, adding: “Monies accrued annually were subject to meeting clear terms, with accruals declared each year.”
Figures show that university leaders also claimed thousands on air fares and hotels last year. On average, £9,705 was spent on their travel, according to information provided by 128 institutions.
The most was spent by the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE), which paid out £59,811 on flights for director Prof Craig Calhoun.
An LSE spokesman said that none of this travel was in first class and that establishing international links was “a key part of the director’s role”.
Across 114 universities, just over two-thirds (67.6%) of air fares were for first or business class.
The top spender on hotel accommodation was Glasgow Caledonian University for Prof Pamela Gillies at £27,271 – the sector average was £3,200.
A GCU spokesman said this was due to the university’s partnerships in Bangladesh, Oman and South Africa, and its decision to open campuses in London and New York.
The highest sum paid in personal expenses – £33,526 – was given to Prof Gavin Henderson of the Royal Central School of Speech and Drama. Across 125 universities, the typical amount vice-chancellors claimed was £3,112.
A spokeswoman for the school said: “Prof Henderson pays the business-related costs he incurs on behalf of Central and is reimbursed through his expenses – he does this when he can get better value for the school.
“This figure includes all his business travel, accommodation and hospitality on behalf of the school in a year when he was leading an initiative to ensure that our international recruitment continues to increase into new markets.
“With the course costs for UK students exceeding income from fees, this is vital for a sustainable future for Central.”
UCU is calling for the publication of an annual list of the pay and benefits of vice-chancellors in all institutions who receive public funding.
It also says that minutes of remuneration committees should be publicly available, while institutions should have staff and student representatives on every remuneration committee.
Universities showed “a strong determination to keep the details of decisions on senior pay a closely-guarded secret”, said Hunt.
“That this is happening in public institutions which are largely funded by the taxpayer and students makes the lack of transparency and accountability surrounding senior pay and perks a national scandal.”
