Vice-chancellor’s £800k ‘a sick joke’
A UNIVERSITY that paid its vicechancellor £808,000 last year following a ‘golden goodbye’ agreement will have to ‘justify’ its actions, No 10 said yesterday.
Bath Spa University handed Australian Christina Slade £429,000 – the highest severance package given to a UK university boss. This was on top of her salary of £250,000, pension contributions of £89,000, housing allowance of £20,000 and other benefits worth £20,000.
Ex-education minister Lord Adonis branded the payment a ‘sick joke on students’ and accused Professor Slade, 64, of having her ‘snout in the trough’.
Yesterday, Theresa May’s spokesman said the university will be forced to explain why it made the decision to the new universities regulator. The Office for Students will have the power to fine universities that cannot justify paying their vice-chancellor more than £150,000.
Bath Spa University said the money was paid ‘having taken legal advice’ and was considered value for money.