Universities chief: We’re just scapegoats over pay

UNIVERSITIES have become scapegoats over fat cat pay and need to fight back against their critics, according to the body which represents vice chancellors.

Alistair Jarvis, new chief executive of Universities UK, said institutions had been unfairly categorised as elite and ‘detached from individuals, communities and day-today challenges’.

He claimed the criticism was the result of a holiday ‘silly season’ and universities appeared to be ‘this summer’s scapegoat of choice’. In his first public speech since taking up his role this month he also urged universities to address ‘reputational challenges’ by highlighting their ‘powerful and positive impact’.

His intervention follows a string of revelations about senior pay in universities – with minister Jo Johnson calling for an end to the ‘endless upwards ratchet’ of salaries.

The highest-paid vice chancellor in the UK is Dame Glynis Breakwell, who earns £451,000 including benefits at the University of Bath. Critics said it was inappropriate for vice chancellors to earn more than the Prime Minister’s salary of £150,000 when student fees are rising again to £9,250 next month.

Mr Jarvis, whose salary is unknown but whose predecessor earned £159,500, said: ‘Universities are under intense scrutiny and in danger of being unfairly categorised as elite, aloof and detached from individuals, communities and dayto-day challenges. It seems to be open season on universities.’

Although the revelations on vice chancellor pay were backed up by publicly-available accounts, Mr Jarvis said he had seen a ‘summer of misinformation’.

The speech was made at the conference of the Council for Advancement and Support of Education, held in Birmingham.