Western Daily Press (Saturday)
End of highly paid era for ex-vice chancellor
PROFESSOR Dame Glynis Breakwell, who led the University of Bath for 17 years, has been given a lifelong professorship and membership of one of its key committees.
Dame Glynis’s long association with the university came to an end on Thursday, February 28, her final day as an employee.
She was one of the leading figures of her generation in the academic world.
But in the latter years of her career her generous pay package attracted widespread attention, as part of broader discussions on the rapid growth in executive pay in the university sector.
She stepped down as vicechancellor at the end of the last academic year, following criticism of her pay, perks and university governance.
For the past six months she has held the title of professor but received her full vice-chancellor’s salary of £471,000 while she undertook academic research on back-to-back sabbaticals.
This was the most paid to any university boss in 2017-18, latest figures from the new industry regulator Office for Students found. Her successor, Professor Ian White, will be paid an annual salary of £266,000 when he joins in April, meaning the university will save more than £1 million over the course of his five-year term.
Acting vice-chancellor Professor Bernie Morley said: “The university would like to thank Dame Glynis for her 17 years of service as vice-chancellor and wishes her well in retirement. At its meeting on February 6, the Senate of the University of Bath conferred the title of Professor Emeritus on a number of colleagues including Dame Glynis.
“The title of Professor Emeritus is conferred in recognition of services to the university including a sustained significant contribution to the university as an academic leader. Professors Emeritus are appointed to university court as life members.”
The university also revealed information about the psychology project that Dame Glynis has been working on during her sabbatical, which some labelled a “golden handshake”. Professor Gregory Maio, head of the department of psychology, said: “During her sabbatical Professor Breakwell has focused primarily on her research, doing new empirical work, as well as working with colleagues on a new edition of the highly cited Research Methods in Psychology.
“Dame Glynis has also helped to develop international research connections, whilst supporting colleagues in the department of psychology in discussions of new research on topics related to identity, civic engagement, behaviour change, intellectual humility and risk.”
In the peak of her premiership, Dame Glynis held multiple positions outside the university. She was: director of Universities UK, the Student Loans Company and the Universities Superannuation Scheme, member of the Economic and Social Research Council and the Science and Technology Honours Committee, and deputy lieutenant of Somerset. As well as vicechancellor, she was also the uni- versity’s president and a member of numerous university committees.
The benefits of her vice-chancellor position included rent and bill-free residence in a flat in a university-owned property on Lansdown Crescent with housekeeper, a £31,489 interestfree car loan and first-class flights and train journeys.
Critics said this amounted to making Dame Glynis overly paid and overly powerful. Her home perks totalled £20,016 in 2015-16 and famously included a £2 expense claim for biscuits.
They were revealed by Councillor Joe Rayment a day after the university celebrated its 50th anniversary.
It proved to be the beginning of months of scrutiny, culminating in Dame Glynis announcing her retirement in November 2017.
Mr Rayment said: “Glynis Breakwell is a highly accomplished academic who could have been leaving today in the knowledge that she would be missed for her world leading research.
“However, the legacy she has in Bath is summed up nicely by Google’s suggestions when you go to search her name: ‘salary’, ‘house’ and ‘biscuits’.
“I am pleased that she is leaving the University of Bath today as it allows them to move on under new leadership and hopefully have a clean break from the last few years.”
I am pleased she is leaving as it allows
the university to move on under new
leadership CLLR JOE RAYMENT