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University of Bath vice-chancellor to leave post

29 November 2017

Commenting on the resignation of Dame Glynis Breakwell, the University and College Union (UCU) said her position had become untenable and the announcement had to herald a marked change in the transparency of senior pay in universities.

UCU general secretary Sally Hunt said: 'The vice-chancellor's position had become untenable. This whole episode has shone an important light on the murky world of senior pay in our universities and it would be wrong to think a change at the top of one institution solves that problem.

'Vice-chancellors should not be sitting on the committee that sets their pay and there must be much more transparency surrounding senior pay and perks. The vice-chancellor should leave immediately to allow for a clean break and for Bath to start to recover its reputation for academic excellence. She should also resign from the USS pension board.'

Dame Glynis Breakwell, the highest paid vice-chancellor in the country had faced calls to resign from numerous quarters outside the university in recent months, but last week saw her own staff also call for her to go.

On Monday, following the release of a damning report from the Higher Education Funding Council for England (Hefce) into senior pay and governance at Bath, the campus trade unions called for Breakwell and chair of council, Thomas Sheppard, to resign.

Then at a lunchtime staff meeting on Wednesday hundreds of staff voted to join students in protests outside the next university council meeting on Thursday (30 November) if she did not resign.

Following that meeting, the university's senate met and discussed a motion of no-confidence in the vice-chancellor. Following a lengthy debate, senate members narrowly voted against the no-confidence motion by 19 votes to 16.

 As well as being paid until 2019, the vice-chancellor's £31,000 car loan will be written off.

Last updated: 29 November 2017