Scandal: Vice-Chancellor clocks up over £27k in travel expenses

Fat cat Vice Chancellor racked up a massive £27,880 in business class flights, lavish accommodation and personal expenses last year.

Mark E. Smith, who is already on a salary of £281,000 a year, has been guzzling expenses on first class flights, while university staff have had to take industrial action to secure a two per cent pay rise.

Earning roughly 6.7 times that of the average staff salary, Smith is also a member of the remuneration committee that determines his pay packet, and sanctioned the 3.6 per cent pay rise he received in 2013.

The University also chose to conceal the minutes from the last remuneration committee meeting, despite a request under the Freedom of Information Act for the report revealed by the UCU.

The exposé comes after much secrecy surrounding the pay of those at the top universities across the UK, with many universities choosing to withhold the information.

Sally Hunt, UCU general secretary, said: “Many staff and students will be amazed at the size of Vice Chancellors’ salaries, and at the largesse displayed by some university leaders when it comes to first class flights, hotels and other expenses.

“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.”

The report also revealed there are now 25 members of staff earning above £100,000 currently employed by the university.