Soton VC’s pay will remain at £423,000 despite 91 per cent of students voting for it to be cut
The Vice-Chancellors salary has increased 116 per cent since 2006 despite the average staff pay increasing by 30 per cent
Lily BrowneThe Southampton Vice Chancellor's pay has remained at £435,000 despite 91 per cent of students voting for it to be cut, a new report has revealed.
Financial statements from the University of Southampton show Christopher Snowden's pay will remain at £423,000, with the VC salary having increased by over £200,000+ in just 12 years.
The report includes a graph showing the disparity between the average VC pay increase of 116 per cent since 2006 dwarfing the 30 per cent average pay increase of university staff.
Alongside the 2,000 students who voted for the VC's pay to be cut, a Southampton student has called out the lack of action following the overwhelming student vote to cut the extortionately high £423,000 salary of Vice Chancellor Snowden, who will retire in May 2019.
Southampton student, Caspar Donnison, said "we were all ignored" in a tweet claiming Snowden has "defied calls" from the university community and politicians to have his pay cut.
Since last year VC Snowden has defied calls from within @unisouthampton @SotonUniUnison @UniOfCuts & politicians inc. @Andrew_Adonis for his pay to be cut from the dizzy heights of £423k+. This year 91% of Southampton students voted for his pay to be cut. We were all ignored. pic.twitter.com/xNZzw4qfHU
— Caspar Donnison (@CasparDonnison) December 10, 2018
A further tweet says the report reveals five staff members are also on £145,000 or more, with Donnison claiming students have a right to know the identities of the five members of staff on high salaries.
The report shows that we also have a member of staff on £205k+, one on £175k+, one on £150k+, and two on £145k+. Who are they please @unisouthampton? I think students @Union_Soton have a right to know which members of staff are on such high salaries.
— Caspar Donnison (@CasparDonnison) December 10, 2018
Sir Christopher Snowden announced his retirement at the start of this academic year, meaning this debate will roll on to his successor, the identity of whom has not yet been announced.
The university created a survey for staff and students earlier this term to give their opinion on what they expect from a Vice Chancellor. This will then be used in the interview and selection process.
Labour peer Andrew Adonis also commented on Snowden's extortionate salary, retweeting a tweet saying he is paid "£80,000 more than the Prime Minister and the Head of the NHS England *COMBINED*".
Sir Christopher Snowden needs to reflect on the fate of Dame Glynis Breakwell pdq https://t.co/HfVjBeYys3
— Andrew Adonis (@Andrew_Adonis) December 3, 2017
A spokesperson for the University of Southampton told The Soton Tab: "The University’s Remuneration Committee is responsible for the Vice-Chancellor’s salary/remuneration. Southampton is a world-leading university, highly-ranked and regarded and the remuneration of the Vice-Chancellor is aimed at reflecting those factors as well as the Vice-Chancellor’s own experience and expertise. Feel free to attribute this to a University spokesperson."