We can reveal how much the Sussex Vice-Chancellor claimed in expenses last year

In an FOI submitted by The Tab, we can reveal that Sussex Vice-Chancellor, Adam Tickell, claimed £1,804.32 in expenses in the 2017 financial year. A large chunk of Adam’s expenses was spent on ‘hospitality’ where the VC claimed £1217.92. The last time hospitality expenses were claimed it was back in 2014 when only £64.14 was claimed over the whole financial year.

We also calculated that Adam’s hospitality expense claim could pay for almost 200 burger and pint deals at Falmer and East Slope bar.

The financial year tends to run from April 6 to the end of March the following year.

Adam also claimed £405 in accommodation and subsistence expenses and £181.40 in travel expenses.

A spokesperson for the university told us:

“Hospitality can range from business meetings that are taken with a meal or refreshments. At all times cost effective options are undertaken.  These meetings range from events with partner institutions, engagements with research funders, alumni, donors and other important stakeholders of the University.

“In his first year as VC, Adam Tickell was required to meet a significant number of individuals and organisations in order to pursue opportunities on behalf of our students and staff.”

In 2015, the FOI also revealed that expenses costing £15,719.94 was spent on airfare. This, however, has nothing to do with Adam as he joined the university in September 2016.

Between 2014-2017, £24,177.41 has been claimed as VC expenses.

Sussex student protesters that have joined with striking UCU members have begun to turn their eye to Vice-Chancellors and their salaries to highlight the hypocrisy of pension cuts whilst VCs enjoy large pay packets.

The Tab also revealed the pay of a large majority of Vice-Chancellors across the country in 2016 with Adam’s salary just shy of the £300,000 mark.

Channel 4 watchdog program, Dispatches, has been investigating Vice-Chancellor pay and expenses for several years and found that over a two-year period Vice-Chancellors at 197 institutions have claimed over £7.8 million.