Deficits down here, pay packets up there

If 40% of providers are in deficit, why are vice-chancellor packages still drifting north of £341k? Because the VC pay ratchet keeps clicking: remuneration committees that vote themselves rich, circular benchmarking, and a “market for talent” that only ever points upwards. In this piece I unpack the racket—and propose fixes: • Staff/student-majority Remuneration Committees • A binding pay ratio (e.g., VC basic ≤ 5× median salary) • Advertise at ~£180k by default, raise only with evidence • Defer pay for five years, tied to outcomes Read the article 👇 #UKHE #HigherEducation #Governance #PublicMoney #University Reform