University of Bolton: Vice-chancellor gets 30k pay rise
- Published
George Holmes was appointed vice-chancellor of the university in 2005
A vice-chancellor criticised for lacking "self-awareness" about his salary has received an 11% pay rise.
University of Bolton boss George Holmes took home £290,215 for the year to July 2017, the Times Higher Education, external said.
The university, which is ranked 126th out of 131 institutions in the UK, said his pay was below the national average, but his performance was not.
The University and College Union said it will reinforce the idea that vice-chancellors are "out of touch".
The university was founded in 2005, prior to that it was the Bolton Institute of Higher Education, and was granted the right to award degrees in 1992.
It fell one place in the The Complete University Guide 2019 rankings, external to 126 and charges UK students £9,250 a year in fees.
The university said Mr Holmes' pay is "below the national average for vice-chancellors whilst the challenge of the role in a rapidly developing university and the performance of its vice chancellor, is not".
Mr Holmes's total pay package increased from £260,500 in 2016, which included £36,200 worth of pension contributions.
His 2017 pay includes a £36,124 allowance in lieu of pension contributions. His base salary was £252,000 - up from £222,200 in the previous year.
The financial accounts for the university, external also state he was a member of the remuneration committee which reviews and determines salaries - including those of the vice chancellor - until 28 September 2017.
How much do other vice-chancellors in Greater Manchester earn?
University of Manchester - ranked 18th, up four places - £306,000
Manchester Metropolitan University - ranked 57th, up five places - £333,000
University of Salford - ranked 79th, up 19 places - £217,000
Last year, Mr Holmes told the Financial Times, external he believes academics should not hide their wealth.
"I have had a very successful career. I hope students use their education to get a good job and then they can have a Bentley. Do you want to be taught by someone who is successful or a failure?," he told the newspaper.
University and College Union general secretary Sally Hunt said: "The Bolton vice-chancellor has been rightly criticised previously for his embarrassing lack of self-awareness when it comes to his pay and accepting this huge increase will do nothing to combat the idea that vice-chancellors are utterly out of touch."