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| Bath university staff vote for senior leaders to resign amid governance row | Bath university staff vote for senior leaders to resign amid governance row |
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| Staff at the University of Bath have voted unanimously for senior leaders to resign, after a standing-room-only meeting was told that “a culture of fear” fostered by its management was hurting Bath’s reputation. | Staff at the University of Bath have voted unanimously for senior leaders to resign, after a standing-room-only meeting was told that “a culture of fear” fostered by its management was hurting Bath’s reputation. |
| Academics at the meeting also pledged to hold public protests alongside students next week, when the university’s governing council next meets, to show their concern after a damning investigation into senior pay and governance at the university by its regulator earlier this week. | Academics at the meeting also pledged to hold public protests alongside students next week, when the university’s governing council next meets, to show their concern after a damning investigation into senior pay and governance at the university by its regulator earlier this week. |
| Glynis Breakwell, Bath’s vice-chancellor, is the UK’s highest-paid university leader with earnings and benefits worth £468,000 a year – but the report by Higher Education Funding Council for England (Hefce) found that the decision-making process that led to her recent pay award had been flawed and damaging to the university’s reputation. | |
| The meeting – called at short notice by three campus unions – attracted more than 300 staff, forcing the organisers to find an overflow room. | The meeting – called at short notice by three campus unions – attracted more than 300 staff, forcing the organisers to find an overflow room. |
| According to those present, the meeting included claims of long-term disdain by senior staff for transparency, accountability, as well as what some called a culture of fear in the university, with senior leaders being treated akin to royalty. | According to those present, the meeting included claims of long-term disdain by senior staff for transparency, accountability, as well as what some called a culture of fear in the university, with senior leaders being treated akin to royalty. |
| The meeting unanimously carried a motion calling for the immediate resignation of Breakwell and Thomas Sheppard, the chair of the university’s council. | The meeting unanimously carried a motion calling for the immediate resignation of Breakwell and Thomas Sheppard, the chair of the university’s council. |
| “This emergency staff meeting agrees that, in the light of the Hefce report into governance, it is in the interests of the university for the VC and the chair of council to resign with immediate effect,” the motion stated. | “This emergency staff meeting agrees that, in the light of the Hefce report into governance, it is in the interests of the university for the VC and the chair of council to resign with immediate effect,” the motion stated. |
| All staff meeting of >300 people has agreed: "This emergency staff meeting agrees that in the light of the HEFCE report into governance it is in the interests of the university for the VC and the Chair of Council to resign with immediate effect." Carried without opposition. @UCU | All staff meeting of >300 people has agreed: "This emergency staff meeting agrees that in the light of the HEFCE report into governance it is in the interests of the university for the VC and the Chair of Council to resign with immediate effect." Carried without opposition. @UCU |
| Staff at the meeting said there were also calls for improved university governance, including greater representation of staff on its powerful committees. | Staff at the meeting said there were also calls for improved university governance, including greater representation of staff on its powerful committees. |
| Student groups at Bath have said they plan to hold protests during the university council meeting, which is to discuss the Hefce report. | Student groups at Bath have said they plan to hold protests during the university council meeting, which is to discuss the Hefce report. |
| Hefce launched its investigation after a complaint about governance at the annual meeting of the university court in February, which saw members raise concerns about the vice-chancellor’s pay as well as “the lack of transparency and accountability of the remuneration committee and the decisions the remuneration committee has made in the past year”. | Hefce launched its investigation after a complaint about governance at the annual meeting of the university court in February, which saw members raise concerns about the vice-chancellor’s pay as well as “the lack of transparency and accountability of the remuneration committee and the decisions the remuneration committee has made in the past year”. |