Payback time

Vice-chancellors looking forward to an extra little something in their pay packets in the new academic year are advised to start noting down all those late nights wrestling with the annual report, dull receptions being nice to parties of foreign engineering experts and that time during the student rag when they volunteered to dress up as Lily Savage.

Questions in the House of Commons and queries by higher education minister Baroness Blackstone, following the THES survey of vice-chancellors' pay earlier this year, means they will now have to account to governors for any whopping pay rises.

The Committee of University Chairmen has agreed with the baroness that where any exceptional rise is awarded, the remuneration committee will have to carry an explanation in its report to governing bodies.

This year's reports promise to make interesting reading.