The Salary Package of Vice Chancellor’s Compared to Median Family Income
Firstly it is interesting to look at this select group, the top salary of $1,445,000 and the lowest is $255,000. Who sets these salaries and how is it that Vice Chancellors justify these costs and variations? Some are temps, what is the contract arrangements?
If we break this down by 12 months, weekly and then daily rate this is the calculation. I will use ANU and Southern Cross University, given the last is religious. This is my calculation, note that median weekly Household income is for 2 people (not one). It is still very low. I’ve worked in 400 companies and I know the various roles. I saw in my own career my skills varied. However, as a temp I worked the hardest and had less say. I was not in a democracy I was in a structure where I had no rights. I was trained in Economics and recall Ricardo Semler and how all the staff had shares in the enterprise. They worked harder and contributed more ideas as they were valued by what they achieved. In our society we do not think of the whole, we only reward self interest. We have visions but they are not widely discussed to include those affected. I would like to see real Agora’s of inclusivity, I’d like to see education challenged not imposed. I’d love to see people start to imagine the world they want to co-create that benefits everyone. Can you imagine the happiness. See I’ve had the experience of happiness all around me, I’ve seen the potential, I feel I saw a possible future. It is indelibly etched into my vision. I see Gross National Happiness as the real progress that will expand possibilities infinitely and quick to resolve the problems and start to work on our full potential. That is what I see. I am paid nothing for this, it all comes from loving others as family, no matter who they are. I have worked with those in higher professions and status. I saw distance among them, people being seen to be and having no idea of the freedom of being themselves on an equal footing with others. Superiority masks inferiority and inferiority can mask a fear of superiority. The challenge is to find equality in opportunity.
| Daily | Weekly | Monthly | Total Yearly | |
| ANU | 3959 | 27,788 | 120,417 | 1445000 |
| Southern Cross | 1370 | 9,615 | 41,667 | 500000 |
| Public (average median family) | 205 | 1438 | 5752 | 74776 |
How do they compare?
When I think of how hard people work I find this is the very structure of inequality. How does one value a Vice Chancellor’s work given he or she has staff to do the work? What type of expertise does a Vice Chancellor have? How is this value equated and contrasted with average people.
Inequality is built into pay scales and it has tended to proportionately favour what is termed ‘professional’ or intellectual skills. Yet there are many intelligences in our society in respect of trades (conceptual), empathetic caring professions (often unseen and undervalued) in terms of therapeutic ability, creative (lateral), logical, crafts based, artistic and so on. How do we measure this? I know in some ancient societies people were treated equally, the Incas were one. I visited Machu Picchu and contemplated how ancient societies operated.
Imagine if we were all paid a global basic income (basics covered). I am currently living on no income as I am making life choices around ethical living. Then what do people choose to do?
The problem we face is that there are vested interests in keeping people working so they can support bigger structures. Freedom to choose is limited given mortgages and the huge income/social disparities between the professional classes and working class. This age old tension has meant some live incredibly opulent lives whilst others are stressed and working so hard that they have no time. Note this is not to say those in opulant lives don’t work hard, some would but it is a general rule of thumb. They would have more choices.
The biggest losers in this are the children who are given disparate opportunities on the basis of their family income (or single parent status). They are not given equal opportunity. In truth we as a society lose as talent is often lost given the unbelievable struggle with poverty or perceptions. It is a system based on competition, education and status. I would love to see this change and return to what is fair. There are those I am discovering who are not interested in fairness and believe inequality is as it should be. This is untrue. The problem I believe is in governance and real social planning that envisages a future where the strengths of all people are maximised for the whole. Rather than individuals competing for the most to justify self worth. In my world the person on the street is worth the same as a Vice Chancellor. Some believe hierarchy is natural, it is not. In my world where I am experimenting with nature, I am discovering that when we love people it naturally equalises. As nature is about balance. Balance is probably a really good word and this reflects harmony where the sum of the parts is the whole. The natural world is not sending signals of better/worse than it sends messages of homeostasis. This is how sustainability really works. We humans have ego’s, we have belief systems that are unquestioned, we have insecurities and needs. To evolve to a higher place we have to revisit old paradigms that are unequal as this is what is causing the climate change on the planet. Inequality is an untruth. I know this as I feel so much love for all people, it gives me insights into the real value of a human being. As a clown I saw this incredible beauty in each person. As I moved through the world I recognised myself in others, I felt this joining. I saw others give me food, love, hugs and even places to stay. The love was generous and kind. I found the more they loved the more they gave, this is the true nature of life. It constantly gives to itself as it is seamless unity. This is the future I feel in my heart and soul. May we come to a place where the things that divide us disappear as the realisation that we are ONE arises. This is not taught at universities. Some believe humanity is a left wing concept, it is not. It is who we are when we stop thinking and see the world as it truly is, incredible.
Some interesting comments (Google):
Jun 11, 2015 – Contributors seem to be agreed on the importance of restoring to their …. And if I were vice–chancellor for the day, my principal act would be to … To discourage people from working excessive hours I would also follow some … Our finance director – like everyone else in the institution – could sleep easy.
It is very easy to despair of the “neoliberal university”, but let’s take that apart a bit. … at all levels – can aspire to create (or else we can convince ourselves of our … being set a good example by all those who work at universities.
On one hand, it is clear that being a VC is not an easy job. Universities are … At worst, some have fallen behind relative to everyone else
A more recent development for me has been to help the Pro-Vice Chancellor to … two PAs who also work for Pro-Vice Chancellors, so we can support one another in … As I live locally I have an easy commute to the University so this leaves me … It is important to treat everyone equally, from the most senior staff to students.
What is the role of the Vice–Chancellor and what do you enjoy most about the job? …. enjoy it, and I’m going to treat them the same as I would treat anybody else.
Vice–chancellors often benchmark their salaries against comparable … In fact, Breakwell’s salary would rank 28th in Australia out of 38 vice–chancellors. … cuts, job cuts and rising student fees, vice–chancellors‘ salaries continue to grow. … the law stands on universities being quizzed about what they teach.
http://www.universityrankings.com.au/vice-chancellor-salary-packages.html
Vice-Chancellor Salary Packages
Select Group
The select group of movers and shakers at the head of Australia’s education-industrial complex have tapped into a source of wealth far greater than what would have been available to them in the academic teaching backgrounds many of them have come from.
| University | VC Name | Salary Package ($) |
|---|---|---|
| University of Sydney | Michael Spence | 1,445,000 |
| Australian Catholic University | Greg Craven | 1,245,000 |
| University of New South Wales | Ian Jacobs | 1,215,000 |
| University of Queensland | Peter Hoj | 1,160,000 |
| University of Melbourne | Glyn Davis | 1,145,000 |
| University of Adelaide | Warren Bebbington* | 1,083,000 |
| Queensland University of Technology | Peter Coaldrake | 1,080,000 |
| Swinburne University of Technology | Linda Kristjansen | 1,065,000 |
| Flinders University | Colin Stirling | 1,045,000 |
| University of Western Australia | Paul Johnson* | 1,035,000 |
| Monash University | Margaret Gardner | 1,025,000 |
| Griffith University | Ian O’Connor | 1,020,000 |
| Deakin University | Jane den Hollander | 995,000 |
| University of Technology Sydney | Attila Brungs | 985,000 |
| RMIT University | Martin Bean | 965,000 |
| University of South Australia | David Lloyd | 955,000 |
| Macquarie University | Bruce Dowton | 945,000 |
| James Cook University | Sandra Harding | 940,000 |
| University of Wollongong | Paul Wellings | 905,000 |
| University of Tasmania | Peter Rathjen | 878,000 |
| Western Sydney University | Barney Glover | 875,000 |
| Edith Cowan University | Steve Chapman | 865,000 |
| La Trobe University | John Dewar | 848,000 |
| University of Newcastle | Caroline McMillen | 845,000 |
| Curtin University | Deborah Terry | 815,000 |
| University of Canberra | Stephen Parker* | 815,000 |
| Victoria University | Peter Dawkins | 795,000 |
| University of the Sunshine Coast | Greg Hill | 735,000 |
| Charles Sturt University | Andy Vann | 734,000 |
| Federation University | David Battersby | 725,000 |
| University of New England | Annabelle Duncan | 724,000 |
| Charles Darwin University | Simon Maddocks | 647,000 |
| University of Southern Queensland | Jan Thomas* | 640,000 |
| Australian National University | Brian Schmidt | 618,000 |
| Murdoch University | Eeva Leinonen* | 585,000 |
| CQUniversity | Scott Bowman | 548,000 |
| Southern Cross University | Peter Lee* | 500,000 |
| University of Divinity | Peter Sherlock | 255,000 |
Source: Julie Hare: ‘Uni vice-chancellors average salary package hits $890,000’ The Australian 5th August 2017 (opens in new window)
Key & Notes
* VC names with an asterix * are no longer working in that position.
Are They Worth It?
The University of Sydney is not able to compete with other Australian universities at the very top level of most of the ranking systems but they have come out well on top here with clearly the highest salary package of them all.
ACU is delivering the second highest salary package but there might be some justification for this given the complex nature of the multi-campus university spread throughout the eastern states and the ACT.
VC Power Couple
Also worth noting is that the listed vice-chancellors of Melbourne and Monash Universities are bound together through the vows of holy matrimony and their leadership of two of the top ranked Australian universities, far and away the top two universities in Victoria, is compensated with a combined household salary package of well over two million dollars. As an added bonus they get to travel together to industry conferences (although not all married couples would consider this to be a bonus).
You might also be interested in the following pages:
– Revenues and Surpluses At Australian Universities
– Historical Development of Australian University Sector
– Gender Balance Male-Female Ratio
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