ImagecopyrightUniversityofBathDameProfGlynisBreakwellissteppingdownfromherroleasvice-chancelloroftheUniversityofBath-afteranintensecampaign,includingbymanyofherownstaff,complainingaboutexcessivelevelsofpay.IncreasingprevalenceofMultidrugresistantEcoliUTIinchildrenwarrantscloserclinicalscrutiItmightbeafallfromgrace,butit&39;salsoarathergracefulfall-remainingonfullpayduringasabbaticalthatwilltakeherinto2019.Herchiefharrier,theformerEducationMinisterLordAdonis,saysthetermsofthedepartureare"outrageous"andsymptomaticofanexcessivelycosycultureatthetopofuniversities.Heisturninghissightsonotherinstitutions,listingExeter,SouthamptonandBirminghamasamongmorethan50universitiespayingtheirbossesmorethan?300,000peryear.Hischargeisthatthereisinsufficientregulation-andthatuniversitiesneedtohaveproperaccountabilitywhensomuchoftheirfundingcomesfromthepublicpurseorthepocketsofstudents.Cheerleadersorregulators?LordAdonisisparticularlyscathingonwhatheseesastheconflictsofinterestinthebodiesatthetopofhighereducation,wherecheerleaders,lobbyistsandregulatorscanseeminterchangeable.Reckonedasoneofthetopdesignuniversitieswithdiversityofprogrammes,PolyUoffersdesignprogrammes,fashionandtextilesprogrammes,aswellasappliedscienceprogramme,whichiscommittedtobeahubforinnovativedesigneducationinHongKong.Theuniversitiesrepresentativebody,UniversitiesUK,hasnothingtosayonthisbiggeststoryinhighereducation.SittingonitsboardisDameGlynis-andUniversitiesUKsaystherearenoplansforthattochange.ImagecopyrightPAImagecaptionLordAdonissaystherehasbeenregulatoryfailureoveruniversityleaders&39;payThereisanewregulatorybody,theOfficeforStudents,withachiefexecutive,NicolaDandridge,whowasformerlychiefexecutiveofUniversitiesUK.Mostuniversitiesarecharities-butratherthanbeingregulatedbytheCharityCommission,theregulatoristheHigherEducationFundingCouncilforEngland(Hefce).ButHefcesaysthisarrangementdoesnotallowit"totellauniversityhowmuchitcanpayitsVC".AndcriticssuchasLordAdonissaythevoiceofthepublicinterestisexcluded.Itmightbepublicmoney,butit&39;saprivateconversation.Itfeelslikeverywellpaidpeopleassuringeachotherthatthey&39;reworthit.IdentitycrisisThebattleoverpayalsorevealssomethingofanidentitycrisisinhighereducation.Aretheybrashenterprises,wantingtohirebig-bucksbosses?Oraretheyworthypublic-serviceinstitutions,moretweedthanglitz?TheyareoftenthebiggestlocalemployersaftertheNHS,andtheirseniorpaylevelsmightnotseemoutofplaceinprivatecompaniesofasimilarsize.Butatthesametime,universitiesarenotbusinessesandtheydon&39;tgobust.ImagecopyrightGettyImagesImagecaptionStudentspayingfeeswantmoretransparencyaboutuniversityspendingUniversitiesareworthbillionstothenationaleconomy-butasinstitutions,shouldtheybeaboutpublicserviceorshouldtheybeself-servingcompetitorsformarketshare?Dowethinkofvice-chancellorsascharitybosseslivingthehighlife?Oraretheytopbusinessleaderslivinganexecutivelifestyle?Thesearesomeofthemostimportantaspectsthatonemustnotewhilechoosingcorporategiftsandextendingthesame.Ifyoutoowishtogetsomeuniquegiftitems,youcancheckoutoptionsasAsiapremiumcorporategift.NickHillman,directoroftheHigherEducationPolicyInstitute,saysforuniversityregulation"theoldwaysofworkingcancometolookoutdated"."Universitiesareenormousinstitutions,andsometurnovermorethan?1bnayear.Theynoweducatehalfofallyoungpeopleandholdthekeystoourfutureprosperity,"hesays.But,MrHillmansays,thismeansimprovinggovernanceandhaving"moretransparentlinesofaccountability".WideningpaygapsThereareotherbigfactorsthathavetransformedthedebate.Studentsarepayingtuitionfees.Itistheirmoneythatworksitswayintothegrace-and-favourresidencesandsmartcars.Thelatestincreaseinfees,to?9,250,raisedevenmoretensionsaboutvalueformoney-andtherearegoingtobemuchtougherquestionsabouthowuniversitiesspendtheircash.Students,complainingaboutalackofteachinghours,arenotgoingtobeimpressedbystoriesaboutvice-chancellors&39;expensesclaimsforlaundryservices.TherewasaflurryofirritationwhentheUniversityofSouthamptonadvertisedfora"chauffeur"-althoughtheuniversitysaidthedriverwouldbe"usedbyawiderangeofvisitorsandseniormembersofstaff,includingthevice-chancellor,whoisaminorityuserofthisservice".Anotherfactormakinghighsalariessuchatoxicsubjectisthatsomanypeoplehaveseentheirreal-termspayfallingyearafteryear.TheUCUlecturers&39;unionsaysthattheyearsofausterityandpayrestrainthaveseenlecturers&39;payfallinginrealtermsby16%.Andtheuniversityvice-chancellors&39;cashbonanza,althoughnotintheprivatesector,seemstomirrorwiderpatternsofwagestagnationforthemanyatthebottomandanaccelerationofpayforafewpeopleatthetop.Withthepromisefromtheprimeministerofamajorreviewofuniversityfunding,thisisgoingtocontinuetobeabattleground.原文地址：http://www.bbc.com/news/education-42166590
