Barefacts14-02-02
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14/02/02 The University of Surrey Students’ Newspaper www.ussu.co.uk Issue no: 1025 FREE Sex On Campus: Society Profile: The Cannabis Barearts: episode 1 Breakdance Debate: Monsters Inc. Everyone’s an expert p3 p13 p5 p11 News In Brief BY MICHAEL CHAMBERS Iran Plane Crash Kills 117 UNIVERSITY One hundred-and-seventeen people were killed on Tuesday when an Iranian passenger plane crashed into snow-covered mountains in the west of the country. Four government officials were among those who perished in the accident. CHIEFS GET 9.3% The Tupolev 154, manufactured in the Soviet Union during the 1970s, disappeared from radar screens while flying from Tehran to Khorramabad. The aircraft, operated by Iran Air was completely destroyed and scattered in pieces across the mountains. PAY RISE The cause of the crash is not known, however the weather in the region has been fair and is only a BY MICHAEL CHAMBERS minor consideration. This is the second time in News & Political Correspondant the past year an Iran Air Tupolev has crashed killing all of its passengers. Last July 143 pas- University bosses received pay rises well sengers were killed when an identical plane above those of their academic and support came down near Irikutsk, Russia. staff in 2000/01, research suggests. The Top Iranian officials have blamed US sanctions Vice-chancellor of the University of for the crash. Under US sanctions, Iran has had Surrey, Patrick Dowling, received an difficulty obtaining spare parts for its ageing above average pay rise of 11.7% on his fleet of Boeing aircraft, forcing it to rely on salary of £153,000 (including benefits in planes leased from the former Soviet Union. kind). Mr Dowling is the 26th highest paid Israel Preparing For Large-Scale Vice-chancellor, remunerated well above the heads of Oxford and Cambridge. Ground Assault After studying the annual reports of 164 The Israeli army has begun a new offensive institutions across the UK, the Times against Palestinian strong-holds in the West Higher Educational Supplement (THES) Bank. In an exchange of fire in the town of found the average rise for vice-chancel- Halhoul on Monday, a Palestinian police officer lors was 9.3% on the previous year - and was killed and a number of activists were arrest- some had received rises of over 50%. ed. Palestinian officials said three buildings had Most of the country's 164 vice-chancellor been destroyed and many civilians have been were paid more than £116,000. Three forced out of their homes. The incursion follows were paid more than £250,000 each. criticism of Israel from the United States and the Levels of pay do not seem to reflect the United Nations for a number of air strikes in academic performance of the universities Gaza - retaliation for what the army said was the or growth in student intake. Palestinians' first use of a new missile with a The former vice-chancellor of the Open capacity to hit coastal cities from the territories. Israeli Defence Minister Benjamin Ben-Eliezer University, Sir John Daniel, topped the and Prime Minister Ariel Sharon are reported to THES league table, with a salary of be considering establishing a new "security £309,000 - a rise of 102%. Academic staff zone" of re-occupied land in Gaza and the West have mostly had a rise of 3% - but hardly Bank to push the rockets out of range. The US is any vice-chancellors have had a rise so "seriously concerned" about the attacks on pop- small. ulated areas. Monday's raid, in which more than "With resources across higher education 50 people were injured, were described by the under extreme pressure, it is difficult not UniS Vice Chancellor, Prof. Patrick Dowling, who recieved an 11.7% pay rise last year US State Department as "counterproductive". to sympathize with poorly-funded teach- The Palestinian leader, Yasser Arafat, who is ing staff and cash-strapped students confined to his headquarters in Ramallah by a £20m total awarded in pay increases they weighed down by loans, who will natural- Extracts from the THES league table of VC Salaries ring of Israeli tanks, says he is unable to act would pay for 1,000 new lecturers and ly be asking how these huge leaps in vice- against Palestinian militants as a result of Israel's academic staff - equivalent to a new medi- 1. Open University £309,000 102.0% chancellors' pay can be justified. Students attacks on his security assets. um-sized university. 2. London Business School £308,000 15.8% are coming out of university with five fig- Baroness Warwick, chief executive of 3. Bristol £252,000 98.4% ure debts, while the people that run the Regulars Universities UK - formerly the Committee 4. Imperial College £242,000 77.9% institutions are presumably accumulating of Vice-Chancellors and Principals - 5. University of East London £189,000 58.8% News 1-3 rather good salaries" said Mr Ince, deputy defended the increases. "Vice-chancellors' Letters 4 editor of the THES. Mr Ince was critical 26. University of Surrey £153,000 11.7% pay is a matter for individual universities. Barearts 8-14 of the fact that many vice-chancellors But, clearly, universities will wish the appeared to award themselves large pay 51. Cambridge £129,000 2.4% Services 18 salaries of their vice-chancellors to reflect rises just before retirement. Sport 20 the fact that they are successfully running The Association of University Teachers 80. Oxford £117,000 24.2% multi-million pound businesses." (AUT) condemned the rises, saying the 133. University of London £92,000 9.5% 2 News 14/02/02 Editorial Team Editor Tristan O’Dwyer No To Fat-Cat VC’s Deputy Editor Richard Watts News and Political Editor Last week brought in fact preside over what are, in effect, branch staff would have to take more responsibility for Vacant us the news that offices of a nationalized industry. their actions. And the saving on the wage bill Music Editor Vice Chancellors Through the funding councils, the government would come in handy." Kevin Marston across the country tells them what to do and how to do it. They are Now although perhaps not all of this is relevant to Film Editor are being awarded hemmed in by guidelines, targets, thresholds and this University it should be pointed out that this is Navroop Sehmi very high pay rises frameworks, subjected to quality reviews and a national problem. Throughout the country fat cat Sports Editor whilst the rest of the audits, and have student numbers and fees dictated VC's are earning record amounts whilst students Dave Chapman Higher Education by head office. Should they try to exercise leader- are falling further into debt and research is being Production Editor system is suffering ship within their institutions, perhaps by proposing under funded. Vacant from cut backs and some different ways of doing things, they can It is also interesting to wonder how our VC, Prof. Features Editor under funding. expect votes of no confidence, rejections by senates Patrick Dowling can justify an increase of 11.7% Vacant The amount that and academic boards and protests from students to whilst the university is having such problems Arts Editor Tristan O’Dwyer some VC's are governors. As a result, few bother, preferring to recruiting students. This is also a time when more Vacant being paid is take the cash and spend their time sitting on more and more services to students are being cut because Editorial absolutely outra- interesting boards of other organizations. the University is having trouble recruiting workers Contributors geous. The editorial Perhaps it is time to recognize the truth and adopt because of low pay. And let us not forget that Jana Kristensen in the Times Higher Education Supplement puts a practice common in continental Europe and not accommodation costs for students on campus are Samantha Stevens across comment on this far more eloquently that I unknown in the United States: appoint a rector or also becoming too high for many. James Buller could, so excuse me for borrowing freely from it… president on a fixed term from among the tenured And the most interesting question is this: If the Michael Chambers "High pay and perks might be justified if vice- faculty and let him or her return to the ranks after a highest pay rises occur in the final year of a VC's Lisa Widdows chancellors were responsible for the success or fail- fixed period. That way, individuals would not be career, how much higher Prof. Dowling's go next ure of major enterprises. But they are not. Thanks damaged if they tried to offer leadership, sleepers year? [email protected] to their and their predecessors' pusillanimity, they could be removed without difficulty and University barefacts is an editorially independent newspaper, pub- lished by the University of Surrey Students' Union Communications Office. The views expressed within the paper are those of individual authors, and do not necessarily represent CONDOLENCES £9 MILLION IN the views of the Editor, the Editorial Board, the University of Surrey Students' Union or the University of Surrey. This publication may not be reproduced in whole or in POUR IN CASH AND part, stored in any form, copied or distributed, without the express permission of the publisher. All submissions must include the author's name and AFTER DEATH PHONES STOLEN Union or Staff Number. Submission is no guarantee of publication. Anonymous and Pseudonymous articles will not be published. barefacts reserves the right to edit submissions. OF PRINCESS IN MINUTES © USSU Communications Office 2001 Deadline for Publication BY MICHAEL CHAMBERS of affection".