Edge Hill University named
1 of UK's least transparent Universities
THE University and College Union (UCU)
has named the Edge Hill University as 1 of the least transparent in the UK.
The University failed to provide details of its Vice Chancellor's pay and perks
in response to a Freedom of Information (FoI) request from the Union.
It was 1 of just 8*
out of 161 Universities who did not respond, and is something of a serial
offender having also refused to respond in 2016. UCU has
reported the University to the Information Commissioner and asked that Edge Hill
completes its statutory duty and replies to the Union. 5 Universities used FoI exemptions to avoid answering any of the questions.
UCU said greater sanctions were needed to ensure universities justified some of
the largesse that has embarrassed higher education in recent years. It has
called for a national register of senior pay and perks in UK Universities.
The Union said any University that claimed the answers to its questions were
available online had either not read the questions properly or was being
deliberately misleading.
UCU will be releasing its latest pay and perks survey later this month and said
that universities should not escape the spotlight by refusing to answer
legitimate questions about how they spend public money.
UCU general secretary, Sally Hunt, said:- "Freedom of Information
legislation is important in holding Universities that spend millions of pounds
of public money to account. It is extremely disappointing that the University of
Bolton has once again refused to provide us with this information.
It is not acceptable for Edge Hill and a handful of other universities to refuse
to comply with the law and dodge Freedom of Information requests. We believe the
time has come for a national register of pay and perks in our Universities. The
information we requested is not available online and any University that
suggests it is either did not read the request properly or is being deliberately
misleading.
We have written to the Information Commissioner's Office and we would like to
see greater sanctions on those universities that blatantly ignore these requests
or try to wriggle out of their responsibilities with exemptions."
* 8 of the 161 institutions failed to respond to UCU's FoI request:-
►
University of Bolton.
►
University of Coventry.
►
University of Cranfield.
►
Edge Hill University.
►
University of Roehampton.
►
Rose Bruford College.
►
University of Southampton.
►
Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance.
5 institutions used exemptions under the FoI Act to avoid answering all
questions:-
►
Anglia Ruskin.
►
Birmingham City University.
►
University of Hull.
►
London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine.
►
University of St Andrews.
