The university’s Vice-Chancellor, Professor Debra Humphris CBE, leads a large and complex organisation with 2,300 staff and some 19,000* students (*internal projection) across three campuses that generates an estimated £700 million for the regional economy.
Professor Humphris’ annual salary is £257,107. Her pay is in line with base pay for vice-chancellors and she does not receive additional benefits, for example car allowances or university provided accommodation. She is not a member of a pension scheme and nor does she receive pay in substitution for pension.
Since arriving at the university, Professor Humphris has taken the same, or a lower, annual salary increase when compared to the general pay increase awarded to all other staff at the university. During her tenure she has regularly declined her performance bonus, requesting instead that this money be used to support staff and student-related activities across the university. She also reduced her basic salary during the pandemic.
The Vice-Chancellor’s personal philanthropic giving to the university last year (2022-23) totalled £2,725 (and since taking up tenure as Vice-Chancellor totals almost £95,000).
This related to:
- £700 in support of students experiencing financial hardship
- £100 in support of an annual student prize and student initiatives
- £1,000 in support of estates and facilities
- £25 in support of a research project.
The university’s Remuneration Committee, made up of members of the Board of Governors, sets the Vice-Chancellor’s salary in line with the ACEVO Good Pay Guide, ensuring that remuneration levels are linked to a regular and objective system of performance appraisal and benchmarked against comparable roles.