The new boss of one of Australia’s largest universities has demanded a pay cut because he believes lower salaries for vice-chancellors are “fair and equitable”.
Professor George Williams became the new vice-chancellor of Western Sydney University a month ago.
One of his first acts on the job was to negotiate a 20 to 25 percent pay cut compared with his predecessor Barney Glover, whose salary in 2022 was more than $1 million.
More than half of Australian university vice-chancellors earn more than $1 million.
But Professor Williams, a constitutional law expert, has argued that vice-chancellors should compare their pay with the equivalent level in the public service.
“I came into this thinking that universities need to change. For me, I don’t work for a corporation, it’s not a business – our ultimate goal is not dollars, it’s students and the community,” Professor Williams told 2GB’s Ben Fordham.
The university chief said it was “fair” that his salary was commensurate with that of the lowest-paid head of a federal government department.
“I thought it was important for both the industry and the university to get a fair wage,” she said.
Professor George Williams (pictured) became the new vice-chancellor of Western Sydney University a month ago.
One of Professor Williams’ first acts on the job was to negotiate a 20 to 25 per cent pay cut compared with his predecessor Barney Glover, whose salary in 2022 was more than $1 million (pictured: Western Sydney University)
‘I also felt that benchmarking was critical because I think the community has rightly been saying, “What’s wrong with these salaries? They’re at a level we don’t understand.”‘
But Professor Williams’ desire to take a stand against huge academic salaries was also motivated by more personal reasons.
“Universities are here for the students and the community and I felt it was right to send a signal,” he said.
“Personally, it’s also because of my background: I come from a low socioeconomic family, probably on the wrong side of society for much of my childhood. I faced expulsion from school.”
Professor Williams added: “Education changed my life and I felt it was about giving back.”
The academic was born in Tasmania but moved to Sydney with his mother, who raised him as a single parent and “went off the rails”.
“I think it’s fair to say that I was the kind of kid you wouldn’t want in your class. The turning point for me and what really changed my life was my teachers,” he said.
Professor Williams said his background helped him empathise and support many of Western Sydney University’s students, many of whom come from disadvantaged or troubled backgrounds.
Professor Williams criticised the government’s proposed decision to limit the number of international students universities can accept next year, arguing it would reduce funding for domestic students.
“We have a lot of kids coming to Western Sydney University who don’t have the right qualifications. That’s the point – two-thirds of our kids come from families where no one ever went to university,” he said.
“We have the largest number of children from low-income or poor backgrounds and our business is to help them get ahead, to give them a better life, so we welcome them and, like me, we give them opportunities.”
But Professor Williams criticised the government’s proposed decision to limit the number of international students universities can accept next year.
He said foreigners previously made up 20 per cent of the student body at Western Sydney University, which helped fund places for domestic students.
The proposed cap, which will be applied on an institution-by-institution basis, will cost Western Sydney University $26.5 million next year alone.
“That will only be next year and it will get bigger and bigger every year,” Professor Williams said.
‘That’s essentially money that subsidizes domestic students for their food, equity and study programs.’