Glynis Breakdow by Hannah Halman & Athenais Mangin

A BREAKDOWN OF BREAKWELL: A fresher’s guide to last year’s scandal

By Hannah Halman

New students at Bath may not know the epic saga of the previous Vice-Chancellor (VC) and why there was such outrage from both within and outside of our university. The name ‘Glynis Breakwell’ no longer fills these students with frustration and instead, Freshers seem much more confused about who this person is and how biscuits played a role in her downfall.

Breakwell was the Vice-Chancellor at the University of Bath from 2001 to 2018. She became the centre of controversy surrounding the pay of Vice-Chancellors, with her earning £468,000 by the end of 2017, a salary more than three times the amount of the Prime Minister’s pay. This revelation came as a shock to students and lecturers: whilst Glynis had a pay rise of 11% between 2014 and 2016, lecturers saw a pay increase of a measly 1.1% within the same period. The Higher Education Funding Council for England reported the scandal had “caused damage” to the University’s reputation and lower application rates for the following academic year only strengthened this statement.

This news surrounding Glynis’ salary was further exacerbated by the news of her claiming back numerous expenses. The VC had claimed 61 first class train tickets and two first class return flights to New York and China: this directly contradicted the University’s financial regulations, as all staff must book economy class travel tickets wherever possible. Other expenses that Breakwell declared were £8,224 on housekeeping, £10,729 on bills and council taxes and £2 for a packet of biscuits. The biscuits became the face of student outrage towards the Vice-Chancellor, with peers protesting and throwing Digestives at her office and along the Parade. There were even posters on campus calling for the VC’s resignation with backgrounds of chocolate chip cookies.

Following this controversy, both the University’s Senate and the Students’ Union held a referendum for confidence in the VC. Whilst Breakwell scraped by the first vote, the SU referendum heavily favoured her resignation and Glynis soon announced afterwards that she would step down from her role on 31st August 2018. The Vice-Chancellor position will soon be taken over by Professor Ian H White and Glynis is no longer at the University, marking an end to the scandal, after months of anger from students and staff alike.

During this sabbatical, she will further her academic research on psychology. Dame Glynis commented that she was proud of how the University spectacularly grew and became more and more renowned since 2001: “over the next few months, I hope to have occasions to thank the many friends and colleagues who have made this possible during my time here.” In an interview with BA2 magazine, Breakwell said she didn’t know whether she would stay in Bath for her retirement.

Glynis Breakwell: what now?

By Athenais Mangin

Photo Credit: bath.ac.uk Glynis Breakwell left her post on the 31st of August, but she will still take a paid sabbatical before formally retiring from the University on 28th February. This sabbatical is also controversial, as she will earn £235,000, equating to £1,807 a day in a normal 37.5 hour working week.