Law students across the country have lambasted College of Law (CoL) chief Nigel Savage for accepting a 40 per cent pay rise last year, which sent his already fat paycheck spiralling to the dizzy heights of £440,000
The 2009 accounts for the CoL, which is a registered charity, show that not only has Savage’s pay been boosted but his number two, deputy chief executive Alan Humphreys, has also received a 33 per cent increase too. This has pushed his wage packet up to £410,000.
The accounts also show that every member of the seven-strong CoL management board is paid more than £190,000 - an average of £275,000 each.
Law student Grace Salmern, who is studying at Queen Mary University of London, said: “This is a typical fat cat scenario. It’s supposed to be a charity and care about its students but it’s obviously charging them too much for courses if it can afford to pay its management this much, especially in a recession.”
But CoL has defended its whopping salary increases by linking the rises to a series of performance related bonuses rather than a boost in basic pay.
Chairman of the governors David Yates said: “CoL is a unique organisation which does not have access to either public funds, unlike universities, or private capital, unlike our major for-profit competitors. Instead it has to win all of its income for both operating expenditure and investment solely through commercial activity.”
Readers' comments (17)
dazed and confused | 14-Jun-2010 3:13 pm
This is just typical. Law schools think they can charge what they like for the GDL and LPC, saying the content of the course warrants the massive fees. But when you see the management getting paid these greedy salaries then you have to question if they are overcharging? I agree with Grace Salmern.
Unsuitable or offensive? Report this comment
Anonymous | 14-Jun-2010 3:15 pm
If you put it into context then Nigel isn't getting paid that much. It's nothing compared to what magic circle partners are on!!!
Unsuitable or offensive? Report this comment
peterf | 15-Jun-2010 0:36 am
Yeah, but they're all the same - look at BPPs last accounts - in 2008 their law school director Carl Lygo pocketed £284k salary + £142 bonus + £285k performance scheme = £711k! And the CEO Roger Siddle got over £1m.
Unsuitable or offensive? Report this comment
Anon | 15-Jun-2010 11:29 am
I am a student at the CoL, my tutor tells me they got 2% last year. They didn't mind because they felt that during a recession they should all pull together. My tutor is very upset with senior management.
Unsuitable or offensive? Report this comment
Anonymous | 15-Jun-2010 1:13 pm
As an ex CoL student I think this is disgusting and shameful to be honest. I am completely shocked that the leaders of an organisation which is a charity and one which charged the earth for me to study with them are paying themselves that type of money – especially given what the comment above says too! If they were a private organisation fine, whatever, but it just looks completely like the top bodies at CoL are using this sham charitable status to mask the fact they are making themselves very rich – if I was the Charity Commission – I’d be investigating this pronto.
Unsuitable or offensive? Report this comment
Anonymous | 16-Jun-2010 8:40 pm
Two weeks and no comment from Savage to College staff. Why? Too busy counting bonus? Or trying to make up an excuse?
Unsuitable or offensive? Report this comment
Anonymous | 16-Jun-2010 8:42 pm
Who are the Governors?
Unsuitable or offensive? Report this comment
Anonymous | 17-Jun-2010 3:15 pm
To compare Nigel Savage with a City firm partner is ridiculous. City firms are paid huge fees by international corporates, not law students who may well never get training contracts.
I blame the Law Society for giving in too easily to the government's call to open the profession up. By allowing all these money-making law schools to exist when there is no real prospect of a future career to many of the students.
I see applications and CVs and can't believe that some people have even been accepted on the GDL or LPC.
It's morally indefensible.
Unsuitable or offensive? Report this comment
Anonymous | 17-Jun-2010 3:28 pm
I am a part time student at the COL and they have increased the fees by £700.00 compared to last year! I find this disgusting. Most of us have only had around 2.75% salary increase.
They obviously think that students are cows that they can milk as they want!
Although the tutors are very qualified, the course fees are far too high and not justified in my opinion.
Most of us part time students scrape the pennies to be able to afford the fees. This just shows that the Law is elitist and it starts with the COL.
Unsuitable or offensive? Report this comment
Anonymous | 17-Jun-2010 3:35 pm
There is no way that Nigel Savage can justify such a large paycheck off the back of a "registered charity" status.
Moreover, as an ex- COL graduate I recall that the LPC was an overstuffed course which was unorganised and taught very badly. It would be one thing if the course was value for money - but it is not.
It is infuriating to think that many students will be paying back LPC and GDL loans for years to come when people such as Nigel Savage are pocketing their cash and in return providing a course which does not reflect the fees paid for it.
Unsuitable or offensive? Report this comment