University boss Brian Cantor will feature in a Channel 4 Dispatches documentary next month highlighting his expenses claims, after a Vision investigation last year revealed the extent of his shocking spending habits.
The York Vice-Chancellor is to be criticised for his excessively high expenses, which totalled just under £40,000 for the last academic year. Over one quarter of the claims were spent on a private chauffeur service; usage of which included on more than one occasion a £70 journey from Heslington Hall to Heslington East – a distance of less than a mile.
The top boss, whose salary package totalled over £250,000 last year, is also expected to be scrutinised over the large number of international journeys he undertakes to countries such as China and India. In September 2009, Cantor spent four days in the Red Sea resort of Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, on University business. There is currently no indication that he was seeking donations for the University while in the country.
The University has already been contacted by the Dispatches production team and are aware of the broadcast, however Cantor has refused to give an interview to the current affairs programme.
Speaking to Vision, a University spokesperson highlighted that the Vice-Chancellor’s salary “is around the average for VCs of comparable UK universities.”
He also noted that Cantor’s expenses are “itemised in detail and subject to audit… they are effectively in the public domain. The Vice-Chancellor leads regular visits overseas as part of our efforts to nurture international links, recruit overseas students, raise funds for the University and maintain a high international profile.
“The Vice-Chancellor uses the most operationally effective modes of travel and accommodation at all times when on University business.”
First year PPE student, Daniel Chow, commented: “I’m concerned that the most senior person at the University being exposed on national television is going to damage York’s reputation. Although, perhaps in the long run, if this means he stops wasting money on a chauffeur to get to Hes east and just pops on the free bus, this can be only be a good thing.”
The documentary, currently scheduled to be broadcast on April 4, will be about university finances and the commercialisation of higher education. Past investigations have featured the MMR vaccine and the Israel lobby in Westminster.
Little known fact – Brian Cantor was rejected as VC by Liverpool before York
took him on. Scousers are less tolerant than Yorkies!
@intheknow
That’s interesting.
I knew we had Oxbridge rejects, but now a LIVERPOOL
reject? They must have higher personnel standards.