ACADEMICS and students should have more say over how much university principals get paid, according to the chairman of an influential report on the sector.
Professor Ferdinand von Prondzynski, the principal of Aberdeen's Robert Gordon University, also called for staff and learners to have greater influence over the running of higher education institutions.
The call came as the Scottish Parliament's education committee took evidence on a new draft code of conduct for universities.
The code, drawn up by a experts chaired by Lord Smith of Kelvin, followed an earlier review of higher education governance chaired by Mr von Prondzynski.
The von Prondzynski review called for staff and student involvement in the appointment, appraisal and salary setting of principals. It also called for the election of chairs of university governing bodies and more involvement of students, academics and trade unions.
However, the draft code suggested a much looser consultation in the appointment and monitoring of a principal's performance.
It also said principal pay should be decided by a remuneration committee with no mention of staff or students.
Giving evidence to the committee, Mr von Prondzynski said: "The recommendation we made was renumeration committees, nomination committees and bodies of that kind should contain staff and student representatives. I think it would be helpful if the code also stated that."
Lord Smith of Kelvin defended the draft code, but agreed to look at whether it needed to be altered to take account of the concerns.
Earlier, Robin Parker, president of NUS Scotland, said the draft code had "no real solutions" to fundamental problems within the current system of governance.
The original review was announced by Education Secretary Michael Russell after concerns about the management of universities.
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