Quebec to set university leaders’ salaries

The Quebec government is set to take control over university leaders’ salaries and benefits in a move spearheaded by the former head of the University of Montreal.

Helene David, higher education minister and former vice-chancellor of the University of Montreal, will submit proposals on the measure in the “coming weeks” and file an “action plan” in the early autumn, according to La Presse.

The newspaper said that Professor David called for harmonisation of the rules of the conditions of remuneration in order to avoid sudden wage increases, as have been seen in the province in recent years.

The government already sets the salary and working conditions of the leaders of the 10 public universities that make up the University of Quebec network, the paper added, but this new measure will impact other institutions in the province, such as the University of Montreal, McGill University, Concordia University, Laval University and University of Sherbrooke.

The salaries and benefits of university leaders at these institutions are currently set by the universities’ boards.

Earlier this year, the Montreal Gazette reported that some universities in the University of Quebec network are breaking the law by overpaying administrators.

ellie.bothwell@tesglobal.com