XN000022-1996-01-17 — Page 47

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(b)

(c)

(d)

(i)

(ii)

assess the appropriateness of the current salary levels of the Heads of the seven UGC-funded institutions having regard to the need to maintain broad comparability of their total remuneration packages with those of grades with a similar level of responsibilities in the civil service; and

advise the UGC on the appropriate remuneration packages for the Heads of the UGC-funded institutions.

Members of the Finance Committee of the Legislative Council advised in September 1970 that the vice-chancellors' emoluments should not exceed those of the Chief Secretary (CS), and approved in October 1974 the pegging of the salaries at one and two-thirds times the average of the professorial salary range. Hence, the vice-chancellors' salaries became indirectly linked to the top point of the Master Pay Scale (MPS) as the non-clinical professorial average was 143.8% of the maximum of the Senior Administrative Officer. However, as a result of the upward extension of the Master Pay Scale (MPS) the vice-chancellors' emoluments had exceeded that of the CS by 1979. Hence, on 28 July 1982 the Finance Committee of the Legislative Council approved the pegging of the vice-chancellors' salaries to that of 98% of the CS's salary. In June 1988, the Finance Committee approved that the salary scale of the vice-chancellor of HKUST, whose level of responsibilities was considered to be the same as that of the vice-chancellors of CUHK and HKU, should also be pegged at the same level.

The review examines the linking of the salaries of the Heads to that of the CS. The linking of the remuneration packages of the senior teaching staff of the UGC-funded institutions, namely those at the professorial rank to those of civil service grades of comparable responsibilities is not considered in the review.

The consultants are expected to complete their study in February 1996. With the benefit of the findings of the consultancy report, the UGC aims to complete the review in April 1996 and tender its advice to government. The determination of salary levels is a technical matter. The Administration does not consider it appropriate to mount a public consultation exercise on the findings of the consultancy or the UGC's recommendations. Should changes to the salary levels of the Heads of UGC-funded institutions be proposed, the Administration will put its recommendations to the Finance Committee of the Legislative Council for consideration.