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In a desperate attempt to boost turnout at this week's ballot for industrial action, the Association of University Teachers has been trumpeting a "new study" of vice-chancellors' pay - based on The Times Higher 's annual surveys of previous years.

The AUT named and shamed the highest earners of July 2002 before criticising "underregulated localised pay bargaining" for its members - ignoring the fact that this was the mechanism that produced the vice-chancellors' riches.

Discerning readers are advised to wait until next week, when the details of this year's survey will be published. Meanwhile, vice-chancellors have begun to approach The Diary with pleas for understanding in the run-up to next week's issue.