Professor Sir Leszek Borysiewicz, revealed this week to be one of the highest spending university Vice-Chancellors in the UK, has announced that he will refrain from staying in penthouse suites until Easter.
Speaking at a chapel service at King’s last week, he said: “It is my duty as a devout Christian to make a real sacrifice during Lent. Just as Jesus withdrew into the desert for 40 days, I will deprive myself of my basic need as Vice-Chancellor to sleep in an Emperor-sized, jewel-encrusted bed whenever I am travelling on business.”
University Chancellor David Sainsbury said: “Yet again the Vice-Chancellor has shown a fantastic example to students whilst also being a great ambassador for the University abroad. You only need to read the news about his spending to see his dedication to the role. The fact that he’s willing to take so many flights around Europe and spend over six times more than other Vice-Chancellors on hotels in a single year just shows how committed he is to his job.”
King’s chaplain Father Marcus Atherton praised Borysiewicz’s decision: “We should be proud to have such a deeply pious and humble man in our midst. Subjecting himself to the 4.5 star Imperial Hilton Hotel on his upcoming trip to St. Tropez is exactly what Jesus would have done.”
Students across the university have been awed by the Vice-Chancellor’s frugality. Robinson Economics student Emily Milton, said: “With £9000 tuition fees and now the scrapping of maintenance grants across the country, it is fantastic to see that this Lent our Vice-Chancellor is showing us all how to live within our means.”