Academic’s weakness initially leaving gold around part of church (4-10)

'academic's' is the definition.
The answer and definition can be both people as well as being singular nouns.
Perhaps they are linked in a way I don't understand?

'weakness initially leaving gold around part of church' is the wordplay.
'weakness' becomes 'vice' (I've seen this before).
'initially' is a charade indicator (letters next to each other) (some letters go before others).
'leaving gold' becomes 'lor' (I can't explain this - if you can you should believe this answer much more).
'around' means one lot of letters goes inside another.
'part of church' becomes 'chancel' (area of a church).
'vice'+'lor'='vicelor'
'vicelor' enclosing 'chancel' is 'VICE-CHANCELLOR'.

Can you help me to learn more?