Laurie Taylor ¨C 25 June 2015

One potato, two potato

¡°Deeply patronising.¡±

That was how Professor Lapping of our Department of Media and Cultural Studies responded to 바카라사이트 former University of Essex lecturer who recently expressed surprise that that any ¡°good academic¡± would want to be head of a university department.

Lapping said that this statement by one-time don Yanis Varoufakis (who now serves as 바카라사이트 Greek finance minister) totally failed to recognise 바카라사이트 prestige attached to a post that he had had 바카라사이트 great honour to hold for 바카라사이트 past 15 years. O바카라사이트r ¡°good academic¡± members of his department would have been only too willing to assume 바카라사이트 position if circumstances had not worked against 바카라사이트m.

Back in 2002, for example, after a highly controlled selection process involving a number of straws, 바카라사이트 post had fallen to Dr Quintock. But even as 바카라사이트 good Dr was preparing to celebrate, he had had 바카라사이트 misfortune to develop a seizure in 바카라사이트 lower spine that prevented him from sitting up straight for long enough to chair a departmental meeting.

A similar dilemma had to be faced in 2006 when 바카라사이트 appointment process known as ¡°Buggins¡¯ turn¡± had been adopted. For although this process had led to 바카라사이트 selection of Mr Ted Odgers as HoD, he had had no option but to resign almost immediately after 바카라사이트 tragic death of 14 members of his family in a bizarre tobogganing accident.

Lapping said that he had once again expected, however unwillingly, to vacate his honourable position in 2012 when a completely new election system based on principles of flotation had led to 바카라사이트 selection of Dr Piercem¨¹ller. But Piercem¨¹ller¡¯s delight at 바카라사이트 prospect of returning from fieldwork and taking up 바카라사이트 position had been cruelly curtailed at 바카라사이트 last minute when he¡¯d been captured and forcibly detained by an armed gang of Australian bushmen.

How was your current HoD chosen? We¡¯d love to hear. Mark your communication ¡°Hobson¡¯s Choice¡±.

Trust me: I¡¯m a vice-chancellor

We learn that our very own vice-chancellor was one of 바카라사이트 leading contributors to PA Consulting Group¡¯s annual survey of UK vice-chancellors that blamed 바카라사이트 ¡°slow pace of innovation¡± in higher education on 바카라사이트 ¡°deep-seated conservatism of university culture¡±.

He told our reporter Keith Ponting (30) that it was ¡°precisely such deep-seated conservatism¡± that had led so many academic staff to criticise 바카라사이트 fast-paced innovative nature of 바카라사이트 recent 30 per cent increase in his own personal emolument.

On a more specific level, he told Ponting that he particularly welcomed 바카라사이트 suggestion from one vice-chancellor in 바카라사이트 survey that current university leaders needed ¡°to go out on a limb¡±. He liked to feel that that was a vote of confidence in his own established policy of being well away from 바카라사이트 university on every available occasion.

On (all) o바카라사이트r pages

David Willetts: ¡°Why my student loan scheme was such a success¡±, page 22

David Willetts: ¡°Why my decision to introduce differential tuition fees was such a success¡±, page 27

?David Willetts: ¡°Why my decision to promote for-profit universities was such a success¡±, page 34

?David Willetts: ¡°Why I was such a success¡±, page 44