Sir, There may be some people in Oxford who would like to stimulate a motion of no confidence in the Vice-Chancellor but it is difficult to see any rational grounds for such a motion (report, Feb 2). The proposals for reform of the university's governance are important and need discussion, but that discussion is going on and John Hood is leaving plenty of time for it.
Those of us who have seen Dr Hood at close range have been impressed by his grip of the challenges facing the university and his determination to face up to them in Oxford's interests. The recent appointments appear to be of high quality and in particular those who have met the new Registrar have no doubt that she has been appointed on merit. Unless we are greatly misreading the situation, the extreme sentiments described in your article are a distorted description of the general mood.
LORD BUTLER OF BROCKWELL Master, University College
ANDREW DILNOT Principal, St Hugh's
LADY ENGLISH Principal, St Hilda's
TIM GARDAM Principal, St Anne's
PROFESSOR DAME JESSICA RAWSON Warden, Merton
SIR MICHAEL SCHOLAR President, St John's
PROFESSOR BERNARD SILVERMAN Master, St Peter's
SIR GARETH ROBERTS President, Wolfson
PROFESSOR ANDREW GOUDIE Master, St Cross
The Times 3rd February
Sir, When nine heads of house at Oxford write to defend the Vice-Chancellor from censure by a vote of no confidence (letter, Feb 3, above), you know that something bizarre and distasteful is afoot in the university. In case readers think that sanity has entirely left higher education, let me reassure them that universities with rational governance systems - of the type John Hood is trying to achieve for Oxford - would not act in such a flagrantly silly manner as described in your report (Feb 2).
Perhaps it is time for another Royal Commission on the governance of the university that swallows 2.6 per cent of total recurrent funding to English universities despite teaching less than 1.2 per cent of students in England to examine a problem Oxford itself seems unable to address without childish recrimination, high-handedness and posturing.
DR MARK GRAY Wokingham, Berks
The Times 6th February
While, no doubt, a new contract might not be of much help in their case, they could well be asked to show, under examination conditions, that they understand the difference between a university and a business.
VERNON BOGDANOR
Professor of Government, Oxford University
The Times 7th February
It would be worrying and wrong if a great and complex institution such as this didn't have differences of opinion on many topics, including how to run it and its future. And naturally these differences, as much as the future of the university itself, are of public interest and open to debate.
But to isolate one strand of a complex skein of views and spin it into such a front page story is grossly unfair to Oxford and to your readers. it is a distorted picture of the arguments, the issues and the nature of the debate being conducted here. All misrepresentations do damage. I believe that most damage has been done to your paper's reputation.
ELIZABETH FRAZER
New College, Oxford
The Times Higher 10th February
Sir - We believe the statements to the press by certain members of the University of Oxford that the University does not have confidence in the Vice-Chancellor are unfortunate and inappropriate and we wish to dissociate ourselves from them.
Yours sincerely
NlGEL BOWLES, St Annes (sic), KEITH BURNETT, St Johns (sic, etc.), FIONA CALDICOTT, Somerville, ANDREW DILNOT, St Hughs, PETER DOBSON, Queens, PETER DONNELLY, St Annes, WILLIAM DUTTON, Oxford Internet Institute, PHILIP ENGLAND, Earth Sciences, PEDRO FERREIRA, Oriel, STEPHEN FISHER, Trinity, CHRISTOPHER FOOT, St Peters, SIMON FOWLE, Department of Physics, ELIZABETH FRAZER, New College, GRAHAM GIBBS, Oxford Learning Institute, MANUELE GRAGNOLATI, Somerville, CHRIS GROSVENOR, St Annes, DIETER HELM, New College, GIDEON GENDERSON, Earth Sciences, DAVID HENDRY, Nuffield, JOANNA INNES, Somerville, HERMIONE LEE, New College, CAROLINE LIVINGSTONE, Begbroke Science Park, COLIN MAYER, Said Business School, COLIN MCDIARMID, Corpus, IAIN MCLEAN, Nuffield, GORDON MCPHERSON, Oriel, DAVID MILLER, Nuffield, ADRIAN MOORE, St Hughs, DEREK MORRIS, Oriel, HELEN MORTON, Somerville, STEPHEN MULHALL, New College, MAXINE ORTON, Mathematical and Physical Sciences, NICHOLAS OWEN, Queens, MARK PHILP, Oriel, DON PORCELLI, Earth Sciences, DAVID ROBERTSON, St Hughs, JOHN ROBERTSON, St Hughs, EUGENE ROGAN, St Antonys, BERNARD SILVERMAN, St Peters, ADRIAN TAYLOR, Materials, DAVID VAVER, St Peters, ANGELA VINCENT, Somerville, DAVID VINES, Balliol, DAVID WALKER, St Hughs, RALPH WALKER, Magdalen, JENNIFER WELSH, Somerville, ROY WESTBROOK, St Hughs, MARTIN WILLIAMS, New College, DAVID WOMERSLEY, St Catherines, NGAIRE WOODS, University, MICHAEL WORTHINGTON, Wolfson.
I make that 57. Congregation comprises, I believe, about 3,550. - A. M.
Christopher Lillington-Martin
Wantage
The Times Higher 17th February