Further to the letter from Miles Scott (January 29) about lecturers' restricted holiday entitlement at the University of North London, it has clearly escaped the notice of UNL management that the academic standing of a university institution is directly related to the length of unencumbered vacations enjoyed by the teaching staff. For example, at Cambridge teaching officers of the university must be in Cambridge for 24 weeks a year. Staff at UNL are prisoners of the institution 52 weeks a year except for six weeks of holidays. Aston University and the new Scottish universities (1992) maintain the traditional 12 weeks per annum leave.
Roger Smith London SW7