It may make for a good story to say the University of East London is "defying advice from the Committee of Vice-Chancellors and Principals" ("Admin charge action call", THES, September 4) that all institutions should drop plans to make an administration charge to students paying the new fees in instalments. The truth is somewhat different.
It has been our practice for some years to give self-financing students the option of paying in instalments. A charge was made to those who chose to do so. When the new funding arrangements were announced we made no immediate change in policy since there had been no clear advice on the subject. Now advice has been received from the CVCP we have no intention of defying it. No instalment charge will be levied at UEL.
Alan Ingle Secretary and registrar University of East London