Learning wisdom

It was a pleasure to read Gerald Vinten's article "Curbs needed on rule of fear" (THES, June 13) with its positive reference to South-ampton Institute.

Here we are indeed discussing ethical codes and communication but in common with several other institutions our governance problems are more subtle and success and roses are not ours quite yet. Rapid expansion and radical policy change by government gave us hierarchical structures and executive dominance to which our reformed governing bodies found it easy to relate.

Trickle-down or cascade communication matched the sharp gradient of our structures.

Now we are grown we must develop our wisdom and flatten our slopes. Our internal interaction must become a more tidal ebb and flow on which academic freedom makes new passages.

Our governance needs to revisit Burton Clark's six commandments to academic governors the first of which is "Thou shalt conceive of higher education as bottom heavy". Good seafaring sense. Let us hope it takes hold but at the time of writing the jury is still out.

Peter Coombs

Senior lecturer, academic staff governor

Southampton Institute