Readers' reactions

Last week in The THES Anita Sharda argued that more needs to be done to tackle institutional racism.

Anita Sharda's article is timely, optimistic and inspirational.

As a mixed-race educator, I can relate to Sharda's statement that "previous attempts to promote equal opportunities have often met with resistance and inertia".

There is still much work to be done in higher education institutions in relation to diversity and racism. No senior posts in my college are held by female academics on full-time contracts. I am the only member of my college academic staff who would not describe himself as "white British". When I ask why we do not have a single UK black student or person of colour studying at the college, some students and staff respond: "But black people don't do agriculture."

The Human Rights Act and the Race Relations (Amendment) Act 2001 will help us to tackle racist practice directly by privileging a language of commitment to equal opportunities and diversity.

Paulus Murray
Lecturer in organisation studies and human resources management
Royal Agricultural College