One has to feel a certain sympathy for Andrew Gamble, recently appointed pro vice chancellor for academic planning at Sheffield University. It seems the poor fellow is doomed to become a vice chancellor. Among his duties as PVC is that of chairing Sheffield's academic development committee -- a job that precipitated his three most recent predecessors Bob Boucher (just appointed principal of UMIST), Ron Johnston (Essex) and Graeme Davies (Liverpool) into hot seats at other institutions.
One hopes that the people who appointed Professor Gamble warned him of the ghastly fate that awaits him.