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While one cannot but applaud ¡°change initiatives¡± of the kind described by Steve Olivier, deputy vice-chancellor (academic) at Abertay University, it is inaccurate to view ¡°most universities as monolithic, conservative, bureaucratic and resistant to change¡± because of ordinary academics who resist the enlightened vision of ¡°change managers¡±: vice-chancellors and deputy vice-chancellors (¡°How to manage rapid change¡±, Features, 1 October).

Universities throughout their history have proved to be very malleable institutions ¨C they would have not survived to this day without change, hence the narrative of the immutable university is a historical fallacy. Equally inaccurate is the portrayal of ordinary members of staff as diehard stick-in-the-muds. While some transitions have been reluctantly accepted over the years, staff are willing to embrace change, provided that it stems from a widely shared set of values.

These are times of change in Scotland, where the proposed Scottish ÖйúAƬ governance bill is encountering fierce resistance from universities¡¯ leadership despite several progressive aspects. Who would have thought that the status quo would be deemed preferable to a modern emphasis on transparency and accountability?

Anna Notaro
Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art and Design, University of Dundee

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