Madam, - While I am unable to comment on the situation in other Irish universities, Fintan O'Toole's claim that a "managerialist" culture pervades Trinity College Dublin is highly incorrect ("Afraid to speak out about universities", Opinion, May 26th). On the contrary, I have found the culture at Trinity to be highly collegial. Unlike many universities in the UK, it is an institution that welcomes full and frank debate and one that consults its academic staff regularly.
Mr O'Toole (and his anonymous correspondent) also need to get the facts straight. It is claimed that the departments of "history, sociology and political science have been forced together in Trinity in a way that threatens the identity of all three". Nothing could be further from the truth. At Trinity the departments of classics, history, history of art and architecture and the centre for gender and women's studies came together in 2005 to form the school of histories and humanities ( http://www.histories-humanities.tcd.ie). This was not the product of a "shotgun marriage" but of extensive discussion and full consultation.
The creation of the school has strengthened the academic integrity of the constituent departments and has facilitated a series of key senior appointments in areas regarded by some as of "minority" interest, namely Latin, Greek and medieval history. In short, this institution of learning is neither narrow nor fearful. - Yours, etc,
Prof JANE OHLMEYER, Head of the School of Histories and Humanities, Trinity College, Dublin 2.