9th February 2004

Dear Ms. Blackwell,

Thank you for your letter of 5 February 2004. I am aware of the matter you bring to my attention since I was present at the meeting of Council before Christmas when the new policy on personal websites was agreed and have, subsequently, held discussions with my new colleagues about it. Indeed, the new procedures to enact the Council's decision were sent out to Heads of Schools in my name.

It seems to me that it is essential to the University's business and the development of its reputation and that of its academic community that it provides a service to host departmental, School and personal websites that provide information, discussion and promotion of matters relevant to the academic interests of the University. Websites that meet these criteria and which are supported by Heads of School under the new re-registration procedure will be protected by the University's commitment to uphold academic freedom as expressed in our Statutes. However, I do not think that the University should fund, support or host any website that promotes the individual views and interests of its members that are not directly related to their academic pursuits or the objectives of the University. This was certainly the view of the Council which was firm in its views on this matter. And that view was later reinforced by the Corporate Information Services Committee, chaired by Professor Rickwood and on which several academic colleagues sit.

Nobody is preventing any member of the University from expressing their opinions or interests on the web in any way they choose. there are many ISPs that will host personal or organisational websites. Their content then becomes the responsibility of the author or editor of that site. If you or any other member of the University wishes to pursue this option, that is entirely a matter for the individual. What Council wished to ensure, however, was that in so doing, the content and liabilities were also a matter for the individual and not the University.

Yours sincerely

Dr. J.W. Nicholls
Registrar and Secretary


Last updated: 26th August 2004