Letter: Oxford and the 'tainted cash' row

Sir: In your editorial on the Flick benefaction to the University of Oxford ("The Flick fiasco", 18 April) you attempt to discredit the university on the grounds of hand-wringing and inconsistency.

The facts are that when concern was expressed about the benefaction the matter was, at once, fully investigated, and the university took the view that the money was not tainted and that it was entirely proper to retain it.

The university has not in any way retreated from that view, as Dr Gert- Rudolf Flick himself acknowledged publicly. The title was removed from the chair, and the funding was returned to the donor, only at the personal request of Dr Flick himself, following a deplorable campaign of vilification. The university remains very grateful to Dr Flick for his initial support.

Dr Peter North

Vice-Chancellor

University Offices

Oxford