First, articles and letters complain about tired oldies resisting change and impeding the progress of younger people. Then others complain of ageism because research assessment exercise rules are said to favour people new to research. Both sides ignore the fact that there is a whole new category of "new" academics - people of more mature years, bringing experience from the wider world to new subject areas. They are at the start of their higher education careers, but they are not young.
Perhaps we should set up our own network - the "Old But New" group. Anyone interested?
Susan Greenberg
Roehampton University