A London School of Economics academic who told prospective students at an open day that they might be better off studying at London Metropolitan University is to resign.
Erik Ringmar, a senior lecturer in government at the LSE, stunned the institution's admissions tutors with a controversial speech in which he noted that PhD students would teach most LSE undergraduate courses because lecturers had their minds on research.
In his speech, he said: "I know we are expected to 'sell' our programme to you. An undergraduate today is worth £3,000 and there is competition between universities for this money. Unfortunately, Idon't have a sales pitch.
"However, Iwill try my best to talk truthfully about my experience at the school as Iunderstand it. When it comes to a great institution such as ours, the truth is always the best recruiting tool.
"If you want a high-flying academic career, you have to publish. This means that the first-class teachers usually will have their minds elsewhere than on undergraduate teaching.
"They might be away on conferences, and even if they are not absent in body, they may be absent in mind.
"This is too bad, of course. In fact, it could be that students will have more opportunities for interaction with faculty members at lesser institutions - such as London Metropolitan University, say - where research is less heavily emphasised. I don't know."
Dr Ringmar was reprimanded by the convenor of his department, George Philip.
He said that he was also ordered to apologise to LSE admissions tutors and to take down his blog, where he had posted the open-day speech he made in March.
Dr Ringmar refused and appealed to the LSE's director, Sir Howard Davies, on the grounds of freedom of speech.
But in an e-mail exchange seen by The Times Higher Sir Howard told Dr Ringmar: "I think you should reflect very carefully on your behaviour which I find most disappointing.
"The issue was not about freedom to blog, but whether someone could publicly abuse his employer and colleagues without consequences."
Dr Ringmar said that he had lost faith in the LSE, where he had worked since 1995, and that he planned to leave after taking a sabbatical next year.
He said: "This has really opened my eyes. I feel intimidated and persecuted."
An LSE spokeswoman told The Times Higher : "Following complaints made by staff about the content of Dr Ringmar's lecture to the open day, and further complaints about offensive and potentially defamatory material in Dr Ringmar's blog, which was at that time connected to the LSE website, Dr Ringmar received a reprimand from his convenor."