Academic union leaders have accused Richard Davies, Swansea University's vice-chancellor, of breaking a promise to allow four departments threatened with closure to continue recruiting for another year. Letters have been sent to prospective students in philosophy, anthropology, sociology and undergraduate courses in development studies cancelling admissions for next academic year, after the university's ruling council endorsed plans to phase the departments out. Professor Davies denied making the promise. "The promise I made was that we would be looking after existing students."