It is a shame to see a good joke being mangled ("Check emails, fix up meeting with councillors, buy Kit Kat", THES , November 1).
The original question was: "What's the difference between a non-executive director and a shopping trolley?" The complete answer is: "A shopping trolley has a mind of its own, but you can get more food and drink into a non-executive director". Substitute "vice-chancellor" for "non-executive director" if you wish.
Alasdair Smith
Vice-chancellor
University of Sussex