If the research assessment exercise officers wished to minimise game-playing they would have adopted the suggestion of the Roberts report and insisted that departments submit all their staff. The current rules will lead to many able and hard-working staff being excluded, as there is no penalty for highly selective submissions.
But it is not too late to avoid this. I would ask that panel chairs state that where selective submissions are made they will be heavily penalised in the research environment and research esteem ratings.
John Mingers
Kent Business School