Your article "Top pair quit academy" (April 1) gave a misleading picture of the Academy of Social Sciences.

Contrary to the report, we now have a surplus of ?50,000 and the prospect of a respectable surplus for the foreseeable future because of the growing number of academicians and learned societies as members.

You say there are currently five vacancies on a 15-strong council. These have now been filled. You also say that the academy has done little to promote its landmark report by the Commission on Social Sciences.

In fact, several major conferences and discussions have been held, including the launching of the report by the previous Education Secretary, discussions with relevant departments in Government and the Economic and Social Research Council.

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We have been very active privately and publicly in promoting the cause of the social sciences, and we are also launching a major and innovative interdisciplinary journal titled Society in 2006.

As a relatively new organisation, the academy will continue to expand on its events to promote more public understanding of the social sciences.

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There is no crisis.


Lord Bhikhu Parekh
President
Academy of Social Sciences

Miriam David
Acting chair
Academy of Social Sciences