'Shabby' lecturers get a style makeover

A university has hired style consultants to give its teaching staff a more sleek, modern appearance.

But some lecturers have reacted indignantly, claiming it is an insult to their intellects to judge them by the way they look.

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The University of Central England in Birmingham has asked a company called Styletalks - motto: "because style speaks volumes" - to run a makeover workshop for its male dons this month.

Cyndy Lessing from the company will run the workshop - the first of its kind in the country. She was frank about one of her priorities.

"It is important to eliminate nose and ear hair," she said.

"Other facial hair is OK as long as it suits the person.

"If a beard covers a chin, and is neatly trimmed, then that is fine. But not if it is a raggedy old thing."

Ms Lessing hopes other universities will follow suit.

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She added: "It is all about making them look approachable in the lecture hall and authoritative in business meetings.

"Clothes-wise, lack of money is not an obstacle. "It doesn't matter how much an outfit costs, it is a question of colour, fit and style - it should be something which suits them, rather than just pulled off the shelves.

"And no half-sleeve shirts, which don't look good anywhere outside of a Hawaiian beach."

But union bosses have criticised the makeover plans, with at least one academic insisting on his right to maintain his traditionally dishevelled look.

Management lecturer Dr Steven McCabe, who is the branch chairman of the University and College Union, said: "This coincides with the fact that redundancies are being made to lecturing staff in various faculties - about 30 in health and 14 in business.

"That they are willing to lose people at this time for the sake of cosmetic changes is worrying.

"Lecturers are well known for their shabbiness and I don't think it makes the slightest difference to students.

"It is the quality of the lecturing which is important, rather than their appearance.

"It's just another of these daft ideas we come across."

Gary Schwartz, who works at a London university, has already tried one of Cyndy's academic makeovers, which cost £400 for a half-day.

Mr Schwartz took action when he was signed up to appear on television and decided that his favoured outfit of jeans,