When Luton University found itself in the press again last month over previous deficits, Les Ebdon, the vice-chancellor, sent students a memo to reassure them. Among a list of accolades, including positive inspection results, the memo said: "We even won a Times Higher Education Supplement award for our robust response to an unfounded attack on our good reputation." The claim initially caused confusion because the Times Higher Awards have only just been announced and will be presented for the first time in November. But our records did show that Luton won the prize for "best spin" in the 2004 spoof Pants Awards (Poppleton Awards for Notorious Teaching and Scholarship) in our Christmas edition.