University Heads Refuse Cuts

Saturday September 19, 2009 16:51

by Fred Johnston

Town and Gown won't meet on this

University presidents in the Republic grieving over challenge to rather large purses . . . So where are the student protests?

"THE CONTINUING refusal of the seven university presidents to take a voluntary pay cut – six months after a request from Minister for Education Batt O’Keeffe – has led to increased tensions between college heads and the Minister. Yesterday, Mr O’Keeffe expressed disappointment at the stance taken by the presidents who earn up to €273,000 per year. “I would have exhorted the university presidents to take the appropriate cut . . . one would have expected that people in such senior positions would do the right thing.”

- So reports today's Irish Times. The report, which makes painful reading for many of us in these times, adds: "In all, the seven presidents receive over €1.6 million in pay. The highest earner is Dr Michael Murphy of UCC with a salary of over €270,000.. . . .UCD president Dr Hugh Brady’s salary was €220,000 last year."

Even giving that reading Batt O'Keeffe going on about salary cuts is a bit weird, people facing a tax upon their children's allowance and cuts in welfare might wonder what sort of world our university presidents are living in. But anyone who acknowledges the break between Town and Gown will understand that most universities live after a Mediaeval fashion walled-in behind a considered privilege. So why aren't we seeing students demonstrating about their masters' extraordinary purses? Universities are increasingly education corporations and their presidents CEOs - there is little or no striving for some higher intellectual and moral attainment. It's about money, trimming courses, knocking tutorial hours away, cutting and cutting again so that the student is in reality a product to be turned out as quickly and economically as possible. So what have students got to say about this? And the rest of us?