Row over UCC expulsion bid

A HEATED row is expected at a meeting of University College Cork’s governing body tomorrow when two external appointees will try to have one of its academic members expelled.

Since the agenda for the meeting was circulated on Thursday, a number of letters and e-mails protesting the move have been sent to other members and university administrators.

The motion to expel Professor Des Clarke, head of UCC’s philosophy department, was tabled at the last meeting of the body in mid-December by local businessman Humphrey Murphy.

Joe Gantly, chair of the airport authority and a former European head of Apple computers, seconded the motion last month. It is now down for discussion at tomorrow’s meeting.

It follows the circulation of a document to fellow governors earlier last month by Prof Clarke, outlining his concerns about the financial implications for the university of a student accommodation property deal at Victoria Lodge.

However, the governing body voted at last month’s meeting to disassociate itself from his statements, part of which had appeared in a Sunday newspaper.