University governance system ‘needs change’
In what appeared to be a lightly veiled reference to challenges to the policies of University College Cork president Professor Gerry Wrixon from some of his own academics, Dr Edward Walsh said many presidents of Irish universities have very difficult jobs.
He said they have to divert a great deal of time and effort attempting to secure the right outcome through the governance structure.
“Their counterparts in the great US universities have problems and challenges of course, but not these,” he said.
“They can confidently expect board approval for change, even though there may be serious opposition to such change amongst the faculty and staff. They have clear authority from their boards to take executive action in rewarding excellence and weeding out mediocrity,” said Dr Walsh.
“They do not have to grapple with the silly skirmishes involving the cliques that often emerge within Irish governing structures,” he told a UCC conferring ceremony.
The UCC president’s detractors have accused him of veering too much towards business interests and research funding and placing less emphasis on traditional learning values.
But Prof Wrixon has denied reducing concentration on academic performances, saying some levels of change are necessary in third-level institutions.
Dr Walsh, who was founding president of UL in 1970, graduated alongside Prof Wrixon in UCC’s electrical engineering class of 1961.
He also told graduates that reforming the composition of university governing authorities requiresdetermination from Government to take on vested interests and provide the support and encouragement a president needs in bringing about change and creating performance driven organisations.
But, Dr Walsh said, greater funding levels are also required if Irish universities are to rebuild and compensate for 80 years of relative neglect.
