Wider access to Trinity may cost university millions

THE doubling of first-year places at Trinity College Dublin (TCD) for mature students and those with disabilities or from poor backgrounds could cost the university millions of euro.

The college has set a target of having 15% of all entrants from such non-traditional backgrounds by 2010. But the extra staffing and other resources required will be extremely costly, according to TCD admissions officer and assistant academic secretary Patricia Callaghan.

“The policy will require a number of extra staff, which in the first year alone could add at least half a million euro to the college’s budget,” she said.

“There are also physical costs associated with accommodating disabled students, while students from disadvantaged backgrounds and mature students tend to avail more of health, counselling and other non-academic services,” Ms Callaghan said.

The costs could add to pressures on student services which have been restricted in the last year by cuts in Government funding for all third level institutions.

At the same time, Education Minister Noel Dempsey has publicly questioned the effectiveness of access programmes run by colleges for disadvantaged students.

Around 7%, or less than 200, of the 2,500 TCD undergraduate entry places are taken up every year by “non-traditional” students under access programmes.

The aim of the new policy is to have an equal level of such students across every faculty, particularly on science, engineering and medicine courses. These have lower participation levels from the non-traditional student categories, mainly due to subject requirements for entry.

From next year, it is hoped students with an educational disadvantage can apply through the Central Applications Office (CAO) under an access category.

Their applications would be considered separately, in the same way mature and disabled students have been able to apply for third level places in recent years.

The Higher Education Authority set up a National Access Office this year.