Impact of wage cut on students ‘minimal’

THIRD-LEVEL bosses are insisting they will not allow students to lose out because of a Government order to cut their wage bills by 3% for the next year.

The first effects emerged this week as the Irish Examiner revealed a recruitment freeze being imposed by National University of Ireland Maynooth (NUIM) president Professor John Hughes.

But while the direct response of most colleges to the savings demand has yet to be decided, one university chief said all efforts would be made to ensure the impact on students is minimal.

Dublin City University secretary Martin Conry said management will be meeting next week to try and find savings in the college’s €70 million pay budget.

“We will be trying to avoid any steps leading to a reduction in the quality of services and education to students,” he said.

Based on the fact that at least 80% of third-level budgets totalling €2 billion is spent on staffing, the savings which managers are likely to need to make across the sector could go over the €50m mark.

University College Cork is continuing internal discussions on the issue, according to a spokeswoman.

“While UCC will be affected by the proposed cuts in the same manner as the other universities, no decision has been taken yet on where or how cutbacks might be implemented,” she said.

The Government is facing pressure on third-level funding as university presidents have claimed that the money they receive for every student has fallen in recent years, as numbers of undergraduates have risen.

But Education Minister Batt O’Keeffe says their budgets have been increased by 25% since 2005, and is seeking a review of the value for money taxpayers receive for that investment.

He has also been criticised for not increasing the grants on offer to students who qualify for support next autumn. The minister was unable to clarify this week if there would be any rise in the payments from January, after the grant levels are reviewed in the 2009 budget to be announced the previous month.

The situation has arisen as most of the 68,112 people who applied for college places this autumn await the first round of offers from the Central Applications Office (CAO) on Monday.

They include 42,423 of those who received their Leaving Certificate results last Wednesday, more than 12,000 people with further education qualifications and 9,349 over-23s applying as mature students.

The points required for all third-level courses, as well as advice on other study options, grants, and accommodation will appear in the Irish Examiner’s Choices for College supplement on Monday.