University funding crisis to hit new students hard

THE Leaving Cert Class of 2010 face packed lecture halls when they get to university, fewer tutorials, reductions in library facilities and the introduction of waiting lists for counselling services.

A confidential working paper drawn up by the Irish Universities Association warns that specific courses will have to be axed and says the Government's national research strategy for the 'Smart Economy' is in danger of collapsing.

It says funding and staffing cutbacks have resulted in a reduction in tutorials and in class sizes of up to 200 students. The universities are caught between the 'rock' of a surge in student numbers and the 'hard place' of cutbacks in staff.

The staff-student ratios in Irish universities are much higher than in the UK.

In the limited cases where some replacement recruitment has been possible, universities are receiving negative responses to offers of employment for the top-ranked candidates.

'This is especially notable in respect of candidates from the US, where we are completely uncompetitive in terms of securing high-quality academics and researchers,' says the paper, which will be considered by the university presidents shortly.

The paper, seen by the Irish Independent, says that in some specific instances the pernicious effects of the cutbacks and the inability to replace or secure appropriately qualified replacement staff is having a direct effect on course provision. Currently, there are reductions in module choice and it is also likely that some specific courses will have to be axed.

Critical

As well as frontline teaching, the support infrastructure for students is being seriously affected. The most critical of these is library services, as the library is the most important learning resource for students outside of direct teaching contact. The effects of the cuts so far are:

• Reductions in the Library opening hours.
• A reduction in the delivery of materials from closed bookstack areas.
• A reduction in staff levels and hours at service points.
• A reduction in the speed of the ordering and supply of books, journals and e-resources to students and academic staff.

On student counselling, it says there has been a significant increase in demand, but the number of counselling sessions has been reduced and waiting lists have to be introduced.

The paper issues strong warnings about the effects of cuts in research on government plans to market Ireland as an innovation island.

PhD training is being severely cut back and the tide of research investment has been turned. Very significant job losses among non-permanent research staff are expected.

As well as loss of expertise due to termination of contracts, there is a potential for a wider flight of talent from Ireland as leading researchers feel the need to flee a 'sinking ship'. This threat is becoming a reality. In one university alone in a two-month period this year, 16 researchers resigned, it says.

The full impact of the trends now becoming evident has yet to be seen. If not arrested, they will result in increased failure rates and longer completion times; damage to student health and welfare; the exit of staff to more competitive systems; and a likely further rise in graduate unemployment, it adds.

- John Walshe Education Editor

Irish Independent