Furious college heads round on O'Keeffe in talks
'Highly heated' exchanges over finance issues
Embattled education minister Batt O'Keeffe was "rounded on" by the heads of the universities about the funding crisis in the country's colleges in their meeting last week.
While last Wednesday's unique meeting between the minister and the seven heads of the universities was described publicly as productive, in truth, several "highly heated" and "frank" exchanges occurred.
With Ireland among the lowest in the OECD when it comes to funding from the State, the college heads have said they are at "tipping point", and if the situation is not addressed quickly, then Ireland will see a major exodus of its leading academics and researchers.
It was on the issue of research that the tension at the meeting centred, with Mr O'Keeffe keen for lecturers to spend more time with students than on research.
"They did a good spin job on it for the cameras, but it was brutal, they roasted him, and some are not happy about his stance on the research issue," one senior college source said.
As a result of their mounting debts, several of the country's leading universities have indicated this weekend that they are now set to "open the flood gates" to foreign students, who pay full fees of €24,000 to €42,000 a year, in order to raise cash. The college presidents have warned starkly for the first time that front line services are to be affected as a result of their mounting debts. They have said the pending cuts coming from the Government will impact severely on class sizes, and quality of teaching in key areas like health and IT, reduce post graduate opportunities and ultimately lead to job losses.
However, the claims of being in dire straits have been dismissed by Tom Boland, head of the Higher Education Authority, who bluntly said the colleges will "simply have to become more creative" to stay afloat.
In a sharp attack on the colleges, and speaking exclusively to the Sunday Independent, Mr Boland said: "Of course the colleges are under pressure but they are by no means in dire straits. When things are tighter, the going gets tough and the tough get creative. The colleges are just going to have to get creative."
Mr Boland said, however, that the sector is under funded by about half a billion euro a year, if the Government is serious about reaching the 70 per cent progression rates from second level.
A spokesman for Minister O'Keeffe refused to comment on the matter beyond saying the meeting was productive and he welcomed the views of the presidents.
The Department of Education has made it known that before any decision is to be made on a system of top-up fees or loans, a full review of the university sector is to take place to ensure "value for money."
Departmental sources have also indicated that in light of the "savage cuts," much greater efficiencies will have to be achieved, meaning the merging of programmes between colleges. Rationalisations which help reduce the burden of costs are being sought across the board, the sources said.
- DANIEL McCONNELL
