University sector needs an audit
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THE crisis in our universities is not about to be solved by a freeze on recruitment alone. The core of the problem appears to lie somewhere among the existing jobs rather than new ones. Two universities have announced a moratorium on new appointments and others are considering similar moves.
This comes at a time when the Government is planning to investigate work practices in universities, with particular reference to the rapid growth in the number of senior, well-paid administrative posts.
There are suspicions that inefficiencies are widespread and that existing funding is not being utilised to best advantage.
The Education Minister recently made the wry observation that he looked forward to the day when the most experienced educators, who had the most to offer students, would be in the lecture hall "from time to time". It appears some highly paid senior academics spend too much time attending to administrative tasks rather than teaching, despite there being no shortage of secretarial staff.
The university sector is as much in need of a thorough audit as is the rest of the public service. At a time when the Government desperately needs to keep a lid on spending, university sector spending has increased by 25pc in just three years.
At the top of the scale, university salaries are among the most generous in the public service. Ten senior staff at University College Dublin earn €2.4m per annum between them. A vice president for research has a package worth €400,000 a year.
No doubt these would argue that the size of their salaries has little to do with government funding which, they say, is insufficient and leaves them €1,000 short for each individual student. The country's seven universities face accumulated deficits of more than €20m by the end of the year and the Government is seeking a 3pc reduction in their salaries bill.
As ever, in a low-tax economy like ours, there is a finite amount of money available.
Those who advocate the reintroduction of tuition fees as a solution must have great confidence that the Government would not simply divert elsewhere the millions that it currently provides in lieu of fees.
Value for money is the watchword, as it should be throughout the public service.
