Ninth Level Ireland

“In a press release, reported yesterday by several newspapers including the Irish Independent, NUI Galway trumpeted what they have been doing recently to put right the position of women in the university and other actions for equality. Foremost were the results of the recent promotion round to Senior Lecturer in which 14 men were promoted and 19 women …” (more)

[Micheline’s Three Conditions, 1 November]

“Harvey Weinstein, Roger Ailes, Geoff Marcy. From entertainment to academia, accusations of these people’s abuses of power have helped to create a sea change in the numbers of people willing to discuss sexual harassment in the workplace. Much of the conversation has concerned condemnation of harassers and praise for those who come forward to talk about what they have seen and experienced. This puts an interpersonal frame on a systemic problem. Attention must also be paid to systems that allow harassers to thrive …” (more)

[Laurel Issen, Nature, 1 November]

“Female students are more likely to experience sexual harassment as they progress through college, according to a survey. The Smart Consent Survey of approximately 400 students, conducted by PhD candidate Chiara Seery of NUI Galway, indicated that female students’ experiences of sexist hostility, sexual hostility, unwanted sexual attention, online sexual harassment, and sexual coercion increased each year as they passed from first year to third year …” (more)

[Noel Baker, Irish Examiner, 1 November]

“Shortcomings in human resources and management practices at the University of Limerick are sharply criticised in a soon-to-be-published review into alleged misconduct at the institution, it is understood. The investigation was triggered after concerns were raised over the way the university handled a series of disciplinary proceedings against staff and severance packages as well as its use of confidentiality agreements …” (more)

[Carl O’Brien, Irish Times, 31 October]

“GMIT is facing legal action over the death of two students in a fatal house fire in Belgium in January 2014 …” (more)

[Galway Bay FM, 29 October]

“The long-awaited report into a series of allegations of misconduct at the University of Limerick is now in the hands of the Higher Education Authority and the Department of Education and Science. Dr Graham Love, chief executive of the HEA, confirmed that the report was received this week from Dr Richard Thorn, following months of investigations, interviews and analysis …” (more)

[Anne Sheridan, Limerick Leader, 27 October]

“One of five female academics who initiated action against NUI Galway over lack of promotion has won her case in the Labour Court and has been promoted by the university …” (more)

[Lorna Siggins, Irish Times, 23 October]

“Universities that use ‘no platforming’ and ‘safe spaces’ to shut down free speech could face action from the new higher education regulator, the Government has announced. Jo Johnson, the universities minister, said young people and students need to ‘accept the legitimacy of healthy vigorous debate’ as he outlined plans …” (more)

[Arj Singh, Independent, 19 October]

“I volunteer to sit as a lecturer on our academic misconduct board several times a semester, joining a small panel that decides whether or not students flagged up by their lecturers for cheating have broken the rules. We get a stack of roughly 10 cases, and for two or three hours we pore over them, not only deciding if students are guilty as charged but also what the punishment should be …” (more)

[Guardian, 12 October]

“Four female academics embroiled in a gender discrimination dispute are reportedly under increasing pressure to accept a settlement from their university in a case that has sparked debate about the merits of linking the Athena SWAN equality charter to research funding. The long-running dispute at the National University of Ireland, Galway has come to a head …” (more)

[Ellie Bothwell, Times Higher Education, 12 October]

“Trinity spent €550,000 on legal fees in 2016, over €300,000 more than in 2015, The University Times has learned, as the number of legal firms used by Trinity has swollen in the last several years. From spending €44,000 between September and December in 2014, the legal fees paid by Trinity have jumped significantly to over €556,000 …” (more)

[Dominic McGrath, University Times, 10 October]

“Cast your mind back 20 years, to 1997. Tony Blair had just entered Downing Street and in the music industry CDs dominated and the A&R guy was king. Within a few short years, the internet had changed the music industry forever, through the music sharing site Napster …” (more)

[Billy Hunter, Times Higher Education, 10 October]

“Belfast City Council has defended not issuing any fines last month for on-street drinking in the Holylands, saying it adopted a ‘graduated response’. It said this involved advising students of the law during the freshers’ period and ‘warning them that they could be prosecuted’ for anti-social behaviour …” (more)

[Brendan Hughes, Irish News, 9 October]

“The report which will examine controversies around finance, human resources and governance at the University of Limerick is now ‘substantially complete’ and is expected to be submitted to the Higher Education Authority next Friday, October 13 …” (more)

[Alan English, Limerick Leader, 7 October]

“The Dáil public accounts committee has demanded that Cork Institute of Technology explain why it spent €13,000 on a ‘banquet’ for its retiring president which involved a ‘red carpet, marquee, and ice-sculpture of a dolphin’ as students are struggling for help …” (more)

[Fiachra Ó Cionnaith, Irish Examiner, 6 October]

“Leading publishers are stepping up their fight against ResearchGate by ordering the academic social network to take down papers that they say infringe copyright. The move could see millions of articles removed from the site, as the publishers say up to 40% of papers on ResearchGate are copyrighted …” (more)

[David Matthews, Times Higher Education, 5 October]

“The independent review of certain matters and allegations relating to the University of Limerick by Dr Richard Thorn is currently being finalised …” (more)

[Malcolm Byrne, Higher Education Authority, 3 October]

“Islamist extremists are using unsuspecting students in Irish third level colleges to transfer the proceeds of internet fraud to finance Islamic State terrorist operations …” (more)

[Paul Williams, Herald, 25 September]

“An audit of nearly €2m worth of severance payments has led the University of Limerick’s new president to call for an extraordinary meeting of its highest decision-making body. UL paid out a total of €1,903,833 in settlements to 57 former employees within the past decade. All universities are obliged to notify the Department of Education and Skills before any severance terms are approved …” (more)

[Irish Examiner, 23 September]

“A senior academic at the National University of Ireland Galway has secured a High Court injunction halting what he says is a flawed investigation into claims he tried to ‘sabotage’ a colleague’s career …” (more)

[Aodhan O’Faolain, Irish Times, 22 September]