Oifig an Rúnaí
An Dr. Séamus Mac Mathúna
Oifig an Rúnaí
2 Meán Fómhair, 2008
Historical sketch
Legal framework
Governance structure
 Údarás na hOllscoile
 Academic Council and Colleges
 Acadamh na hOllscolaíochta Gaeilge
 University Management Team
 HEA and IUA
Historical Sketch
1592 Trinity College, Dublin
1845 Queen’s Colleges
 Belfast
 Cork
 Galway
1850 Queen’s University
(till 1882)
1854 Catholic University of Ireland
(1883 – University College, Dublin)
1880 Royal University of Ireland
(Examining and Degree Authority – till 1909 – for all except TCD)
1908 National University of Ireland
Constituent Colleges



1908
1972
1980
1989
1989
University College, Dublin
University College, Galway
University College, Cork
Queen’s University Belfast
National Institute for Higher Education, Limerick
National Institute for Higher Education, Dublin
University of Limerick
Dublin City University
1997 4 Constituent Universities of NUI:
UCD
UCC
UCG
St Patrick’s College, Maynooth
NUI Dublin
NUI Cork
NUI Galway
NUI Maynooth
LEGAL INFRASTRUCTURE
STATE LEGISLATION
Act of Parliament
(pre-1922)
Charter/Letters Patent
INTERNAL LEGISLATION
Statutes (Pre-1997)
Regulations
Act of Oireachtas
Éireann
Legal Basis of NUI Galway
 Queens College (Ireland) Act, 1845
- Royal Charter, 1845 establishing Queen’s College, Galway
 Irish Universities Act, 1908
- New Royal Charter, 1908, renaming College as University College Galway,
to be a Constituent College of the new federal University, the National
University of Ireland
 University College Galway Act, 1929/ Acht Choláiste Phríomh-Scoile
na Gaillimhe, 1929
- Providing for Irish-language mission for College, including factoring Irish into
recruitment
 University College Galway (Amendment) Act 2006/Acht an Choláiste
Ollscoile, Gaillimh (Leasú) 2006
- Education trí Ghaeilge – one of main strategic aims to be implemented, but
removal of blanket requirement re Irish in recruitment.
Universities Act, 1997
PROVIDED FOR
 Virtual autonomy for the major component institutions of the NUI, while
retaining federal NUI structure
 Constituent University status for Constituent Colleges and Maynooth
- National University of Ireland, Galway/Dublin/Cork/Maynooth
- Ollscoil na hÉireann, Gaillimh/Baile Átha Cliath/Corcaigh/Má Nuad
 Reconstitution of Governing Body and Academic Council – wider membership
 A new set of policy, operational and report controls.
Role of NUI (since 1997)
 Sets basic Matriculation requirements for all NUI
 Appoints Extern examiners (but on recd. of constituent Universities)
 Possible review of courses
 Degrees etc. still NUI Degrees etc.
Background to 1997 Act
 Origin: NUI restructuring
 Government Agenda: greater State control
 Objects
 Functions
 Academic Freedom
 Governance Structures
 Operational Controls
 Budgeting
 Borrowing
 Remuneration
 Superannuation
 Staff Grades and Nos
 Internal Budget Allocation
New Requirements
 Strategic Development Plan
 Quality Assurance Procedures
 Equality (incl. Access) Policy
Sanctions
 Inspection (Visitation)
Suspension of Governing Authority
Internal Legal Framework
 CHARTER (1908)
 New Charter under Irish Universities Act
 Amended in some respects by
 UCG Act 1929 (re appointments)
 Universities Act, 1997 (e.g. status, name, composition of Governing Body, Academic
Council, obligations etc.)
 STATUTES/REACHTANNA
 Provisional adoption by Údarás na hOllscoile
 Referred to Academic Council
 Confirmation within 3 months
 Govern various operational matters
 Appointment Procedures
 Establishing Offices, Professorships and Lectureships
 Structures (e.g. College and School Structures)
 Election Procedures etc.
Internal Legal Framework (cont.)
 REGULATIONS/RIALACHÁIN
 Subsidiary Legislation (e.g. spelling out the details of policy legislation
set out in Statutes – such as specific College affiliation of individual
College Lecturers
 Pre-1997, Statutes were subject to (passive) ratification by Oireachtas
Éireann whereas Regulations were purely internal in their legislative basis.
Since 1997, there is no practical difference, as they both go through the
same adoption process.
Údarás na hOllscoile 1/2/2005 – 31/1/2009
 External Cathaoirleach (Dr Noel Dorr)
 President
 Registrar and Deputy-President
 5 Professors/Associate Professors
 5 Other Academic (Permanent/fulltime)
 3 Other Employees (Permanent/fulltime)
 3 Student (2 Students’ Union Officers and 1 Postgraduate)
 4 Graduates
 2 NUI Nominees
 7 Local Authorities (Connacht & Clare)
 3 Aire Oideachais Nominees
 3 Nominees of External Organisations (Údarás na Gaeltachta, IBEC, INOU)
 1 Artistic and cultural interests
 1 President of St. Angela’s College, Sligo
TOTAL: 40 Members
Údarás na hOllscoile
(The University Governing Authority)
MAJOR COMMITTEES
 Standing and Strategic Planning
 Finance/Resource
 Academic Planning and Resources
 Human Resources
 Physical Resources
 Student Services
 Strategic Initiatives and External Affairs
 Bord na Gaeilge
 Coiste Feabhais (Quality)
 Research
Údarás na hOllscoile meets c. 6 times p.a.
Committees meet at 6-8 week intervals
Academic Council/An Chomhairle Acadúil
 c. 120 members
 Meets bimonthly
 Overall academic authority
 STANDING COMMITTEE (handles most routine business of AC)
 President
 Registrar and Deputy-President
 Deans
 8 others from Colleges
 4 others nominated by President
 Student
Academic Structure
 COLLEGES
 Arts, Social Sciences and Celtic Studies
(4 Schools + 1 Division comprising 2 Schools)
 Business, Public Policy and Law
(2 Schools)
 Engineering and Informatics
(1 School)
 Science
(2 Schools + 1 Division comprising 2 Schools)
 Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences
(3 Schools)
Academic Council
 President
 Registrar and Deputy-President
 Heads of Department/School/discipline
 Established Professors/Professors
 Personal/Associate Professors
 Previous coopted Senior Lecturers/Lecturers
 5 Senior Lecturers/Lecturers
 10 Lecturers/College Lecturers/Junior Lecturers
 Certain Adjunct Professors
 5 Students elected by them (UG 3 PG 2)
 Librarian
 Director of Adult and Continuing Education
 Príomhfheidhmeannach Acadamh na hOllscolaíochta Gaeilge
 Director of CELT
 Education Officer, Students’ Union
Council of Deans
 Coordinates general academic policy
 Chaired by Registrar and Deputy-President
Dean of College
 Responsible for academic and administration affairs of College
 Selection (vice election) process
 4-year term
Head of School
 Academic leadership of School (incl. Planning, budget, HR etc.)
 Selection process; 4-year term
 School Board and School Executive Committee
New University Structures
Údarás
Academic Council
Registrar
College Meeting
Deans
School Board
Heads of School
*Policy Formation
*Executive
Planning
Accountability
Compliance
*Council of Deans:
Executive Arm of Academic Council, acting across the
Colleges and coordinating through the University
*Standing Committee:
Processes the business of Academic Council
Acadamh na hOllscolaíochta Gaeilge
 Ceannródaíocht agus Forbairt
(Leadership and Development)
 Cúrsaí, taighde, seribhísí trí Ghaeilge
(Course, research, services through Irish)
 Bord Stiúrtha
 Bord Acadúil
 Comhairle Bainistíochta
University Management Team (UMT)
 President
 10-year term, subject to retirement at 65
 Registrar and Deputy-President
 Prof./Assoc. Prof./Senior L./L. above bar
 Nominated by Academic Council for 4-year term, renewable once
 Vice-Presidents
 Physical Resources
 Strategic Initiatives and External Affairs
 Student Services and Human Resources
 Appointed by Údarás na hOllscoile on recommendation of President
(but in one case on nomination of Academic Council made on
recommendation of President and following consultation between
President and Registrar and Deputy-President)
 Term of up to 4 years, renewable once; max. 8 years.
 Research
 Appointed by open competition internally
 Term as above
Registrar and Deputy-President
 Academic Administration
 Admissions
 Examinations
 Student and Graduate records
 Academic Council and College administration
 Academic Planning and Policy
 Academic Resources
 Library
 Academic Computer Services
 Academic Staff
Vice-Presidents
 Vice-President for Physical Resources
 Estate maintenance and development
 Quality (with Registrar)
 Safety
 Arts
 Vice President for Strategic Initiatives and External Affairs
 Strategic initiatives
 External affairs (incl. International links, EU programmes, Summer Schools)
 Adult and Continuing Education (with Registrar)
 Alumni
 Official publications and information and PR
 Industrial Liaison (incl. Careers and placement)
 External R & D contracts
 External endowment (incl. GUF)
 Vice-President for Student Services and Human Resources
 Student extra-curricular activities and facilities
 Staff Personnel policies
 Equality
 Vice-President for Research
 Research Policy formulation (with Registrar) and implementation
 Research infrastructure and promotion
 Generation of external funding
 Research Centres/Institutes/Units
 Research grant applications
 Commercial exploitation
BURSAR
 Budget
 Financial management
 Mgt. Info. Systems (Admin)
 General Services
 (incl. Secretarial Services, Catering)
SECRETARY
 Secretary to Údarás na hOllscoile
 Committee Documentation
 Corporate Legal Issues (incl. Statutes)
 Governance (incl. Elections)
 Compliance (FOI, Data Protection, etc.)
 Polasaí Gaeilge agus Acht na dTeangacha Oifigiúla
Higher Education Authority (HEA)/An
tÚdarás um Ardoideachas
 Buffer between State and Universities re funding and policy
 Allocation of State grants
 Third-level development
 Soon to become Tertiary Education Authority (including ITs etc. within remit)
Irish Universities Association (IUA)
 Voice of the University sector on various issues of policy (e.g. University
funding, tuition fees, research, accounting structures, strategic planning,
quality, access).
 As such, lobbies the HEA and relevant Government Departments/agencies.
 IUA Council
 Presidents and Provost
 IUA Registrars
 IUA Chief Finance Officers
 (UCFOG) – Bursars and equivalent
 IUA Secretaries
 Central Secretariat
 Cathaoirleach rotates annually
 Quarterly meetings (rotating)