THE HIGHER Education Authority (HEA) review into governance issues at the University of Limerick (UL) will be a “watershed moment” for the university, according to the UL chancellor.
UL chancellor Professor Brigid Laffan made the remarks in an email to staff and students of the university, outlining the steps taken by HEA officials on their visit to the UL campus last week.
The HEA is set to investigate governance issues at UL, prompted by the institution’s €5million overspend on a student housing development in Rhebogue.
The overspend put UL’s reputation in “needless jeopardy”, according to Professor Laffan, with a thorough review needed to “get to the nub of the issues that have put the reputation of this Institution, the morale of our staff, and the value and esteem of our educational offerings in needless jeopardy,” Prof Laffan said.
The HEA are to undertake a Section 64 review of procedures at the university, under special powers granted in the HEA Act.
The authority met with the Executive Committee at UL on their visit to campus last week, as well as UL provost Professor Shane Kilcommins, Professor Laffan, members of the UL Unite staff union, and student representatives, concluding with a meeting with the Governing Authority on Thursday (April 25).
According to Professor Laffan, during their visit “the HEA explained that although Rhebogue is the precipitating event for this statutory review, the scope of the review will be broader than examining that capital acquisition”.
“The Section 64 review is going to be a difficult process for the university. It will mean shining a light on poor practices and then eradicating them. It will also mean that we need to look again at what is required and expected of those of us in leadership roles, and indeed the distribution of power and decision making through current organisational structures,” Professor Laffan’s email said.
It is expected that the HEA review will include governance, due diligence, policy control, protected disclosures, conflict management, as well as culture and oversight within the university.
“The Governing Authority and I believe the whole campus community have come to the realisation that an exercise like this is perhaps long overdue,” the Chancellor said.
“This is a watershed moment for the university, it is a crisis, but also an opportunity to make lasting change. It will not be wasted.”
