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Morale, Managerialism and Money

Posted in Maynooth with tags , , on August 10, 2023 by telescoper

Just so you don’t think I’m the only member of academic staff at Maynooth University who is desperately worried about the management shenanigans going on here, I am reblogging this blog piece by Conrad Brunstrom.

Representative Governance at Maynooth. Please read and sign.

I suggest you read the whole article, and urge you to sign the petition therein, but here is a sentence that leapt out at me:

The morale of a university suffers when a fissure opens up between those who teach and research and those who “manage”. 

An additional negative effect on morale arises when one sees teaching loads increasing and departmental resources being cut at an institution that already has the highest student-staff ratio in Ireland, and the University’s only response is to create new managerial positions all over the place. Every euro spent on “managers” is money taken away from teaching and research. Just this week we saw this one and this one. The advertisements for these positions both include

Maynooth University, a place of research and learning for over 15,000 students and almost 1,300 staff, is one of the fastest growing third level institutions on the island of Ireland, with ambitious plans for the future of its campus. The University’s campus master plan envisions the expansion and enhancement of the university estate to host over 20,000 students in a vibrant learning environment, supporting  world-class research, outstanding teaching and learning, and a vivid cultural and sporting life, in a rich, diverse, green and sustainable campus. The University not only envisions major developments in the physical facilities and infrastructure of the campus, but also significant changes in how it is operated and used. 

I have no idea where the number 20,000 has come from, nor how the Maynooth campus is going to accommodate this number of students, as it is already bursting at the seams. An increase on this scale will require a huge uplift in numbers of teaching staff, if we are not to collapse under the burden. The only argument I can see is that we need to have more students so we can support the dead weight of bloated management, under which we will be required to struggle.

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ITP 2023 at Maynooth

Posted in Biographical, Education, Maynooth, The Universe and Stuff on August 9, 2023 by telescoper

I’m a bit preoccupied at the moment with marking repeat examinations but, now that I have three packs done and only one to go, I thought I’d do a quick advertisement for a little meeting that takes place in Maynooth about a month from now. This is the annual Irish Theoretical Physics (ITP) Meeting which takes place in a different location in Ireland each yea. Last year it was at DIAS in Dublin; this year it’s Maynooth’s turn.

In the pat these meetings have been given different names, including Irish Quantum Foundations (IQF) and Irish Quantum Field Theory (IQFT), as well as ITP. For this reason I usually refer to it as ITPQF+…

You can find out more about the meeting here, including instructions on how to register should you wish to do so! The detailed scientific programme will be announced in due course, though there is a rumour that I might be giving a public talk on the first evening.

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A Poem in the Style of William Topaz McGonagall for Maynooth University Library Cat on the Occasion of International Cat Day

Posted in Maynooth with tags on August 8, 2023 by telescoper

 

In the charming town of Maynooth, with its beauty so profound,
Lies a University of great repute, where knowledge is unbound.
And in its midst, a creature dwells, a feline of great fame,
The Library Cat, a sight to behold, Séamus is his name.

Oh, Séamus, your coat so sleek, and eyes of emerald green,
You roam the halls of knowledge, where countless books are seen.
You’re a symbol of tranquility, amidst the academic fray,
A beacon of serenity, at the break of day.

Students come from far and wide, with dreams and hopes so high,
And there you are, a comforting sight, under the Irish sky.
You saunter past the ancient tomes, with a purr so soft and low,
A silent guardian of wisdom, in the library’s warm glow.

In the style of the Great McGonagall, I sing your praises true,
Oh, Séamus, Maynooth’s Library Cat, this poem is for you.
Through winter’s chill and summer’s heat, by the library you reside,
A symbol of Maynooth’s spirit, and a source of Irish pride.

So here’s to Séamus, the Library Cat, with his charm and quiet grace,
May he continue to inspire, in that scholarly place.
And as the sun sets on Maynooth, and the stars begin to gleam,
We’ll think of Séamus, the Library Cat, and the wisdom he does seem.

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The Existentialist University: A Strategic Plan for Authentic Learning

Posted in Education, Maynooth with tags , , on August 8, 2023 by telescoper

Guess who has been playing with an AI text generator again?

I. Introduction

In the vast cosmos of knowledge, we find ourselves, a university, a microcosm of the universe itself. We are not merely an institution, but a collective entity, a gathering of minds seeking to understand the essence of existence. Our strategic plan, therefore, is not a mere roadmap, but a philosophical treatise, a reflection of our existentialist ethos.

II. Vision

Our vision is to cultivate an environment where students are not just passive recipients of knowledge, but active seekers of truth. We aim to foster a culture of questioning, where the essence of learning is not in the answers, but in the pursuit of questions. We envision a university where education is not a means to an end, but an end in itself.

III. Mission

Our mission is to create a space where students can confront the absurdity of existence, and find meaning in their own individuality. We strive to nurture minds that are not confined by societal norms, but are free to explore the depths of their own consciousness. We aim to produce graduates who are not just equipped with skills, but with the courage to face the existential angst of life.

IV. Core Values

1. Authenticity: We value authenticity over conformity. We encourage our students to be true to themselves, to embrace their uniqueness, and to resist the pressure to fit into predefined molds.

2. Freedom: We uphold the freedom of thought, the freedom to question, and the freedom to dissent. We believe that true learning can only occur in an environment where minds are free to explore, to challenge, and to innovate.

3. Responsibility: We emphasize the responsibility that comes with freedom. We instill in our students the understanding that they are the authors of their own lives, and that every choice they make shapes their destiny.

V. Strategic Goals

1. Curriculum Development: To develop a curriculum that encourages critical thinking, fosters existential inquiry, and promotes self-discovery.

2. Faculty Development: To attract and retain faculty who are not just experts in their fields, but are also committed to our existentialist ethos.

3. Student Engagement: To create opportunities for students to engage in meaningful dialogues, to participate in existential debates, and to express their individuality.

4. Community Engagement: To extend our existentialist ethos beyond the university, and to engage with the wider community in discussions about the meaning of life, the nature of existence, and the purpose of education.

VI. Conclusion

In the face of an ever-changing world, our strategic plan is not a rigid blueprint, but a flexible guide. It is a reflection of our commitment to existentialist principles, and our belief in the power of education to transform lives. We invite all members of our university community to join us in this existential journey, as we strive to create a university that is not just a place of learning, but a space for authentic living.

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Lá Saoire i mí Lúnasa

Posted in Biographical, Education, Maynooth with tags , , , on August 7, 2023 by telescoper

Today, Monday 7th August 2023, being the first Monday in August, is a Bank Holiday in Ireland. This holiday was created by the Bank Holiday Act of 1871 when Ireland was under British rule. While the August Bank holiday was subsequently moved to the end of August in England and Wales, it has remained at the start of August in Ireland. Today is also a Bank Holiday in Scotland, though the Scots have the best of both worlds and have a holiday at the end of August too.

I recently mentioned that 1st August marks the old Celtic festival of Lughnasadh, named after the God Lugh, on which is celebrated the beginning of the harvest season. This coincides with the English Lammas Day one of many Christian festivals with pagan origins. Traditionally this marks the start of the harvest season and is celebrated accordingly, with rites involving the first fruit and bread baked from flour obtained from the first corn. It is also one of the cross-quarter days, lying roughly half-way between the Summer Solstice and the Autumnal Equinox (in the Northern Hemisphere).

In the Northern hemisphere, from an astronomical point of view, the solar year is defined by the two solstices (summer, around June 21st and winter, around December 21st) and the equinoxes (spring, around March 21st, and Autumn, around September 21st). These four events divide the year into four roughly equal parts of about 13 weeks each.

Now, if you divide each of these intervals in two you divide the year into eight pieces of six and a bit weeks each. The dates midway between the astronomical events mentioned above are (roughly) :

  • 1st February: Imbolc (Candlemas)
  • 1st May: Beltane (Mayday)
  • 1st August: Lughnasadh (Lammas)
  • 1st November: Samhain (All Saints Day)

The names I’ve added are taken from the Celtic/neo-Pagan (and Christian terms) for these cross-quarter days. These timings are rough because the dates of the equinoxes and solstices vary from year to year. Imbolc is often taken to be the 2nd of February (Groundhog Day) and Samhain is sometimes taken to be October 31st, Halloween. But hopefully you get the point.

It seems to be a tradition in Maynooth that the Bank Holidays in May and August are are adjacent to examinations. This year the repeat examinations began on 1st August. My first paper (of four) was on Saturday and I have two more on Tuesday (tomorrow). That means by the end of tomorrow I will have three packets of scripts to mark…

There are two ways of looking at the fact that the day before these exams is a holiday. One is that students have an extra day to revise. Another is that the holiday is ruined by having to prepare for examinations.

Anyway, by the time the Solstice arrives I will hopefully away on sabbatical.

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Maynooth and Dundalk?

Posted in Maynooth with tags , on August 6, 2023 by telescoper

Life is full of surprises, especially if you’re a member of academic staff at Maynooth University.

Today it was revealed that the institution that employs me is planning to merge with Dundalk Institute of Technology. It was revealed not in a direct message to staff, but through an article in the national media, in this case the Sunday Independent. The article there is paywalled but there is another piece here.

This is astonishing news, not least because of the way it has come out. Yet again, the only way that staff at Maynooth can find out what’s going on is through the newspapers. Senior Management don’t deign to inform us of anything. Yet again it is also an anonymous “source” conveying the news.

For those of you interested, it is about 100km by road from Maynooth to Dundalk, so it’s difficult to see how a merger could be practically feasible even if it were desirable. More importantly, there are now questions about whether staff and even entire departments in either institution will have to relocate and how many redundancies are planned.

Will we get answers to such questions, though. Given current experience at Maynooth, I very much doubt we will find out from the Management here…

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An Garda Síochána

Posted in Biographical, Maynooth with tags , , on August 4, 2023 by telescoper

I’m a bit late getting around to posting today as I’ve been busy all day sending off for documents and filling in forms connected with my forthcoming sabbatical. My relocation is a little more complicated than I initially thought as although Ireland is in the European Union, it is not in the Schengen area, so a visit for longer than 90 days requires a bit of paperwork. In fact I am applying for what is called a “non-lucrative residence permit”. It seems to be strange to be applying for non-lucrative status, as that’s what I seem to have had all my life, but there you go.

Anyway, as part of the bureaucratic process I have to acquire a Police Certificate, a document that states that I have no criminal record over the last five years. To get this in Ireland one has to visit a Garda station. There is one in Maynooth, but unfortunately there is rarely anyone staffing it, so I decided to go instead to Leixlip, where the station is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. It’s also just a short bus trip from Maynooth.

So this morning I downloaded the requisite form from the Garda website, collected the documents listed there, and off I went to Leixlip. I had to wait a little bit of time because there were a couple of people needing things. One was inquiring about a court summons for something he claimed he had paid already but didn’t have a receipt. Eventually he left, though he wasn’t happy about having to attend court. The next chap just had to sign some sort of register. He might have been on probation or had to check in with the Gardaí to fulfil some other conditions.

I always feel a bit sorry for people working at the front desk in a place like a Garda station. They must often be confronted by people who are not having a very good day, and probably have to deal with a bit of aggravation from time to time.

Then it was my turn. The officer at the desk was very friendly but when I explained what I needed he produced a form that stated I needed additional documents not listed on the website, including a copy of my birth certificate, a document explaining what I needed the certificate for, and a stamped addressed envelope to receive the certificate. I was a bit annoyed, but had no alternative but to go back to Maynooth and collect the missing papers. Bureaucracy is bureaucracy and there’s no point letting it get to you.

After returning in due course with the gaps in my documents filled, I found the waiting area at Garda station empty and I was able to hand over my documents which I was assured were now sufficient. I just have to wait a bit to get the certificate in the post.

On the bus home after the second trip to Leixlip it struck me that today was the first time I’ve been in a Garda station, and the second time…

Now that’s out of the way, it’s wine o’clock and the bank holiday weekend beckons.

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A Day of Outage

Posted in Biographical, Maynooth on August 3, 2023 by telescoper

Today has been a rather eventful day.

This morning at around 7.50am, the power went off in my house in Maynooth. I looked at the ESB network site and it informed me that a large area was affected, extending as far as Celbridge. I could hear burglar alarms ringing all around the estate, evidently triggered by the interruption to the mains supply. I am aware

I had actually just got out of bed when the failure happened but, there being no electricity to make breakfast nor to have a shower, the ESB indicating that it would take until 9am to fix the “outage”, and being unable to function without at least one coffee, I took the obvious course of action and went back to bed. In fact the power came on well before 9am so I had my breakfast and shower, then went around resetting the clocks on various bits of equipment.

It was only when I looked at the burglar alarm that I realized that the power cut had fried its circuits and I could not reset it. I therefore had to search around the internet for someone to come and fix it.

While I was looking on the internet for a company that would deal with the alarm system I have, I checked my work email and discovered that a the new TSI building had no power at around 9.30am. Whether that was connected with the larger problem I don’t know for sure, but it took longer to fix. I don’t know whether any other buildings on campus were affected either. I only received notification that power had been restored just after 11am.

Unfortunately there were a large number of repeat examinations due to take place in the building at 9.30, none of which could go ahead; those papers are now deferred until 10th August. None of the repeat examinations to be taken by students in the Department of Theoretical Physics were scheduled in that slot, so our students were unaffected, but over 300 other students in other Departments were inconvenienced.

P.S. my domestic burglar alarm is now fixed and functioning properly, in case you had any ideas…

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Defend Democracy at Maynooth University

Posted in Education, Maynooth with tags , on August 3, 2023 by telescoper

A few weeks ago I mentioned on this blog the appalling decision by the President to scrap elections to the Governing Authority of the University in favour of having representatives chosen only by The Management. This contempt for democratic processes is just one example of the increasingly authoritarian administration of the University. Can anyone justify the complete disenfranchisement of the staff of the University from the governance of the University? Or that an executive body should itself select the board to which it is supposed to be accountable?

Within the last week, an article appeared in the Independent that contained the following:

A university spokeswoman said the governing authority “is reflecting on the recent feedback from some staff about the process for establishing a new governing authority”. The new governing body was to be put in place later this year. “The governing authority is scheduled to meet on August 22 to consider the most appropriate way forward on this issue,” she added.​

Independent, Sunday 30th July.

Note the use of an “anonymous spokeswoman”. I have no idea who this person is, nor who gives her authority to speak on behalf of the governing authority. This state of affairs is symptomatic of the complete detachment of The Management from the rest of us at the University. The story suggests that the University is going to consider different options for appointments to the new Governing Authority. Perhaps it should have considered a bit more before trying to ram through a massively unpopular process that has brought the management into such disrepute that its poor governance is now appearing regularly in the news media?

Anyway, in my opinion the only sensible approach is to restore elections to the Governing Authority. I’m not the only one to think this. In fact there is a petition raised by the Union IFUT:

We call on Maynooth University to reverse their decision to instigate selection and to restore the democratic election process for all five staff representatives on the Governing Authority.

It goes on to say

The decision by MU’s Governing Authority and senior management to replace democratic elections with a selection process, whereby they assume, with the assistance of a private recruitment firm, the responsibility of handpicking staff representatives, is an attack on basic principles of democracy and good governance.

I agree with this wholeheartedly, and have signed the petition. I encourage you to do likewise. You can sign it here. And please spread the news of the petition as widely as you can. This is a battle we can’t afford to lose, as experience suggests it is the thin end of a very sinister wedge.

I’ll just add a more general point. If The Management thinks that the deliberate alienation of its staff is a recipe for a successful high education institution then it has another think coming. Perhaps it should consider working with its academics rather than against them?

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The Battle of Mission Drift

Posted in Education, Maynooth on August 2, 2023 by telescoper

Here is a concise description of the effect on the morale of academic staff at Maynooth University of the current strategy of expanding the number of senior administrators at Maynooth University at the expense of resources for teaching and research.

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