Archive for Maynooth University

An Evening of Weird Matter at MU!

Posted in Maynooth, Talks and Reviews, The Universe and Stuff with tags , on August 28, 2023 by telescoper

With just over a week to go, I thought I’d post a reminder that Maynooth University is hosting a theoretical physics meeting early next month, from September 6th to 8th; for details see here. It has been decided that there will be a couple of public evening lectures as a double-header on the first night of the conference. One of the speakers is me. Technically I’ll be on sabbatical from September 1st but I’ve delayed my travels to allow me to ive this talk. Anyway, the advert is here:

You can join us for this “evening of science celebrating the weird and wonderful ways that matter can manifest in our universe” by getting a ticket at Eventbrite below.

Tickets are free but you do need to register in advance!

Deliverance at Maynooth

Posted in Maynooth with tags , on August 22, 2023 by telescoper
Photo by Element5 Digital on Pexels.com

Just time for a quick update about the saga of Maynooth University’s Governing Authority. Today the current Governing Authority met in an emergency session. An email went around to all staff just after 7pm this afternoon from its Chair. The message begins:

Following a meeting of the Maynooth University Governing Authority (GA) today, I am writing to let you know that GA has changed its decision on the formation of the next GA to a process by which all five of the internal members will be elected by MU staff.

Thank you to Maynooth IFUT for mobilizing the academic community in Maynooth so well. And thank you to everyone who signed the petition. It just shows what can happen when you get organized. To be honest, I didn’t think GA would back down, and feared instead a full-scale industrial dispute might be looming. Fortunately, GA has seen sense and we have been spared that. However, the famous words of Churchill

We must be very careful not to assign to this deliverance the attributes of a victory.

The University can now move forward, at least until the next crisis…

Defend Democracy at Maynooth!

Posted in Education, Maynooth, Pedantry with tags , , on August 20, 2023 by telescoper
Photo by Element5 Digital on Pexels.com

A few weeks ago I blogged about the decision by the Management of Maynooth University  to scrap elections to the Governing Authority of the University. This was a shock to me and many other members of the Faculty at Maynooth and elsewhere. Coming out of the pandemic, during which we all undertook countless hours of unpaid overtime to keep the University going, I think we have the right to expect more from the Management than this expression of outright contempt. If the proposal is accepted, I fear much worse things are in store.

In response, the union IFUT, of which I am a member, started a petition protesting against this decision which now has over a thousand signatures.

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.

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. If you agree please consider signing the petition too. You don’t have to be at Maynooth to sign it, nor even in Ireland. The issue faced here is far wider than one institution. It’s about the fundamental issue how a public university should be governed. Maynooth needs to learn that the institution should be run by consent and not coercion. A deliberate policy of alienating the academic, administrative and other support staff that make a university what it is is not the way forward.

The current Governing Authority is holding an emergency meeting on Tuesday 22nd August, to consider the mess created by University leadership. It has a simple way out. Scrap the current plan and allow all five internal representatives to be elected. What can be controversial about that? The Management has failed to articulate any argument against elections other than, apparently, that it considers them “old-fashioned”. Insisting on selection versus election they have also refused to explain how the selection process would work. What is to stop the President loading the GA with Vice-Presidents that she herself appointed?

There’s a an article in today’s Sunday Independent that reports on the outcome of an IFUT meeting held last Friday in which members were unanimous in supporting elections for all staff representatives on the GA. It’s now up to the Governing Authority to decide whether it wants a functioning university or not.

Weird Matter at MU!

Posted in Maynooth, Talks and Reviews, The Universe and Stuff with tags , on August 19, 2023 by telescoper

I mentioned a while ago that Maynooth University is hosting a theoretical physics meeting early next month, from September 6th to 8th; for details see here. It has been decided that there will be a couple of public evening lectures as a double-header on the first night of the conference. One of the speakers is me. Technically I’ll be on sabbatical from September 1st but I’ve delayed my travels to allow me to ive this talk. Anyway, the advert is here:

You can join us for this “evening of science celebrating the weird and wonderful ways that matter can manifest in our universe” by getting a ticket at Eventbrite below.

Tickets are free but you do need to register in advance!

Break Points

Posted in Biographical, Education, Maynooth with tags , , , on August 11, 2023 by telescoper

Well, that’s one reasonably large set of tasks finished. Today I completed the grading of my repeat examinations. The marks are now checked and uploaded to the system. For good measure, I also checked the marking of a few papers done by other staff. So that’s all done and dusted in time for a meeting of the Examination Board next week at which we’ll peruse the outcomes.

It’s strange to think that this will be the last set of examinations I have to correct until January 2025. I’m away on sabbatical from September 1st 2023 until 31st August 2024 so have no teaching duties until the First Semester of 2024, with examinations coming the following January. Although I realize the assessment of student learning is important, setting and marking examinations is not something that I greatly enjoy so it will be very nice to have a break from it.

Earlier this week the President of Maynooth University sent around a missive to all staff about the news that had leaked out about the proposed merger with Dundalk IT. That email referred twice to the “summer break”. It is ironic that such wording should be used right in the middle of repeat examination period. The last few weeks certainly haven’t felt like a break to me! It’s yet another indication of the gulf between the view that Senior Management have of academic life and the reality.

By the way, the aforementioned Presidential circular promised that staff would be fully updated in the Autumn about the proposed merger. I hope in this new spirit of openness the President will also update staff about the outcomes of the “Staff Climate and Culture Survey” which was carried out in 2022. The promise was made then that results would be published in early 2023. No such results have ever been communicated to staff and all mention of this survey has been wiped off the University’s web pages.

Having finished exam marking duties for the academic year, my attention will now turn to other things to be done before I take off for sabbatical land. Next week I have cleared the decks to complete a paper I’ve been struggling over for a long time. Just before the repeat examinations started I spotted the error that was holding me back, so hopefully it will now all fall quickly into place. I’ll be very happy if I can get that submitted before leaving.

In the mean time, though, it’s time for a wine break. Cheers!

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.

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.

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.

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.

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…

Autumn Repeats

Posted in Education, History, Maynooth with tags , , , , , , on August 1, 2023 by telescoper

It’s August already, which means it is time once again for the repeat examination period to begin. Maynooth University has produced this nice good luck message for those resitting so I’ll pass it on here:

I was a bit surprised when I first arrived here that the August repeat examinations are called the Autumn Repeats. After all, they start on 1st August which is generally regarded as summer rather than Autumn. The term is, I think, a relic of the old Celtic calendar in which the start of Autumn coincides with the start of harvesting, the old festival of Lúnasa being when people celebrated the Celtic deity Lugh, who would bring a good harvest or who, if not satisfied, could bring his wrath in storms that would mess everything up. Lúnasa is the name for August in modern Irish; Lá Lúnasa is 1st August, a cross-quarter day lying (approximately) half-way between the summer solstice and the autumnal equinox. The festival is marked in the modern calendar by a Bank Holiday on the first Monday in August (Lá Saoire i mí Lúnasa) which is next Monday (7th August), so I have a long weekend to look forward to!

Anyway, the repeat examinations start today and go on for ten days or so, except there are none on the Bank Holiday when the University is closed. As it happens, my first paper is on Saturday, so I won’t be able to collect any scripts until Tuesday 8th, on which day I have two further examinations, so I’ll have three different sets to deal with.

Every year at this time I mention the difference between the system of repeats in Maynooth compared to other institutions with which I am familiar, especially in the UK. Students generally take resits when, because they have failed one or more examinations the previous May, they have not accumulated sufficient credits to proceed to the next year of their course. Passing the resit allows them to retrieve lost credit, but their mark is generally capped at a bare pass (usually 40%). That means the student gets the credit they need for their degree but their average (which determines whether they get 1st, 2nd or 3rd class Honours) is affected. This is the case unless a student has extenuating circumstances affecting the earlier examination, such as bad health or family emergency, in which case they take the resit as a `sit’, i.e. for the first time with an uncapped mark.

Here in Maynooth, however, the mark obtained in a repeat examination is usually not capped. Indeed, some students – though not many – elect to take the repeat examination even if they passed earlier in the summer, in order to increase their average mark.

Some people don’t like the idea of uncapped repeats because they feel that it would lead to many students playing games, i.e. deliberately not taking exams in May with the intention of spreading some of their examination  load into August. There’s not much sign of students actually doing that here, to be honest, for the reason that the results from the repeat examination period are not confirmed until early September so that students that deploy this strategy do not know whether they are going to be able to start their course until just a couple of weeks before term. That could cause lots of problems securing accommodation, etc, so it doesn’t seem to me to be a good ploy.

I’d welcome comments for or against whether resits/repeats should be capped/uncapped and on what practice is adopted in your institution.