UCC president under fire over disadvantaged students remarks

UCC President Michael Murphy was yesterday branded an ‘elitist’ over remarks made during a speech to the Cork Chamber of Commerce.

In a far-reaching address delivered to the Cork business association this week, Murphy criticized state ‘micromanagement’ of Irish universities – but some of his remarks about disadvantaged students’ access to education evidently won him few plaudits.

Over two dozen academics penned an angry letter to the Irish Examiner the day after Murphy delivered his keynote remarks.

“For the president of an Irish university to suggest, based on what he terms — “extensive anecdotal evidence” — that there is a “requirement to rebalance” resources currently used to improve third-level access so as to support the most talented students is outrageous,” the grouping of academics – comprising scholars from every major Irish university – said.

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Murphy is the highest paid university president in Ireland, drawing down a controversial annual salary in excess of €232,000 from the university.

Meanwhile Cork North Central Sinn Féin TD Jonathan O’Brien said that the comments – which included a rebuke to those ‘micromanaging’ third level, who, according to Murphy have mostly ‘never been to third level’ – were ‘arrogant’.

“The participation rate in third level on the northside is only 7%. Is Dr Murphy saying people from working class areas of the city should be permanently denied the opportunity to go on to third level,?” the Sinn Féin TD asked.

By DONAL MACHENRY

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