UCC president racks up €75,000 in expenses over two years

Papa_Lazarou

Just saw this on facebook. Our wonderful president has racked up €75,000 in expenses over the last two years splashing out on lavish hotels,flights and dinners. With the current €13m debt UCC is in and the struggle that many students are facing i find this ridiculous. These expenses are on top of his over the top salary of €270,000 that he gets every year.


Linky

Business class flights around the world with his wife, five-star accommodation, lavish dinners in exclusive restaurants -- all part and parcel of the life of the president of University College Cork, and partly paid for by the taxpayer.
Globetrotting Dr Michael Murphy's extravagance comes despite the seven Irish universities having a collective debt of over €30m, including €13m from UCC alone.
In total, for the two years, in addition to his €270,000-a-year salary, Dr Murphy's expenses claims totalled over €75,000 for the period from January 2008 to December 2009, far higher than his UCD counterpart Hugh Brady, whose expenses we revealed two weeks ago.
Included in Dr Murphy's trips were numerous visits across the globe including a €6,642 trip to New York, a €5,606 trip to Miami, a €3,451 to South Africa, a €3,330 to China and a €2,280 trip to Hong Kong and Singapore.
On several occasions, the college paid for Dr Murphy's wife Siobhan to travel with him to events in North America, to which they flew by business class.
One business class trip to New York cost €2,278.
On another trip, both Dr and Mrs Murphy were upgraded on internal flights between Boston and Miami.
While abroad, Dr Murphy has also enjoyed some of the finest luxury accommodation available across the world.
In February 2008, he racked up a €1,221 bill for his four-day stay in the Marriott in Palm Beach Florida.
He also clocked up an €881 hotel bill in the Sheraton Hotel in Manhattan, and during a stint in Shanghai the taxpayer footed a €542 bill for him to stay in Le Royal Meridien.
Shortly after he assumed the UCC presidency from Dr Gerry Wrixon, the taxpayer paid €3,292 for him to attend a programme for new presidents in Harvard University in June 2008.
Added to this was the €1,553 for business class flights, plus a bill of €426 for accommodation during the conference.
The university president, it seems, also has a rich pallet and has enjoyed the hospitality of some of the country's finest eataries.
There was a €658 dinner in Balzac on Dublin's Dawson Street, a €411 dinner in Toddies Restaurant in Kinsale, a €290 bill for dinner at the posh Renato's Restaurant in Palm Beach, a €187 dinner at the famous Trocadero Bistro in Dublin and a €143 bill for a posh lunch at Ballymaloe, Shanagarry, Co Cork.
Also included in his claims were numerous trips between Cork and Dublin for meetings with other university presidents. According to the documents, Dr Murphy always travelled first-class by train and regularly stayed over in the capital. More than €1,000 in first-class rail fares were clocked up during the two-year period. While in Dublin, he regularly stayed at the O'Callaghan Davenport Hotel and occasionally at the Burlington Hotel.
The details were obtained under the terms of the Freedom of Information Act.
Defending the proliferation of first-class or business class travel, Dr Murphy said: "Due to an extremely busy diary at home, final preparation for overseas engagements particularly in Asia and America, normally involves working up to two-to-three hours before arrival, on speeches, presentations, negotiations, etc."
"It is normal during such engagements for the president to arrive at his destination and begin immediately to attend functions or meetings on behalf of the university," he said.
Dr Murphy also said that diminishing funding from the State requires a higher source of private funding. He said this means going to the places to meet the people who are willing to invest.
"If UCC, or any Irish university, is expected to perform to 'world-class standards' it must adopt the practices that are required to so do.
"With diminishing exchequer funding and explicit commitment to increasing income from international education, we are required to form partnerships with international universities," he said.
Despite business class being the preferred mode of international transportation for Dr Murphy and his wife, a spokesman for the university insisted the flights for Mrs Murphy were not paid for by the Irish taxpayer.
"Such travel costs are paid either through the university's philanthropic or commercial earnings.
"The president and his wife have incurred costs running to many thousands of euro for babysitting services while they are abroad representing the university, but such costs have never been charged to UCC," the spokesman said.

Sorry but had to laugh at the last bit about the baby sitting expenses........ do they want a medal for being responsible for their own children?

Aodan83

"The president and his wife have incurred costs running to many thousands of euro for babysitting services while they are abroad representing the university, but such costs have never been charged to UCC," the spokesman said.

Am, what does his wife do? I mean, does she work for the college, or is the university paying for Doc Murph to take his wife on holidays?

Crosswalk

There was a €658 dinner in Balzac on Dublin's Dawson Street

Like many people on Facebook have noted, that'd nearly feed a student for a year!

Papa_Lazarou

Aodan83 wrote: »

Am, what does his wife do? I mean, does she work for the college, or is the university paying for Doc Murph to take his wife on holidays?

Whether or not she does work for the college this whole thing of bringing family along should be scrapped straight away. Im sure they can handle being apart for a few days or just pay himself for her to come along

Byron85

Looks like the last week of term is going to be pretty interesting!

Faith

I love that. I'm in one of the most underfunded departments, where our teaching time has been halved this year, and he's running up €75,000 worth of expenses? What a joke.

Papa_Lazarou

Faith wrote: »

I love that. I'm in one of the most underfunded departments, where our teaching time has been halved this year, and he's running up €75,000 worth of expenses? What a joke.

Thats gonna be the reaction of a lot of people in the next week i would say. He's been blabbering on all year about how the college has to cut down on everything and fee's need to be increased and then him and his wife are jetting all around the world at the expense of the college.

x in the city

lolz

that is all...

students should pepper the feker with eggs...

CantGetNoSleep

I hope this is the end of him now, we should get a protest going, but he'd probably be off somewhere warm and wouldn't notice

Papa_Lazarou

Im usually not a fan or participant of the student protests but if something for this would organised(and im guessing the SU will) i probably would go. This man has had his talks throughout the year discussing the hardships the college was under and that we all would have to take the brunt of the debt.......and then this turns up.

Eliot Rosewater

maglite

Discouraging to see so called University students cant read an article.

"Despite business class being the preferred mode of international transportation for Dr Murphy and his wife, a spokesman for the university insisted the flights for Mrs Murphy were not paid for by the Irish taxpayer."

Allowing for a possible play on words looks like Mrs Murphy was not paid for. Are we seriously suggesting we get the head of the University to fly coach? As for the meals, How many people, did he entertain a number of business people who are now interested in employing US.

The university is a business. As such their are expenses. Would you expect the CEO of a multi million dollar business to fly coach transatlantic, rent a Nissan Micra and stay in a Travel Lodge.

What you need to do is look at Value for money, Maybe Dr. Murphy procured a million euro in funding on one of this trips

€1,000,000 -75,000 = +€ 925,000,, I'd view that as worthwhile. lets be mildly academic about this and not a bunch of drunkards shouting in the streets.

ReacherCreature

Bloody crazy. Like Faith said, a joke.

Further opinion here: http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=522991074#!/posted.php?id=244184210470&share_id=104485276250015&comments=1#s104485276250015

Nova_era

I've only ever crossed the paths of this character once, at the launch of a new MA in Diplomacy a few weeks ago.

He opened his speech with the line "I first became aware of this project last year while in the Sun Palace Hotel in Beijing".

He then had to rush off early, to attend a finance meeting. My mate made the joke that he was tripping over his pockets. :P

Papa_Lazarou

maglite wrote: »

Discouraging to see so called University students cant read an article.

"Despite business class being the preferred mode of international transportation for Dr Murphy and his wife, a spokesman for the university insisted the flights for Mrs Murphy were not paid for by the Irish taxpayer."

Allowing for a possible play on words looks like Mrs Murphy was not paid for. Are we seriously suggesting we get the head of the University to fly coach? As for the meals, How many people, did he entertain a number of business people who are now interested in employing US.

The university is a business. As such their are expenses. Would you expect the CEO of a multi million dollar business to fly coach transatlantic, rent a Nissan Micra and stay in a Travel Lodge.

What you need to do is look at Value for money, Maybe Dr. Murphy procured a million euro in funding on one of this trips

€1,000,000 -75,000 = +€ 925,000,, I'd view that as worthwhile. lets be mildly academic about this and not a bunch of drunkards shouting in the streets.

Well you might find that UCC isn't a big business and is currently €13 million euro in debt. If he did make these big-shot contracts then allow the student body and college staff to see what exactly he is achieving with all the foreign trips and lavish dinners. I think you will find that they pretty much admit that she was paid for by a spokesman talking about the childcare expenses that they incurred while on these holidays....

Apart from that i wouldn't mind if he took a €75,000 euro pay cut from his already inflated salary to pay for his little excursions..Also i dont see any reason why he can't fly coach or rent a micra. He's nothing special in the eyes of anyone in UCC and is only the president of around 20,000 people.

ReacherCreature

maglite wrote: »

Discouraging to see so called University students cant read an article.

Ridiculous.

Are we seriously suggesting we get the head of the University to fly coach? As for the meals, How many people, did he entertain a number of business people who are now interested in employing US.

So? What difference does it make if he flys coach or not? Is it about maintaining a rep or is he famous? The person next to him wouldn't know him nine times out of 10. Sure it'd be going against his 'preference' but in this state of the economy surely he'd cut back on flying business which would thus cut back on the amount of expenses? I think you'll even agree that some of the expenses are crazy.

The university is a business. As such their are expenses. Would you expect the CEO of a multi million dollar business to fly coach transatlantic, rent a Nissan Micra and stay in a Travel Lodge.

75,000 is crazy for expenses for a college president imo.

What you need to do is look at Value for money, Maybe Dr. Murphy procured a million euro in funding on one of this trips

€1,000,000 -75,000 = +€ 925,000,, I'd view that as worthwhile. lets be mildly academic about this and not a bunch of drunkards shouting in the streets.

The key word is 'maybe': we know the figures but we don't know the result of these trips, the link above never stated those. So the argument isn't hugely valid until it's proved what the result of the expenses incurred. If there's a report on what he's accomplished that proves the expenses were worthwhile I'll take back this. I'm just p!ssed at this, somewhat at Murphy but the system needs reform I think. All this IMO.

maglite

Papa_Lazarou wrote: »

Well you might find that UCC isn't a big business and is currently €13 million euro in debt. If he did make these big-shot contracts then allow the student body and college staff to see what exactly he is achieving with all the foreign trips and lavish dinners.

That is fair enough, He should

I think you will find that they pretty much admit that she was paid for by a spokesman talking about the childcare expenses that they incurred while on these holidays....

Am no.. I assume she pays for her own flights, the only additional cost would be food, which is fair enough. Most companies will allow this.

Also i dont see any reason why he can't fly coach or rent a micra.

Because he needs to work on the flight, he also needs to be able to sleep if he is to be able to optimize his time away. Ya and rolling up to a meeting in a micra will show the world just how good we are. First Impressions anyone?

ReacherCreature wrote: »

Ridiculous.

It is isn't it

So? What difference does it make if he flys coach or not? Is it about maintaining a rep or is he famous? The person next to him wouldn't know him nine times out of 10.

You cant work in coach...

The key word is 'maybe':

Indeed and everything in this thread smacks of speculation and using figures to achieve a goal.

ReacherCreature

maglite wrote: »

Discouraging to see so called University students cant read an article.

maglite wrote: »

It is isn't it

That's what I'm saying is ridiculous.

Indeed and everything in this thread smacks of speculation and using figures to achieve a goal.

Speculation? The expenses were released and I think it was the Indpendent released it? Surely that's a valid enough source?

Nova_era

SamF, isn't the official Students Union stance (ie. the one you should be adopting), that this particular revelation about the expenses is a disgrace, and one which should be protested against?

samf

Nova_era wrote: »

SamF, isn't the official Students Union stance (ie. the one you should be adopting), that this particular revelation about the expenses is a disgrace, and one which should be protested against?

I dont know, i havent been to the office recently, its the last week of term and I have a lot of projects due. I dont recall taking any stance yet, so I liked a post, am I not allowed to do that? havent stated any opinion however I think maglite made some very valid points. Personally (and that means im not speaking on behalf of the union, we are entitled to personal opinions) I think the president makes too much, at the class council when he visited this year I was the one who asked him if he was going to take a pay cut (a question which he managed to avoid).

However the expenses, im not sure. 35k a year isnt all that much if he's flying around the world and maglites points are very true. His wife certainly shouldnt be included in the expenses, but im wondering if this is all down to an FOI that the paper did their best to sensationalise. I'd wonder how Trinity and UCD's presidents compare.

Papa_Lazarou

maglite wrote: »

That is fair enough, He should

Because he needs to work on the flight, he also needs to be able to sleep if he is to be able to optimize his time away. Ya and rolling up to a meeting in a micra will show the world just how good we are. First Impressions anyone?



It is isn't it


You cant work in coach...


Indeed and everything in this thread smacks of speculation and using figures to achieve a goal.

Firstly you might find that flying coach on long haul flights isn't the same as being crammed into a ryanair flight to some mountain in Scotland. They mightn't be as good as first class but flying with any reputable airline on long haul is quite comfortable. And before you ask for experience try 36 hours for flights to vietnam..... with a 6 month child...

Secondly he's only the president of UCC and wouldnt be the most rushed off his feet guy in the world so if he was any good would have his work well done before he got on any plane.

ReacherCreature

samf wrote: »

I think the president makes too much, at the class council when he visited this year I was the one who asked him if he was going to take a pay cut (a question which he managed to avoid).

Gold.

I'd wonder how Trinity and UCD's presidents compare.

The link stated:

Dr Murphy's expenses claims totalled over €75,000 for the period from January 2008 to December 2009, far higher than his UCD counterpart Hugh Brady, whose expenses we revealed two weeks ago.

samf

Ah right, but looking at http://www.independent.ie/national-news/ucd-chief-racks-up-a-huge-travel-bill-of-8364100000-2091354.html its a pretty similar article, the figures arent too far off. Nonetheless a scandle like this was needed to raise awareness of the presidents ridiculously high wage, he shouldnt be earning more than his UCD counterpart.

Nova_era

Michael Murphy is earning over 3 times as much as the president of the Russia, the worlds largest country.

Go figure.

samf

Bad example, russia has the lowest minimum wage in Europe, 13 times lower than ireland.

Papa_Lazarou

Relating him to the presidents themselves isnt viable but when you do it in the sense of the number of people they govern and what power/responsibilities they have then it does come into scope.

Nova_era

samf wrote: »

Bad example, russia has the lowest minimum wage in Europe, 13 times lower than ireland.

Hardly a bad example, seeing as Dimitri Medvedev is is the president of the worlds largest country, and Michael Murphy is the president of a small university in the south of Ireland.

Also, minimum wages are absolutely irrelevant. Ireland has a ridiculously high minimum wage, something which many European countries don't even have. Germany doesn't have a minimum wage, nor do the majority of European countries.

Also, Moscow is now the most expensive city in the world. Central Moscow has the highest living costs on the globe, and the city has the worlds highest population of billionaires by proportion of population.

My argument > Your argument.

Eliot Rosewater

maglite makes a good point. These kind of "grab the pitchforks and torches" reactions to salaries rarely look beyond the immediately obvious. The main goal of UCC should, in my opinion, be to advance its international reputation in whatever way possible. As students of UCC it should also be yours. You're in UCC to get an education, and its in our interests to get the best education we can.

On these trips President Murphy is effectively the ambassador for the University. Its essential to make a good first impression. Its also essential that he's in the right frame of mind when he goes there to promote us.

samf

im afraid minimum wage is very relevant, when you consider the cost of living, someone making 100k in russia is considered a hell of a lot richer than someone making 100k in ireland, so hence bad example. A better point would have been that UCC's president earns more than the USA president, which is ridiculous.

Byron85

Surprisingly, to myself anyway, i'm somewhat on the fence about this whole issue. It it a lot of money? Well, yeah. On the other hand the argument has been made that UCC has to be run as a business entity as well as being run as an educational entity. This means "keeping up appearances" so to speak.

At the end of the day, the "Prez" is representing the University to people who essentially prop up the place with their investments and/or donations. For me, personally, it's a tough one to call seeing as UCC has received a lot of investment in last while. Whether that is a direct result of the "Prez's" actions I do not know but it would be fair to assume that he has had some level of influence in there.

Nova_era

That just doesn't stand up at all. Look at what I said; Moscow is the most expensive city in the world. 100k will get you a lot further in Dublin than it will in Moscow.

The US is but a minor player on the world stage, as opposed to Russia, which will one day rule the world.

Byron85

Nova_era wrote: »

The US is but a minor player on the world stage, as opposed to Russia, which will one day rule the world.....again

FYP.

PhatPiggins

maglite wrote: »

Discouraging to see so called University students cant read an article.

"Despite business class being the preferred mode of international transportation for Dr Murphy and his wife, a spokesman for the university insisted the flights for Mrs Murphy were not paid for by the Irish taxpayer."

Allowing for a possible play on words looks like Mrs Murphy was not paid for. Are we seriously suggesting we get the head of the University to fly coach? As for the meals, How many people, did he entertain a number of business people who are now interested in employing US.

The university is a business. As such their are expenses. Would you expect the CEO of a multi million dollar business to fly coach transatlantic, rent a Nissan Micra and stay in a Travel Lodge.

What you need to do is look at Value for money, Maybe Dr. Murphy procured a million euro in funding on one of this trips

€1,000,000 -75,000 = +€ 925,000,, I'd view that as worthwhile. lets be mildly academic about this and not a bunch of drunkards shouting in the streets.

Any source for that? I'd like to know the results too before hanging him.

Not paid for by the taxpayer but by donations and profits but if there is a further hole in the university revenues say €75K who fills that?

Like you say it could be money well spent but a bit of transparency would be nice

Nova_era

T.W.H Byron wrote: »

FYP.

Nicely done.

Now that Mr. Obama has pushed forwards for the birth of the United Socialist States of America (USSA), Mr. Putin will be able to make the next move, and move into Alaska.

maglite

PhatPiggins wrote: »

Maglite wrote:

Maybe Dr. Murphy procured a million euro in funding on one of this trips

Any source for that?

You want a source for my speculation?



Maglite, Mr. (2010, March 21). Ucc president racks up €75000 in expenses over two years.
Retrieved March 23, 2010, from Boards.ie UCC forum:
http://boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055860973


The key word is MAYBE,

Mario007

cut the man some slack.

37 500 euro in expenses each year is grand considering where he's been, who's he met and what he has done for the college. he has attracted investment into ucc, new research places, new courses and MAs with highly-qualified lecturers and the university is moving up the rankings. all that in 2 years he's had the job and his plans for next 4 years are great outlines how to get UCC to be No2 in ireland after trinity again.

maglite

ReacherCreature wrote: »

That's what I'm saying is ridiculous.

Woops sorry...

Speculation? The expenses were released and I think it was the Indpendent released it? Surely that's a valid enough source?

Mr Twain has said it well "There are lies, damned lies and statistics" numbers like these are a means to an end. I'm not disputing the validity of the numbers just the manner in which they are presented. I do not know enough to cast judgment.

PhatPiggins

maglite wrote: »

You want a source for my speculation?



Maglite, Mr. (2010, March 21). Ucc president racks up €75000 in expenses over two years.
Retrieved March 23, 2010, from Boards.ie UCC forum:
http://boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055860973


The key word is MAYBE,

Thanks for that, you should try sugar in your coffee.

Rebel20

The SU rack up some fairly hefty expenses too but we don't hear any complaining about that do we???

D'Agger

maglite wrote: »

The university is a business. As such their are expenses. Would you expect the CEO of a multi million dollar business to fly coach transatlantic, rent a Nissan Micra and stay in a Travel Lodge.

Google Warren Buffet tbh - I expect the CEO of a multi million dollar business that's seriously in debt to cut costs - including his own.

That said from reading the thread fully I can see he's gotten us investment and is trying to improve UCC like any other president would - the problem for me isn't how he's performing in his role - I can see he's done good things for UCC but imo there are ways of cutting his costs and he should be exploring them, why not rent a Nissan Micra or fly coach? It's got 4 wheels and and engine just like any other car, Warren Buffet as I've mentioned used to take the subway to Goldman Sacchs whilst every other CEO in the company was chauffer driven - he isn't going to lose investment by looking like he's trying to save money, if anything he's going to show investors that their money won't be spent frivilously, rather used wisely imo - you may not necessarily agree with that but it's how I'd go about things and tbh I think if he went about things this way he'd be getting positive press instead of articles looking to burn him at the stake

PhatPiggins

Rebel20 wrote: »

The SU rack up some fairly hefty expenses too but we don't hear any complaining about that do we???

Source?

Or is this just speculation?

Byron85

PhatPiggins wrote: »

Source?

Or is this just speculation?

I can't remember how much money exactly the S.U get every year, but it is by no means a small amount. Also the S.U President gets a tidy wage too.

ReacherCreature

Rebel20 wrote: »

The SU rack up some fairly hefty expenses too but we don't hear any complaining about that do we???

Eh no because you haven't enclosed a link/report/article of the SU's expenses so we can't even begin to comment. Papa_Lazarou left a link about the President and thus we're 'complaining' about it. We can't discuss the Student Union's expenses because we've nothing to discuss. Show some proof and I'll happily complain. :pac:

samf

Rebel20 wrote: »

The SU rack up some fairly hefty expenses too but we don't hear any complaining about that do we???

Getting banned from one UCC Forum clearly wasnt enough for you I see?

samf

T.W.H Byron wrote: »

Also the S.U President gets a tidy wage too.

If by tidy wage you mean the minimum wage, then yes you're right.

Eliot Rosewater

T.W.H Byron wrote: »

I can't remember how much money exactly the S.U get every year, but it is by no means a small amount.

Is it not €100 per student or something similar, taken out of the reg fee? Which would mean €1.7 million altogether.

I may be am completely wrong (see below)

samf

€1.7 million?? Haha I wish. Its more around the 400k mark unfortunately. Anyone interested in the unions finances feel free to attend class council tonight at 7pm in boole 3, there'll be a breakdown of finances so far this year for the union.

Byron85

samf wrote: »

If by tidy wage you mean the minimum wage, then yes you're right.

€400 a week (I think) for being S.U President? Boo hoo. :rolleyes:

Rebel20

samf wrote: »

Getting banned from one UCC Forum clearly wasnt enough for you I see?

The reason I was banned is because SU hacks such as yourself didn't want me exposing your own tidy perks. Disgraceful to be honest. The amount of money the SU spend every year is frightening. And don't talk to me about the Guild. It must be the only part of the college that makes a profit. Well besides the SU...

samf

I realise this isnt appropriate discussion for this thread as its totally off topic, but just so people know the above user was banned this week from the UCC forum for creating double accounts, blatantly refusing to follow any rules on the boards, and insulting practically every user.

He also just PM'd me saying:

Try banning me from this. I'll cause you even more trouble now. No matter how many times you try, you won't get rid of me. Get used to it.

Welcome to boards.ie Rebel20.

Byron85

samf wrote: »

I realise this isnt appropriate discussion for this thread as its totally off topic, but just so people know the above user was banned this week from the UCC forum for creating double accounts, blatantly refusing to follow any rules on the boards, and insulting practically every user.

He also just PM'd me saying:


Welcome to boards.ie Rebel20.

Yikes.