John Hughes leaving

EyesLeft

He seems to have a new job

http://www.bangor.ac.uk/news/full.php.en?Id=1328

Michellenman

Any word on who will replace him?

Ostrom

Nice to hear about this via. overseas press...respectful administration as ever.

I really, really hope it isn't an internal promotion.

banquo

efla wrote: »

Nice to hear about this via. overseas press...respectful administration as ever.

They must have heard you Just got an all-students email about it.

banquo

Now taking bets on the successor.

TouchingVirus

Wow, I have to say I didn't expect this news. I've met him on a number of occassions and he's a genuinely nice man who seemed to thrive on what he was doing for NUI Maynooth with partnerships with industry and getting more research funding. He's definitely been very successful and best of luck in his new role.

Michellenman

Dear Students

I wish to inform you that the Governing Authority of NUI Maynooth has accepted, with regret, the resignation of University President, Professor John Hughes, effective from 30th Sept 2010. Professor Hughes will assume a new position as Vice Chancellor of Bangor University, Wales. The Governing Authority will now begin the process to recruit his successor.

In Professor Hughes’ six years as President, NUI Maynooth has been transformed into one of the most successful research-led institutions in Ireland. Student numbers have doubled in size to 8,000, CAO first preferences have increased by 50%, research income has tripled to ˆ34 million, postgraduate student numbers have increased by more than 50%, to 1,800 and there has been a significant increase in the number of international students.

The University has developed strong links with industry, particularly our nearest neighbour Intel, and last year signed nine licence deals as well as spinning out three companies. Professor Hughes has also overseen the establishment of major partnerships between NUI Maynooth and universities in China, Europe and the US.

Professor Hughes has made an immense contribution to NUI Maynooth and while we are sorry he is leaving, we wish him the very best in his future career.

Kind regards


David Redmond,
Registrar

.

banquo

30 minutes ago, almost nobody online.

/all student email goes around

Half the flippin regulars online now.

Michellenman

Where's PrivateEye?!

funky penguin

Not that I would ever doubt you guys, but just a reminder to keep things civil please.

banquo

Michellenman wrote: »

Where's PrivateEye?!

I have contacted him.

Arfan

*huff huff* I got here as soon as I could. Now, what's all this about Tron news?

Mr Trade In

Wonder will Bertie throw his hat in for this.

BarryDoodles

He was very successful... I'm not happy he's leaving.

I wonder why he is leaving, more money?

Kinski

Fingers-crossed his replacement doesn't turn out to be Maynooth's answer to Hugh Brady.

LeixlipRed

A decision that directly affects my future as well :eek:

Ian Beale

LeixlipRed wrote: »

A decision that directly affects my future as well :eek:

Jaysus they'll let anyone apply for the job these days :pac:

leopoldbloom

While surprising, it should be noted that Prof. Hughes will stay in office until September.

I'll be fighting to ensure the SU has a significant say in his successor.

LeixlipRed

Hmmm, didn't think of applying, excellent idea

The Mad Hatter

efla wrote: »

Nice to hear about this via. overseas press...respectful administration as ever.

I really, really hope it isn't an internal promotion.

I've a friend who works in the computer centre. It looks like the press found out before the staff did.

EyesLeft

Welsh speakers not happy:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/wales/north_west_wales/10296299.stm

but it's ok because he brought NUI Maynooth from 10th to 4th in Ireland, by what measure isn't explained.

Ms. Koi

You can understand why they wouldn't be happy. They are very proud of their language.
Wonder who will be our new president?

ellison

If it is an internal promotion, I would love to see Prof. Mark Boyle get the job, he is a man of great insight and drive. I bet he would be great in the role.

banquo

ellison wrote: »

If it is an internal promotion, I would love to see Prof. Mark Boyle get the job, he is a man of great insight and drive. I bet he would be great in the role.

Hey Mark.

Ostrom

Would love to see Mark Boyle get it too but i would think him too young in the game Hughes was pleasant in person, but i'll remember him most for his support of fees, backseating over the treatment of our catering staff, non-support of contract staff during novembers union action, staggered slashing of pay for contract module teaching, grading and tutoring, and push for larger class sizes with reductions in student/lecturer ratios.

EyesLeft

It would be nice to see someone with experience of working in a genuinely good University get the job, which excludes Mark Boyle obviously. This place doesn't really know what it's trying to be, so someone from outside would be the best option.

Arfan

efla wrote: »

Hughes was pleasant in person, but i'll remember him most for his support of fees, backseating over the treatment of our catering staff, non-support of contract staff during novembers union action, staggered slashing of pay for contract module teaching, grading and tutoring, and push for larger class sizes with reductions in student/lecturer ratios.

Sounds like Cowen could put him to good use.

cython

efla wrote: »

Nice to hear about this via. overseas press...respectful administration as ever.

I really, really hope it isn't an internal promotion.

Press in the above post? Hardly. It was the PR office from the Bangor university.

A simple enough explanation, without dragging the authorities here through the mud, could be that he was offered and accepted the job with Bangor before resigning here (I mean he wasn't going to resign before he had a job to go to, was he?), so Bangor likely knew about the move sooner. Therefore they announce it slightly ahead of when NUIM are actually able to.

That may not be what happened, but I think it's worth considering before blaming the entire administration here for not being first with the news of the move.

LeixlipRed

EyesLeft wrote: »

Welsh speakers not happy:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/wales/north_west_wales/10296299.stm

but it's ok because he brought NUI Maynooth from 10th to 4th in Ireland, by what measure isn't explained.

Are there even ten Universities in the Republic?

Ian Beale

LeixlipRed wrote: »

Are there even ten Universities in the Republic?

If you want to get technical there's 8 or 9 shhhhh you :pac:

EyesLeft

@cython: don't be silly, he accepted another job and is resigning his post here early. He should of asked them to embargo the news until people here had been told, anything else, that is anything along the lines of what happened, is either incompetent or disrespectful.

It would also have been nice if his email indicated why he was leaving his job here four years early and hardly at an ideal time, in favour of a job which on the face of it is roughly equivalent.

Ostrom

cython wrote: »

Press in the above post? Hardly. It was the PR office from the Bangor university.

A simple enough explanation, without dragging the authorities here through the mud, could be that he was offered and accepted the job with Bangor before resigning here (I mean he wasn't going to resign before he had a job to go to, was he?), so Bangor likely knew about the move sooner. Therefore they announce it slightly ahead of when NUIM are actually able to.

That may not be what happened, but I think it's worth considering before blaming the entire administration here for not being first with the news of the move.

My comments are on the basis of past experience, and I am reasonably sure more than a few in senior admin knew of his intentions - my assumption, no evidence. Nor was I blaming the press; Bangor's PR office (or our comms equivalent) would have accepted a request to delay announcement before breaking the news to NUIM, which he evidently chose not to do.

Resignations and PR aside, they dont need this to drag themselves through the mud....

Nision

" In his current University in Maynooth he revitalised the use of Irish on campus, and academic meetings in Maynooth can now be conducted bilingually," said the university. "

Eh, when did this happen?

Ostrom

Nision wrote: »

" In his current University in Maynooth he revitalised the use of Irish on campus, and academic meetings in Maynooth can now be conducted bilingually," said the university. "

Eh, when did this happen?

They 'can' but aren't.

clikityclak

Joining the popular vote Mark Boyle for pres... he actually gives a sh1t about the student body, SOUND man

XxMCRxBabyxX

LeixlipRed wrote: »

Are there even ten Universities in the Republic?

Seven according to the lecturer I was talking to today! Seems there are quite a few interested in the job!

EyesLeft

Seven universities, but there is also RCSI and, in roughly descending order DIT, WIT, CIT, LIT, GMIT, AIT and DkIT have many of the characteristics of a university, would probably be designated universities elsewhere and some, by some metrics, rival NUI Maynooth

Ian Beale

There's only 8 that are officially classed as universitys, DCU ,UCD, UCC, NUIM, NUIG, UL, UD and TCD. Not sure how they do their rankings, maybe all 3rd level institutes are all thrown in together to make up the list.

EyesLeft

Seven: UD and TCD are two names for the same place! The Universities act allows every university to have two names, UD/TCD, UCD/NUID and so on.

The point is that Ireland has a slightly weird attitude that third level institutions can be split into two classes and only one of those should use the word university, however, there are more than seven institutions that have the characteristics that most people, here and certainly internationally, would attribute to a university. WIT and DIT have lots of students, lots of postgrads and quite a bit of research funding, before the two or three well funded research groups in NUI Maynooth, they may have rivaled it for research funding.

tootyflutty

clikityclak wrote: »

Joining the popular vote Mark Boyle for pres... he actually gives a sh1t about the student body, SOUND man

Awww yeaaaah I love that man!

Really is a decent, hard working man. Takes great interest in the well being of students and a real hard worker. Nawww, would love to be in any University if he were El Presidente.

BarryDoodles

I was speaking with someone close to Hughes... She was saying Jim something or other, the ex head of the geography department, is Hughes deputy president. An intrim president is yet too be decided upon.
It could be next March we'll get a proper President... It is not an internal position.

....I feel Gav Brady could fufill this position

EyesLeft

Presumably they don't have an interim president because nobody is willing to rule themselves out.

I hope we end up with someone external!

TouchingVirus

BarryDoodles wrote: »

I was speaking with someone close to Hughes... She was saying Jim something or other, the ex head of the geography department, is Hughes deputy president. An intrim president is yet too be decided upon.
It could be next March we'll get a proper President... It is not an internal position.

....I feel Gav Brady could fufill this position

Jim Walsh

The other VP is VP for Research and that's Ray O'Neill.

Vinoveritas

I think Prof. Tom Collins is the man for the new job...charismatic, innovative, with vast experience garnered across a range of academic departments within Maynooth, and a number of years as Director of Dundalk Institute. I hope he puts his name in the hat!! Go Tom Collins!!

Michellenman

Hello Tom Collins

Miss Lockhart

I love Tom Collins! I could listen to him all day

randylonghorn

Tbh, Tom Collins is probably the strongest internal candidate by a fair bit.

Mark, absolutely sound man that he is, wouldn't have the senior management experience.

Collins is a visionary, and someone who will talk to everyone and try to bring them with him rather than railroading them, and could do some really interesting things for the place.

I'd have a couple of minor concerns about him, but NUIM could do an awful lot worse.

EyesLeft

Didn't he leave his DkIT job early? The College will probably be wary of quitters after the current debacle!

randylonghorn

Debacle? Quitters?

People do occasionally move jobs a bit earlier than expected, 'tis hardly a crime.

Given that the President gets a 10 year maximum contract these days, and no-one at that level is ever foolish enough to wait until they're out of contract to start looking around (unless they're ready to retire), the Univ. would probably have expected JH to be making moves in about 2 years anyway. It has come a bit earlier than expected, certainly, but that hardly makes it a debacle!

EyesLeft

Don't be silly, or put another way, illustrate your statement with real world examples! Not easy to find one, the only close one I can think of is Sarah Palin and the Governship of Alaska and I can assure you the words quitter and debacle were often used.

This job, head of a university, is in the category of jobs were it is given on the assumption that you will have a vision and will welcome the opportunity to carry it through, not leave early and prematurely and in a time of great difficulty and hazard and certainly, certainly, not leave early for a comparable job while giving little enough notice that an interim has to be appointed.

LeixlipRed

Only one man for the job, Bertie.