NUACHTÁN SAOR IN AISCE VOL.19 Issue 1. 12 SEPT 2017
Student Independent News
Gaeilgeoir elected as new NUI Galway President By Sorcha O’Connor Dr Jim Brown will hand over the reins as NUI Galway president to his successor Professor Ciarán Ó hÓgartaigh next January. The 13th President of the university was elected last week, with the appointment ending Dr Jim Brown’s 10-year term in the role. An NUI Galway Commerce alumnus and fluent Irish speaker, Professor Ó hÓgartaigh will be transferring to the role from UCD where he served as Principal and Dean of UCD College of Business since 2011, leading its internationally-ranked, triple crownaccredited schools in Dublin including UCD Lochlann Quinn School of Business, UCD Michael Smurfit Graduate Business School and UCD Smurfit Executive Development. He also led the college’s overseas programmes in Hong Kong, Singapore and Sri Lanka and has worked in academic leadership roles in Victoria University of Wellington, New Zealand, and in Dublin City University. According to a statement released by NUI Galway, the newly appointed President has over 25 years of academic excellence in the fields of Finance, Accounting and Corporate Governance. He has a proven track record in internationalisation and in diversifying revenues,
through areas including research income and philanthropy, and serves on a number of national Audit Committees, including that of the State’s Department of Finance. Commenting on the appointment, Ms Justice Catherine McGuinness said she believed Professor Ó hÓgrataigh would “inspire” students and staff at NUI Galway and bring the “necessary experience and vision” to the role. “At the outset, we sought a leader who can inspire NUI Galway’s students and staff and take this remarkable University to new heights,” she said. “With a track record of leadership and achievement nationally and internationally, Professor Ciarán Ó hÓgartaigh brings both the necessary experience and vision to this role and I look forward to working with him as we chart the next stage in the University’s journey.” Dr Jim Brown welcomed the appointment last week, saying he thought the “walth of academic leadership experience” the new president would bring would help him lead the students and staff of NUI Galway. “Professor Ó hÓgartaigh brings a wealth of academic leadership experience as well as a proven track record in internationalisation. I welcome Ciarán to NUI Galway and wish him the very best in leading our terrific students and staff into a bright future where they can
fully realise their ambitions,” he said. The presidential race was not without its controversies, with many opposing the discontinuation of the Irish requirement for the role. However, despite the removal of the requirement the appointment is good
news for the Irish language, as the new president is fluent in Irish with English as his second language. Meanwhile, Professor Ó hÓgartaigh has already been called on to further the efforts of NUI Galway in promoting gender equality among staff in the university.
According to the Irish Times, Siptu have asked to meet Professor Ó hÓgartaigh to hear how he plans on tackling the issue, and have requested he settle the outstanding discrimination cases taken by five female lecturers in the university.
Free rent up for grabs from the Students’ Union By Sorcha O’Connor The NUI Galway Students’ Union have launched a survey online in which participants are in with a shout of winning the cost of their first month’s rent for taking part. One lucky student who fills in the survey investigating the housing crisis in Galway will walk away with a max of €500 in their pocket to cover a month’s rent. SU president Lorcán Ó Maoileannaigh told SIN he hoped the prize money would encourage students to take part
so that the SU could become more aware of the issues students in search of accommodation were facing. “We want to encourage students to take part in it. The intention is we pay for the person’s first month’s rent, so we are helping with the increasing rent prices as well,” he said. In his first semester of office, Lorcán said it was clear that this problem was not going away, with students coming in to the SU every day with housing issues. He explained the survey would produce “solid evidence” as to the extent of the problem.
“We have students coming in everyday with no accommodation but they were all anecdotal, we didn’t have solid evidence or solid numbers about what we were talking about. We spoke to the USI and they had a survey which we have adapted to be more local and specific for Galway students. “It’s to give a clearer picture to us as to what problems are being had so if we are speaking to anyone we can say, ‘This is what our respondents found.’ And also, we can identify which students are having the most issues, be that mature students, international students or whoever,” he said.
The prize money has been deducted from the SU’s running budget for the year, which is in part made up of the student levy. If the winning student is still without a roof over their head when the draw is made in two weeks’ time, they will receive the full amount of prize money. Head to NUI Galway’s SU Facebook page to take part. Meanwhile, there will be more opportunity for students to nab some free goodies this week at the SU Freshers Fair.
“The Students’ Union Freshers Fair is your chance to come down and have fun with lots of interactive games and there’s many prizes to be won,” said Lorcán. All students with an @nuigalway. ie leap card will be able to sign up free for the Coca Cola bikes dotted around the city, and Lorcán told SIN Handsome Burger and Brown Bag Donut will be on hand to feed anyone around Áras na Mac Léinn on Wednesday 13 September from 11am – 4pm.