Staff at Dundalk IT fear for the future of the Institute

Staff at Dundalk Institute of Technology (DkIT) are fearful for the future of the Institute after it was revealed that a proposed new “fifth school” that may operate outside of current practices and agreements, is being actively pursued.

This along with what the Teachers’ Union of Ireland (TUI) members at DkIT see as the “failure of DkIT's President's Office and Institute Administration” to pursue Technological University status, and other issues including has led to TUI members ballot for industrial action.

One lecturer at DkIT told the Democrat that “failure to act now and become part of a Technological University could be the beginning of the demise of Dundalk IT.”

Chairperson of the DkIT branch of the TUI, Mr Kenneth Sloane, said that the plans for the new school are “totally contrary to the traditional mission of IoTs (Institutes of Technology) - which is to have affordable high-quality education, with a view of taking people in the regions in the country and upskilling them so that you can attract investment and generate wealth.”

The Democrat has seen a document that indicates that the process of forming the new fee paying “fifth school” is already well underway.

A timeline on the document indicates that recruitment for a new Head of School has already begun and a new resourced school is aimed to be in place for January 2020.

In the document which has a working title of “New School of Flexible and Postgraduate Provision”, it indicates that the new school would have a “student cohort of circa 700-800 part-time, and part-time postgraduate taught students.”

The TUI, which represents teaching and research staff at DkIT, say staff are becoming increasingly concerned at the direction the Institute is taking, and the lack of consultation on the plans for the Institute's future.

In a survey carried out with staff in March 2019, over 80% of those who responded believed that the best option for the future of the Institute would be a “move towards a merger for Technological University now.”

The Democrat understands that staff at DkIT fear that their views are being ignored. One lecturer said to the Democrat that DkIT is the only institute of technology in the country not pursuing TU status and that “the situation couldn't be more grave.”

The TUI ballot for industrial action at DkIT is set to be complete by this Friday.

Should members vote for action, the measures are set to include: strike action; non-participation and non-cooperation with any work towards the establishment of new entities within DkIT and immediate withdrawal of TUI Academic Management grades from Institute level management bodies.