Future of University DOMINATES Tonight's SRC Discussion

By Connor Bertie & Nick Whelan

"I'm not going to BS this room. There will be impact. In order for the university to survive, we have to lose staff." - Blair Grubb, Vice-Principal.

Blair Grubb opened tonight's Student Representative Council (SRC) meeting by providing an important update on the status of the alternative recovery plans that will shape the future of the University.

Pictured: University Vice-Principal Blair Grubb (right), alongside SRC Chair, Maud Verhoeven (centre) and Independent Member of Court, Marcus Flucker (Left). Source: Connor Bertie

Mentioning frequent weekly dialogue between Principal Shane O'Neill and government ministers, Blair explained that the new new voluntary redundancy scheme would be most attractive to those seeking to retire soon, if not in the near future.

As it stands, the current alternative recovery plan which remains in focus proposes 300 FTE voluntary redundancies, down from 700 mandatory job losses proposed earlier this year.

Due to the crisis currently facing the university, management are running on a "pessimistic" estimate for international student recruitment within the forthcoming 25/26 academic year. This would mean a drop in international student fees, and a loss of income for the university.

"We've been pessimistic because, if anything, last year we were overly optimistic." Admitted VP Grubb.

Discussions of motions were carried out pertaining to the reduced powers of the DUSA exec led by Tánaiste Custance, the incoming President of DUSA. Discussions are still ongoing due to "lack of clarity."

A motion urging the university to continue their support for trans and the wider LGBTQ+ student and staff community was also passed with 18 votes for, 1 abstaining and 1 against.

Tomorrow, the University Senate will decide upon the fate of the reduction from 8 schools to 3 faculties. If approved, it will go to court for a final approval on June 3rd.

An applicable meme from a galaxy far far away. Source: Lucasfilm

VP Grubb is also set to retire soon, and so this was his final SRC meeting. A fond farewell was delivered to him by all present.