Further UCD cutbacks

Stepherunie

The latest cutbacks in UCD really take the biscuit. Things have got so tough on campus that official visitors would be lucky to get a cuppa, never mind anything to go with it.

"The provision of tea, coffee, biscuits, etc, should be discourage and reduced," says a memo sent to staff, which adds that hospitality should not -- at any time -- be excessive or extravagant.

The visitor couldn't even be sure of a glass of water either, as the memo adds that "any necessary costs incurred in the provision of water dispensers should be reviewed and discontinued where possible".

And if the academics have to leave the campus for a meeting, they may have to take the train or the bus, rather than their car. "The frequency of off-site meetings and rental of external facilities should be reduced. Train and other public transport should be used where possible rather than use of private vehicles," it says.

Gone also are the days when they could fly off in business class to an interesting location for an academic conference.

"In view of the current financial climate and the substantial additional cost, business class should only be used in exceptional circumstances," says the memo, which adds that there has to be written approval from the college principal or vice-president.

It says that UCD is expecting a deficit of €15m this year and worse next year unless decisive action is taken to control costs. The university will have to find savings equal to 9-10pc for 2009 in order just to stand still.

The three-page memo, issued by the Bursar Gerry O'Brien and Registrar Dr Philip Nolan, goes into considerable detail on how to save money. Staff are told to only print e-mails if necessary; print in mono rather than colour; print double-sided rather than single-sided; and only produce business cards or customised stationery if strictly necessary.

All units should have a policy of minimising energy costs. "Lights and monitors should be turned off at night and for periods when areas are unmanned."

On advertising, the memo says that individual ads will no longer be used -- jobs will be grouped together and placed in an overall UCD ad, while colour advertising will be eliminated.

In future, staff will have to get approval in advance for proposed consultancy engagements, which cost more than €40,000. All consultancy engagements costing over €10,000 have to be reported to the Finance, Remuneration and Asset Management Committee.

Computers should only be replaced when necessary rather than on a set replacement period. New monitors should not automatically be purchased when replacing a system unit, it adds.

Interesting times at the moment, the pc replacement programme seems to be gone now.

TheJeanGenie

Where is this article from? I've been at UCD a week now and I haven't even seen a biscuit

graduate

Shock horror headline "Registrar takes biscuit".
Top class university, my ****

Stepherunie

Irish Independent today.

delta_bravo

Think they are all sensible ideas that should have been adopted years ago. Especially regarding light and heat. I remember one day walking into the arts block in july with hardly anyone around and the heating on and nearly all the lights on upstairs.

The library have been told to cut back aswell, they can also start with their heating and energy policy. It costs €40 an hour to power! Thats an unbelievable cost

Pride Fighter

UCD should supply its own power, a few wind turbines and solar panels would be a good investment.

I wonder if Hugh Brady will use economy class now:pac::pac:

TheJeanGenie

Pride Fighter wrote: »

UCD should supply its own power, a few wind turbines and solar panels would be a good investment.

I wonder if Hugh Brady will use economy class now:pac::pac:

His biscuits are probably flown first class over to him from the States

Redrover1999

delta_bravo wrote: »

Think they are all sensible ideas that should have been adopted years ago. Especially regarding light and heat. I remember one day walking into the arts block in july with hardly anyone around and the heating on and nearly all the lights on upstairs.

The library have been told to cut back aswell, they can also start with their heating and energy policy. It costs €40 an hour to power! Thats an unbelievable cost

But it's freezing in the library. Is this due to cutbacks? I'm cold!

33% God

Redrover1999 wrote: »

But it's freezing in the library. Is this due to cutbacks? I'm cold!

I'd rather be cold than asleep. Warm makes me sleepy.


Wear a jumper?

Tom65

Redrover1999 wrote: »

But it's freezing in the library. Is this due to cutbacks? I'm cold!

That's what book burning is for.


I'm surprised that they need a memo to know not to do things like leave the heat or lights or monitors on. Common sense, no?

convert

What's going on is ridiculous. UCD runs up huge debts, quite a lot of which stem from high consultancy fees, and the students end up paying for it! If If the library has to cut back on heating, does that also means that their budget for the purchasing of books, on-line journal subscriptions, etc?!

Moreover, there's been a recruitment freeze in place around the college all summer. If, for example, a secretary leaves from a school office, the school in question is unable to fill that position! It's ridiculous! And then the students and visitors to the campus have to deal with reduced opening hours, etc. And on top of it all, UCD are plamnning to spend a fortune on the 'Gateway Project'.

Btw, on that topic, did anybody else get a postcard through the mail inviting local residents to call into UCD this coming week to see the proposals. And guess what, the postcard, while printed on both sides, was in COLOUR! Plus the ads in the paper informing the nation of the plans, were, shock horror, also in colour!