Waterford University discussion

imacman

Technological Universities in the programme for government

The new Government will support the creation of Technological Universities. These regional institutions will have greater links to industry and will have an enormous impact on our capacity to create and retain jobs in regions. We will prioritise those institutions with clear ambitions and plans for the furthering of industry-relevant technological research and education. The requirement of a mandatory merger of existing institutions can be reviewed, if a case can be proven, that for geographical reasons, a merger isn’t feasible.

Last sentence is the out for WIT /ITC merger

http://www.wlrfm.com/news/local/65826-waterford-td-confident-wit-can-stand-alone-in-uni-bid.html

Wanderer78

imacman wrote: »

Technological Universities in the programme for government

The new Government will support the creation of Technological Universities. These regional institutions will have greater links to industry and will have an enormous impact on our capacity to create and retain jobs in regions. We will prioritise those institutions with clear ambitions and plans for the furthering of industry-relevant technological research and education. The requirement of a mandatory merger of existing institutions can be reviewed, if a case can be proven, that for geographical reasons, a merger isn’t feasible.

Last sentence is the out for WIT /ITC merger

http://www.wlrfm.com/news/local/65826-waterford-td-confident-wit-can-stand-alone-in-uni-bid.html

lets hope this isnt just a rebadge as was with the IT's in the nineties.

invara

All quiet on the university front. Another quiet year where nothing happened.

invara

invara wrote: »

All quiet on the university front. Another quiet year where nothing happened.

Sure I just finished my 3 year course in WIT and I was told when I started that it would be a 'Technical University' by the time I graduated :pac:

Max Powers

[Deleted User] wrote: »

Sure I just finished my 3 year course in WIT and I was told when I started that it would be a 'Technical University' by the time I graduated :pac:

When I was there it was gonna be university.on saying that, the place has expanded with new facilities massively since I was there and it is still an excellent college, comparing that to the other uni and IT I attended, changing name won't do anything, rather some proper investment than empty promises.

Max Powers

Max Powers wrote: »

When I was there it was gonna be university.on saying that, the place has expanded with new facilities massively since I was there and it is still an excellent college, comparing that to the other uni and IT I attended, changing name won't do anything, rather some proper investment than empty promises.

Yeah I can't fault the palce, huge majority of the lecturers really want to help. There is the few that just aren't arsed but in the small minority.

imacman

University debate is now a sideshow, there is no real appetite in Carlow or Waterford to merge. Its folly for WIT to spend money on this merger when the institute is so starved of funds.The HEA wants WIT to balance its budget by increasing student numbers but how is possible with barely enough funding to keep the place running and zero investment improve or upgrade things.

Terrible mistakes where made by WIT by allowing campus services have so much power and hiring too many under qualified lecturing staff who now are loading up the wage bill but campaign of austerity been inflicted on it now will only damage the place.

Harry Palmr

Waterford IT needs to go rogue - leave the state education structure and pitch itself at the (mainly American) tech sector in a quid pro quo - invest in us and we'll work as a private 100% commercial tech university for you. Waterford is cheap relatively speaking, has space to expand and has a ready labour supply that would in all truth work for less than Cork or Dublin.

blue note

http://www.rte.ie/news/business/2016/0919/817582-limerick-development-project/

I was reading about this development yesterday in Limerick. €1.3bn invested already - 7,800 jobs. Another €500m to be invested - 5,000 jobs. And then I was thinking about Waterford's unemployment in recent years and our struggles with the "regional" hospital and upgrading the WIT. The government doesn't view the Southeast as a viable region and doesn't want to do anything to encourage it. I remember when Dell closed in Limerick almost immediately there was an announcement of an enormous investment in UL (I think €160m or something like that). Now they're pumping money into the city again to help to ignite it. Throughout all of the recession I never remember anything on a scale like that for Waterford even though our economy was harder hit than anyones.

The fact that the government went out of their way in their recent report (on cardiac services in Waterford) to understate the catchment area so ridiculously shows me that they have no intention of entertaining the Southeast as a region. They're saying that we have about half the population to support the services. And if they did anything to upgrade the WIT to a university it would strengthen the Southeast as a region. This is the last thing the government want.

It's sad to see, but our city has been getting weaker and weaker all my life. During the Celtic Tiger we saw less of the prosperity, but then when the recession came we were hit worse than anyone. It's been the same with Fine Gael and it's been the same with Fianna Fail. It's downright sad, but I just don't see it changing. The other cities will continue to grow and Waterford will become more similar to towns like Sligo and Athlone than Limerick and Galway.

The only way we'll see the WIT become a university is if it's a name change like we had 20 years ago when everything became an IT. But I can't ever see a time when we'll be on the same level as Cork, Limerick, Galway and Dublin.

gw80

blue note wrote: »

http://www.rte.ie/news/business/2016/0919/817582-limerick-development-project/

I was reading about this development yesterday in Limerick. €1.3bn invested already - 7,800 jobs. Another €500m to be invested - 5,000 jobs. And then I was thinking about Waterford's unemployment in recent years and our struggles with the "regional" hospital and upgrading the WIT. The government doesn't view the Southeast as a viable region and doesn't want to do anything to encourage it. I remember when Dell closed in Limerick almost immediately there was an announcement of an enormous investment in UL (I think €160m or something like that). Now they're pumping money into the city again to help to ignite it. Throughout all of the recession I never remember anything on a scale like that for Waterford even though our economy was harder hit than anyones.

The fact that the government went out of their way in their recent report (on cardiac services in Waterford) to understate the catchment area so ridiculously shows me that they have no intention of entertaining the Southeast as a region. They're saying that we have about half the population to support the services. And if they did anything to upgrade the WIT to a university it would strengthen the Southeast as a region. This is the last thing the government want.

It's sad to see, but our city has been getting weaker and weaker all my life. During the Celtic Tiger we saw less of the prosperity, but then when the recession came we were hit worse than anyone. It's been the same with Fine Gael and it's been the same with Fianna Fail. It's downright sad, but I just don't see it changing. The other cities will continue to grow and Waterford will become more similar to towns like Sligo and Athlone than Limerick and Galway.

The only way we'll see the WIT become a university is if it's a name change like we had 20 years ago when everything became an IT. But I can't ever see a time when we'll be on the same level as Cork, Limerick, Galway and Dublin.

Sad to say it but your probably right,
We are probably to far behind already.
It seems like the region is being split up between Dublin an cork,

Wanderer78

a very good article by fintan o'toole, even though not directly about wit, i do feel, hes hitting the nail on the head about our future plans for our educational system:

http://www.irishtimes.com/opinion/fintan-o-toole-between-aspiration-and-reality-we-build-a-bridge-of-bull****-1.2797129#.V-EOhMq1qoI.twitter

deisemum

Some students are being short-changed in WIT.

I've got two sons there and my older son is in his last year and he found out this week that there's a chance his year wont graduate because they haven't got a lecturer for one of his modules since the lecturer that used to teach it retired 2 years ago. The students union are involved now.

Wanderer78

deisemum wrote: »

Some students are being short-changed in WIT.

I've got two sons there and my older son is in his last year and he found out this week that there's a chance his year wont graduate because they haven't got a lecturer for one of his modules since the lecturer that used to teach it retired 2 years ago. The students union are involved now.

what course is that?

deisemum

Criminal Justice Studies

imacman

Meanwhile some other lecturers are not even doing their full hours and getting paid,others dont show up for classes routinely and a percentage arent up-skilling enough to keep up with changes in the real world. I feel sorry for those really hard working lecturers who go above and beyond for their students but are treated exactly the same as those who contribute very little.

85% of WITs budget goes on staff costs , they need to get more out of the poor preforming academics going forward as they cant get rid of them

Whatsisname

One of my lecturers introduced himself to the class by verbally abusing all of us and doubting our career prospects while telling of how he didn't want us but got forced to take us. Not to mention the tangent he went on about how if "nanny pops her clogs" assignments need to be handed up regardless, 3 days after one of the girls grandmother was buried. After she left crying, and lodged a formal complaint about his behaviour and attitude, he told her at the start of the next class that he didn't want to apologise but was told he had to. And the mans been showing this total ignorance and lack of respect for years and getting away with it.

Stealing a living.

lassykk

Whatsisname wrote: »

One of my lecturers introduced himself to the class by verbally abusing all of us and doubting our career prospects while telling of how he didn't want us but got forced to take us. Not to mention the tangent he went on about how if "nanny pops her clogs" assignments need to be handed up regardless, 3 days after one of the girls grandmother was buried. After she left crying, and lodged a formal complaint about his behaviour and attitude, he told her at the start of the next class that he didn't want to apologise but was told he had to. And the mans been showing this total ignorance and lack of respect for years and getting away with it.

Stealing a living.

Jesus that's shocking. What course is that? Don't want to ask you for the lecturers name as don't think that would be allowed!

Musicman2000

Whatsisname wrote: »

One of my lecturers introduced himself to the class by verbally abusing all of us and doubting our career prospects while telling of how he didn't want us but got forced to take us. Not to mention the tangent he went on about how if "nanny pops her clogs" assignments need to be handed up regardless, 3 days after one of the girls grandmother was buried. After she left crying, and lodged a formal complaint about his behaviour and attitude, he told her at the start of the next class that he didn't want to apologise but was told he had to. And the mans been showing this total ignorance and lack of respect for years and getting away with it.

Stealing a living.

Shocking carry on . The problem is once they are permeant as mentioned above by imacman its very hard to get rid of them, even after lodging complaints .

Whatsisname

lassykk wrote: »

This post has been deleted.

Won't say his name but its the visual communications course. The amount of problems myself and our course in general have had since we started is shocking and we're in 4th year, so the last of our worries should be lecturers behaviour.

Regarding the complaint, the head of humanities basically fobbed off the girl, and told her to attend counselling, great support from the college as always.

bekosam

Whatsisname wrote: »

Won't say his name but its the visual communications course. The amount of problems myself and our course in general have had since we started is shocking and we're in 4th year, so the last of our worries should be lecturers behaviour.

Regarding the complaint, the head of humanities basically fobbed off the girl, and told her to attend counselling, great support from the college as always.

I know exactly who you're talking about as I had him in my 4th year visual communications last year also. He went on random tangents about how men and women have different minds ("women think like this, men think like this") and how he doesn't want muslims in the class if he can't see their face as he "wants to know who he's talking to." (This was on his very first class with us btw) Those were the highlights but there was plenty of sh*t he talked about and when the class called him out he would backtrack and say "no that's not what I meant." There was a complaint sent in about him i believe, the reply we got was "it isn't the first time." I assume that's why he didn't want to teach your class because of the sh*t he got from us. So it's good to see he's still up to his usual sh*t stirring and getting away with it. He just seems like a creepy old lad who know's he aint got much time left teaching so he stopped caring.

invara

There is a formal process to make a complaint about the content of a lecture, which is to raise it, ideally in writing, with your Head of Department. If you are uncomfortable about doing this contact the students union or even your class rep. While lecturers have, and need, a degree of latitude over what they say in a class, they are accountable. WIT (like most higher education institutions) has robust anti-discrimination rules, but for them to work, people have to raise a complaint in an appropriate way.

Whatsisname

bekosam wrote: »

I know exactly who you're talking about as I had him in my 4th year visual communications last year also. He went on random tangents about how men and women have different minds ("women think like this, men think like this") and how he doesn't want muslims in the class if he can't see their face as he "wants to know who he's talking to." (This was on his very first class with us btw) Those were the highlights but there was plenty of sh*t he talked about and when the class called him out he would backtrack and say "no that's not what I meant." There was a complaint sent in about him i believe, the reply we got was "it isn't the first time." I assume that's why he didn't want to teach your class because of the sh*t he got from us. So it's good to see he's still up to his usual sh*t stirring and getting away with it. He just seems like a creepy old lad who know's he aint got much time left teaching so he stopped caring.

Sounds all about right. Seems to have a sincere dislike for us design students for no apparent reason. Wonder if he's like this to other courses. My first class with him will be on Tuesday after missing the previous two classes due to work, should be entertaining to see if he has a go at me for being out.

invara wrote: »

There is a formal process to make a complaint about the content of a lecture, which is to raise it, ideally in writing, with your Head of Department. If you are uncomfortable about doing this contact the students union or even your class rep. While lecturers have, and need, a degree of latitude over what they say in a class, they are accountable. WIT (like most higher education institutions) has robust anti-discrimination rules, but for them to work, people have to raise a complaint in an appropriate way.

All of which has been done, the student union are currently involved and the officer we've involved has experienced him first hand which is a nice benefit. Something needs to be done by the college about him but I won't hold my breath.

BBM77

http://www.rte.ie/news/2016/1110/830628-universities-oireachtas-surplus/

Interesting statement by the president of the Irish Universities Association

“…by 2030 the sector would have to accommodate an additional 48,000 students. That, he said, was the equivalent of building UCD and the Dublin Institute of Technology all over again.”

It is a pretty amazing given the hostility the current universities have to WIT being upgraded and the governments refusal to upgrade WIT based on among other things their claim that there is no need for another university in Ireland. Smacks of screw you we want it all to me.

Kadser

bekosam wrote: »

I know exactly who you're talking about as I had him in my 4th year visual communications last year also.

What is 'visual communications' and can you get a job out of it?

blue note

BBM77 wrote: »

http://www.rte.ie/news/2016/1110/830628-universities-oireachtas-surplus/

Interesting statement by the president of the Irish Universities Association

“…by 2030 the sector would have to accommodate an additional 48,000 students. That, he said, was the equivalent of building UCD and the Dublin Institute of Technology all over again.”

It is a pretty amazing given the hostility the current universities have to WIT being upgraded and the governments refusal to upgrade WIT based on among other things their claim that there is no need for another university in Ireland. Smacks of screw you we want it all to me.

I don't think they're suggesting building another err university. They're saying they need to be expanded.

PolaroidPizza

A Statement by 'Irish universities association'
Pretty impartial so. No vested interest at all I'm sure

BBM77 wrote: »

http://www.rte.ie/news/2016/1110/830628-universities-oireachtas-surplus/

Interesting statement by the president of the Irish Universities Association

“…by 2030 the sector would have to accommodate an additional 48,000 students. That, he said, was the equivalent of building UCD and the Dublin Institute of Technology all over again.”

It is a pretty amazing given the hostility the current universities have to WIT being upgraded and the governments refusal to upgrade WIT based on among other things their claim that there is no need for another university in Ireland. Smacks of screw you we want it all to me.

imacman

The university debate is redundant until WIT and the other ITs get more capital investment. WIT is on its knees with crumbling infrastructure but still serving 8,000 students with growing numbers going forward. I find it laughable that anyone could even consider pouring money into a TU bid while the IT infrastructure needs massive investment and the WIT science labs are running at 100% capacity.

Wanderer78

imacman wrote:

The university debate is redundant until WIT and the other ITs get more capital investment. WIT is on its knees with crumbling infrastructure but still serving 8,000 students with growing numbers going forward. I find it laughable that anyone could even consider pouring money into a TU bid while the IT infrastructure needs massive investment and the WIT science labs are running at 100% capacity.

'Defunding' comes to mind again

callaway92

At the graduations Willie Donnelly's speeches were confident of a University merger eventually happening sooner rather than later. I couldn't help but laugh to myself. They have never been further away from it.

callaway92

callaway92 wrote: »

At the graduations Willie Donnelly's speeches were confident of a University merger eventually happening sooner rather than later. I couldn't help but laugh to myself. They have never been further away from it.

Yeah I found it a bit funny. When I started WIT in 2013 they were telling me that a Technical University is about to happen soon and there I was sitting at my graduation and they are still saying it will happen soon