THE role of the Higher Education Authority in the affairs of universities has been considerably reduced in amendments to the universities Bill proposed by the Minister for Education, Ms Breathnach, yesterday.
The 106 amendments include an explicit statement of the principles of academic freedom and provision for more staff and students on governing bodies.
Ms Breathnach said the changes were consistent with the Bill's original objectives but Fianna Fail accused her of drafting "a new universities Bill".
The block on borrowing without ministerial consent has been removed. Borrowing will be in accordance with a framework agreed with the HEA, the universities and the finance and education ministers.
The amended Bill also deletes four sections on action that may be taken if a university departs from HEA spending guidelines, including the publication of a report on spending disputes. Guidelines on staff numbers and grades and the allocation of budgets "shall not be binding".
The amendments also stress the primary responsibility of the universities on quality assurance and determining fees.
According to the Department of Education, the guidelines were never meant to be mandatory but the amendment of the HEA's role represents a considerable departure. The HEA had earlier proposed 56 amendments, some of them in this area.
The amended Bill asserts the universities' "independent ethos" and "traditional principles of academic freedom". If there is conflict over any provisions, they should be interpreted in a manner which promotes the universities' ethos. The Department had earlier been concerned about the implications of including these principles in law, but Department sources claimed there had never been any intention of interfering with academic freedom.
The maximum size of a governing body will be increased from 31 to 38, with more staff and students represented. Academic staff representation increases from four to five and non-academic staff from two to three. Up to four students may also sit on a governing body, including one postgraduate. All will now have to be elected.
The suspension of a governing body will now require the consent of the university visitor (a High Court judge, either active or retired), who will have the right to appoint a replacement.
The Bill was welcomed by the Trinity College board as "acceptable overall".
The Conference of Heads of Irish Universities said the amended Bill represented a "reasonable response" to its concerns and it would "advocate support" for it.
. The Dublin Institute of Technology will not be included in the provisions of the Bill.
The DIT has been extended the power to award its own degrees, to take effect from 1998. The DIT's degrees are currently awarded by TCD.
The president of the DIT, Dr Brendan Goldsmith, said he was happy that degree-awarding status had been given to the DIT but said it was "surprising" that the institute had not been given university status as recommended by an International Review Team.