Trinity College Dublin's law department has rejected restructuring plans put forward by the college's provost, Dr John Hegarty, by refusing to consider merging with any other school or department.
In a sign of growing resistance among the college community to proposed changes, senior academics in several other departments, including English and economics, have warned they will resist any change to their status.
Many of TCD's science departments, as well as its arts faculty, are understood to have reservations about such a move, while Mr Francis Kieran, president of TCD Students Union, has also said it opposes the plans.
In a meeting with the college's senior academics or fellows last week, Dr Hegarty came under attack for refusing to engage in real consultation on the proposed reform.
He is also understood to have been told that the law department would not be amalgamated with any other department under any circumstances. This followed a vote last week by the Law School Committee supporting such a stance.
One source at the meeting said it was the "angriest and most forthright" fellows' meeting they had ever attended, while another said many present felt Dr Hegarty had provided insufficient evidence that the proposed changes were necessary.
However, Dr Hegarty last night defended his plans for the university, and stressed that last week's meeting formed part of a wider "bottom-up" series of meetings with college interests. Nothing had yet been decided.
"There is a process in place, and everybody in the college is engaged in this debate. This is very healthy...The outcome is going to be extremely interesting."
It was unclear last night what action the college will take now that the law department has refused to consider amalgamating.