Sir, – I congratulate Prof Linda Doyle on her election as provost of Trinity College Dublin ("Trinity College Dublin names Linda Doyle as first woman provost in 429 years", News, April 10th).
During the campaign, Prof Doyle made several key commitments to early-career academics, particularly precariously employed adjunct staff. At the Irish Federation of University Teachers hustings she promised to ensure they were paid for every hour worked in class preparation and marking time, and to consult with unions in determining a fair hourly rate.
She also made a clear commitment in her manifesto to reverse the trend towards increased and long-term reliance on precarious labour by creating new permanent posts.
In my view, the real success of Prof Doyle’s provostship will be determined by whether she can fulfil the commitments she made to those employees of Trinity College who have least power within the institution. – Yours, etc,
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Dr NIALL KENNEDY,
Department of French,
Trinity College Dublin,
Dublin 2.