Sir, - There is no need for Drapier to hide behind anonymity in his/her attack on the autonomy of TCD (August 24th). The University Bill does not tolerate even a single autonomous university in the state, but it is not yet law. "Universities must stand as centres of independent thought, free without fear or hindrance to pursue truth, to question and criticise established orthodoxies, to create and express ideas and to communicate knowledge" (Provost Mitchell, Trinity Today, 1995/6).
The Provost stated also that universities "must be structured and governed in such a way that they are subservient to no political or economic power and incur no risk of becoming an arm of government or instruments for the achievement of particular political goals. On the contrary, it is essential that they be shielded from political pressures and short term political needs and from transient or ill considered perceptions or relevance or utility, so that the constant values of education and the pursuit of learning can be preserved and consistency of purpose maintained, with decision making based on stable, academic criteria. This is the essence of the autonomy that universities have traditionally enjoyed, and in no other way can their intellectual vitality and value be maintained."
The opposition to the Universities Bill rests on these principles and has nothing to do with "the Byzantine politics of our oldest university". Perhaps if the Government understood the collegiate nature of TCD, it might be less keen to abolish it?
Drapier asks if "the Government's willingness to allow Trinity to produce a Private Bill to change its own charter was a reasonable and sensible via media for all sides?" The draft private Bill mirrors the public Bill. It is a device by which the Government seeks to persuade public opinion here, in Northern Ireland, Britain, North America and elsewhere, that TCD's loss of autonomy is voluntary.
Drapier expresses a belated concern for the NUI charters: "Are not the charters of Galway and Cork 150 years old?" Section 28 of the Universities Bill states that "charters remain in force and shall have full effect after that commencement to the extent, and only to the extent, that they are not in conflict with this Act". College statutes fare no better. Section 29 states that all university statutes "are hereby repealed to the extent that they are in conflict with this Act".
All Irish universities, not just TCD, become quangos under the Universities Bill. Irish education is being overwhelmed by statism. This is a contest for the soul of Ireland. Drapier should drop the mask. - Yours, etc.,
Department of Economics,
Trinity College,
Dublin.