THE NUI senate has expressed disappointment that the Minister for Education's position paper on new university legislation has not sufficiently recognised the importance of the universities' autonomy and academic freedom.
In its formal response to Ms Breathnach's proposals, which were published last November, the senate has welcomed her commitment to introduce legislation redesignating UCD, UCC, UCG and Maynooth College as universities in their own right. It suggests that the new constituent universities be titled the NUI, Dublin NUI, Cork NUI, Galway and NUI, Maynooth.
But it expressed concern at proposals which appeared to give the Higher Education Authority and the Minister "far reaching powers to control the details of the internal allocation of resources in a university and to intrude substantially into its day to day management".
The NUI and its colleges would be happy to discuss accountability procedures with the Minister and the HEA, the statement said, but the proposed additional controls were inappropriate for inclusion in new legislation.
The senate's response also criticised the position paper for "an excessively narrow view of the place of the university in a modern, enlightened and democratic society, especially its role as an independent critical voice.
Inadequate attention had been paid to the "deeper functions" of universities in the advancement of knowledge through research and scholarship, in developing the community's cultural life.
On the issue of gender balance the governing bodies, the senate said that targets would have to be achieved progressively "in view of the large number of constituencies proposed".
