UCD President, Andrew Deeks, will serve his last day in charge of Ireland’s largest university on the 25th of March, with the interim Presidency to be undertaken by Professor Mark Rogers from the following day. A farewell ceremony is being planned for the afternoon of his departure.
Deeks originally announced his intention to resign from the role back in December via a special bulletin to the staff of the University. At the time, Deeks stated he was resigning in order to take up the role of Vice-Chancellor at Murdoch University in his hometown of Perth, Western Australia.
Deeks took up the position of 9th President of UCD in 2014, and will be replaced by the current Deputy President and Registrar, Mark Rogers. Rogers will become Acting President and will hold that role until the Governing Authority appoints the next President. A new president will be appointed via a multi-stage process which will feature voices and representatives of the the student body in UCD.
The University are also seeking for applications from existing staff members to fulfil the roles vacated by Professor Rogers during his temporary tenure as Interim President,
Why is Deeks leaving?
In the special bulletin announcing his departure from UCD, Deeks said; ‘I have greatly enjoyed my time at UCD, despite the various challenges Irish Universities have faced over these eight years. I have been constantly impressed by the dedication and commitment of our faculty and staff, by the talent and achievement of our students, by the generous support we have received from alumni and philanthropists, and by the productive partnerships we have formed with companies and organisations.’
He went on to explain his decision to resign before the end of his 10-year term, saying ‘the opportunity to return to my hometown to lead a university which is well-positioned to thrive in this time of disruption and opportunity, a time where the need to build a sustainable global society is increasingly recognised was one I could not pass up.’
The role of Vice-Chancellor at Murdoch University has recently been vacated by the new President of Maynooth University, Eeva Leinonen.
Hugh Dooley – News Editor
Additional reporting: Conor Paterson – Co Editor
