Update on the implementation of the GMIT Mayo Working Group Plan

In March 2017 a working group was convened by the Minister for Education to consider the challenges faced by the Mayo Campus of GMIT.  The working group produced a report in October 2017. The report included 33 recommendations.  The first three recommendations - appointment of a permanent Head of campus at Vice President level, establishment of a sub-committee of the Governing Body, to represent external stakeholders in the region, and the appointment of an independent expert facilitator to work with all the relevant stakeholders to oversee the transition to the future structure and operational model set out in the report, were seen as pre-requisites to the remaining recommendations. 

Of the first three recommendations, a sub-committee of the Governing Body has been established and has met regularly.  Mr Kieran Mulvey has been appointed as the facilitator. Dr Richard Thorn has been appointed as an interim Head of campus pending the appointment on a full-time basis of a permanent Vice President Mayo Campus.

M Mulvey’s role will be to oversee the transition to the future structure and operational model following full implementation of the report and to facilitate better communications and higher levels of trust between stakeholders. 

Dr Thorn’s role will be to develop the report into a three-year implementable plan with clear task timelines, responsibilities and performance measurement mechanisms and metrics in conjunction with all stakeholders and to ensure an orderly transition to a permanent Vice President, Mayo Campus.

The post of permanent Vice President for the Mayo campus has been advertised nationally and is expected to be filled in the final quarter of 2018.

Work has already begun on developing an implementation plan.  This is being developed in consultation with GMIT management, campus staff and the sub-committee meetings which are being held in coming weeks.  It is expected that the working plan will complete the consultation process by the middle of September.

The Mayo campus has gone through a challenging last few years and there will be further difficult decisions taken to ensure the long term viability of the campus.  However, the report, the appointment of Mr Mulvey, the interim appointment of Dr Thorn and the establishment of the sub-committee provide a blueprint for future success.

Independent Facilitator

The role of the Independent Facilitator will include;
1) To oversee the transition to the future structure and operational model set out in the report of the working group.  He/she will work in collaboration with the VP of Mayo Campus and report on progress to the Governing Body and the Mayo Campus sub-committee of the Governing Body.
2) To facilitate better communication between management and staff of the Mayo Campus, Executive Board, Mayo Campus sub-committee of the Governing Body and other relevant stakeholders.
3) To foster trust and collaboration between all stakeholders and to make recommendations on any interventions which could be helpful in this regard.
The initial appointment will cover the remainder of 2018. Mr Kieran Mulvey has been appointed to this role.

Interim Head of Campus – Mayo
The interim Head of Campus will focus on the implementation of the working group report. Richard Thorn has been appointed to this role. Specifically, the role will involve:
1. Develop, in consultation with internal stakeholders, the report of the working group into a three-year implementable plan with clear task timelines, responsibilities and performance measurement mechanisms and metrics.
2. Work with the GMIT Governing Body, President, Executive, Castlebar Staff, Castlebar Sub-committee and Facilitator to develop a clear understanding of the implementation plan and the various responsibilities.
3. Report, as needed to the President, Governing Body and Castlebar Sub-Committee on the implementation of the Working Group Report.
4. Work closely with the independent facilitator to ensue that the Working Group Report is implemented as intended.
5. Oversee the execution of the implementation plan during the period that a permanent Head of Campus is being appointed.
6. Ensure the orderly transition of the implementation of the Working Group Report to the permanent Head of Campus.
7. The Interim Head of Campus will not have responsibility for day to day matters such as campus maintenance, HR and timetabling except insofar as the oversight of these has a bearing on the implementation of the Working Group Report.
8. The Interim Head of Campus will ensure that a draft of 1. above is available for dissemination to staff in September 2018.  The role will continue until end of Semester 1 or until the arrival on-site of a permanent Head of Campus, whichever is the sooner.

Permanent VP for the Mayo campus
This post is advertised nationally and the Institute expects to appoint the VP during Q4, 2018.

Richard Thorn Profile:
President Emeritus, Institute of Technology, Sligo
Forty years of management, senior management, leadership, governance and research experience in public, private and not-for-profit education, sporting and other organisations. Recent and current projects include an investigation of governance and administration at an Irish university and a statutory investigation of a further education and training board.
Richard Thorn was the first Head of Campus at the Mayo campus, is a former President/Director of IT Sligo, the author of ‘No Artificial Limits – Ireland’s Regional Technical Colleges’ - a biography of the RTCs and IoTs published by the Institute of Public Administration, is the current Chairperson of the Board of the National College of Art and Design and is a Commissioner on the State Examinations Commission.

Kieran Mulvey Profile:
Since February 1991, Kieran Mulvey has served as the first Chief Executive of the Labour Relations Commission. He has been appointed to four successive terms of Office by various Governments and has served in this position for 25 years. He retired from Government service in June 2016 as Director General of the Workplace Relations Commission. Between 2010 – 2015 he chaired the three transformative Public Service Agreements (Croke Park / Haddington Road / Lansdowne Road) which contributed significantly to Ireland’s Economic Recovery. (A reduction of €3.6 billion on the public payroll) and the maintenance of industrial peace in this volatile economic period.

Read the full report on the Sustainable Plan for the Mayo campus of GMIT:
https://www.education.ie/en/Press-Events/Press-Releases/2017-Press-Releases/sustainable-plan-for-the-mayo-campus-of-galway-mayo-institute-of-technology-report-from-the-working-group.pdf

ENDS

Issued by Regina Daly, GMIT Communications Officer
Tel 091 742826/ 087-9618355 (m) email: regina.daly@gmit.ie