Provost of Trinity College Dublin sends email decrying student union’s threat of ‘serious financial and reputational damage’

In the email, circulated to students today, Provost Linda Doyle said: "Last night, shortly after 8pm, the Students’ Union issued a very concerning email to me and other members of the university, including the Board, promising to cause serious financial and reputational damage to Trinity College Dublin.

"It was accompanied by an ultimatum to remove, by close-of-business today, an item from the agenda of tomorrow’s meeting of the finance committee. The agenda item relates to fee rates for one-year master’s degrees."

The union sent an email to Ms Doyle and the Trinity board on Sunday night calling for the reversal of a proposed increase in fees for one-year master’s degrees.

It is proposed to increase single-year master’s fees by 2.3pc for the 2025/2026 academic year. Meanwhile, certain master’s programmes and non-EU courses could go up 10pc by then.

The email from the union said: “Provost Linda Doyle, this is your final and formal notice of escalation.

“Remove the master’s fee increases as well as the fee derogations amounting to more than +0.00% from the agenda of the Finance Committee of April 30th, and replace them with a fee-freeze proposal.

I am also aware of allegations about a toxic workplace environment in the Students’ Union this year and the email I received is also troubling in light of that

"If you fail to do so by April 29th COB, students will take actions that are seriously damaging to the reputation and finances of the university.”

In response, Ms Doyle said: “Irrespective of the pros and cons of the argument, which I discuss at regular meetings with the Students’ Union President, I know you will agree that threatening to “seriously damage” Trinity’s reputation and finances is just not acceptable.

“I am also aware of allegations about a toxic workplace environment in the Students’ Union this year and the email I received is also troubling in light of that.”

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Ms Doyle wrote in her email that she assumed the damage being threatened against Trinity’s finances referred to the blocking of the Book of Kells.

“Though Trinity is a public university, it cannot survive solely on Government funding and must find other sources of income. It would be great if that were not the case, but this is our reality,” she said.

“The income from the Book of Kells is therefore not ‘nice to have’ additional income. It is the income that keeps the university going and it supports initiatives such as the student hardship fund.”

TCD Students’ Union president Laszlo Molnarfi said students and the union were being “attacked” for taking action against the proposed fee increase. He said the email is “an unprecedented escalation by university management”.

"For a students’ union as for a trade union, it is perfectly natural for us to be able to escalate our action when our pleas go ignored,” he said.

Mr Molnarfi said the proposed increase to master’s fees would have “a very damaging impact” on access to education for people from “less privileged backgrounds”.

The students have found this year that the only way to get our university to listen to our demands is via disrupting

"It’s so disappointing that the college is attempting to turn its own students against each other and against its own union.”

He said disruption caused by students this year has proven quite successful, including blocking access to the Book of Kells, occupation of buildings and disruption of meetings.

"The students have found this year that the only way to get our university to listen to our demands is via disrupting,” Mr Molnarfi said.

Asked about Provost Doyle’s reference in her email to “a toxic workplace environment in the students’ union this year”, Mr Molnarfi declined to comment.

The students’ union said a day of action will take place on Trinity’s campus starting at 9.30am tomorrow. A silent protest will be held with no megaphones or chanting as students are currently sitting exams.

“It is very concerning to see our provost paint the union in such a negative light,” a statement from the TCD Students’ Union said. “We would hate for this to discourage students from reaching out to their Union.”

Trinity College has been contacted for comment.