Academics and students at NUI Galway have called on the university to clarify its plans for the women's studies centre, amid confusion over a possible change of heart about the decision to close it.
The Save Women's Studies coalition said "verbal assurances" were given at the most recent arts faculty meeting that the centre would not be closed and it would continue to function as an academic unit in its own right.
However, the coalition, which was established by academics, students and former students of the centre, said that despite requests, written confirmation of these assurances had not been given. It said there was "continued obfuscation" about the future of the centre and the academic posts attached to it.
The row over the centre's future erupted earlier this year, when it emerged that the university intended to close it, against the advice of a review group and without informing its staff.
The university argued that it took the decision to move two academic posts within women's studies to the department of political science and sociology after "15 months of consultation".
However, 46 members of staff from 16 departments and centres, including a dean, assistant dean and seven professors, queried the manner in which the decision was taken in a petition presented to the university's academic planning and resource committee.
The political science and sociology department would offer a new undergraduate course in humanities, social sciences and women's studies to attract "greater numbers" to undertake women's studies, Prof Kevin Barry, the university's dean of arts, said in defence of the move.
More than 200 international academics conveyed their concern about the decision in a letter sent to NUIG president Prof Iognáid Ó Muircheartaigh. Signatories included professors of humanities and directors of women's studies in universities in Britain, the US, Canada and India.
The Save Women's Studies coalition said confirmation of the verbal assurances given at the arts faculty meeting on March 27th was "urgent", as recruitment for new women's studies posts was under way.
In a statement, NUIG said the faculty would "follow due process". Minutes from the meeting would be "on the agenda for the next faculty meeting later this month, as per normal meeting procedure", and these would be "discussed, agreed or amended at that meeting", it said.