Protest at closure of centre for women's studies

A symbolic burning of university degrees and diplomas took place on campus at NUI Galway (NUIG) yesterday during a protest over the impending closure of its women's studies centre.

More than 100 people, including senior NUIG academic staff, students and supporters from several third-level institutions and community groups, took part in the lunchtime demonstration on International Women's Day.

Representatives from Trinity College Dublin, Limerick College of Art and Design, Dundalk Institute of Technology and Galway/Mayo Institute of Technology participated, and the demonstration was also supported by Domestic Violence Response in Connemara and by the Clann Resource Centre in Oughterard, Co Galway, among other groups.

The event was organised by the Save Women's Studies Coalition, formed by current and past students at NUIG Women's Studies Centre, along with community groups. A letter was handed in for Prof Chris Curtin, head of NUIG's department of political science and sociology, asking him to relinquish his department's "hold" on two posts which are being created as part of the university's move to integrate women's studies with that department.

The university has said that it engaged in 15 months of consultation before it was decided to close the centre and move two posts to the department of political science and sociology. It said that the discipline would continue and would be given adequate resources.

In a letter to The Irish Times, published yesterday, Prof Kevin Barry, dean of the faculty of arts at NUIG, said: "Women's studies is not closing at this university. Rather, the discipline is assured of the resources to grow in strength and range."

However, a petition by 46 senior arts faculty staff has expressed "widespread anxiety" over the manner in which the decision was taken. The move has also been criticised by the National Women's Council of Ireland and by academics in several other third-level institutions.