UCD president Dr Hugh Brady has made radical changes to his senior management team, as part of the continuing reform plan at the college.
Five senior academics have been appointed as vice-presidents on a interim basis to oversee the implementation of major structural changes at UCD over the next 18 months.
The special appointments were made only after the governing authority agreed yesterday to change one of the traditional statutes of the college.
The move provoked protests from several dozen staff members and students who gathered outside yesterday's meeting of the authority.
The appointments form part of the streamlining process in UCD. Under the Brady plan, 11 existing faculties will be replaced by five colleges. In addition, some 90 academic departments will be replaced by 35 schools.
Broadly, the new vice-presidents will replace the existing structure of deans, associate deans and heads of departments. However, the post of dean will remain in some of the larger academic departments.
The new vice-presidents include Prof Mary Daly, College of Arts and Celtic Studies; Prof Frank Roche, College of Business and Law; Prof Owen Lewis, College of Engineering, Mathematical and Physical Sciences; Prof Brigid Laffan, College of Human Sciences; and Prof Brian McKenna, College of Life Sciences
The appointments are being made on an interim basis, pending the outcome of search and selection procedures.
According to a letter from Dr Brady to staff, the main challenges facing the new appointments include:
Developing a plan to ensure smooth transition of education and research activities to the new structures;
Building up the administrative and support structures that are required to support this transition;
Working with the constituent schools to identify their future heads;
Beginning the strategic and financial planning process for the new schools.
Dr Brady said the new vice-presidents would "play a key role in the optimal management of the change process in the coming months. I am sure they will have our fullest support in their endeavours."
The changes form part of the Strategic Development Plan 2005-08, endorsed by the governing authority in March.