Ó CATHAIL, Séamus

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Séamus

Ó CATHAIL

He was the first professional academic administrator in the Irish University system, assuming the student registration, academic administration and other related responsibilities theretofore assigned to the Registrar, together with the examination responsibilities held by the NUI-appointed Supervisor of Examinations (though that office continued to be held till a vacancy therein in 1973). He was also Secretary to the Academic Council. As the Charter of the College required that there be a Registrar, new responsibilities relating mainly to new academic staff, academic staffing and resources, and student welfare were assigned to the Registrar (a Professor elected for a three-year term, subject to a maximum of two terms), who also ranked second only to the President. Séamus Ó Cathail had previously been Secretary to the Commission on the Accommodation Needs of the NUI Constituent Universities (1958-59) and then Secretary to the Commission on Higher Education (1960-67), chaired by Cearbhall Ó Dálaigh and which set the strategic and structural parameters on the policy for development of the Irish Higher Education sector for decades ahead. He was Cathaoirleach of the Central Application Office (1978-91) and for several years was the representative of the Irish Universities on the Liaison Committee of the Rectors' Conferences of EC Universities.