Around this time two years ago, this Editorial Board excoriated Trinity’s administrative system, citing inadequate online systems and deep-rooted inefficiencies. Unfortunately, those criticisms are as relevant now as ever.
In the last academic year alone, the College has mistakenly stated its annual income as €355 instead of €355 million, awarded the wrong sports club the title of “Performance of the Year” and most recently, had prospective Trinity Hall residents apply for rooms in under 250 characters, rather than 250 words.
As the application form cannot be amended, first-year students are being notified of the issue through social media and, ever reliably, by word of mouth. It is no less archaic that students are expected to scour a list of student ID numbers online to discover whether or not they have been accepted into Trinity Hall. A simple automated email would suffice.
These are not facetious complaints. While the inconveniences may seem minor, taken together, they sap one’s enthusiasm for engaging fully in college. After their first encounter with the ossified administrative system as it stands, many students would be forgiven for giving up all together.
The improvements that were suggested two years ago have not materialised. But the status quo is unacceptable. Trinity’s administrative system is not some monolithic, faceless entity. It is spread across a number of sites and involves a huge number of staff across multiple disciplines. The sheer breadth of the college’s administrative apparatus represents a significant challenge – but not an insurmountable one.
While there have been numerous attempts at reform, ultimately there is very little concrete progress to point to. The Genesis project, which is aiming to “enhance the student experience by achieving efficiencies in the College’s gathering, holding, and transmission of information” could streamline proceedings, if it delivers on its on potential.
Likewise, administrative reform is a priority of both the Trinity Education Project and the START programme, a long-running centralisation project. But for all of these initiatives, there has been little tangible change in the last two years.
Only once administrative processes have been harmonised through one central, modern platform will staff and students get the experience they deserve from a university of Trinity’s pedigree.
