An attempt to remove a poll-topping professor from the governing body of University College Cork was aborted yesterday when UCC president Prof Gerry Wrixon asked the proposers of the motion to withdraw it.
Businessman and governing body member Mr Humphrey Murphy had proposed a motion at the December meeting of governors, which was seconded by Cork airport authority chairman Mr Joe Gantly, calling for the removal of fellow governor Prof Desmond Clarke.
The governing body had dissociated itself at that meeting from statements made by Prof Clarke about the Victoria Lodge student accommodation development in a letter circulated to staff but which appeared in Ireland on Sunday at around the same time. The governors voted by a large majority (20 in favour, seven against and four abstentions) to "formally dissociate itself from his statements," UCC said at the time.
But yesterday Prof Wrixon addressed the board of governors and asked Mr Murphy and Mr Gantly to withdraw their motion calling for Prof Clarke's removal and said that he was instead presenting a code of ethics on how governors should behave.
Mr Murphy and Mr Gantly agreed to withdraw the motion. The code of ethics will now be discussed at the March meeting of the board of governors when it is expected to be voted on.
Prof Clarke of the department of philosophy - who has questioned plans to extend Prof Wrixon's tenure as president past the age of 65 - topped the poll among academic staff for five positions on the governing body in 2003.