President of NUI Galway, Dr James J. Browne
Questions raised about senior members of NUI Galway administration and academia
The story of NUI Galway students Enoch Burke, Isaac Burke, Ammi Burke and Kezia Burke raises serious questions regarding freedom of expression and religious liberty at NUI Galway.
Multiple incidents of bullying, harassment and intimidation of Christian students at the university have been systematically ignored or dismissed by senior members of NUI Galway administration and academia.
The four students have submitted numerous complaints to university authorities dating as far back as March 2013. The complaints are in relation to sustained poster ripping and abusive behaviour towards members of the Christian Union Society and the Life Society at the university. For many of the complaints, no outcome has been communicated to Enoch Burke, Isaac Burke, Ammi Burke and Kezia Burke as of today, almost five years later.
On Monday 10 November 2014, in a shocking display of victimisation and retaliation, the university moved to disbar all four students for life from membership of all student societies at NUI Galway. It is believed that this marked the first time in the history of the university that the sanction of lifelong disbarment had been imposed on a student or students.
The four students, all of whom have exemplary academic and personal profiles at NUI Galway, were accused of improperly using €325 to pay for flyers. Details have now emerged which suggest that financial impropriety is rife amongst student societies at NUI Galway, in at least one case to the tune of more than €8,000 in unreceipted expenditure, but with no disciplinary action taken.
The full account may be read here.
