Staff FAQs
- Will there be any changes to my employment from 1st May?
- A formal letter will be issued to all staff confirming their transfer of employment to SETU.
- What will happen to staff currently on fixed term/specific purpose contracts?
- Staff on fixed term and specified purpose contracts will continue until their stated duration or purpose comes to an end.
- Will my pension be affected by the merger and establishment of SETU?
- There will be no change to public service superannuation pensions as a result of the TU.
- Will my current payroll deductions be affected by the merger and establishment of SETU?
- All current payroll deductions will continue as normal.
- Will organisational change come first before we streamline our processes?
- Some organisational change will need to happen pre establishment to ensure that the TU can carry out its legal functions from day one (e.g. pay suppliers, run payrolls, etc.). It is envisaged that other organisational change will take place post establishment.
- Will faculties/schools and functions be required to merge and locate in one campus only?
- Staff terms and conditions and locations are protected and there is no compulsory redeployment. In order to ensure the success of the TU it will be necessary to create robust and effective structures across all campuses and both Institutes have experience of multi campus operations already. The new structures will be developed as part of the change management process and this process will include detailed consultation at all stages with staff and through the relevant IR Fora.
- Who will decide where the various functions are structured and what process will be used in coming to this decision?
- The new President and their team will lead the discussions on change but there will be consultation with staff and their union representatives.
- Where different practices exist between the two Institutes what strategy will be used to decide which one is used in the TU?
- The relevant staff and management from both Institutes are engaging to develop and implement unitary policies and procedures, which will be subject to consultation as required.
- Will faculties/schools and departments be consolidated?
- The faculty and departmental structures will be looked at as part of the change management process. The existing key principles in relation to course viability will still apply. It should be noted that currently Carlow and Waterford do not in the main recruit from the same pool of students and it is envisaged that this will continue. It is also likely that the numbers of students will increase once we are established as SETU.
- Are there likely to be promotional opportunities within SETU?
- The establishment of SETU will allow the institutes to grow and diversify which in turn may create promotional opportunities for staff across all campuses. Additional training opportunities will also be developed to allow staff upskill/retrain to meet the needs of the TU.
- What funding will be put in place to support the TU?
- The Technological University Transfer Fund (TUTF) funding has been put in place to support the creation of SETU.