DCU head rejects Trinity link

DCU’s president has rejected claims that he is being lined up to succeed his Trinity College counterpart when his ten-year term comes to an end next summer.

Both The Irish Times and The University Times – Trinity’s SU publication – have suggested that Professor Ferdinand von Prondzynski is a potential successor of the head of Trinity, provost John Hegarty.

The University Times last week described von Prondzynski as a “somewhat controversial candidate” having been “embroiled in staffing and dismissal issues in DCU.”

However, in a recent interview with the College View, von Prondzynski laughed off claims that he was a potential successor of Hegarty.

“It was news to me when I saw it being mentioned [in the press]. The provost of Trinity is elected by staff and I have not ever indicated that I am a candidate for the job. While I am president here, my loyalty is to DCU,” he said.

Along with DCU’s president, Trinity’s vice-provost Professor Patrick Prendergast and Professor Frances Ruan of the Economic Social and Research Institute (ESRI) are being tipped as potential successors.