Outgoing Chair receives Leadership award from UCC

10 Oct 2013

Dear all,

It is my pleasure to inform you that the outgoing Chair of ARCS, Dr. Gordon Dalton, is among the recipients of the 2013 University Staff Recognition Awards held in the Aula Maxima on Thursday, 10^th October (http://www.ucc.ie/en/sdec/#GordonDalton). This achievement cannot be overstated. When Gordon assumed the role of Chair back in 2009, ARCS was struggling to be recognised by both the University and the Researchers it was set up to represent. Since then a lot has changed:

1. ARCS regularly has informal meetings with the VP for Research and HR.
2. ARCS is represented on the Staff Development and Enhancement Committee and is actively lobbying for representation on others.
3. Through our membership drives ARCS is reaching out to new members on a continual basis and keeping Researchers in UCC informed of changes affecting them that may otherwise pass unnoticed.
4. ARCS is financially independent, funded through voluntary contributions of Researchers. As such ARCS has the freedom to organise events of direct importance to Researchers
5. Gordon has helped draw up a memorandum of understanding between the IRSA and the Irish Federation of University Teachers (IFUT).
6. As a consequence, Researcher employment rights and representation are now high on the IFUT agenda.
7. ARCS now holds regular seminars specifically targeted at Researcher staff. Examples include the recent Bank of Ireland Mortgage talk.

Gordons achievements are not confined to UCC. He played a major role in both the establishment of the European Research Staff Association and the International Consortium of Research Staff Associations (ICoRSA). Through Gordons efforts ICoRSA was launched as part of the high profile European Science Open Forum in July 2012. 

Gordons vision, tenacity and leadership have helped drive the Researcher agenda over the past number of years. In a time that is full of uncertainty for Researchers, he has not only provided clarity on the issues afflicting the community but he has acted as a driving force for initiatives aimed at improving it. His efforts have gone far beyond his remit as Chair of ARCS. While much work is still to be done, ARCS now operates from more solid foundations as a result of his efforts.

It is fitting also that UCC has recognised the merit of his efforts, initiatives and ideas to the betterment of the university as a whole. Gordon embodies the ‘One Percent Difference Campaign’ currently underway in Ireland. Our hope for the coming year is that ARCS members will see fit to follow in Gordons footsteps and contribute some of their time to assist in continuing the work of the association.