Professor Chris Morash has announced his resignation as Trinity’s Vice Provost and Chief Academic Officer, a role he has held since 2016.
Announcing the decision, Morash outlined that the past three years have “been enormously rewarding”.
“This has been an exciting and transformative period in the long history of the university, and I’m proud to have been a part of that,” said Morash. “I’m now looking forward to being part of that in a different way, as a scholar and a teacher.”
Provost Patrick Prendergast intends to put forward Professor Jürgen Barkhoff to the Board for consideration as the new Vice Provost. Barkhoff, a Professor of German, has a long history in Trinity, having previously served as registrar from 2007 to 2011 and the director of the Long Room Hub between 2012 and 2015. He was the head of the School of Languages, Literatures and Cultural Studies from 2015 to 2018.
Barkhoff said it was a “great honour to be nominated to the Board” for consideration.
“I look forward, should the Board approve my nomination, to working with the Board and Council, the Provost and his team, the Heads of Schools and the whole college community during this exciting time when we are implementing the new curriculum structure developed in the Trinity Education Project”, he continued.
Following his resignation, Morash intends to continue in the English department in his capacity as the Seamus Heaney Professor of Irish Writing.
Morash was appointed Vice Provost after joining Trinity in 2014 and being promoted to Head of the School of English in 2015. He previously lectured in Maynooth University.
Morash faced opposition from students during the Take Back Trinity protests last year after he defended the proposed introduction of a €450 flat fee for supplemental exams. In an email circulated to students, Morash stated: “This decision was made as part of a set of measures which will be of great benefit to students.” The decision was later reversed following a series of student protests, which included an occupation of the Dining Hall.
