In a recent poll conducted by Trinity News, Provost Linda Doyle’s approval rating stands at 15% among a sample of 1,360 students.
Respondents were asked whether they approved of Doyle in her role as Provost.
It indicates a plummet in support amid recent tensions with the students’ union. Polling conducted by Trinity News in November 2023 found an approval rating of 60.9% among students. Responses to the most recent polls represent a fall in support of 45.9%, though it is important to note November’s poll did not include a “don’t know” option.
This drop in support comes amid high-profile conflict between College senior management and Trinity College Dublin Students’ Union (TCDSU) following a heated exchange of emails last Monday.
Trinity BDS and the TCDSU’s Campaigns Group have seen record numbers of student sign-ups following a series of blunders from College, including invoicing TCDSU for €214k in a move which has received widespread condemnation.
Other results in our poll indicate support for the encampment and more broadly TCDSU’s actions. They also indicate that a significant number of students feel the fine levied against TCDSU was inappropriate.
Responses to the poll, conducted between Saturday 6pm to Sunday 6pm, far exceeded the response to any past Trinity News poll, after being publicised through the papers’ Instagram, Twitter and Facebook profiles.
