The university's hierarchy don't seem to have taken responsibility for any poor or questionable decisions from what I've seen. Quite the opposite in fact. I've seen all blame levelled at Stormont. Stormont should of course accept some blame for the state of higher education, though it is an issue in Britain and elsewhere. Maybe if UU focused on the job at hand instead of, as I've been told by numerous sources, spending time bashing stories of mines, with certain figures showing disdain for journalism that holds Stormont & UU to account. Imagine accurate reporting winding you up so much. I remember being pulled to one side while covering a press conference at Magee. 'What do we have to do to convince you we mean business in Derry?' I was asked. 'You don't have to convince me of anything,' I said, 'but UU showing it's willing to spend money in Derry after spending £370m in Belfast would go some way to convincing the public that UU is committed.' I went away. Continued to apply scrutiny. I was blacklisted by UU for not falling into line. UU spent £370m in Belfast. Then showed Derry attention — many would argue — for the first time in decades when c£100m of City Deal money was on the table for Magee. Wise men who work in Creggan predicted the omnishambles that is unfolding right now. They spoke of UU being in financial difficulties after blowing the bank on UU Belfast. They spoke of the need for an independent NW university, free from the shackles of Belfast. Of the possibility of accessing cross-border funding and establishing cross-border links with Letterkenny (an idea that was ridiculed, but QUB has subsequently run with as it teamed up with Dundalk). They spoke of the need for North West autonomy. All points that remain live and relevant today. Ye know what champions of UU did? Essentially mocked them ... Said UU was 'the only show in town'. That a cross-border element was impossible. A paper could have been produced at Stormont to examine the viability of different options, but it wasn't, to my knowledge. MLAs, councillors, the taskforce, some media, made out Magee expansion to 10,000 students was signed, sealed and delivered. 'Be positive. Look to the future, not back at past decisions,' they snarked. But that's foolish. Because the failure to invest in Derry over decades has led to the situation Magee is in right now. There's no amount of marketing or PR capable of changing that reality. Trying to expand in a short space of time is difficult and unwise. Increasing student numbers without having accommodation in place for them illustrates how little planning there has been over the years. Seeking a sports dome when there is barely a decent pitch at present was overkill — a dome project that has since been scrapped, wasting £800k. A Medical School is being downgraded as funds have dried up. Plans for wider expansion cast into serious doubt given the workforce is being slashed and there is no Stormont budget. Modest progress has been made, but the wheels have come off for a variety of reasons. Nobody takes pleasure in what's happening now. Hundreds of jobs being cut. There are some who should however demonstrate humility. There are some who should accept responsibility instead of pointing the finger at everyone else.