Q Which Scottish university shelved its £46m library despite spending £4m on the principal's residence? A St Andrews

Published on Friday 4 June 2010 23:32

SCOTLAND'S oldest university has deferred a major refurbishment of its library, saying it cannot afford the investment in the current financial climate.

St Andrews had planned a landmark 46 million redevelopment of its main library, which is currently ranked as one of the weakest in the country.

But amid growing uncertainty over higher education funding, principal Dr Louise Richardson has told staff and students the work will be postponed.

New plans have been drawn up for a more modest 7m upgrade which will renew furniture, fixtures, carpet, lighting and heating. An additional 7m will be spent on a new library store and on improving the collection of books.

The announcement has been greeted with fury by some students, a number of whom had to sit on the floor to study for their final-year exams last month due to lack of desk space.

It is also embarrassing for Dr Richardson, who came under fire last week over a 4m refurbishment of her official residence.

In an e-mail sent to the entire student body yesterday, Dr Richardson cited "financial constraints" as the reason behind the decision: "In the light of the fiscal and planning uncertainty we face, it is my view and that of my Principal's Office colleagues that we cannot at this point commit the institution to spending 46m on refurbishing the fabric of our central library."

Dr Richardson acknowledged the adverse affects that would be felt by the student body, adding: "I fully acknowledge how disappointing it is for all of us to have to delay the realisation of our ambition to have a library truly worthy of this great university."

In a response, Student Association president Andrew Keenan said: "For over half a decade, the university has been promising a full-scale renewal of the main library to replace the current building, ranked as one of the worst in the country.

"The latest plans – as boasted of in the university's advertising – had envisaged a 46m project. These plans are now to be cancelled, and replaced with an expensive redecoration."

A Facebook group, which has attracted 1,300 members, is urging students to e-mail the principal to reverse her decision before it is put before a university court committee on Monday.

Final year student Alistair Nason said: "The university library is by far the worst of all the university's facilities and needs radical and immediate overhaul. I have struggled with it for four years and don't see why others should have to."

A spokesman for St Andrews University stressed that the move was a deferral of the large-scale plans rather than a cancellation. "This is an interim move and we still have a full grip on the big vision for the library. We will continue to launch our fundraising campaign in preparation for our 600th anniversary next year," he said.

Labour's higher education spokesperson, Claire Baker, said: "I understand the disappointment that must be felt among students, particularly when they read reports that millions have been spent by the university to improve the principal's private residence.

"However, this issue highlights wider difficulties that universities are experiencing with funding. We have rightly ruled-out up-front tuition fees and we now need to allow the sector and beyond to come forward with real alternatives that allow universities to continue to offer excellence to students."

University still waiting for 8m gift pledged two years ago

A PROMISED donation of 8 million to St Andrews University to help fund a new School of Medicine and Sciences has yet to be paid.

The pledge was made in 2008 by tycoon Vinod Sekhar, pictured right, whose wealth has been dented by the recession. He has dropped off Forbes magazine's list of the 40 richest Malaysians, having ranked 16th in 2008.

Mr Sekhar donated the sum from the Sekhar Foundation, the charitable arm of the Malaysian-based Petra Group.

A portion of the money was to be spent on a scholarship which would allow some of Asia's brightest students to study at St Andrews.

The donation is understood to be the largest single amount pledged to a Scottish university.

The new medical building was completed earlier this year at a total cost of 45 million and was expected to be named after Mr Sekhar's late father.

A spokesman for St Andrews said: "We are still receiving assurances from Vinod Sekhar that he will honour the longstanding promises and commitments he has made to St Andrews."