ULSU elections 2009

sceptre

Runners for UL Students' Union elections at close of nominations on Friday 20 March as confirmed by bluedolphin. Elections will take place on Thursday 26 March. I'll edit in details of polling hours and stations when I get them.

As manifestos are issued, feel free to discuss your choice of candidate and why. Some (to be honest, not very many) of the candidates have boards.ie accounts and may reply, although I suspect most of them may well be too busy campaigning in real life™. If you are campaigning for a candidate or are a candidate, I expect you to declare that interest if posting. This will be done on the honour system, though in the interest of fairness I will point the finger at anyone who disregards this - for anyone who aims to deceive there's a good chance you'll be found out and I'll point the finger loudly. Let people know your connection in your first post and there shouldn't be a problem - actually I'd like to see campaigners posting. Accusations of undeclared interest should not be made on-thread as it'll derail any discussion, use the report post button and I'll look at it (I'm quote good at spotting shills).

If candidates have a webpage and let me know, I'll edit in one link per candidate to an official webpage, bebo or facebook page (one per candidate) if they let me know by PM at any point during the week.

Now the rules are out of the way, here are your candidates:

President
Mark Conway URl=http://www.bebo.com/Conway_For_President]Weblink[/URl
Ruán Dillon McLoughlin URL=http://www.facebook.com/pages/Ruan-Dillon-McLoughlin/49693971654]Weblink[/URl
Eamonn Gardiner

DP/Welfare
No nominations. Nominations will open again once Class Reps (meeting in week 10) have agreed upon an election date. Nominations will open 9 University days prior to this date.

Education
David James Collison Ryan URl=http://djcr4ed.webs.com/index.htm]Weblink[/URL
Aoife Finnerty
Emma Kerins
Huw Thomas URl=www.votehuw.info]Weblink[/URl

Campaigns & Services
Darragh Bourke
Fergal Dempsey
Michelle Lawlor

Communications
David Dolphin URl=http://pf.skynet.ie/]Weblink[/URL
Aoife Ni Raghallaigh URl=http://aoife4communication.webs.com/]Weblink[/URl


Good luck to all candidates!

bluedolphin

Polling Hours & Stations:

• Students' Union Photocopying room: 8am - 6pm
• Library Foyer: 9am - 6pm*
• Schuman building reception area: 9am - 6pm*
• Main B-block Canteen: 9am - 6pm*
• Health Sciences building: 9am - 6pm*
• PESS building (old sports building near the astro pitches): 11am - 5pm

*These polling stations may close earlier depending on traffic and agreement with candidates from the Electoral & Referenda Board.


Plebiscite (survey) on Alternatives to Exchequer-funded third level tution fees
Voters, when voting in the sabbat elections, will also be presented with a ballot for the plebiscite on alternatives to exchequer-funded third level tuition fees which will read as follows:

In light of the Irish Government’s current refusal to rule out the reintroduction of privately funded third level tuition fees, please mark in order of your preference (with 1 being your most preferred and 4 being your least preferred) the following alternative methods of funding:

• A loan system, repayable at a future date, based on the future salary of each student reaching a certain level
  
• A graduate tax whereby all graduates pay a premium percentage of their wage for the entirety of their working life.
  
• A levy on all income earners, regardless of attending a third level course i.e. an increase in general taxation
  
• I am opposed to alternatives to exchequer-funded third level tuition fees.

All current, registered students with a valid University of Limerick student ID are entitled to vote. You will be asked to show your ID card to receive ballot papers.

Election procedures are the same as for Dail Eireann elections. (i.e. a system of STV applies). The count will begin after all candidates have cleared the campus of their election materials following the close of polls at 6pm.

Best of luck to everyone!

sceptre

Just FYI, there's a discussion on the issue of the objection relating to the presentation of the nomination form by a candidate (or non-candidate depending on the final ruling) for the position of communications officer.

As this is part of the nominations process and not part of the post-nomination elections process, until a ruling is issued by the Electoral & Referenda board on Monday, discussion on that will be in this thread. So we've moved posts discussing it there. Feel free to make your views known. Post-ruling, and in consultation with Petee as the other forum mod, I'll make a call on where such a possible discussion could go based on what I consider best for the forum, users and fairness.

Sorry for the interruption and for getting all pernickity but you know how silly people can get at these times, small stones cast into small ponds still attempt a comparatively big splash. And it's a potentially significant issue so we'll see how the discussion develops.

sceptre

A few people have been blogging the election. I can add links to this post if others are doing likewise.

Worth reading, sometimes entertaining:

UL Grapevine
The UL Story
UL Vote For Me
UnFocal

kingkane

Ok now to the main event. I suspect that for the first two days for communications the campaigns will still be dealing with the nomination issue but it is important that they do more than deal with that. As for the other campaigns the first few days is about name recognition and establishing a profile and picture in people's heads that you are a candidate. Expect lots of appearances prior to big lectures sometimes planned with military precision sometimes a chaotic ramble across the campus.

Wednesday is hustings but with so few attending it is really the big campus wide campaign day with the hustings as a minor break period in the middle of the day.

Thursday is get out the vote day or get the vote out of bed day depending on your reading of the student body.

It has surprised me in recent years how late some campaigns have been in kicking off. Often it is Tuesday before we see any desk presence I know it is a long week but if you successfully establish in people's heads that you are the front runner then it is very hard for others to change that.

klong

Seen a fair few high-quality colour posters around already today. Plenty of money being spent so?

klong

(Not involved in any campaign, btw)

Huw T is www.votehuw.info

Had a chance to peruse his manifesto over tea this evening, one of his helper monkeys dropped a leaflet in the door.My comments in bold.

The entire contents of the print room, available online, for free. No student should ever have to choose between notes and food.
Study rooms will made available in every department for when the library is too busy, with 24 hour access and computing facilities. I secured such a room for my department in only my first year here and I will do the same for yours.
Earlier repeat exams, so all students can graduate together.
Longer library opening hours, with full wireless coverage
Print credit machine in the library, similar to phone credit machine. No more being left stranded on the weekend.
I'll be regularly organising Surveys of all students to catch problems early on and to make sure everyone gets a chance to have their say.
Rag Week will never be scheduled for the same week as FYP deadlines. Final year students deserve to enjoy their last year here to the fullest
Summer tutorials and lectures to help prepare for the repeats. Lecturers are still on campus over the summer and are still paid.
Absolutely no deadlines during week 13
A photocopier for health science students. This has been promised in the past but not delivered on.
A minimum of enough pay to cover travel and accommodation for placement students
Sending of minutes and agenda for class reps council to all students, in order to give transparency to class reps council. Students will know what their rep is talking for them about. All voting in class reps council should happen the next meeting after the vote is proposed. Class reps should take input from their class about any decisions made in council.
No fees while off campus on co-op
Better tutorials and more engaging, interesting labs
Skype-phones in students union for international students to call home cheaply
Introduction of 'work units' for all modules, to ensure they all contain the same amount of work. Some modules have far too much work and this could not happen under the new system
Cheap laptop deals
Provisional exam timetable available at least a month earlier
I'll make sure exam timetabling is better organised, and exams are spaced as far apart as possible
Cheaper printing on campus
Free nitelink bus
An open ear, reserved for listening to your issues, and a great amount of commitment to dealing with each and every one of these
A year of my time to make the above happen for you

I'm not sure what he means by "The entire contents of the print room, available online, for free". Free printing is a bad idea from an environmental point of view, and the university has campaigned to reduce the amount of paper used in any case. "No student should ever have to choose between notes and food" is, quite frankly, ridiculous.
"Study rooms will made available in every department for when the library is too busy, with 24 hour access and computing facilities". Nice. How is that going to be paid for?
"Longer library opening hours, with full wireless coverage". Was Huw here when the library closed at 6 on a Saturday and didn't open on a Sunday? We're having it good now, unlikely to get any better.
"Print credit machine in the library, similar to phone credit machine. No more being left stranded on the weekend." A good idea; have seen similar in operation in Canada, using student ID cards.
"Rag Week will never be scheduled for the same week as FYP deadlines. Final year students deserve to enjoy their last year here to the fullest" Students are here to go to college, not for Rag Week. Ridiculous in my opinion. Couldn't people just work a bit harder, so as to be finished earlier?"
Summer tutorials and lectures to help prepare for the repeats. Lecturers are still on campus over the summer and are still paid." Summer is also when lecturers are doing research, fieldwork, attending conferences etc. They don't twiddle their thumbs waiting for students to return. Bad idea.
"Absolutely no deadlines during week 13" Is that not the case anyway?
"A photocopier for health science students. This has been promised in the past but not delivered on." Crazy situation. But its not a long walk to places with photocopiers.
"Sending of minutes and agenda for class reps council to all students, in order to give transparency to class reps council. Students will know what their rep is talking for them about. All voting in class reps council should happen the next meeting after the vote is proposed. Class reps should take input from their class about any decisions made in council." I can see those minutes rapidly going into the "Delete" folder of student emails very rapidly. Why not publish them online instead? The final idea is a weak one- if (relatively) few class reps even bother to show up and even fewer contribute to debates, what makes Huw think students will flood their reps with contributions? In saying that, class reps should be consulting their classmates anyway, or at least making some sort of effort at keeping them informed.
"Better tutorials and more engaging, interesting labs" Subjective. Love to see that been tried :rolleyes: Have the lecturers been informed of this?
"Skype-phones in students union for international students to call home cheaply" In my experience, most international students have Skype available already. Why duplicate?
"Introduction of 'work units' for all modules, to ensure they all contain the same amount of work. Some modules have far too much work and this could not happen under the new system" Can that be expanded upon a bit? I can't see how this will work.
"Cheap laptop deals" I've seen these provided by companies already, is Huw suggesting competing with these companies?
"Provisional exam timetable available at least a month earlier" Why is this necessary?
"I'll make sure exam timetabling is better organised, and exams are spaced as far apart as possible" Good luck with that!
"Cheaper printing on campus" Would be nice
"Free nitelink bus" Already exists, right?

klong

Also had a look at literature issued by Aoife Ni (ergonomics)

Looks like a low-budget operation compared to other operations (notably Ruan, Huw and DJCR). from what I've seen.

Good emphasis on experience. Keeping the website updated makes sense. Contacting the media regarding student campaigns is fine- what if they don't publish? Maybe I'm being cynical here, but what's in it for them? Guest columns is a good idea, but how attractive do you think columns in foreign languages will be to UL students?

Finally...upholding grammar and spelling as a campaign pledge? Smacks of desperation to me really.

kingkane

klong wrote: »

Also had a look at literature issued by Aoife Ni (ergonomics)

Looks like a low-budget operation compared to other operations (notably Ruan, Huw and DJCR). from what I've seen.

Good emphasis on experience. Keeping the website updated makes sense. Contacting the media regarding student campaigns is fine- what if they don't publish? Maybe I'm being cynical here, but what's in it for them? Guest columns is a good idea, but how attractive do you think columns in foreign languages will be to UL students?

Finally...upholding grammar and spelling as a campaign pledge? Smacks of desperation to me really.

I read that about grammar and it almost sounded to me like it was being suggested that standards had dropped! Fight, fight!

klong

Noticed two things...no link to this forum on http://ulvoteforme.blogspot.com/ and secondly, going by the number of posts over the elections threads, this forum is the livelier place than the ULSU forums, very quiet over there compared to how I thought it would be.

limericklady87

TBH i agree with a lot of his ideas and I reckon I'll vote for him given I know albeit vaguely two of the other education candidates from my course and some of their traits would not impress me or the way that i was approached to this week by them to vote.

There is definately deadlines and oral exams on in wk 13..and its not nice!

Also i cant see why 99.9999% (besdes the loaded environmentalists) of students would complaiin about free printing..i often go to ucc and do laods of mine...it costs a fortune! if they have it there why cant we have it here?

Also its a complete disgrace about the lack of a copier in the HS building..iv lots of friends in physio and nursing and its not that short a walk up to the first or second flr in the library in the p**sing rain in the month of january to do a bit of photocopying. these people already have to pay 2 rents for the majority of the academic year due to their unpaid placement. the least they could but is a photocopier...

As for the provisional timetable..its handy to know given the amount of students that will be need ing dates they can travel or start working..etc. Personally i wanted to book flights to the states and had i known that i would be finished as early as i am..i could have booked them while they were cheap a few days earlier and saved nearly 200e!

sceptre

klong wrote: »

I'm not sure what he means by "The entire contents of the print room, available online, for free". Free printing is a bad idea from an environmental point of view, and the university has campaigned to reduce the amount of paper used in any case.

I suspect that what he means is that lecturers who provide printed notes through the print room should also provide them on the web. Reading it, it's the only inference that makes sense to me. That would have the potential of lowering the amount of paper consumption. Actually I think it'd make little or no difference to the amount of paper consumption but I'd agree that the content should be provided on the web or through the Exchange public folders or on sulis or somewhere rather then merely through the print room in bound form.

Obviously having one location to get all this stuff would be good rather than ferreting around like an idiot to remember a pile of different web addresses when all someone should be required to remember is where all notes are provided and what their module codes are to get them.

DJCR

As another candidate I would like to just clarify a few points!

limericklady87 wrote: »

limericklady87 wrote: »

There is definately deadlines and oral exams on in wk 13..and its not nice! !

There shouldn't be... however in some cases its neccesary from an external examiners point of view... i.e. my french oral. But for the most part it is unacceptable and shouldn't be occuring!!

limericklady87 wrote: »

Also i cant see why 99.9999% (besdes the loaded environmentalists) of students would complaiin about free printing..i often go to ucc and do laods of mine...it costs a fortune! if they have it there why cant we have it here?

While I agree it would be nice to have this it just simply isn't possible. The Uni is trying to cut back on spending to reduce its debt.... they are hardly going to reduce it by spending more money on paper and ink. It is quite simply an unreachable target... I'm not being a pessimist here.. but a realist... this would be something Huw would know if he had his ear to the ground!

limericklady87 wrote: »

Also its a complete disgrace about the lack of a copier in the HS building..iv lots of friends in physio and nursing and its not that short a walk up to the first or second flr in the library in the p**sing rain in the month of january to do a bit of photocopying. these people already have to pay 2 rents for the majority of the academic year due to their unpaid placement. the least they could but is a photocopier...?

I agree, see my campaign posters ... but does he know why there isn't one in the HS building, how does he propose to fix the problem (I mean its been a problem for years), has he sat down at the Nurses Forum and asked why their isn't one??


The situation next year is a going to be highly different to last year.. We are going to have to work on a reduced budget and alot of the time next year will be fighting against cut backs by the University........... To introduce a lot of these ideas will cost a lot of money.. where is this to come from????

He will have to work within his means and it seems to me he is offering alot more than he can deliver!!

ergonomics

klong wrote: »

Also had a look at literature issued by Aoife Ni (ergonomics)

Looks like a low-budget operation compared to other operations (notably Ruan, Huw and DJCR). from what I've seen.

And you're right. The reason it's a low-budget operation is because I have no money (victim of the big R). I tried to put the money I do have to the best use possible but to be honest, I'm not worried if my campaign looks low budget because how much money I spent isn't what worries students - their only concern is if I have sweets.

Contacting the media regarding student campaigns is fine- what if they don't publish? Maybe I'm being cynical here, but what's in it for them?

What's in it for who? The students would receive more press attention for their good work and the article is something they can keep and show to people. The press might find the story really interesting and want to cover it, simple as. Yes, they may not pay any attention but you don't know until you try. I'm not going to shy away from things because they might not work.

Guest columns is a good idea, but how attractive do you think columns in foreign languages will be to UL students?

Very attractive. It's the thing I have received the most questions about. Students studying a number of different languages have told me they're looking forward to reading/writing in the language they are studying in a situation with no pressure. By no pressure I mean they won't be graded academically on the articles and as such it is a great way for them to build confidence in their writing and reading.

Secondly, study abroad and Erasmus students can use it as an opportunity to build on their portfolio, if they have one, but it will also make them feel involved in the Union as they will feel represented in the paper.

Finally...upholding grammar and spelling as a campaign pledge? Smacks of desperation to me really.

I stand by my decision to include grammar and spelling in my manifesto. As News Editor I have seen some of the articles that come through the office and sometimes the grammar and spelling is atrocious. We are 3rd level students so I can't see why grammar shouldn't be at a high standard?

kingkane wrote: »

I read that about grammar and it almost sounded to me like it was being suggested that standards had dropped! Fight, fight!

I'm not implying standards have dropped in any sense, hence the use of 'keep'. It's already at a very high standard, I just want to keep it there.

Before someone asks about grammar and spelling in the foreign languages let me say that I anticipate that there will be mistakes in these. There will be mistakes because the people writing them are probably still learning the language, and will not be writing in their first language. The same excuse cannot be used for writing in English.

kingkane

I'm surprised at some of the misreadings of promises here. Are they deliberate misreadings?

It should be pretty evident that the reference to "The entire contents of the print room, available online, for free" that is the content that should be free not the printing, i.e. you pay the print room to print stuff not the lecturer for copyright or anything like. This sort of talk is unbecoming from a candidate who either can't read the obvious, or is deliberately misrepresenting. Any misreading I do is for laughs.

Also, DJCR " ... but does he know why there isn't one in the HS building, how does he propose to fix the problem (I mean its been a problem for years), has he sat down at the Nurses Forum and asked why their isn't one??" the question can be asked too Have you? If you have why don't you put it here? It's student politics for crying out loud. I'm not sure that we want to make it a requirement of people that in order to run that they've spent the previous years sitting down with the nurses forum or whatever before they can run. Sure it's a upside if they have done so and I'm sure the nurses will give due reward for those who have sat down with their forum but making it a requirement? Why?

Aoife "What's in it for who? The students would receive more press attention for their good work and the article is something they can keep and show to people. The press might find the story really interesting and want to cover it, simple as. Yes, they may not pay any attention but you don't know until you try. I'm not going to shy away from things because they might not work."

I think it was obvious the question was what's in it for the national/press? And are you suggesting that no previous editor has really tried to get stuff in the national/local press? Cos, I'm sure they have.

The idea about columns in other languages isn't bad, it would draw on a larger pool of writers and will hopefully fill space. There is nothing wrong with doing something that has a minority appeal. Just accept that it will be a minority appeal.

sceptre

kingkane wrote: »

I think it was obvious the question was what's in it for the national/press? And are you suggesting that no previous editor has really tried to get stuff in the national/local press? Cos, I'm sure they have.

Of course they have (I know I had a story covered in the Times, Independent and Examiner on the same day, there were others but I'm a terror for not keeping my own press writing or press officer clippings and I know it's been true of other people in the same job). Success rate is low compared to shooting fish in a barrel but if the story's good enough and it's sold in the right way, they'll cover it, they'll print and they'll print pictures too. That's before you consider the odd story that the national press want to run that it's your job to try to ensure that they don't as it'll reflect badly on students, that was always far more fun. The national press are highly unlikely to print stuff under the byline of the An Focal editor but you don't want them to anyway - it's far more presentable (and people will take it more seriously) if they write it under their respected byline and just write it the way you wanted them to.

sceptre

I've made a list of blogs that are covering the election towards the top of this thread. Any new ones will be added to there as I get them.

Expected note: I'm expecting reasonable independence from those who are listed there or the link will be cut. But having a view isn't a crime, indeed it's even desirable. Pimping a candidate or starting a blog merely to pimp one isn't desirable. I'm happy that the ones I've added so far aren't merely pimping a candidate or candidates. Yes, as it happens, I know the identities of the people writing them. No, I won't tell you who.

onedoubleo

So hustings are over,

Communications was a very good debate with some firery outbursts and good points by both candidates.
David won in my opinion with a very good speech with the website and up to the minute information the priority with sms and e-mails.

CSO was good enough with Ferghal probably taking this one although most had the same points. Better ents better RAG week and better everything :P

Education: To be honest i lost track of this one as their were too may candidates saying the same thing and the same questions that were talked about in the opening speach.
David and Aoife probably coming off the best from this.

President: An interesting one but the control of this was dismal at best with one person wanting to ask a question put to the back of the queue as others who were known by the chair and time keeper allowed to cut in which annoyed me.
As for the hust it was pretty pointless as most people had left and those that were there had made their mind up already.
Mark was interesting with his im not part of the clique
Eamonn was his usual self with some good points, you'd almost swear he was preparing for this for a few years.
Ruan had some very good ideas and i think he came off the best of the exchanges.

I am sure that someone will post what was actually said

klong

onedoubleo wrote: »

Mark was interesting with his im not part of the clique

Has he been reading this forum? I take it he's not even a class rep then?

Is it just me or are there a lot more non-humanities people going for election this year? I don't know the background of everyone.

Hustings also covered on ulvoteforme

thattequilagirl

Anyone else think current sabbatical officers who have a well known preference in a given election should probably keep their mouths shut during hustings?!

sceptre

Two new blogs added so here's our current list. Your mileage may vary.

The UL Grapevine
The UL Story
UL Vote For Me
UnFocal

These guys should really work on getting their addresses out a bit better, I'm relying on people to send me these.

Some more weblinks for candidates added as well, they're listed in the first post of this thread. I shall now go back to sleep again and dream of a better world where captain planet is king. Incidentally, voting is tomorrow.

kingkane

sceptre wrote: »

Two new blogs added so here's our current list. Your mileage may vary.

The UL Grapevine
The UL Story
UL Vote For Me
UnFocal

These guys should really work on getting their addresses out a bit better, I'm relying on people to send me these.

Some more weblinks for candidates added as well, they're listed in the first post of this thread. I shall now go back to sleep again and dream of a better world where captain planet is king. Incidentally, voting is tomorrow.

Have to say I'm quite enjoying the new blogs, they've got that nice line in humour and cynicism almost down pat along with some good detail too. A pity one of them chose to start by being all haughty about the old stager. There again they've avoided making solid predictions too.

I think ulvoteforme has become too nice to people not as willing to offend as it once was.

dedon

klong wrote: »

Has he been reading this forum? I take it he's not even a class rep then?

Is it just me or are there a lot more non-humanities people going for election this year? I don't know the background of everyone.

Hustings also covered on ulvoteforme

Good to see he recognised the Clique!! He will be getting my vote thats for sure.

I have said it so many times on here that the clique needs to be squashed and change is required.

Down with the clique and in with the fresh and new ideas

klong

kingkane wrote: »

Have to say I'm quite enjoying the new blogs, they've got that nice line in humour and cynicism almost down pat along with some good detail too. A pity one of them chose to start by being all haughty about the old stager. There again they've avoided making solid predictions too.

I think ulvoteforme has become too nice to people not as willing to offend as it once was.

Interesting comments from the blogs on the hustings :cool:

Any word on how voting is going?

onedoubleo

As I take what I think is a well deserved break from campainging, here is how I think the vote is going:

President:
Ruan's team seem to be getting a little cocky and not working too hard, maybe they have done enough already but the person who is benifitting from this is actually Mark Conway who is throwing a spanner in Gardners plans.

Education:
All over the place at the moment and I dont think anyone is going to call this one, but I'm going to give it a go anyway. I think that its tight between Finnerty, Thomas and Ryan to go out first with Kerins not that far ahead. Then with transfers I think that it will eventually boil down to Kerins and Finnerty but this will almost definatly go to 3 counts.

CSO:
Dempsy by a mile, his team have been out in force today with displays in the courtyard and library while Daragh and Michelle have nearly been ghosts by comparson(not that their doing nothing but that Ferghal has a fantastic team behind him)

Comuinications:
Another close one and I imagine that there will not be more than 5% between the two candidates but at the moment I must give it to Dolphin.

On an interesting side note 3 people have declared interest in the vacant Welfare Officer job whos election will be later this year. Begs the question why didnt you run in the first place.(and save yourself an election)

sceptre

onedoubleo wrote: »

Begs the question why didnt you run in the first place.(and save yourself an election)

I see two possibilities:
1. They weren't that interested in the job
2. They thought they'd have opposition, now they think they might not.

There's probably a distinct third option, there's definitely a hybrid third option. Either way, having a welfare officer for next year is better than not having one. I wonder if any of the unwinning ("losing" is such a negative word) candidates from today will consider throwing their headgear into the welfare big roundy thing when nominations open for that.

klong

Gone very quiet here...any word on how the count is going?

sibh1

waiting to hear too... I think it's going to be Ruan and Aoife Ni... not so sure about the others...

VivGrise

Fergal dempsey so far apparently running away with CRO, not too sure on educatiion, ruan for president i hear... not too sure for communications

limerick_man

Whats the expected time frame for results and where'd be the best place to find the results?! I'm guessing here?!?!?

VivGrise

Aoife finnerty seems to be winning education, 900 votes david ryan 550, emma kerins 450, huw thomas out