SU Handbooks

ravydavygravy

Posting these up for freshers, think the SU handbooks are from last year, lots of general information about the college and college life:

SU Handbook - Part 1: http://issuu.com/ucdsu/docs/ucdsuhandbookno1
SU Handbook - Part 2: http://issuu.com/ucdsu/docs/handbookmumber2.7
Sports Clubs 2009/10: http://issuu.com/advantagepointpromotions/docs/sport_guide_final_for_web_wcover2

Give you something to read....

~D

1968

Anyone know when this years SU handbooks are out?

Red Alert

Ignore all the communist bits and you'll be fine!

delta_bravo

Red Alert wrote: »

Ignore all the communist bits and you'll be fine!

I think its terrible when they put all that crap in. The SU2 book has a 3 page special on Palestine last year. Hardly on appropriate place for such an article

El Siglo

The SU book is shit, there's only about 15 - 20% of that guide that's worth reading and after that it's self agrandizing tripe, from swine flu infected nonces with more money than sense!;) After a month you won't hear head nor tail from the

bastards

till: class rep elections, the next sabbatical elections and maybe an anti-fees moan, after that you're on your own!;) Read boards for information, I'm serious it's more useful for help that the overpaid, underworked tossers in the SU.:D They have to be the most overpaid SU in the country €157 of the registration fee from the largest college in the country, of course they're building that new centre, oh yes true Communists alright, tax students to the balls and spend it on magic beans the new student centre!;)

abelard

El Siglo wrote: »

€157 of the registration fee from the largest college in the country, of course they're building that new centre, oh yes true Communists alright, tax students to the balls and spend it on magic beans the new student centre!;)

Do you realise that it's the University, not the SU building the centre?

Do you realise that the entire student body voted on building the centre?

Do you realise that if the SU hadn't demanded that all students get a vote, that it would likely have gone ahead without students getting any say and still getting charged?

Do you realise the SU sees none of that €157?

Do you realise the SU didn't support a yes vote in that referendum?

Do you realise the only organised no campaign was from a number of SU reps?

If no, your post is ignorant. If yes, your post is full of lies.

IrishKnight

abelard wrote: »

Do you realise the SU sees none of that €157?

Er, isn't that the "Capitation from Student Services Charge", a total of €690,000 last year, which can be seen in the unions budget?

Like, I could be wrong but that is what I always thought that is what it was...

http://www.ucdsu.ie/about/union-budget/

abelard

IrishKnight wrote: »

Er, isn't that the "Capitation from Student Services Charge", a total of €690,000 last year, which can be seen in the unions budget?

Like, I could be wrong but that is what I always thought that is what it was...

http://www.ucdsu.ie/about/union-budget/

Yeah you're right. I know it's a technicality since you have to pay both, but I was referring to the €157 specifically mentioned as the Student Centre levy. It all goes (we can only hope) to the building of the new centre.

Out of the rest of the fee you pay, a certain portion is given by the University and divided among the SU, the sports clubs, and the societies. I think about €30 ends up with the SU.

The SU offices are in the student centre. However, the SU doesn't like "own" it. Student Centre =/= SU

Riamfada

I very rarely get rallied up enough about a post to spend the time cutting and pasting [/Quote]HTML!



<snip>

I just wanted abelard to read a very long post. Im sure he saw it. Its gone now.

El Siglo

abelard wrote: »

Do you realise that it's the University, not the SU building the centre?

Well of course, but I don't see any opposition in place, where is the anti-student centre campaign? Why don't they not take a cut in their pay and expenses for the year as a sign of solidarity with the common student facing higher registration fees and tuition fees? Will the university oppose this?

Do you realise that the entire student body voted on building the centre?

And yes, most of these voters are gone now, we're left with students facing the burden of fees, in that case in might nice to not build this 'white elephant'.

Do you realise that if the SU hadn't demanded that all students get a vote, that it would likely have gone ahead without students getting any say and still getting charged?

It would have gone ahead, either way because there was so much money flowing around back in the good ole days. Why aren't they not having another referendum to cancel the construction of the centre, it's not an impossible thing to do, and it's easier and more effective than a pissy protest. I suppose where there's a will there's a way!;)

Do you realise the SU sees none of that €157?

Prove it? Where's the evidence for such a statement. Show me where it says "the UCDSU receives none of the €157".

Do you realise the SU didn't support a yes vote in that referendum?

They still allowed it to go ahead, was there a dire need for a new centre considering the old one was only there for less than a decade? Seriously.

Do you realise the only organised no campaign was from a number of SU reps?

Well, from 3 years of experiencing no campaigns to one thing or another, and last years' shambolic no campaign to fees, I can imagine how poorly organised and executed it was.

If no, your post is ignorant.

Possibly, but I could say the same thing about yours, I mean seriously is this new centre needed? Is there such a lack of space in the existing one? Is there not some grounds for concern to scrap this scheme and use the money for something else? Really, even if the SU opposed this then at the referendum time, they're not so opposed to it now. Now is what matters, I don't see to many officers protesting over it. I suppose if I got a cushy number on the sabbatical gravy train, I'd be as docile as a kitten.

If yes, your post is full of lies.

Well if I'm liar, that's your opinion, personally after three years of listening hacks I've come to the conclusion they're as bad if not worse than real politicians. All they really care about at the back of it all is themselves.

El Siglo

abelard wrote: »

The SU offices are in the student centre. However, the SU doesn't like "own" it. Student Centre =/= SU

Well of course they don't "like "own" it", we own the damn thing, they're only allowed to use because we the electorate allow them to use it. Of course everyone seems to forget this, but they're only in their nice comfy swivel chairs because we put them in, but we can also take them out as quick.;)

Zuffer

delta_bravo wrote: »

I think its terrible when they put all that crap in. The SU2 book has a 3 page special on Palestine last year. Hardly on appropriate place for such an article

In fairness, some of it was useful. The Facebook v Bebo article was good, in an amusing way. But the biases of the writers shone through. The most offensive thing for me about the Palestine article the fact that it billed itself as a balanced take on the issue. I think the jist of the final sentence was "Any reasonable person would conclude that the Palestinians are a vulnerable people being unjustly oppressed by the evil Israelis". Trying to push your own point of view while pretending to be neutral is really disgusting.

Riamfada

Zuffer wrote: »

Trying to push your own point of view while pretending to be neutral is really disgusting.

Welcome to UCD!

convert

Got a hold of an SU booklet from many years ago and it was way better than the recent ones. Had more relevant info than the current ones with no opinion pieces in it that I saw. Mostly focussed on drink, drugs and sex... Ah, the good old days!

abelard

El Siglo wrote: »

Well of course, but I don't see any opposition in place, where is the anti-student centre campaign? Why don't they not take a cut in their pay and expenses for the year as a sign of solidarity with the common student facing higher registration fees and tuition fees? Will the university oppose this?

OK, first, sorry for the aggressive tone of my first post. It was the old "post after a LONG day and a drink or few" scenario. I didn't mean to be as hostile as I was.

On the first point, I guess it's ideological. If the students voted for something, even a few years ago, the SU can't really turn around and campaign for the opposite. The policy was set by referendum, it can only be changed by referendum. I know it sounds tokenistic, but it's the truth. If they decide "well this policy seems unpopular these days, let's do the opposite", where does that attitude end?

On the second point, on the pay cut, I don't know, you'll have to ask them. I know they don't earn much. And remember most of them will go back to being students and will end up with a higher reg fee even than this year when they go back. Anyway I don't think that point can really be argued that much - it's up to them.

And yes, most of these voters are gone now, we're left with students facing the burden of fees, in that case in might nice to not build this 'white elephant'.

I agree. I think the whole idea stinks, and have since it was first proposed. This is a problem with the University though. It's them that want it. Again, the SU can't fight it (whether they want to or not) due to that referendum.

It would have gone ahead, either way because there was so much money flowing around back in the good ole days. Why aren't they not having another referendum to cancel the construction of the centre, it's not an impossible thing to do, and it's easier and more effective than a pissy protest. I suppose where there's a will there's a way!;)

I agree with your first sentence. But who do you think it's up to to call a referendum? And why? Serious question.

Prove it? Where's the evidence for such a statement. Show me where it says "the UCDSU receives none of the €157".

I can't, to be brutally honest. I wish I knew exactly where that 157 goes. I am honestly quite confident that nothing from it ends up in the SU though. But I don't think I should have to prove it. In fairness, you first made the claim that it went to them. I think the burden of proof should lie with the prosecution.

They still allowed it to go ahead, was there a dire need for a new centre considering the old one was only there for less than a decade? Seriously.

My personal feeling - no. The feelings of the entire student body that voted - yes, unfortunately. That's democracy.

Well, from 3 years of experiencing no campaigns to one thing or another, and last years' shambolic no campaign to fees, I can imagine how poorly organised and executed it was.

Honestly, I don't remember. The yes side won, so I guess it could have been better.

Possibly, but I could say the same thing about yours, I mean seriously is this new centre needed? Is there such a lack of space in the existing one? Is there not some grounds for concern to scrap this scheme and use the money for something else? Really, even if the SU opposed this then at the referendum time, they're not so opposed to it now. Now is what matters, I don't see to many officers protesting over it. I suppose if I got a cushy number on the sabbatical gravy train, I'd be as docile as a kitten.

Again, my personal feelings are no. I'm in no way, through any of this, trying to defend the new centre. I'm just saying that after it was voted upon, it was practically impossible for them to officially campaign against.

Well if I'm liar, that's your opinion, personally after three years of listening hacks I've come to the conclusion they're as bad if not worse than real politicians. All they really care about at the back of it all is themselves.

Again, apologies about the liar thing. I think I just needed to end the post with a flourish. I retract that.

Basically to sum up everything before - that referendum set a policy for the SU. It is now SU (by SU I mean the 22,000 students, not the 5 on the corridor) policy to support the building of the centre by paying the levy. Thus the SU (by which I mean the 5 people on the corridor) are hamstrung if they want to fight it.

If the policy is to change, one thing can change it - another referendum. And I'm not trying to be smart, but like you said before - where there's a will there's a way.

Riamfada

Ok I probably shouldnt have deleted the last post

• The SU sabats pushed for a yes vote in the student center
• The Lefties and JHJ organised a no campaign. The lefties being the rejects of UCDSU. Kind of the Finna Gael to the Finna Fail
• Turnout was possibly the lowest of all elections ever ... remember it didnt meet quote to stop the plans to go ahead?Therefore its not what the students want, most of them didnt even know there was a vote on. Why inform the voters to vote on a "raise in taxes" when if they will vote against your plans.
• SU types came into my lecture to convince me to vote yes.
• It is completely unnecessary as stated by a union person in this forum recently
• The SU call the referendum not the college (the college really dont give a **** about the union but pay it lipservice, if the college wanted this it would have been included in Hugh Brady's massive 130million regeneration project)
• The center is driven by the SU with Sabats and SU Employees making up the bulk of its development committee
• No student rep has the balls to stand up and mention this for fear of bullying from other hacks (trust me this is true)
• The student union does not represent the students interest but the interest of a select few. This is mirrored by the need for compulsory membership and low voter turnouts.
• The long term staff of the societies council are the people who will benifit from this. I paid over 400 euro towards this in my time in UCD and im never going to use it. Unless I come back and even at that what can I do with a giant debating chamber. Unless I join the L&H and use their debating chamber. Surely a massive inclusion into a new project that benifits one society? A media center when the radio has been doing fine for 15 years and CTN failed miserably after they took all that money and ran. What else is going in there, oh yeah a cinema. So a big room with a large projector and rows of chairs... sounds alot like an Arts block theater dosnt it?
• This is a pissing contest to be honest. "My union has more stuff than your union".
• Martin Butler supports this because the shiney pics of radio stations and cinemas will bring in the green when it comes to all those CRO apps in 5 years. "Well if im going to pay 5000 a year to pay for college then Im going to go to the place with the best facilities... UCD has a great student center lets spend my 5000 going there." I love HB, that man is a commercial genius and +1 respect.
• I really would love to know how much it cost to build the student center museum and house an ex hack in it?

We all know how UCD and UCDSU works. It resembles democracy but is highly flawed by democratic definition. After spending 4 years working very closely with the Union I am an advocate of some of the great work they do but its tempered by the underlying "croneyism". Sure a friend of mine is an exec this year because they wernt arsed getting a job.

If UCD was a country and the SU were in charge we would be in the middle of a banking crisis brought on by irresponsible lending and selective ... oh wait (thats a Fianna Fail joke there for the KBC hacks)

Sorry about spelling and grammer, typed this on an iphone while driving . I am also an arts graduate

I find it very rich that after slapping on a hefty levy on my fees for a student center no one wants or needs that have the complete audacity to protest about the government re-introducing charges.A protest which was completly muddled up because its the holidays and whoi wants to work then. Plus Peter Manion hasnt got a progressive idea in his head. MORE SHOUTING LESS COMPROMISE AND ALTERNATIVE PLANS. I mean they all got together and got pissed a few weeks ago at our expense and all they had to show for it was bad headaches and a few cases of swine flu with zero progress on the fees dabate at all coming from the UOS mid summer pissup.

I also must state that these views are my own and Im known for stating the flippin obvious. I do not discuss these issues with anyone still in UCD that I know there. Just so you all know

This is what happens when you let people just out of puberty and no life experience run a Union with a massive budget (proved by the abundance of enviromentally unfriendly postering at 350 euro a batch at at least 4 batches a week for 24 weeks) .

I think you can see why I was in Belfield FM. Fight the Powa!

Mardy Bum

^^^POD

abelard

Grimes wrote: »

Ok I probably shouldnt have deleted the last post

• The SU sabats pushed for a yes vote in the student center
• The Lefties and JHJ organised a no campaign. The lefties being the rejects of UCDSU. Kind of the Finna Gael to the Finna Fail
• Turnout was possibly the lowest of all elections ever ... remember it didnt meet quote to stop the plans to go ahead?Therefore its not what the students want, most of them didnt even know there was a vote on. Why inform the voters to vote on a "raise in taxes" when if they will vote against your plans.
• SU types came into my lecture to convince me to vote yes.
• It is completely unnecessary as stated by a union person in this forum recently
• The SU call the referendum not the college (the college really dont give a **** about the union but pay it lipservice, if the college wanted this it would have been included in Hugh Brady's massive 130million regeneration project)
• The center is driven by the SU with Sabats and SU Employees making up the bulk of its development committee
• No student rep has the balls to stand up and mention this for fear of bullying from other hacks (trust me this is true)
• The student union does not represent the students interest but the interest of a select few. This is mirrored by the need for compulsory membership and low voter turnouts.
• The long term staff of the societies council are the people who will benifit from this. I paid over 400 euro towards this in my time in UCD and im never going to use it. Unless I come back and even at that what can I do with a giant debating chamber. Unless I join the L&H and use their debating chamber. Surely a massive inclusion into a new project that benifits one society? A media center when the radio has been doing fine for 15 years and CTN failed miserably after they took all that money and ran. What else is going in there, oh yeah a cinema. So a big room with a large projector and rows of chairs... sounds alot like an Arts block theater dosnt it?
• This is a pissing contest to be honest. "My union has more stuff than your union".
• Martin Butler supports this because the shiney pics of radio stations and cinemas will bring in the green when it comes to all those CRO apps in 5 years. "Well if im going to pay 5000 a year to pay for college then Im going to go to the place with the best facilities... UCD has a great student center lets spend my 5000 going there." I love HB, that man is a commercial genius and +1 respect.
• I really would love to know how much it cost to build the student center museum and house an ex hack in it?

We all know how UCD and UCDSU works. It resembles democracy but is highly flawed by democratic definition. After spending 4 years working very closely with the Union I am an advocate of some of the great work they do but its tempered by the underlying "croneyism". Sure a friend of mine is an exec this year because they wernt arsed getting a job.

If UCD was a country and the SU were in charge we would be in the middle of a banking crisis brought on by irresponsible lending and selective ... oh wait (thats a Fianna Fail joke there for the KBC hacks)

Sorry about spelling and grammer, typed this on an iphone while driving . I am also an arts graduate

I find it very rich that after slapping on a hefty levy on my fees for a student center no one wants or needs that have the complete audacity to protest about the government re-introducing charges.A protest which was completly muddled up because its the holidays and whoi wants to work then. Plus Peter Manion hasnt got a progressive idea in his head. MORE SHOUTING LESS COMPROMISE AND ALTERNATIVE PLANS. I mean they all got together and got pissed a few weeks ago at our expense and all they had to show for it was bad headaches and a few cases of swine flu with zero progress on the fees dabate at all coming from the UOS mid summer pissup.

I also must state that these views are my own and Im known for stating the flippin obvious. I do not discuss these issues with anyone still in UCD that I know there. Just so you all know

This is what happens when you let people just out of puberty and no life experience run a Union with a massive budget (proved by the abundance of enviromentally unfriendly postering at 350 euro a batch at at least 4 batches a week for 24 weeks) .

I think you can see why I was in Belfield FM. Fight the Powa!

An honestly great read. While I'm generally pro-Union, and disagree with bits of that, it's good to see some fundamental problems outlined.

Riamfada

abelard wrote: »

An honestly great read. While I'm generally pro-Union, and disagree with bits of that, it's good to see some fundamental problems outlined.

Thanks

I feel there is alot within the union that needs to change. Its unfortunate that it never will. Boo. My experience with the Union however differs from many.

mad lad

Blame the sabbats, blame the left, blame the kbc hacks, trot out a critique, say things need to change but don't give specifics of things you'd aim for or how the SU/USI should try to achieve these amorphous 'changes'.

MORE SHOUTING LESS COMPROMISE AND ALTERNATIVE PLANS.

pot.kettle.black.

(I'd agree with most of your criticisms)

Riamfada

mad lad wrote: »

Blame the sabbats, blame the left, blame the kbc hacks, trot out a critique, say things need to change but don't give specifics of things you'd aim for or how the SU/USI should try to achieve these amorphous 'changes'.


pot.kettle.black.

(I'd agree with most of your criticisms)

I did give alternative plans earlier in this thread. Just to state them again, students cannot possibly expect something for nothing when every other person in the country is taking a "hit". Therefore I suggest that the UOS extend an olive branch by proposing to its members to vote on

• staggered graduate tax for students relative to post graduation salary levels
• full fee bill for those who drop out of college

If these votes fail it will at least show the government that the Union is attempting at least to expect a realistic outcome from the reintroduction of fees. Their current actions will not benifit its "members" at all but is in fact damaging to the student population.

While the UOS is mandated to oppose fees there is no reason they cannot provide alternatives to the government in order to get the Minister for Education to take the student lobby groups seriously. Personally id knock the drinking on the head for a few months, put on some suits and start acting like adults because the time for acting like typical students is not now. You either mobalise 20k people to turn up outside the Dail and force your opinion or you get a small core together of smart, intelligent, mature people to sit down face to face with the Minister and say "we accept fees are coming in but these are our proposals ......... "

And on a more local level I would like to see minimum electoral turnout for UCDSU Sabat and Exec positions. I would like to see a cut in the UCDSU budget in order for the Union to start allocating funds effectively and I would like to see an end to bullying in SU council however I dont see how that could be acchieved. Finally UCDSU officers are in no way accountable for their preformance through the year. For example Connor Fingleton who it is universally accepted was the worst officer in many years did not have to answer for his poor preformance. There needs to be a certain level of supervision of these people with longer terms in office.

I would certainly remove compulsory membership and force the Union to become relevant and actually act on student's behalf.

But personally what I have seen, with a few exceptions, is that UCDSU is a highly complex society for individuals wishing to extend the college lifestyle and enter into the politcal world with generally very little concern for the student body.

Thats just my 2 cents.

PS: I love that I know who all these posters are