1pm Outside Student Centre

jimi_t2

In case you haven't been inundated with lecture announcers, big meetup outside the SUC with Paul Lynam lecturing about them trying to raise the registration fee from 1,500 to 3,000 euro next year.

Walnut.

Will he be mentioning his or any of the other sabbat's salaries which are paid for by us, the students of UCD?

Fad

To be fair, I'm not sure that the fact that sabbat salaries are paid for by student contributions has ever been made a secret of.

Some sabbats do a very good job and it is a bit unreasonable to expect them to take a year off college with some form of payment.

Riamfada

15,000 for class rep training. Will someone ask about that for me. Ive always been interested.

Walnut.

Personally I'd just like to see a breakdown of expenses to see where the mandatory SU levy actually goes. How much do Lynam and co. earn? Each student paying €150 must add up to about €2.5 million, alot of money...
I'd be curious, I was on www.ucdsu.ie there looking for it but couldn't find it, anyone able to point me in the right direction?

Pigwidgeon

Grimes wrote: »

15,000 for class rep training. Will someone ask about that for me. Ive always been interested.

Apparently the 4 star hotel they went to in Carlow which Pat De Brún organised this year brought the cost down to €11,000. It's on the front cover of the observer. Still a ridiculous cost though.

jimi_t2

Walnut. wrote: »

Personally I'd just like to see a breakdown of expenses to see where the mandatory SU levy actually goes. How much do Lynam and co. earn? Each student paying €150 must add up to about €2.5 million, alot of money...
I'd be curious, I was on www.ucdsu.ie there looking for it but couldn't find it, anyone able to point me in the right direction?

22k students (AFAIK @ 150 a head is closer to 3.3million btw.

Riamfada

Most of it pays for the student center. You all voted for the student center levy four years ago and it passed.

Raphael

More than 4 i think, it was before my time and I started in '06.

Chet T16

Grimes wrote: »

Most of it pays for the student center. You all voted for the student center levy four years ago and it passed.

No, we didn't. Theres a whole load of us we came here since the vote

EduKate

Walnut. wrote: »

Personally I'd just like to see a breakdown of expenses to see where the mandatory SU levy actually goes. How much do Lynam and co. earn? Each student paying €150 must add up to about €2.5 million, alot of money...
I'd be curious, I was on www.ucdsu.ie there looking for it but couldn't find it, anyone able to point me in the right direction?

Lasts years predicted budget should be attached to the back of this report. You might want to take a look at the costs for the Observer and redoing the website.

Lynam has to present a report on the unions current finances and a projected budget for the year at the second su council meeting.

Riamfada

Chet T16 wrote: »

No, we didn't. Theres a whole load of us we came here since the vote

Exactly, and I ended up paying an extra 700 or so quid in my fees for a student center thats not even built yet and I will never use.

El Siglo

Wouldn't it not be fair to scrap the new SU building considering the current economic position we're all in? That was decided for a good few years ago, circumstances have changed so wouldn't it not be better if the money was used for I don't know, the hardship fund or something like that? Also, it's funny how all of the expenses are rounded, exactly 15,000 for class rep training... Is that to cover the costs of the damage done on the weekend junkets?

EduKate

€50,000 on the Observer.

El Siglo

El Siglo wrote: »

Wouldn't it not be fair to scrap the new SU building considering the current economic position we're all in? That was decided for a good few years ago, circumstances have changed so wouldn't it not be better if the money was used for I don't know, the hardship fund or something like that? Also, it's funny how all of the expenses are rounded, exactly 15,000 for class rep training... Is that to cover the costs of the damage done on the weekend junkets?

I don't really get the SU building myself. I got my student card there, and went to one or two society things there that could have been done elsewhere anyway. Otherwise I have absolutely no need to be anywhere near the place. Do many people even use it for anything other than the café?

Raphael

It's extensively used for Society events that can't really be elsewhere - small society coffee mornings, for instance. During the day it's hard to book rooms in Arts, as they're being used for classes.

Also it houses the Medical Centre, and the SU Offices. And one of these is really useful and important to students.

parker kent

Raphael wrote: »

Also it houses the Medical Centre, and the SU Offices. And one of these is really useful and important to students.

Don't need 2 guesses which one is not really useful

I am still amazed that the elections cost 40 grand a year. How they can justify that is beyond me. There is no need for the sheer amount of wasted posters, flyers etc. Most get dumped seconds after being handed to people. Surely emailing their manifesto would be more cost efficient? Otherwise I am clueless as to how they spend so much on it.

Then as is mentioned above, the training getaways are a massive waste. What is wrong with training people in the Student Centre? Especially since so much money is given by students for the maintenance of the Student Centre. Then they can go on a píss up afterwards paid for with their own money.

Plus El Siglo is right about the Soviet style figures issues in their accounts

Raphael

Raphael wrote: »

It's extensively used for Society events that can't really be elsewhere - small society coffee mornings, for instance. During the day it's hard to book rooms in Arts, as they're being used for classes.

Also it houses the Medical Centre, and the SU Offices. And one of these is really useful and important to students.

Are small society coffee mornings really worth 150 per student per year?
The money doesn't bother me, it's the fact it seems to be wasted which does.

I will agree that the health center is important.

antomorro-sei

What are the chances of them actually raising the reg fees to 3k?

Don't think I could afford that :eek:

antomorro-sei

antomorro-sei wrote: »

What are the chances of them actually raising the reg fees to 3k?

Don't think I could afford that :eek:

They will never just double registration fee's like that - it would cripple many students. The figure of 3k might be rumoured so that when the actual rise of a couple of hundred euros is introduced it won't seem so bad.

I'll say one thing, it's about time that the gov stopped paying the reg fee's of certain 'underprivileged' students. What's wrong with using some sort of Australian style student loan system?

EduKate

The student centre was a farce from the start. Most of the "issues" surrounding it haven't been printed because there's no hard evidence of any wrong-doing (much like how funds are allocated to societies and the 'alledged' kick backs)

One of the people who ran the referendum campaign for the new student centre subsequently got a job with the project after it had been approved. There's also a big picture of him hanging up in the current SU centre, grinning his head off.

antomorro-sei

Rojomcdojo wrote: »

They will never just double registration fee's like that - it would cripple many students. The figure of 3k might be rumoured so that when the actual rise of a couple of hundred euros is introduced it won't seem so bad.

I'll say one thing, it's about time that the gov stopped paying the reg fee's of certain 'underprivileged' students. What's wrong with using some sort of Australian style student loan system?

Ah, I see, sound!

Agree on the loan system.

Walnut.

parker kent wrote: »

Don't need 2 guesses which one is not really useful

I am still amazed that the elections cost 40 grand a year. How they can justify that is beyond me. There is no need for the sheer amount of wasted posters, flyers etc. Most get dumped seconds after being handed to people. Surely emailing their manifesto would be more cost efficient? Otherwise I am clueless as to how they spend so much on it.

Then as is mentioned above, the training getaways are a massive waste. What is wrong with training people in the Student Centre? Especially since so much money is given by students for the maintenance of the Student Centre. Then they can go on a píss up afterwards paid for with their own money.

Plus El Siglo is right about the Soviet style figures issues in their accounts

40k for elections?!? What is the point when there's only one candidate for most positions? Such a waste of money, half of that must be on celebratory drinks etc.

I agree with the reps training point, I don't see what the purpose of a trip away is really except for Students Union indoctrination

Raphael

Rojomcdojo wrote: »

Are small society coffee mornings really worth 150 per student per year?
The money doesn't bother me, it's the fact it seems to be wasted which does.

I will agree that the health center is important.

That's money to pay for the new building, though. As you can see, the old building has already been built, and thus doesn't cost money, other than wages for the staff.

El Siglo

Raphael wrote: »

That's money to pay for the new building, though. As you can see, the old building has already been built, and thus doesn't cost money, other than wages for the staff.

Then why bother building a new one? If it ain't broken then don't fix it. I've left UCD and indeed Dublin for good as have a lot of people I know. Why the hell should we have been billed for this White elephant? And an alumni special, why would I travel for three or four hours to use a slightly newer gym or swimming pool.

I wouldn't be surprised if they jack up the registration fee. They didn't care about jacking it up over the last 7 or 8 years, why should they care now?

delta_bravo

Contract to manage the pool is signed, all the business is done; the centre couldnt be mothballed at this stage.

hatful

The Irish times today http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/ireland/2010/1020/1224281544167.html

Raphael

Because it'll have a bunch of facilities the old one doesn't? Even still, more space would be good - I've seen plenty of societies have to cancel or postpone an event because they couldn't get a room.

Ginja Ninja

Raphael wrote: »

Because it'll have a bunch of facilities the old one doesn't? Even still, more space would be good - I've seen plenty of societies have to cancel or postpone an event because they couldn't get a room.

....I hear that

I don't want to get into the wasteful argument that always crops up and unfortuantely never leads anywhere.
I'd have to agree with the protest,but there's no way the college would double the registration fee, I'm paying my own way through college this year and worked my t*ts off all summer just to scrape by, if it goes up I'm out and I'd be fairly sure, I wouldn't be the only one to do so.
tl;dr: it'd cost the college money from the amount of people who couldn't afford to pay it

Raphael

On that note, I did hear from someone that the increase would only be for new incoming students, anyone else hear that?

errlloyd

Observer costs 15,000.

If any of you want this breakdown, get your rep to bring you into the budget meeting...

That person you voted for. Btw did anyone see Norris show up at council yesterday and rape Lynam?

Riamfada

errlloyd wrote: »

Observer costs 15,000.

Im pretty sure it dosnt and according to last years President's accounts it costs alot more.

errlloyd

Grimes wrote: »

Im pretty sure it dosnt and according to last years President's accounts it costs alot more.

I just remember it being the same as rep training last year?

Riamfada

errlloyd wrote: »

I just remember it being the same as rep training last year?

The accounts said 50k. I remember because belfield fm was 10k and I remember feeling really hard done by.

TimeToShine

How come no ones píssed off that the presidents been robbing 150k extra a year from us?

EduKate

TimeToShine wrote: »

How come no ones píssed off that the presidents been robbing 150k extra a year from us?

+1

UCD has to pay back illegal bonuses amounting to 1.6 million, but it's not Brady and the other staff who recieved the bonuses who will pay - the money will come from the general university budget.

Think of that the next time you're paying the health service charge or struggling to find a book in the library.

rainbow kirby

Grimes wrote: »

Most of it pays for the student center. You all voted for the student center levy four years ago and it passed.

I voted against it, and so did most people I knew. There were/are an incredible amount of hacks who wanted their vanity project though.

HavingCrack

Rojomcdojo wrote: »

They will never just double registration fee's like that - it would cripple many students. The figure of 3k might be rumoured so that when the actual rise of a couple of hundred euros is introduced it won't seem so bad.

I'll say one thing, it's about time that the gov stopped paying the reg fee's of certain 'underprivileged' students. What's wrong with using some sort of Australian style student loan system?

Apparently a significant number of Australians have a little habit of disappearing to the UK or US once they finish college and don't return for 5-15 years by which time a lot of the banks have given up ever getting their money back. Or so I've heard.

Out of interest if a student loan style system was introduced and you finished college and emigrated to Canada for example without paying your loan back is there anyway the bank would ever be able to catch up with you?? I find it hard to imagine them attempting to get you extradited.