WITSU and the current state of affairs

WAFFLES10

From what i understand witsu represent the students of WIT, they are leaders and indeed show students the way at times too. Can anyone tel me why the SU havnt done anything to inform, simplify or do anything to inform the student body re. our current political and financial affairs. Surely the su should have an idea??? I understand that they are trying to be a political but surely some information from them is crucial as students, that they represent and work for, are lost and confused . WHY ARNT THE UNION DOING ANYTHING IN THIS REGARD.

MitchKoobski

I'm not really sure I'm following what you're saying. WITSU are already helping students by organising career weeks and the like, expecting them to give you the full details on the political and financial situation is just more work than they would be ready to commit to im guessing.
You want WITSU to inform the student of the current financial situation?
There is no point of them informing students of political affairs. That would easily end up falling into claims of bias or favouritism.

It sounds to me like you want WITSU to do what the news does, inform people of current political and financial affairs. There is no simplifying it. You can't expect your SU to hold your hand and tell you what to do when stuff like this happens. If you can't be bothered watching the news to learn about this stuff, then theres really no hope for you.

AdMMM

As much I like to have a (justified) go at the USI and WITSU, I don't really agree with you in this regard. There are several political societies active in the college (Sinn Fein, Fine Gael, Socialist Workers Party and Fianna Fail) who would only be too happy to bring you aboard and keep you abreast of their take on the political and financial situation of the economy.

I think the WITSU's responsibilities to us politically only arise in the situation of national policies that directly affect students (i.e. fees and funding to universities and institutions). They did make an effort in this regard recently with the protest so I can't really fault them in that regard.

I do feel that we're missing a fundamental politics society in college i.e. a society for people who are interested in politics but don't want to be associated with a particular party or involved in party politics from the get-go.

WAFFLES10

ok i guess what i mean is , the su probably wouldnt have a clue anyways , their knowledge isnt exactly vast on alot of issues , but the student body are lost too, and i think the su should do something to make the whole situation easier to understand for its members.
in relation to the careers talks etc , tey were a flop turn out was poor as most assignments etc are due this week and perhaps the talks etc should have been next semester.

the political societies in the college at the moment are the socialist party SWP and young finegael, from my understanding at every opportunity the su wont allow the society inform through the union as it may show bias, if the union cant do it surely they should allow a political society do so?

even the union paper refuse to allow political content now as it would be unfair to other societies.

so the union wont do it , the paper wont print it and the political societies arnt allowed do it , then who will?????

MitchKoobski

WAFFLES10 wrote: »

ok i guess what i mean is , the su probably wouldnt have a clue anyways , their knowledge isnt exactly vast on alot of issues , but the student body are lost too, and i think the su should do something to make the whole situation easier to understand for its members.
in relation to the careers talks etc , tey were a flop turn out was poor as most assignments etc are due this week and perhaps the talks etc should have been next semester.

the political societies in the college at the moment are the socialist party SWP and young finegael, from my understanding at every opportunity the su wont allow the society inform through the union as it may show bias, if the union cant do it surely they should allow a political society do so?

even the union paper refuse to allow political content now as it would be unfair to other societies.

so the union wont do it , the paper wont print it and the political societies arnt allowed do it , then who will?????

Sensing some dissatisfaction with the SU anyway. :P

SWP, YFG and SF are all active at the moment. No club or society has anything informed or dispensed through the union. Its up to the board and members of those political societies to help the student body if they want to. Any political society is allowed do it. That being said, anything put out would be done with a bias towards or in favour of that particular society. I think I saw SWP one during the week, saw the word 'Marxist' on the front and kept walking. YFG are currently running the shoebox charity, but they have their website if anyone wants their view on it.

The thing with the WIT IT or paper. The reason there isn't any political content atm is because last year one of the biggest complaints was that the paper was full of politics and it bored students. Each month there is a feature on a club and a society. Last month YFG was featured. YFG have a website and SWP have their newsletter, they each have an outlet to express their views. (I'm just using these two as an example as they are the two im immediatly aware of.)

If someone was to submit an unbiased article simplifying the facts of situation and giving students more information on the matter, it would be greatly appreciated. The paper is always looking for content, and something like that would benefit students. It's just no one has come forward to do it. Even a small few words every issue would be appreciated.

Sully

There seems to be only three political societies in WIT. YFG, Socialists and the Socialists Party. I assumed that the latter two were the same, but I stand corrected. One had a form on fighting college fees nobody turned up to (bar a few YFG heads, and a socialist from Dublin and then one committee member) so we just chatted in general about the state of the country. The Socialist Party, did the Marx thing. Thats what they explained to me anyway. SF and FF are not running in WIT from what I was told - not run by students.

YFGs Shoebox Appeal was somewhat separate, run with another society. Its ended now but it didn't get the support it should have with the Christmas Tree in college st constantly being blocked. The various political events continued weekly with the last one being a discussion on the four year plan, the budget, the election and the general state of the affairs. There was the YFG Executive Hustings session (first in WIT), the Lucinda Creighton discussion and some other stuff during the Shoebox appeal which was pretty busy. They indeed have the website which is kept fairly up-to-date.

The problem with the paper this year is there is no room for political discussions. I wouldn't say it was "the biggest complaint" last year. Apparently people complained in "private to WITSU" about it, but in public WITSU meetings it wasn't the biggest problem. IMO, I preferred last years paper but it had its problems of course.

In addition, there is no room for Clubs & Societies to plug themselves or news - its all "Featured Only" which isn't fair. C&S get no chance to promote any events they run because there not allowed put up posters (WITSU are and have now added special poster pockets around campus to plaster the college with their weekly events). This was something asked for last year (not the papers fault, nobody bothered their ass sending stuff in half the time).

I did do a summary piece, but it might not be what people are looking for, and it may not get printed. Ill post it up shortly tho. The fee increase for registration won't be covered, it was to late to put it in as it was going to print the next day.

WAFFLES10

MitchKoobski wrote: »

Sensing some dissatisfaction with the SU anyway. :P

SWP, YFG and SF are all active at the moment. No club or society has anything informed or dispensed through the union. Its up to the board and members of those political societies to help the student body if they want to. Any political society is allowed do it. That being said, anything put out would be done with a bias towards or in favour of that particular society. I think I saw SWP one during the week, saw the word 'Marxist' on the front and kept walking. YFG are currently running the shoebox charity, but they have their website if anyone wants their view on it.

The thing with the WIT IT or paper. The reason there isn't any political content atm is because last year one of the biggest complaints was that the paper was full of politics and it bored students. Each month there is a feature on a club and a society. Last month YFG was featured. YFG have a website and SWP have their newsletter, they each have an outlet to express their views. (I'm just using these two as an example as they are the two im immediatly aware of.)

If someone was to submit an unbiased article simplifying the facts of situation and giving students more information on the matter, it would be greatly appreciated. The paper is always looking for content, and something like that would benefit students. It's just no one has come forward to do it. Even a small few words every issue would be appreciated.

of course the union are generally idiots this year. <snip - Personal Attack>
the pres likes to start every sentence with ' ive been involved in the union since 04 ok ok ok ok ok o ok ok ok ok ok.

1. the rec room in col street still isnt done
2 the su are killing club and soc life in the college as they hae an event every week and socs just cant compete , thus there activity dwindles.
3. they are overpaid
4 they have their friends getting jobs in the union
5. its awkward and unfriendly in the union atm.

MitchKoobski

Okay so now we get to it!

1. the rec room in col street still isnt done
2 the su are killing club and soc life in the college as they hae an event every week and socs just cant compete , thus there activity dwindles.
3. they are overpaid
4 they have their friends getting jobs in the union
5. its awkward and unfriendly in the union atm.

1. Agreed, but I don't know the full story being in the Cork Rd campus so I'll hold back on giving out about it.
2. Inactive clubs and socs are killing clubs and socs. If SU weren't organising an event every week you'd be complaining they weren't giving us enough events to go to. Whoever books an event first, gets the venue. If clubs and socs aren't organising events, they dont get anywhere. Dwindling activity is down to the club/soc and its members.
3. What are they getting paid then?
4. This was the case last year and years before. I dont see the same situation this year. Tbh I would normally agree with this one, like last year for example, but this year I think its different. Do you have an example maybe?
5. Don't understand this at all. Examples as well?

I don't want to seem like I'm trying to turn everything back at you or something, I just have a pet peeve for people making claims or throwing out stuff like "of course the union are generally idiots this year".

WAFFLES10

MitchKoobski wrote: »

Okay so now we get to it!




2. Inactive clubs and socs are killing clubs and socs. If SU weren't organising an event every week you'd be complaining they weren't giving us enough events to go to. Whoever books an event first, gets the venue. If clubs and socs aren't organising events, they dont get anywhere. Dwindling activity is down to the club/soc and its members.
3. What are they getting paid then?
4. This was the case last year and years before. I dont see the same situation this year. Tbh I would normally agree with this one, like last year for example, but this year I think its different. Do you have an example maybe?


ok 2. the SU have block booked events, if a society has an event on during the weeek they compete v the su event , its a david v goliath scenario. im involved with a few societys nd we have found this to be the case .
3. 26k, this is too high , its more than a graduate wage in the economy at the minute and whilst i understand they work long hours its too much .
4. Tom Barry in the bike shop, shane at reception, the neighbourhood watch team, no interviews etc just jobs handed out .

Sully

MitchKoobski wrote: »

2. Inactive clubs and socs are killing clubs and socs. If SU weren't organising an event every week you'd be complaining they weren't giving us enough events to go to. Whoever books an event first, gets the venue. If clubs and socs aren't organising events, they dont get anywhere. Dwindling activity is down to the club/soc and its members.

Its a mixed bag, but those active societies trying to promote their events struggle against the union which has even more advertising space this year then before. Id prefer to see the union working with the active societies, helping those not so active get more active etc. They are after all elected to be a union for the student, they should be helping them.

Conor is a decent president in compared with the bunch prior. He does seem to be trying to do his from what I gather, but still problems remain that were not touched.

AdMMM

Just to clarify Kev, is the socialists party that you mention, the Socialists Workers Party and the Socialists the Socialists Party? Or is it just the Socialist Party and a Socialists society (i.e. one with supporters of [or merely those interested in] the socialist ideology?

Sparkles:)

1. the rec room in col street still isnt done

Haha nearly broke myself laughin while i was wandering down to the su office and spotted the sign sayin keep out... knew it wouldnt be finished

2 the su are killing club and soc life in the college as they hae an event every week and socs just cant compete , thus there activity dwindles.

I haven't noticed this, and i'm heavily involved in a club...

3. they are overpaid

They do a full time job and are paid the same as sabbatical officers in other colleges and universities and as we can see are subject to countless personal attacks

4 they have their friends getting jobs in the union

I think i know conor to the extent that i got sick on his shoes when he was welfare officer 2 years ago i didn't know any member of the union and I still don't but if you want to get involved no one is going to ask you, go ask denise can you help with welfare campaigns, ask james to help with education.
Feeney has to be selective cause his promo team get into some events for cheap or free but that's only about 5 or 10 people, and i don't think its too much that he involves his friends because at least its people he trusts and know are competent.

5. its awkward and unfriendly in the union atm.

I have found the union very friendly, always stop and say hello willing to answer questions, and more than willing to have a bitta banter if you're throwing them abuse in harveys...

ilikemusic

TBH I think if any student want's to know what is going on with our economy / government it's up to them to turn on the 6pm news, pick up a newspaper, or (like mentioned above) talk to one of the political clubs, the members enjoy discussing stuff like that & i'm sure they would be very willing to fill you in! It does kind of come across as any reason to give out about the SU!
I'm glad i'm not the only one that thinks the SU posters are unfair tho.. It does seam like they dont want anybody else having any space to advertise stuff! Having said that, tried to get involved with a couple of clubs/soc's this year, and very much agree with an above comment, inactive clubs/soc are the problem, not much happening this year..

Sully

AdMMM wrote: »

Just to clarify Kev, is the socialists party that you mention, the Socialists Workers Party and the Socialists the Socialists Party? Or is it just the Socialist Party and a Socialists society (i.e. one with supporters of [or merely those interested in] the socialist ideology?

One is the Joe Higgins crowd and I think the other is the SWP. There seems to be a few variations of "Socialists" in Ireland, so I am a little confused. Ill double check with the lads who were there also.

Sully

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