Clare Cullen for DIT Students Union President 2011-2012

CULLEN4Prez · 17-02-2011 2:39am #1

Hi guys,
here's my manifesto, and I'll answer any questions! Sorry if it's long- I have lots I want to do for DITSU!

:)

Reasons for Running:
I am running because I am the best person for the job. I can bring something new to the role. My experience in Welfare, through being the Vice President for Academic and Student Affairs is a valuable asset to bring to the role of President. I will be a ‘Personable President’ and put a friendly face to the role. I want to inspire other female students to get involved in student politics.

I want to reform the DITSU website and install online voting for elections. I want to be the first President to lead a team to 100% Class Rep Recruitment. I want to create a DITSU Alcohol Policy to ensure DITSU moves smoothly towards the creation of a bar and venue in the proposed Grangegorman Student Center. I want to get an option to pay the ‘Student Contribution Charge’ in installments. I want to ensure the students get a new Academic Calendar that suit them. I want to inform and engage Governing Councillors- I want to see them grilling their officers.

I have built up very good relationships with DIT academics and staff over the past year. Despite this, I banged tables in meetings when I had to. This balance of “going hard on the problem, soft on the people” means that I am listened to within the DIT. My track record is proof that this approach works.

Promises:
Improve communication through FB, Youtube, Twitter.
Raise Participation: through Welfare Crew.
Ensure Transparency re: Board + Full disclosure.
100% Class Rep recruitment
Personable President – put a friendly face to the position.
National agenda: ensure welfare is represented in national campaigns. Lobby for more resources to be put into welfare campaigns by USI.
DITSU Alcohol Policy; this will need to be created working towards the student bar in Grangegorman.
Academic Calendar ; that suits the students.
Fees in Installments.
Voter Registration Campaign.
Academic Resources: Lobby for DIT to be included in the IReL.
Grangegorman; put policy in place, oversee the continued running of the Grangegorman Standing Committee, investigate the idea of a campus company between DIT and DITSU to run the student bar.
Assessment Calendar- Investigate the idea of an assessment calendar.
Online voting for DITSU elections
DITSU Handbook
Part-time leaflet out in September
Lobby for an ATM in Mountjoy Square.
Run a budgeting information campaign; with a leaflet that looks like a €50 note on one side, and listed on the other side how much food you can get in the top bargain retailers for that amount.
Libraries - computers, move towards laptops. Ensure longer library opening hours are continued.
Review of website –make the DITSU website easier to navigate.
Student Assistance Fund Protection; lobby USI and nationally to ensure the Student Assistance Fund is kept at the same level, if not increased, in anticipation of further budgets or further cuts.
Accreditation for Participation (LEAD)- make sure that once the pilot is complete, it is rolled out in full form and expanded over the coming academic year.

Relevant Experience:
Class Rep
Governing Councillor
Vice President of Academic and Student Affairs- some of the things that entails: director on the board of DITSU Ltd, member of Academic Council, sit on; Academic Quality Assurance Committee, Institute Review Steering Committee, sat on Grangegorman Development Authority, College Boards, CPIT, Governing Council. I was involved in restructuring of LPIT funding, review of General Assessment Regulations, Academic Calendar Working Group, organised Class Rep Training, the Welfare Roadshow, SHAG.
Experience in Communication - Experience with Press Releases, videos, digital media, degree in Journalism.

My Achievements as Vice President Academic and Student Affairs:
1. LIBRARIES - 10 Sessional staff have been allocated to the library, two more to come, which means the library will be back to 930-930 5 days a week and open on Saturdays.
2. JOURNALS – There was a 217k cut to come in the library budget which I fought against and managed to stop.
3. QUALITY ASSURANCE – I have been sitting on the Academic Quality Assurance Committee, the Institute Review Steering Committee, the academic Quality Enhancement Handbook Committee. I have run an awareness campaign trying to encourage students to ‘rate their course’. I steered a DIT Student Survey through these committees.
4. STUDENT WORK SCHOLARSHIP SCHEME – I was part of the group that finalised and set up this scheme, where students are given work and a grand total sum of 1,000 split into two payments for that work, instead of applying to the student assistance fund as that can sometimes be embarrassing for the student.
5. STUDY SKILLS WORKSHOPS – I was on the group working on these for this academic year. They are now completed, and were very successful.
6. ACCOMMODATION POWER DAYS – I ran the first ever ‘Accommodation Power Days’ in Aungier Street and Bolton Street. They ran very well especially as it was a pilot. Policy has been laid down to ensure that they are carried out again next year by the next Vice President.
7. WELFARE ROADSHOW – I ran the Welfare Roadshow, one concentrated effort on one site per day. This received all positive feedback. I think this is an innovative way and it is the way of the future until Grangegorman.
8. IMPROVING COMMUNICATION – I have been making video diaries, so the students can see what I actually do, day to day. There are academic and student affairs posters everywhere. I have been writing a blog for the website, a blog for Toast, articles for Toast. I have released stories to the DIT news. I have gotten students to submit reviews of Class Rep Training and rants about the libraries to Toast. Academic Affairs posters are also everywhere- for example Kick Assesment, Cheating and Plagerism and Class Rep posters. I have been and am involved in the making of several student surveys also. When I am elected President I will continue to improve communication through social media, video and improved links with the college and national media.

Also, since I submitted this manifesto, myself and Mary Scally signed off on the accreditation for participation module, which we renamed LEAD module, to kick off on its first pilot start of March!