DCUSU 2011/12: Q&A

Daysha

In case you haven't seen the madness on campus or Facebook in the last few hours, campaigning has officially got underway for positions in next year's Students' Union. For the next week students can use this thread to ask any questions they have for any of the candidates running, while the candidates themselves can publish their manifestos and answer any questions directed towards them.

As this could potentially be a hot topic of discussion, the standard forum rules apply. Any posts you are unhappy with should be reported using the button and myself or Attol will deal with it accordingly.

Here's the official list of nominees for positions:

President
Ed Leamy

VP for Education
Anita Azams
Cillian Byrne
Ian McGlynn
Tina Newshome-McDonnell
JJ O'Byrne

VP for Welfare
Elaine Butler
Ruth Connolly
Jackie Fox
Collie Oliver
Tim O'Regan

Humanities Convenor
Jimmy English
Aisling Foley
John Sullivan

Science & Health Convenor
Eolann Kitteringham
Gary O'Donoghue

Engineering & Computing Convenor
Mohamed Ali
Lorcan Brennan
Oisin Kelly

Business Convenor
Debbie Bough
Eoin Clancy

Societies Officer
Stephen Byrne
Steve Rynne

Clubs Officer
Paul Doherty

This thread will be closed once campaigns have been concluded, so use it wisely

uppers101

Hi everyone,

I'd like to post this link on behalf of Elaine Butler, she'd really appreciate your vote next week.

Please have a look at her website, you can find her policys and videos on it!

http://www.elainebutler.com

(Updated every day so check back!)

Charisma2k11

Hey guys,


Would really love your support in the elections next Wedn/Thurs 6th and 7th of April. It would be an honor to represent the student body of DCU as the designated Welfare Officer 2011/2012.


Please see the 'info' tab at the link below for the bones of my manifesto.

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Vote-Collie-for-Dcusu-Vice-President-for-Welfare/103275779758386


Thank you very much.


Collie


'No problem too big....no problem too small...'

average hero

*DISCLAIMER* This is NOT a trolling post, I understand that some people may not like the content of the post, but it is a truth to many students in DCU. If you want this post removed, please PM*

Hello to everyone,

Over the past three/four years in DCU, I have dealt with the Student Union only on a number of occasions. Thankfully I have never needed to use their services for anything serious.

On the few occasion I have dealt with the SU, it has appeared that it is a 'closed shop', as it is not very open. Evidence of this is on the 'vote no' posters where it asked voters whether they thought the SU was cliquey. Obviously others think so too.

Also, I am amazed at the amount of freedom that the Enterprise society has had with relation to organising events in comparison to the other societies. I know that the society in question is 'closely alligned' the SU.

My question is, how would you make the SU a more open shop?

uppers101

I cant answer that question on behalf of Elaine Butler but I know that is one of her goals, if you post to her facebook group she will get back to you asap!

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Butler-for-Welfare/150877304976132?sk=wall

All the best,
Thomas.

cocoa

disclaimer : the views expressed below belong solely to the poster known as cocoa, who is not running for election but is currently a member of the SU exectuive.

average hero wrote: »

On the few occasion I have dealt with the SU, it has appeared that it is a 'closed shop', as it is not very open. Evidence of this is on the 'vote no' posters where it asked voters whether they thought the SU was cliquey. Obviously others think so too.

OK, you've proven that some people think the SU is cliquey. The university has 10,000 students, you can find a lot of views out there, where's the substantive information? What is the actual essence of your dissatisfaction? There have been totally different people on executive (which is what I assume you mean by SU, every student is a member of the SU, that'd quite the clique!) and to claim that the executive is always a clique seems odd to me. I think it is common for the executive to get to know one another and work as a team. It would be hard not to, spending 3+hours together every week (far far more if you're talking about just the sabats). I know for a fact that the members of this year's exec came from varying backgrounds and do not all agree on everything. I don't think the exec members being friends is a problem, again, what's the substantive issue here?

average hero wrote: »

Also, I am amazed at the amount of freedom that the Enterprise society has had with relation to organising events in comparison to the other societies. I know that the society in question is 'closely alligned' the SU.

The SU executive and the Society Life Committee are separate bodies. It would be rare indeed (I cannot recall it happening) for the SU Executive to decide how much or how little freedom a society might have.

average hero wrote: »

My question is, how would you make the SU a more open shop?

I wonder how would you?

Foxkehs

Hi everyone,

Jackie Fox here, a candidate for Welfare Officer. I'll just take this opportunity to post the link to my manifesto which is on www.fox4welfare.wordpress.com in both English and Irish.

It would be fantastic if ye could take a couple of minutes to read why I think I am the best candidate for this job and why my fresh ideas and initiatives will provide a clear structure to the new, single position of Welfare Officer.

If you have any further questions please don't hesitate to contact me! (and averagehero I'll answer your question tomorrow, just finishing off my hustings speech at the mo!)

Hoping for your #1 pref,
Jackie

Urizen

average hero wrote: »

Also, I am amazed at the amount of freedom that the Enterprise society has had with relation to organising events in comparison to the other societies. I know that the society in question is 'closely alligned' the SU.

The Enterprise Society has exactly the same amount of freedom to run events as any other society. Relationships with members of the Executive with societies have absolutely no bearing on how the SLC funds or approves a society or its events. This is fact, not opinion.

In my personal opinion, E-Soc have been fantastic this year with the scope and variety of events they have run, how they've engaged the student body and overall smooth running of the society. They really don't deserve these kind of insinuations.

average hero

Most definitely, E Soc have had many good events on this year. There are mumblings on campus of E Soc being very closely aligned indeed with the SU Exec. When I say mumblings, I say that there are a medium sized minority saying this. They are not perceived as the most open of societies. But that is for another day.

If you have these perceptions floating around campus, a lot of students may not come to the SU with any problems that they have, therefore hindering what it is supposed to do. The student exec should be filled with people who are unaffiliated with societies as such.

My point being that the SU has these perceptions ( I have experienced it a little perhaps, but I digress) and what would you do to ensure ANYONE with ANY problem could come to an open door?

Urizen

average hero wrote: »

They are not perceived as the most open of societies.

Not perceived as the most open society? Have these people even tried to attend an E-Soc event? If this minority attended an event, they would immediately see how they are mistaken. This is nothing more than rumours and preconceptions.

average hero wrote: »

If you have these perceptions floating around campus, a lot of students may not come to the SU with any problems that they have, therefore hindering what it is supposed to do. The student exec should be filled with people who are unaffiliated with societies as such.

So you're saying that people who have been involved with student life in societies should NOT attempt to get more involved with student life by running for Executive, essentially. That seems counterproductive. It's the next logical step for many people wanting to improve the quality of student life on campus. These people have just as much right to run as anyone else in DCU.

average hero wrote: »

My point being that the SU has these perceptions ( I have experienced it a little perhaps, but I digress) and what would you do to ensure ANYONE with ANY problem could come to an open door?

Here's a way to counteract this: get people to stop spreading rumours about things they know nothing about. Frankly, I'm amazed people still believe things like this with no evidence.

jennyq

Isn't the purpose of this thread for this year's candidates for election to answer people's questions, not the current exec? I can understand why you guys want to defend what you feel is a misrepresentation of how things are, but I think in general (or maybe it's just me) people are more interested to hear what next year's potential exec would do in the roles before they vote. Personally I don't know some of the candidates at all and I'd really like to hear more before I make my choice. An analysis of what this year's exec have or haven't done right probably belongs in another thread.

cocoa

jennyq wrote: »

Isn't the purpose of this thread for this year's candidates for election to answer people's questions, not the current exec? I can understand why you guys want to defend what you feel is a misrepresentation of how things are, but I think in general (or maybe it's just me) people are more interested to hear what next year's potential exec would do in the roles before they vote. Personally I don't know some of the candidates at all and I'd really like to hear more before I make my choice. An analysis of what this year's exec have or haven't done right probably belongs in another thread.

I see your point but I don't think the current exec being involved in the discussion hurts it. I, for one, was not trying to defend the current exec so much as find a better question to ask as I felt the one being asked didn't entirely make that much sense. If I came across as overly defensive or argumentative I apologise and equally if my input is more distracting than it is insightful then I apologise again and will say no more.

I think this is an important and exciting chance to assess the current candidates, but I think to take full advantage of it, questions need to be well defined and targeted. As many questions are spurred on by / sprouted from problems (perceived or otherwise) with this year's exec, it follows that this year's exec might have insight, and indeed might know better if answer's offered by candidates are reasonable, pipe dreamish or otherwise.

To take a simple example, take the problem of lack of student engagement / perceived cliquishness etc. You can either believe the exec is a clique or believe that people only wrongly perceive it to be and hopefully you would ask a totally different question depending on this.

Urizen

I didn't mean to come off as defensive, I saw misinformation and wanted to correct it.

Back on topic, I would like to hear how the candidates would propose to handle this perception of the SU. As has been stated, it's a hot topic.

Killer_Cheese

Best way to tackle it is direct engagement with students. And without having to spend a lot of time learning the ins and outs of my role I will be able to commit a lot of time to doing this.

Cillian for education!

manlad

Previous years candidates have made numerous different promises in their manefesto's. Once elected there never heard of again. I can't see this year being any different. For those that are going for re-election, what did you do last year that merits a re-election this year?

Skylinehead

From what I see, stand around the Hub doing very little

Jemo

Tina Newsome-McDonnell hasn't been mentioned here, shes running for Vice-President for Education. She is probably the nicest person you will ever meet and is a really hard worker. She's been out canvassing and her policies have gotten a great response so you can take a look at them here if you're still to vote.
http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100002247965293

To sum up they are:
Increased resources in the library through buying second hand books from students (or alternatively a much better 2nd hand book system)
Increased Library Opening hours (until 12am during the week and open on Sundays)
Free/Subsidised basic IT classes in library (these could be given by IT students at a small rate of €2 per person or something similar)
Increased awarenes of UANEEN module by promotion in 1st and 2nd year
Mentor/buddy system for international students
Possible opening of a science learning centre due to high failure rates in 1st year.

And yes, I am her friend and have no shame to promote her. If you see her around campus just stop and chat to her and you will realise why.

Jemo

And as for opening the doors to the general campus, Tina has already been canvassing all the student accomodation, sitting down to chat with people out and about and seeing where their problems are. The best result of this has been the intake of information she has gotten from the science faculty which led to the idea of the science learning centre (similar to maths lc).

Theres a very easy way to get people to talk and open up the SU. Have a desk in each building and have different execs sit in each one day a week for an hour or 2 to chat to passer-bys and deal with any problems. People dislike the idea of entering the warren above the hub on their own looking for help. Its an easy problem to fix and put an end to the probably misconceived idea of the SU being closed. Tina is one of the most open people you will ever meet and this is one of her many ideas.

(I'm posting on her behalf as she hasn't got a boards account and is out canvassing most of the time at current). We'd really appreciate your vote tomorrow.