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SU Elections

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Comments

  • Closed Accounts Posts: 1,492 ✭✭✭KCAccidental


    just like any politician. milk what you can, while you can ;)


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 82 ✭✭SEEMagazine


    That's an unfair assessment. Do you think that EVERYONE who ever left 3rd level did so with the necessary, requisite, experiences for any number of positions?

    50 years ago it was the same argument being made, saying that those who went to University didn't want to enter the real world either...

    Those of you who work in big firms... Did your boss get where (s)he is by virtue of some sort of Bill Cullen-esque rise? Not everyone can be a Guy Laliberte. Or perhaps you would prefer that the person you need to fight your corner when something goes terribly wrong is someone with absolutely no clue as to what to do? If you even want someone at all.

    People are ludicrously quick to lambast the political caste with no real knowledge of what amount of work is needed. Now I freely admit that during my own time in the SU I had close to zero responsibility and little to do; but when I needed to help students with departmental difficulties I did so.

    Some day soon, you'll leave college, move into the 'real world' and find all you have is a piece of paper, with a grade on it... and not a tap of 'experience'. Fionnain Sheahan was Education Officer in my time there, and he called on the student body to seek out Clubs, Societies, whatever, just to get expand their understanding of life outside of just getting an education, then a job...

    While I appreciate that semesterisation and general recessionary barriers mean that students can't dilly dally and need to get their 3/4 years done in one go, I'm amazed at the level of ignorance surrounding the need to be something more. Employers don't want a drone. They need people who understand that a job is often more than A,B,C.

    I was never the greatest academic, and certainly could have done better, but I did my time on the SU, and in Societies... And now I get to hang out with diplomats, CEO's, venture capitalists worth 100s of millions... And doing so is busting my balls. I work 80 hours a week for **** all money, but it's a job I would have killed for at any stage over the past decade.

    The SU saw some total wasters in the past, and some incredibly weak Presidents (who did more harm than good, and the students are still suffering for it if you ask me) but in the past 6 years I've seen a far better standard of student politician stepping up and doing their part.

    And for what it's worth I feel UCC should withdraw from USI because there's a body which has stagnated immeasurably in our time as a member. I voted against joining Day 1...


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,745 ✭✭✭Eliot Rosewater


    I'm not really sure what you're actually trying to argue. If you're arguing that experience is a good thing and worth chasing down I totally agree -- it's something I've done in the past, and this summer I've a lovely full-time job that I'll be able to do while travelling around Europe lined up for myself because of that.

    But, I don't think that people take prominent positions (SU, Guild, etc.) in college to boost their experience. I think that being elected to these of kinds of bodies satisfies a human desire to be popular, thought highly of amongst a certain peer group, to have some kind of power, or to be "successful" in some kind of socially defined sense.

    And, I don't think you can genuinely argue the experience card for people who are taking more than a year out. At that stage they've got the experience. And while it may be hard working in these student positions, they're not positions that attract a lot of accountability - and so are in a very key sense easy. Example: the Guild spent €1000 on a crossover dinner and after the revelation nothing has happened to anyone involved. Suppose you misspent €1000 of money belonging to the company you worked for. Would nothing happen there?

    In this sense, student society is a microcosm of national politics. Bertie Ahern was blatantly corrupt in 2008, and FF were blatantly unpopular in 2009, yet they could still hang on. It is my belief that there is a lower level of accountability in elected positions than in regular jobs. This is why I think student politicians staying on are avoiding the real world.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,745 ✭✭✭Eliot Rosewater


    While I appreciate that semesterisation and general recessionary barriers mean that students can't dilly dally and need to get their 3/4 years done in one go, I'm amazed at the level of ignorance surrounding the need to be something more. Employers don't want a drone. They need people who understand that a job is often more than A,B,C.

    In fairness, I think that's an over-generalization. In technical jobs - engineering, financial mathematics - employers are far more interested in hiring people with a track-record of intelligent thinking than ones who can court votes at society AGMs. A student in my class was offered an excellent job 2 years before he graduated - and he's never touched extra-curricular activities in college. It all depends on what you're doing.
    I was never the greatest academic, and certainly could have done better, but I did my time on the SU, and in Societies... And now I get to hang out with diplomats, CEO's, venture capitalists worth 100s of millions... And doing so is busting my balls. I work 80 hours a week for **** all money, but it's a job I would have killed for at any stage over the past decade.

    That sounds quite interesting! Would you mind sharing more about what you do?


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 12,046 ✭✭✭✭titan18



    And, I don't think you can genuinely argue the experience card for people who are taking more than a year out. At that stage they've got the experience. And while it may be hard working in these student positions, they're not positions that attract a lot of accountability - and so are in a very key sense easy. Example: the Guild spent €1000 on a crossover dinner and after the revelation nothing has happened to anyone involved. Suppose you misspent €1000 of money belonging to the company you worked for. Would nothing happen there?

    €1000 for a dinner of around 15 people, possibly more, when none of them were paid(at the time) for the work they put in during the year to ensure societies run smoothly. Considering the work some of them do, it's not entirely unreasonable. Also some companies have parties that are paid for by them for their staff.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 82 ✭✭SEEMagazine



    That sounds quite interesting! Would you mind sharing more about what you do?

    Executive Editor, SEE Magazine.... (www.see-magazine.eu)

    As Dr Bill would say I get to hob-nob with de big nobs at de nob-dos.

    As much fun as that can be it does involve the alarm going off at 7am 7 mornings a week and not seeing the leaba til midnight most nights.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 82 ✭✭SEEMagazine


    titan18 wrote: »
    €1000 for a dinner of around 15 people, possibly more, when none of them were paid(at the time) for the work they put in during the year to ensure societies run smoothly. Considering the work some of them do, it's not entirely unreasonable. Also some companies have parties that are paid for by them for their staff.

    I certainly appreciate the local economy more these days. Could put a hefty meal & 2 litres of 7% craft beer in front of 15 ppl here for 200 euro. Wouldn't see that in the Main Rest*








    *You could have seen that in the Main Rest once upon a time but one of the aforementioned weak-ass Presidents tinkered with a winning formula and the end result drove on-campus catering prices up through the roof. Could get soup and a roll for about 1.15 euro back in the days (roughly)


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,745 ✭✭✭Eliot Rosewater


    titan18 wrote: »
    €1000 for a dinner of around 15 people, possibly more, when none of them were paid(at the time) for the work they put in during the year to ensure societies run smoothly. Considering the work some of them do, it's not entirely unreasonable. Also some companies have parties that are paid for by them for their staff.

    I'm not suggesting a crossover meal is not called for, but €1000?! MathsSoc have a crossover meal every year -- last year the bill was €130 (15 people again) as the society only subsidized the meal and we chose somewhere cheap.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,278 ✭✭✭x43r0


    But, I don't think that people take prominent positions (SU, Guild, etc.) in college to boost their experience. I think that being elected to these of kinds of bodies satisfies a human desire to be popular, thought highly of amongst a certain peer group, to have some kind of power, or to be "successful" in some kind of socially defined sense.


    FWIW I did the job on the guild mostly to boost my CV and I'm nearly certain the experience and skills I came across from doing the job got me hired into what I'm doing now (Grad programme - Investment bank - London). How can I be so sure? My grades were crap :p

    This surely adds some weight to the argument that there are employablilty benefits to doing this kind of stuff


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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,443 ✭✭✭Byron85


    How much is the wage for Guild President? I ask because i've just been informed that all three candidates for election tonight are planning on taking the wage, as it's optional.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,278 ✭✭✭x43r0


    Byron85 wrote: »
    How much is the wage for Guild President? I ask because i've just been informed that all three candidates for election tonight are planning on taking the wage, as it's optional.

    I honestly don't have a clue. I was unpaid. I remember around the time it was being proposed it was equal to that of an SU sabbat


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,443 ✭✭✭Byron85


    x43r0 wrote: »
    I honestly don't have a clue. I was unpaid. I remember around the time it was being proposed it was equal to that of an SU sabbat

    Yeah I think it is around that figure, I just can't remember the exact amount. No matter. Was just curious.

    Edit:

    Found the info for S.U officers anyway. It's €18,000 per year, or a €346 per week, if you work it out at 52 weeks, although i'm not sure if that's how it's calculated.


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