ULSU Elections 2013 (Voting Thursday March 14) #VoteUL

Quintis

sceptre wrote: »

Absolutely. But it almost never happens.

I agree, but I think if some of the candidates got some Co-Op/Erasmus class reps online then then could bring in x00 votes almost uncontested, the power of a FB class page or class rep circular email can often be underestimated

SpudWinkle

Quintis wrote: »

I agree, but I think if some of the candidates got some Co-Op/Erasmus class reps online then then could bring in x00 votes almost uncontested, the power of a FB class page or class rep circular email can often be underestimated

Any class rep who uses their email privileges to try and encourage classmates to vote for a particular candidate gets in serious trouble.

Evergreen23

SpudWinkle wrote: »

Any class rep who uses their email privileges to try and encourage classmates to vote for a particular candidate gets in serious trouble.

If they use their student mails...

Quintis

SpudWinkle wrote: »

Any class rep who uses their email privileges to try and encourage classmates to vote for a particular candidate gets in serious trouble.

Ya they are especially trying to clamp down on it this year, it does happen though, sometimes class reps are just unaware it is not allowed.

However endorsing a candidate on a course/class FB page is not covered in the rules

Quintis

Evergreen23 wrote: »

If they use their student mails...

Yup, any endorsed email sent from an @studentmail.ul.ie or @ul.ie account is forbidden and the sender will lose email privileges

sceptre

Evergreen23 wrote: »

Is that if they use their student mail?

Yeah, or ast least I'm (probably safely) assuming that's what SpudWinkle is referring to - class reps have a class distribution list for their classes, to be used only for legitimate class rep use. Mind you, a few lecturers and head of department have pimped candidates in the past on their distribution list, which is quite dodgy, even if nothing can be done about that. Students would most likely complain about being election-spammed on behalf of a candidate by their class rep using the official distribution list and they'd be right to complain.

Evergreen23

For the current officers including the PSU it would be interesting to look at their manifestos from last year and compare with what has been achieved i.e. have they lived up to their written intentions!

Does anyone else think that there is a lack of transparency in the union? For example there was a recent trip to Brussels that some officers and other students went on. What was the rationale for the trip and what was the selection process or was it just mates of the officers? Also how much of it was subsidized and was it communicated?

How is the SU shop operating? I heard that it was making a loss last year which is very hard to believe, this information should be accessible to all students.

Chavways

Evergreen23 wrote: »

For the current officers including the PSU it would be interesting to look at their manifestos from last year and compare with what has been achieved i.e. have they lived up to their written intentions!

Does anyone else think that there is a lack of transparency in the union? For example there was a recent trip to Brussels that some officers and other students went on. What was the rationale for the trip and what was the selection process or was it just mates of the officers? Also how much of it was subsidized and was it communicated?

How is the SU shop operating? I heard that it was making a loss last year which is very hard to believe, this information should be accessible to all students.

Do you mean the Spar shop? I thought that was taken over by a private operator last year or the year before. Maybe I'm wrong though.

SpudWinkle

Evergreen23 wrote: »

Does anyone else think that there is a lack of transparency in the union? For example there was a recent trip to Brussels that some officers and other students went on. What was the rationale for the trip and what was the selection process or was it just mates of the officers? Also how much of it was subsidized and was it communicated?

Not sure of the exact subsidy and that, but some of the trip was paid for using the enablement fund. It was open to all class reps who paid the €50 deposit on a first come first served basis, and they went to visit the parliament, so I assume the point was to see democracy working on a larger scale. Details were communicated via email and at class reps council, and it was organised by Roisin. I know that because I'm a class rep, but I didn't go so I'm not sure of all the details.

highlydebased

Chavways wrote: »

Do you mean the Spar shop? I thought that was taken over by a private operator last year or the year before. Maybe I'm wrong though.

Indeed, it is no longer run by the SU, it was taken over privately.

wnolan1992

Evergreen23 wrote: »

For the current officers including the PSU it would be interesting to look at their manifestos from last year and compare with what has been achieved i.e. have they lived up to their written intentions!

I started a thread on this over here. Has Cathal and Paddy's manifestos. Couldn't find Adam's.

magicherbs

James mcmahon would have to do an awful lot for me to have any faith in him as a candidate.

Don't judge people on small things, but when you add them all up have to be suspicious if he has the skills or the maturity. When a student gives you advice, well intended etc, there are a lot more sophicated ways to deal with it then what he did. Dismissing boards etc. is also highly suggestive of an immature mind, a lot of the previous officers got elected in the past who didn't understand social media, and the SU really suffered. HAve to accept it's part of the role, anyone that doesn't have a twitter / fb / forum presence is not getting by vote.

Quintis

magicherbs wrote: »

James mcmahon would have to do an awful lot for me to have any faith in him as a candidate.

Don't judge people on small things, but when you add them all up have to be suspicious if he has the skills or the maturity. When a student gives you advice, well intended etc, there are a lot more sophicated ways to deal with it then what he did. Dismissing boards etc. is also highly suggestive of an immature mind, a lot of the previous officers got elected in the past who didn't understand social media, and the SU really suffered. HAve to accept it's part of the role, anyone that doesn't have a twitter / fb / forum presence is not getting by vote.

I agree but the person who published that private pm was publicly trolling him by saying he looked like someone who has aspergers, not defending James but that is a horrible thing to say of anyone. it is one thing to express a personal dislike of a video but to take it that far was in very poor taste in my own opinion

AnFecker

An ****ed would like to declare their intentions as independent reporters of the elections.

www.An****ed.blogspot.com

freyners

AnFecker wrote: »

An ****ed would like to declare their intentions as independent reporters of the elections.

www.An****ed.blogspot.com

link is broken

Chavways

freyners wrote: »

link is broken

You have to fill in for the asterisks with a magic word ;)

AnFecker

Of course it is, silly censoring Boards won't let us write any fun words on the Internet.

Try drag these two together.
www.anf ucked.blogspot.com

wnolan1992

AnFecker wrote: »

An ****ed would like to declare their intentions as independent reporters of the elections.

www.An****ed.blogspot.com

BAHAHAHA!

Advantages: Cute eyes, being female, not being Adam Moursy
Disadvantages: The meandering advances and nimble fingers of Paddy Rockett

Quintis

Quite a funny blog, a good light hearted view

SpudWinkle

AnFecker wrote: »

An ****ed would like to declare their intentions as independent reporters of the elections.

www.An****ed.blogspot.com

That's very funny man, fair play :L

freyners

thats very good, nice light hearted tone and any time I see that photo of moursy its instant win for me

Brother24

Brilliant! Can't wait for the next one!

Kennedy ...... the most handsome candidate ........ one of the most popular non-incumbent candidates, he's also a mad laugh.......

An author who clearly adores Kennedy above all others, above all humans possibly, absolutely infatuation with Kennedy...

It is in fact Kennedy O'Brien, isn't it?

magicherbs

AnFecker wrote: »

Of course it is, silly censoring Boards won't let us write any fun words on the Internet.

Try drag these two together.
www.anf ucked.blogspot.com

jesus john cambridge really is scraping the bottom of the barrel now, that is trully awful

Quintis

AnFecker wrote: »

Of course it is, silly censoring Boards won't let us write any fun words on the Internet.

Try drag these two together.
www.anf ucked.blogspot.com

I must say it is hilarious someone publicising a blog on boards which calls those who read and post on boards.ie 'pedantic raconteurs', cut your nose to spite your face...

SpudWinkle

First manifesto appears to be up on James McMahon's Facebook page.

wnolan1992

James McMahon’s Manifesto for Welfare Officer
My name is James McMahon and I am currently a fourth year English and History student. I will be running for the position of DP Welfare Officer in the University of Limerick Students Union. I am a typical student, who has no affiliation with any club, society or previous Union position. As a typical student, I have noticed how some members of the student body view members of the Union as being almost separate to the college and to the student body as a whole, as welfare officer I will seek to change this completely as the only way I can be effective and make the welfare office approachable.

Welfare Office Outlook
The role of the Welfare Officer is to be there for the health and happiness of the students this extends from providing people with information on healthy eating to making sure you have money to pay rent. The only way this can happen is if I know the students and the students know me. To do this I will be a very public figure in the Students Union so the students will feel like they know me and be comfortable in the fact that they could come and see me. I understand that a lot of work is done behind closed doors, but as a representative of the student body, the students need to know what work is being done behind these doors. I will make sure I inform the students of what exactly the Welfare office is there to do for them.
Financial Issues
If elected I will increase the student hardship fund, I will pursue outside sponsorship from businesses in order to increase this. I will be targeting businesses in the industrial sector that take UL Graduates. Irelands export based industry is thriving- this is a fact! It is the graduates which these companies have received from Irish universities that are powering their growth. The southwest has been badly affected by the recession but it only through the investment in the future workforce that this can get us out of this situation. These companies took on these UL graduates, now it’s time for them to give back.

Sexual Health
As Welfare Officer I will make sure that there will be a bigger campaign for SHAG week then there has been over the last few years. This week would not only be good fun for the students because of organised events, but will be important in highlighting the major issues about sexual health. A bigger campaign is needed in order to do so, not just the simple action of going around campus giving away condoms. This brings me onto the issue of condoms. The distribution of condoms is one of the most important parts of this office. As they say, safe sex is great sex. There’s no point chancing unprotected sex, especially when the Welfare Office will be giving them away for free. Currently there are thousands of condoms being handed out each semester, I want to increase the number of Durex being handed out, this is because the majority of students, including myself, would always trust Durex over the “the leading competitor”. I plan to do this by inviting the bars and Clubs in Limerick to sponsor the Durex giveaways in order to get a monopoly for advertisement in the Union and on campus for that week. Again, there is the “give back” approach to this, as students contribute hugely to the coffers of these bars and nightclubs and the investment for them is a drop in the ocean in comparison to what they can recoup.

Mental Health
As a generation I think that we have an opportunity to deal with our national disposition toward mental health problems. There has greater emphasis by governments in recent years to try and deal with mental health, but the culture that we live in is not conjunctive to being open about mental health issues. The stigma that is attached to mental health needs to be removed. As Welfare Officer I will not only commit myself to go out and become know to the student body but to get them to come and see me even just for a chat, this will help take the stigma out of going to welfare office, that something has to be “wrong” the same stigma that puts people off talking about what’s bothering them, I will always be ready to listen to any problem however small. To that end for the first six weeks of each semester I will raffle off a spot prize amongst the people that come to see me. I plan on visiting as many classes and clubs and societies meetings as I can to get to know as many people in UL as possible. Of upmost importance is that people know what the Welfare Officer does and who they are. I will open a petition that I will deliver to the Minister for Health for a change in the government’s approach to mental health. Resources need to be put in at the earliest stages of education for the identification of the early stages of mental health issues primary school teachers are not qualified to identify these issues before the child goes to secondary school where it can sometimes be too late. I will also organise seminars with speakers from across the different walks of life

General Health
As Welfare Officer I will make sure that there will always be an emphasis on health rather than sickness. I will introduce campaigns in which to promote a healthy lifestyle within the university. I will arrange for an inter-course soccer competition that would run throughout a semester, or year, that would eventually end in winners competing in an inter-year competition. I will also plan to work with the management of the shop for deals on healthy food as I have noticed there are always deals on chocolate bars, sweets and biscuits but deals are lacking on healthy alternatives. I also plan on introducing a cigarette quitting scheme whereby people give up cigarettes by “buddying up” with other quitters causing both to help each other. This helps people get to not only give up cigarettes, but also to meet new people. University of Limerick boasts excellent sporting facilities that I wish every student would take advantage of. If elected, I am going to work with the arena to negotiate day deals, training or reduced rates for spots teams and the ordinary student.
If elected I hope to change the way the welfare office is perceived and used by the student body, I will continue the work that is already being done while making sure my policies are being instituted
VOTE JAMES MC FOR WELFARE!!!
Issued by Kelly O’Sullivan Campaign Manager for James Mc Mahon.

Posted here for posterity.


I'd have to question the inter-course soccer tournament. This sounds like it is only going to benefit a tiny fraction of students. In massive courses like BBS, you're talking about what? 20 people per year who will take part? In smaller courses like CS, there's barely enough people to field one team if you combined all four year groups. Surely this is a poor use of the officer's time?

Quintis

wnolan1992 wrote: »

I'd have to question the intercourse soccer tournament. This sounds like it is only going to benefit a tiny fraction of students. In massive courses like BBS, you're talking about what? 20 people per year how will take part? In smaller courses like CS, there's barely enough people to field one team if you combined all four year groups. Surely this is a poor use of the officer's time?

I agree, however the idea of a more public welfare officer is much needed especially with the loss of the two other sabbat positions last year, it is a tough ask though!

freyners

magicherbs wrote: »

jesus john cambridge really is scraping the bottom of the barrel now, that is trully awful

your thinking of the ulsuelect, cambridge writes there

magicherbs

freyners wrote: »

your thinking of the ulsuelect, cambridge writes there

dave oxford must be his cousin so

CiaranMT

wnolan1992 wrote: »

Posted here for posterity.

James McMahon’s Manifesto for Welfare Officer
My name is James McMahon and I am currently a fourth year English and History student. I will be running for the position of DP Welfare Officer in the University of Limerick Students Union. I am a typical student, who has no affiliation with any club, society or previous Union position. As a typical student, I have noticed how some members of the student body view members of the Union as being almost separate to the college and to the student body as a whole, as welfare officer I will seek to change this completely as the only way I can be effective and make the welfare office approachable.

Welfare Office Outlook
The role of the Welfare Officer is to be there for the health and happiness of the students this extends from providing people with information on healthy eating to making sure you have money to pay rent. The only way this can happen is if I know the students and the students know me. To do this I will be a very public figure in the Students Union so the students will feel like they know me and be comfortable in the fact that they could come and see me. I understand that a lot of work is done behind closed doors, but as a representative of the student body, the students need to know what work is being done behind these doors. I will make sure I inform the students of what exactly the Welfare office is there to do for them.
Financial Issues
If elected I will increase the student hardship fund, I will pursue outside sponsorship from businesses in order to increase this. I will be targeting businesses in the industrial sector that take UL Graduates. Irelands export based industry is thriving- this is a fact! It is the graduates which these companies have received from Irish universities that are powering their growth. The southwest has been badly affected by the recession but it only through the investment in the future workforce that this can get us out of this situation. These companies took on these UL graduates, now it’s time for them to give back.

Sexual Health
As Welfare Officer I will make sure that there will be a bigger campaign for SHAG week then there has been over the last few years. This week would not only be good fun for the students because of organised events, but will be important in highlighting the major issues about sexual health. A bigger campaign is needed in order to do so, not just the simple action of going around campus giving away condoms. This brings me onto the issue of condoms. The distribution of condoms is one of the most important parts of this office. As they say, safe sex is great sex. There’s no point chancing unprotected sex, especially when the Welfare Office will be giving them away for free. Currently there are thousands of condoms being handed out each semester, I want to increase the number of Durex being handed out, this is because the majority of students, including myself, would always trust Durex over the “the leading competitor”. I plan to do this by inviting the bars and Clubs in Limerick to sponsor the Durex giveaways in order to get a monopoly for advertisement in the Union and on campus for that week. Again, there is the “give back” approach to this, as students contribute hugely to the coffers of these bars and nightclubs and the investment for them is a drop in the ocean in comparison to what they can recoup.

Mental Health
As a generation I think that we have an opportunity to deal with our national disposition toward mental health problems. There has greater emphasis by governments in recent years to try and deal with mental health, but the culture that we live in is not conjunctive to being open about mental health issues. The stigma that is attached to mental health needs to be removed. As Welfare Officer I will not only commit myself to go out and become know to the student body but to get them to come and see me even just for a chat, this will help take the stigma out of going to welfare office, that something has to be “wrong” the same stigma that puts people off talking about what’s bothering them, I will always be ready to listen to any problem however small. To that end for the first six weeks of each semester I will raffle off a spot prize amongst the people that come to see me. I plan on visiting as many classes and clubs and societies meetings as I can to get to know as many people in UL as possible. Of upmost importance is that people know what the Welfare Officer does and who they are. I will open a petition that I will deliver to the Minister for Health for a change in the government’s approach to mental health. Resources need to be put in at the earliest stages of education for the identification of the early stages of mental health issues primary school teachers are not qualified to identify these issues before the child goes to secondary school where it can sometimes be too late. I will also organise seminars with speakers from across the different walks of life

General Health
As Welfare Officer I will make sure that there will always be an emphasis on health rather than sickness. I will introduce campaigns in which to promote a healthy lifestyle within the university. I will arrange for an inter-course soccer competition that would run throughout a semester, or year, that would eventually end in winners competing in an inter-year competition. I will also plan to work with the management of the shop for deals on healthy food as I have noticed there are always deals on chocolate bars, sweets and biscuits but deals are lacking on healthy alternatives. I also plan on introducing a cigarette quitting scheme whereby people give up cigarettes by “buddying up” with other quitters causing both to help each other. This helps people get to not only give up cigarettes, but also to meet new people. University of Limerick boasts excellent sporting facilities that I wish every student would take advantage of. If elected, I am going to work with the arena to negotiate day deals, training or reduced rates for spots teams and the ordinary student.
If elected I hope to change the way the welfare office is perceived and used by the student body, I will continue the work that is already being done while making sure my policies are being instituted
VOTE JAMES MC FOR WELFARE!!!
Issued by Kelly O’Sullivan Campaign Manager for James Mc Mahon.

I'd have to question the inter-course soccer tournament. This sounds like it is only going to benefit a tiny fraction of students. In massive courses like BBS, you're talking about what? 20 people per year who will take part? In smaller courses like CS, there's barely enough people to field one team if you combined all four year groups. Surely this is a poor use of the officer's time?

Needs less wall-of-text.

His section on Mental Health is very vague indeed. Not something that bodes well against an incumbent and a challenger from Mental Health Nursing.

Spot prizes for making an appointment and vague suggestions of a petition to be put to Government wouldn't strike fear into his opponents.