GMIT Student Union Elections

cupidstunt

Pity the Students Union website is so DodDamnAwful poor, it'd be nice to post about the SU elections on it like what can be done on the SIN boards in NUIG...I hope its okay to post on this section of the boards about it btw, after all it is the students union that decides where the money goes in the funding of societies - and the Computer Soc. is one...see my link?
So what do people think of the candidates?
Will Mike Durkan triumph again or will it pass (as it always has) to Kieran O'Malley? will it be an outsider Peter Beirne or John Morley, or self-styled comedian Greg Hynes - all these are BBS so could they knock each other out?
Durkan as the incumbent seems to be quite unpopular...why I don't know!? And Kieran O'Malley seems to be completely self-satisfied the whole of the time, smugness doesn't come better than his.
The VP job seems to wide open with five candidates.....

DRakE

Durkans not getting my vote,

rag week was crap this year

cupidstunt

DRakE wrote:

Durkans not getting my vote,

rag week was crap this year

That seems to everyones view, I remember when Rag Week used to be held in the Sports Hall - dems were de days...everyone was in the same place and it was always fairly imaginative with good craic...seems the smell of money from town has appealed to the SU over the past couple of years. But the rag week this year was disasterous - Durkan and O'Malley should be burnt at the stake.
But should the SU elections just be a popularity contest, or who'll organise the best rag week?...they have a huge budget that seems to be spent on little other than booze and the Prez and V Prez getting wasted during the year.

timeout

Well rag week is the most visable( to the students) effort of the SU to help or enhance students lives and so plays a big part for many in their decsion.

ARGINITE

Who are the candidates for the VP job?
Havent made my mind up about who I will vote for yet?

puma5k

Why are we talking about politics in the computer society!

cupidstunt

puma5k wrote:

Why are we talking about politics in the computer society!

Why not?

Its the only place that is suitable here for talking about it IMO, and isn't the Comp. Soc. and its members affected and interested in who gets elected? I think its a chance for many to say what a load of crap the present union has been, aloof, unaproachable and these two guys want your support again! Not that the compitition is too good either...but thats it rant over.
If we get a good debate going here it would make everyone aware of the msg board for the Comp. Soc. also - a bit of argey bargy would be a good thing - no?

There are five going for VP can't remember all the names - so not gonna post just the two I know of. There seems to be an awful lot of money been thrown out on posters too though - Johnny Browne for VP seems to have spent a fortune, and Durkan and O'Malley have expensive looking posters too (easy to do if the students are paying for you all year I suppose)

Also anyone know if the candidates are with any political parties?

ARGINITE

rag week was crap this year

Actually rag was worse than normal this year.

What has Mike Durkan ever done?
Cant seem to think of anything:D





I wonder why?

BrokenArrows

I havent voted since i became a student so i dont see why i should start now but if i was to vote id go for the guy thats has the slogan "no issues just slogans". He gets to the point and is funny. or maby its just mind games. lol.

sawah

cupidstunt wrote:

I hope its okay to post on this section of the boards about it btw, after all it is the students union that decides where the money goes in the funding of societies - and the Computer Soc. is one...see my link?

I can see the link, but I don't see the relevance...
Yes I know the SU do all that, but I don't recall any or much funding from them...
I thought the idea behind this forum was to get the com soc running properly, but I don't see much of that going on, especially with ye talking about ridiculous SU elections, frankly I don't care who wins...

Cupidstunt, if you really want to express your opinions why don't you write an article for the "Whats Happening Sheet"?? More people might read it!!! :mad:

cupidstunt

sawah wrote:

I can see the link, but I don't see the relevance...

Is linking one idea to another not showing that they are relevant to each other
Anyway enough of the linguistic gymnastics...

sawah wrote:

I don't recall any or much funding from them...
I thought the idea behind this forum was to get the com soc running properly, but I don't see much of that going on, especially with ye talking about ridiculous SU elections, frankly I don't care who wins...

Frankly, I think thats whats wrong with most of the soc's. and clubs - apathy, you pay (Im nearly sure this is the correct amount) €60 each year from your fee of €750 which is supposed to go directly to the funding of Clubs & Soc's. - how many know this?? If we did care than maybe we'd get a slice of the cake...but because you think that the SU elections are "ridiculous", we'll prob never get a union that gives a sh*t...not picking on you btw, it seems loads have the same view. Don't think we've had an open meeting of the SU where the full accounts have been disclosed in about 4years!

sawah wrote:

Cupidstunt, if you really want to express your opinions why don't you write an article for the "Whats Happening Sheet"?? More people might read it!!! :mad:

Coz I prefer to post here, hope you don't have a prob with that? If you do have then its too bad we cant have a college related chat on the boards...even where you do see a link.
And please - no patronising claptrap about "why don't you run" etc...

ARGINITE

puma5k wrote:

Why are we talking about politics in the computer society!

I dont see the problem, the thread is on topic and politics affects everything.

ARGINITE

cupidstunt wrote:

€60 each year from your fee of €750 which is supposed to go directly to the funding of Clubs & Soc's.

First time I have been heard that,
anything else that we havent been told?

cupidstunt

ARGINITE wrote:

First time I have been heard that,
anything else that we havent been told?

Im sure there is, one of the things I've always wondered (and Im as guilty as anyone in not asking) is exactly how much the SU gets for the advertising of pubs and clubs in the college - they have a ban on all other adverts other than the 'prefered' few. And how much the SU get from the likes of Glasán and Glean na Rí etc for saying that they ase 'approved' by the SU? These might be all above board - but it'd be nice to get some transparancy. If this money just goes to the GAA/random soc. why?

ARGINITE

The soc's and clubs are allocated money depending on their size.
Hands up who will be voting?

cupidstunt

ARGINITE wrote:

The soc's and clubs are allocated money depending on their size.

I know of a few instances where this isn't true, but its swings and roundabouts...some do quite well from the SU and others do poorly. All socs./clubs should be self funding to a degree imo. But GMIT definitely isn't like UCD where you must have a student No. to get (something like 70c) funding per student. Suits some not others - it also depends on the time of year ya ask...or so Ive been told
If you ask now - its a bit hit or miss, they may have a surplus of cash from the year, or they might be broke...but they always manage to sort out something.

sawah

cupidstunt wrote:

Im sure there is, one of the things I've always wondered is exactly how much the SU gets for the advertising of pubs and clubs in the college - they have a ban on all other adverts other than the 'prefered' few. And how much the SU get from the likes of Glasán and Glean na Rí etc for saying that they ase 'approved' by the SU? These might be all above board - but it'd be nice to get some transparancy. If this money just goes to the GAA/random soc. why?

That would be very interesting to find out....As would an open meeting with the SU accounts...So we should really try to do that sometime...And if it doesn't work out then one of ye run next year and organise one...As students we have a right to know where all the ridiculous amounts of money is going...Besides paying for the presidents drinking sessions!!!

But really the elections are a load of BS, there really is not enough time for us to get an idea of who's running and what their policies are...The only way that a good SU would be elected is if there was a bit more time for campaigning and if all the candidates were serious about running, not looking for a PAID year out.....

Oh, call me stupid or whatever you like, but how are decisions relating to funding etc decided upon?

cupidstunt

AFAIK, there is a cap of €500 on spending in the election, but no guidelines on how much someone can take as a gift.

(ie. a person in last years election could've gotten €100 worth of posters for his campaign from a town pub and it wouldn't have counted as part of the €500, and that same person could've received a sum of money from a political party for this years election without declaring it either)

Yes I do know more than I'm saying - I'll leave it to you guys to work it out!

ARGINITE

cupidstunt wrote:

Yes I do know more than I'm saying - I'll leave it to you guys to work it out!

why? who are you? pm me with the answer?

timeout

Sounds like its more politics and money rather then politics and clubs&socities. Come on its down to what the new canditate can do for this society. Besides we don't really need to point out these little inconsistances / loop holes unless again it helps the club.

/me listens for more gossip

Timeout

cupidstunt

Anyone from here at the hustings in the canteen today? Mike Durkan got roasted, didn't agree with all the booing and the "cherrio cherrio cherrio" chanting - but its gotta tell him something. Having said that it was all coming from John Morleys camp.
My prediction SU Prez - Kieran O'Malley
VP - Deborah ??? (actually thats bad - I don't know her surname, why does she just put her firt name on the posters?)

ARGINITE

cupidstunt wrote:

My prediction SU Prez - Kieran O'Malley
VP - Deborah ??? (actually thats bad - I don't know her surname, why does she just put her firt name on the posters?)
Yesterday 21:46

Ya I would agree!

puma5k

ARGINITE wrote:

I dont see the problem, the thread is on topic and politics affects everything.

Well your write about that. Becoues trying to get CS to move on this csoc.gmit.ie domain is taking forever! and I fed up with the really slow........... progress in the CS dept.
I asked Mike to speed things up if he could and he got back to me today.
Basicly this is both politics at work and abit on the computer side too.
CS are orinizing a website the society can post there events and news up internally! in the college. they will provied the hosting and email address. BUT the problem is how much space do we get, what kinda site is it, do we get FTP access to the hosting, and can we access it from out side the college.

The way i see it is they want control over every thing!

cupidstunt

Well I'd understand why the SU/College Authorities would want to have some say in things and be able to moderate posts if you've got a msg board (only when absolutly ness.)...but theyt should trust the committee of the Comp. Soc. also.
Funny to see Kieran O'Malley running around this moring taking down his "Kieran likes to come first" banners - Mike was just after putting up "Make students come first" banners!

I'd love to see the SU website having a fully running msg board. See how much traffic is generated on the NUIG SIN boards...its a great source of info about Galway never mind about college...

ARGINITE

cupidstunt wrote:

Well I'd understand why the SU/College Authorities would want to have some say in things and be able to moderate posts if you've got a msg board (only when absolutly ness.)...but theyt should trust the committee of the Comp. Soc. also.

Well we have never had trouble with this message board and boards generates a lot more traffic than any college website could.
So I dont understand what the trouble is?

puma5k wrote:

Im fed up with the really slow........... progress in the CS dept.

If we regulated the website/message the way this fourm is regulated than everything would be fine.
This isnt the first time that they are being very slow about doing things for us!

So what do you think the new President and VP do for us?

ARGINITE

Who won?

cupidstunt

ARGINITE wrote:

Who won?

As I predicted, Kieran O'Malley Prez and Deborah Molloy VP.
O'Malley had Hector (anyone else find him the single most annoying person on earth) campaiging in the canteen.

ARGINITE

cupidstunt wrote:

O'Malley had Hector (anyone else find him the single most annoying person on earth)

Who Hector or O'Malley?

timeout

I think he means Hector who I don't find the single most annoying person on earth, but everyone has their own opionin.

ARGINITE

I think he means Hector

I think hector is funny.

puma5k

ARGINITE wrote:

This isnt the first time that they are being very slow about doing things for us!

where was it slow before?
Also a msg board would be good for the SU and csoc website. the http://www.pagesgarden.com/ hosting space we had planned on using for csoc.gmit.ie website came with msg board scripting tools and so on.
I have another plan to approach the website stuff. Go to the CS website thread of details.

ARGINITE

The whole server issue, they were slow in doing anything and eventualy they just told us no.

CJH

Cupidstunt, wow - that name really seems to suit you!
You make many throw-away comments regarding people who went for
election this year and last year (and there wern't too many who went both years) so seen as you are making specific alegations of candidates receiving money from Political Parties and Pubs in town, perhaps you'd like to fess up
and say what you know?
Reality is you won't, no political party would fund a candidate in a
SU election. So the comment you make is idiotic and just an attempt at
muck-raking. I have been involved to a small degree with a political party in GMIT and I can assure you you are far from reality, a political party (unless they have 'certain' resources from an armed wing ) would hardly pay for a few pints for party members once a year!
If your comment cant be justified - then it should be removed from
this site...is that what a website for the college is about? Letting fools like you make stupid comments is a reason why there can't be a board on the students union website.
Is there any moderation policy on this site or can anybody make any aligations about anyone else? :mad: