The Union Council Thread

I think it's a great idea for a thread!

You're just full of them this week, Ciaran

/ports entire Union onto boards.ie

I don't know Banquo, last year UCs were usually held in John Hume and it didn't make much of a difference to attendance. Not that I disagree that The Venue is a pretty awful well, venue. You can hardly hear people who aren't standing speaking, mainly because of the noise levels outside. In that sense, I think UC should be moved back to JH. However, they do give class reps food now from the SU bar, so that's nice (no veggie option though, I noticed... soup or pasta instead of chips would be nice too!)

I agree with Privateeye, a good classrep system is key to a healthy, engaged union. And could help the union expand from being mainly a service and entertainment provider to representing broader student concerns... both to university administration and nationally in the USI. That's not to say they don't represent at the moment, but a better, bigger and more frequent meeting of UC could only improve representation. It would just make sure stuff discussed in UC gets addressed. As Privateeye said, stuff delayed by a month (while it goes to the guardianship or whatever) tends to be forgotten about in the intervening month, and then we have to re-discuss it in the next UC, which gets very tiresome. Fortnightly meetings would mean the issue is still fresh in the memory of the class reps and could be passed (or rejected) quickly.

Attendance is also an issue. Last year at least it dwindled in the second semester. I think we could call it 'class rep burnout' - to avoid it, and also tackle the complete lack of accountability between class reps and their constituents, I also think class reps should be elected twice a year - once at the beginning of each semster. That way class reps who are doing a good job and like being a class-rep can stand for re-election, and those who aren't/don't either don't have to stand, or can be dispatched of. The current system of "deeming class reps to have resigned if they miss two consecutive union councils" not only sounds like it was thought of in the 18th century, but it doesn't work. How many class reps have been deemed to have resigned in the last few years by returning officers? Very, very few if any at all, I would think.

Minutes of union council need to be made available online somewhere, anywhere. The last minutes from UC on the SU website date to like November 08 or something daft like that. So the backlog of minutes need to be posted. That way it'll be easier for class reps to check if something they brought up at the last council was addressed, and also (if they're a politics nerd like me) to look at the minutes from previous years and see what they thought needed to be done, and if that was done etc.

Perhaps I'm wrong, but I don't think there was class rep training this year? It's something which I think should be pushed next year. Even just half an hour of 'here's how to engage with your classmates' (via email, over facebook, over moodle, in person, etc.) rather than the 'here is what UC is and these are a list of your duties' as we got last year (08/09). I would be more than happy to help next year's exec design training for classreps, having been one for two years at this point. I'll even help with the actual training if I'm still in the country come October!

I do think the new exec this year is in a stronger position going in than the last few. Voting was up what, 5, 7% this year in the elections? And hopefully with Banquo in charge of comms the SU will finally embrace tech-o-no-lo-gy like the internet forums promised

And I'm thinking John Hughes' private dining suite in the new canteen might be a nice venue for Union Council, once it's built?

Wtf is technology?

Furthermore, I agree with nearly everything CnaG said.

Something which tends to confuse is when individual departments have 'department reps' who represent student concerns at departmental meetings. Sometimes these same people go to union council (as in, they are a departmental rep and a class rep) but then, if it isn't made clear that there's a difference, other students might not go forward for class rep... leaving the class without a class rep.

^^ re-reading, that's pretty convoluted. But I hope I got the point across

Personally, I think the minutes from Union Council should be sent out via the all-students mailing list, for accountability.

CnaG wrote: »

Good idea, I'll second that!

(no seriously, I'll second it if you propose it on Tuesday )

I'm not on UC. I never got round to filling my nomination slip.

PrivateEye wrote: »

^ Ataxia, Get onto it for god sake, Council is only as good as the people on it.

Do it Monday even! Easy.

I think it would be a bit cheeky going up to people in my class (who haven't seen me in two weeks) and asking them to sign my nomination slip. Wouldn't feel right. I'll get on it next year from the start, though.

Also, should be prepared to head off that constiutional challenge to the USI referendum. It might not be brought up, but no harm having arguments ready anyway...