The Union Council Thread

LeixlipRed · 14-12-2010 01:20PM

I'm curious to know how the section on marches/protests goes. Can you let me know?

Duddy · 14-12-2010 05:13PM

Minutes should be up within the next couple of days:)

banquo · 14-12-2010 06:18PM

Had to send my apologies for this today.

irish_goat · 15-12-2010 03:36PM

Are all the UC rep positions filled does anyone know?

Duddy · 15-12-2010 04:33PM

Although it depends on what class you want to represent, most likely not,
if you send an email to returningofficer@nuimsu.com in the new year we'll see then:)

YoMa · 16-12-2010 05:57PM

Why did the welfare off decide to disaffiliat from nightline? Like what kind of info was she after? it's confidential isnt it?

banquo · 16-12-2010 05:59PM

I know why but I'll talk to Liz to see what info is confidential and what isn't, then I'll post it here.

PrivateEye · 17-12-2010 02:31AM

↘Political marches / activity

More info pls. Looking forward to these minutes.

This motivated by the Student Union banner going on the Right To Work demonstration on budget night, or Aine 'cut the minimum wage' Brady?

LeixlipRed · 17-12-2010 02:32AM

Or objections to said marches/activity?

PrivateEye · 17-12-2010 03:23AM

Or objections to said marches/activity?

Be sad if its some sort of attempted clampdown, I was proud our SU had their banner out on budget night and think most students would agree.

That whole "student issues only" thing doesn't stand up in this climate. If it's an attempt to keep the union away from general anti cuts activity, I don't understand it. We should be proud our union thought budget day was something worth protesting over.

Otherwise, you're only playing students against other people on campus, i.e the workers, and Redmondite is a term re-entering Irish political speak

NUIMRO · 18-12-2010 05:36PM

Minutes : Union Council 3 – 14/12/2010

Ciarán McFadden appointed new RO – taking over from Grace

Frank Fitzmaurice (Corporate Services) gets up to speak about the new car parking scheme for the campuses.

Trouble with parking 1400 spaces for both campuses – demand for over 2000 vehicles

Increased risk of being hit by a vehicle – emergency service vehicles not being able to get access – primarily in response to health and safety concerns...campus appearance and damage to the visual aspect of the campus, protecting the campus grounds...sustainability with global warming and environmental protections issues...

RESPONSE: commissioned specialists, traffic engineers have done surveys of students and staff-high level of dissatisfaction, great support for action to be taken, (geography dept) analysis of travel patterns of students and staff on campus-how you get to campus, where you live; map and analyse where people are coming from...cycling- 10% of the population cycle to college from estates around maynooth, 8% live on public transport lines 6% use public transport...60% of students and staff in the survey get here by car...40% have no other choice but to come by car...walking, cycling, or public transport mostly used...
A policy document was prepared- 2 elements: traffic management and travel policy

Travel : come here by means other than single occupant cars, big increase in the use of bikes in society in general...prepared to invest in closed top bike shelters, better cycle lanes on campus...promoting car pooling, talking to bus eireann- more frequent services...irish rail, bringing bikes on trains, dublin bike system...more sustainable travel information more serious as it goes up on the website...ideas and suggestions from students...
Management : lead to the formation of a working group, to encourage walking cycling public transport use...174 students signed up on clubs and societies day...don’t have the space on campus for the demand...series of measures introduced: the one way system (safer ring road, increased number of spaces by 100), better signage- 30 or 40 additional spaces...introducing a traffic management operator, the enforcement of legal parking double yellow lines etc...got a new contractor (APCOA) to do this, parking illegally; sticker on the car...introducing pay and display, already one area, second one being introducted after christmas...for casual visitors to campus, filter out any unauthorised parking (people who want to park on campus and go to town etc.)...introduction of permits students and staff, (overflow to manor mills and tesco carparks), zones for staff student and carpoolers (more than one permit on display)...looking at the possibility for a multi-storey, on the agenda but costly...

The policy is incremental...introduced part by part...
Purchase of permits- on campus between 8am and 5pm...costs 20 euro, buy online...permit allocation system set up late january early february, provide proof of registration...handheld scanners for registration numbers on cars, if permit is displayed-they will scan the permit and check if it is legitimate ie belongs to that car...

Anger towards clampers, clampers are just in it for the money...based on number of cars...clampers must provide proof of what they think was wrong...clampers appeals committee...

Aisling 2nd psychology – new carparks behind iontas, tarmacadamed and lined?
Frank: Yes, will be lined...possibly not tarmacadamed.

Andrew Linnie – sharing a car with parents, buying two permits for both parents cars?

Frank: No, can register two cars on the one permit

Jen 1st anthropolgy – carpool, both driver and passenger must hold permit?

Frank: Yes, the both cost the same for each permit. Each person must have a car in the first place though.

Grace Crehan – possibilty of a specific car pooling permit?

Liz: car pooling spaces only up to 10am

Frank: Could demand more car pooling spaces...possibilty of more specific spaces closer to the ring road...possibilty of all dar spaces

Kellie Fagan 2nd english – backlog for permits?

Frank: Should be available almost immediately

Community and Youth Work Rep: Clamping should be done in house? 130 for clamping, doubled per day...
Not really privatisation, the expertise just aren’t available in house...government policy that university money is put to front line services...can not spend money training and purchasing resources...not about making money, just about getting some sense of control...6 other institutions and 3 have a outside clamping companies...offences are tiered- depends on the severity of circumstance...hoping that it works, won’t know until it is complete...

Brendan Ashe: Kilcock Road is no longer available for parking...need carpooling encouraged by everybody...how universities manage traffic was a topic on one of the reviews by the health and safety inspector...

Frank: Committment to money from clamping etc is ploughed back into the traffic management...not out to make profit, annual rate of 40 is fixed for three years...

Andrew 2nd music – clamping not causing a problem by cars being unable to move?
Rates east vs west?
Bus providers can be talked to, to discuss issues...

Grace Crehan– clamping, 20 and then a week to pay the balance? Cannot afford the full amount...

Frank: The ability to pay can be discussed by the car owner and the clamper...

Kellie 2nd english – when will cycle paths and shelters be brought in? Before or after permits? need the two to be brought in together to encourage the alternative use...

Frankl: As close as possible...very early next year...cycle paths- trying to come up with network of primary cycle lanes...will be progressive, rolled out as it is more spicified...
***
Elizabeth Murray: nightline phone service...student lead support service for students...
Takes up half of welfare and campaigns budget every year: 5000 euro ... gave us statistics, very basic, were only provided by threatening to remove nuim from the service...a lot of information they will not give us...
I feel the money being paid is not worth the return they are getting...motion that we disaffiliate with the nightline service...

MOTION to disaffiliate from the nightline service and promote the use of alternative services eg samaritans

Jen – the possibilty of being recognised by the student at the other end of the phone? Pressures etc.

Never have been any issues with confidentiality...irregular hours etc...not comfortable with the service anymore...

Grace – samaritans cost?
Liz: Will be free...Do not endorse the use of this...previous volunteer etc.
Safetalkers...trained people to listen etc...huge resistance from faculties etc.

Gene 3rd politics – confidentiality, anonymous?
Liz: They have no way of knowing if they are a maynooth student?

Andrew 2nd music – if costs are 30000 a year and volunteers, where does cost go?
Liz: Taxes training etc.

Jen: volunteers need a place to stay?
Liz: No support groups on campus, reservations...cannot do it without a trained professional, cannot quantify effect of talking on suicide or not...

Jen: set up a club/society for safety officer to train?
Liz: Safe talk and child protection training at the start of the year...will look into a list of training for health and safety for students...
MOTION PASSED

Liz - a number of issues to do with the education side of the college...need to step up and demand better services for the money we pay...2 specific areas for channeling more resources into these areas...

Bullying
Finance – working to put together an info pamphlet on supports and grants and the cost of college etc. Should be ready by february , printed for open day in march...access office for grants info...
Liz – executive involvement in political activities, marches...
Mostly through USI, some not...
Should be dictated by the students in particular...
Union in general not affiliated with any specific political party...
No member of the union can be affiliated with political parties..
MOTION 1- issues to be voted on dictating the affiliations or actions of the executive be put before union council, to ensure that when an affiliation is made, it is dictated by the union...
MOTION 2-No member of the executive, during in working hours 9.30am to 5pm, can partake in political activism or marches unless specifically mandated to do so by union council.

Jen- student union is a job, should be until end of term...

Aisling – not allowed political opinions?

Kellie 2nd english – need to have some wind down time, sabbats work ridiculously hard...

Jen - to ensure that opinions made outside of work time do not affect the status of the council...

MOTION 1 CLARIFICATION- issues to be voted on at national council be put before union council to determine what way to vote.
Issue is just political parties...

MOTION 1 passed
MOTION 2 passed

Finance officer Declan Meenagh: Reduce carbon footprint of the union –
Committee formation – 2 exec’s 3 class reps, other students nominated as necessary

MOTION OF FORMATION – passed

Execs- Declan and Robert
Class reps – Jen, Aisling, Kellie
Declan on Minimum wage cuts,
MOTION MSU condems the cut to minimum wage and will campaign about this whenever possible
Passed
President
Anyone wanting a meeting with the president of NUIM, send an email to Aengus at president@nuimsu.com

Kellie-
Lobbying of social network blocking of the PACR
Facebook...
Need a union push to get the banned in the library as well...not just facebook all the social network...
Possibly between 9am and 6pm...
Grace – only place you can go on facebook is the hub?
President – Callan foyer, arts block hub and half of long coridor blocked only?
MOTION for the union council mandate the blocking of social networking sites in all but the above the areas.
Passed.

AOB
Jen 1st anthro – mass email to all students re class reps.
February rather than now?
President agreed.

PrivateEye · 18-12-2010 06:43PM

Issue is just political parties...

Still really confused about this one.

Are the SU not allowed partake in party political events alone (i.e Labour Youth, Ógra Shinn Féin, YFG, Ógra imFF....) during their working hours? What about student/staff organised demonstrations?

If a group of mature students for example took the iniative to organise a protest against social welfare cuts affecting parents, would members of the Exec not be able to support that without UC permission? Or another FEE demonstration like Bertie or Brady?

On another more serious note, are these UC's even reaching corum?

manna · 18-12-2010 11:32PM

No member of the SU exec can partake in any political events, such as marches during office hours (between 9 and 5, Monday to Friday) unless mandated to do so by Union Council. This excludes events organised by USI, as they are already mandated to support USI action.

As far as I can gather, FEE marches are considered political. I'm far more interested how this affects groups such as amnesty. They are, in my opinion, a political lobby group, but they aren't for or against any political party. Does this mean exec members can't sign their petitions (which has been suggested)?

Kiwi_knock · 19-12-2010 12:11AM

Yeah the political activism bit is confusing, does it just relate to political parties or any sort of political movement. I would have considered the LGBT Marriage Mob that was held a while ago as a form of political protest or at least political awareness, so would in future members of the Exec be banned from taking part in an event like that. Seems a very unclear rule.

LeixlipRed · 19-12-2010 03:48AM

Political activism bit is that Nazi women trying to control her two boys. You can quote me on the too in the next Print if you want.

declan06 · 20-12-2010 12:47AM

Two things,
-The clarification said it's only political parties, so FEE, LGBT and Amnesty stuff are all ok
-ALL members of the Union are entitled to be a member of clubs and societies, so this motion is unconstitutional.

PrivateEye · 20-12-2010 01:07AM

Declan, that'd be my reading too. FEE is non-party political so shouldn't fall under this if it's only political parties. See you all on the barricades in semester II etc.

I suspect this has more to do with a general election being around the corner and keeping the SU out of that than the likes of Bertie/the ICTU pickets/Brady and other small localised actions from a student pressure group.

As for Amnesty, the LGBT etc. that's a very valid point. This one looks like a clusterf()ck to me.

LeixlipRed · 20-12-2010 02:09PM

If it's unconstitutional was that argument made? How did this pass?

funky penguin · 20-12-2010 02:23PM

LeixlipRed wrote: »

Political activism bit is that Nazi women trying to control her two boys. You can quote me on the too in the next Print if you want.

Take a break for a week.

declan06 · 21-12-2010 02:15AM

LeixlipRed wrote: »

If it's unconstitutional was that argument made? How did this pass?

I wasn't able to look at it in advance.

manna · 23-12-2010 04:45PM

If there's a question over whether or not the motion was constitutional, surely it should be referred to the Guardianship?

Duddy · 03-02-2011 03:50PM

Union Council will take place at
2pm on Wednesday 9th February in the Venue

Food will be served afterwards.
The agenda for next week's meeting is as follows:

1. Adoption of the Minutes
2. Adoption of the Agenda.
3. Correspondence.
4. President's Report.
5. Proposal of new Constitution.
6. Close of Nominations for election candidates.
7. Vice President C&D Report.
8. Green Committee.
9. Gay Marriage Article - The Print, December edition.
10. The Print.
11. AOB.

banquo · 05-02-2011 10:46AM

This should be a particularly interesting UC. Lotta good stuff happening.

NUIMRO · 06-02-2011 03:17PM

Anyone wishing to become a Class Rep, collect a nomination form in the SU office and get ten signatures from classmates:)

Ataxia · 07-02-2011 03:46AM

Bit ridiculous that no political activity motion. Where do student issues end and politics begin?The SU (and individuals on the exec.) should be able to get involved in political campaigns.

Duddy · 08-02-2011 07:48PM

Union Council tomorrow at 2pm:)

squishykins · 09-02-2011 05:44PM

NUIMRO wrote: »

Anyone wishing to become a Class Rep, collect a nomination form in the SU office and get ten signatures from classmates:)

Oh do you only be class rep for a semester? I thought it was for the year?

Seren_ · 09-02-2011 05:54PM

squishykins wrote: »

Oh do you only be class rep for a semester? I thought it was for the year?

It's usually for a year, but loads of classes don't have reps so you can sign up any time really.

squishykins · 09-02-2011 06:20PM

Your Text Here wrote: »

It's usually for a year, but loads of classes don't have reps so you can sign up any time really.

Awwh

One of my particular class reps is awful (don't even wanna name the subject :P) Is there any way that he could be overthrown?? :P

I didn't know about it till it was too late, he was the only one who got a nom form cuz he repeated and knew all about that shizzle.

NUIMRO · 09-02-2011 06:37PM

Referendum 16/02/2011

Upon the request of Union Council, the Students' Union Returning Officer has called a Referendum for 16/02/2011.

Members of the Students' Union will have the opportunity to vote upon a new constitution.

Polls shall be open from 9am to 6.30pm.

Any student(s) wishing to represent a “No” side will have access to the same facilities as the “Yes” side, eg. Photocopying etc.

Drafts of the proposed Constitution will be available in the SU office, at www.nuimsu.com, and upon request of the
Returning Officer (returningofficer@nuimsu.com)

The Union Council Thread

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