SOUP Volume III Issue 4 by Brendan Kenny

GMIT Students’ Union Newsletter |

Issue 4

| Volume III_November 2010

GALWAY FEES PROTEST SEES OVER 1500 STUDENTS AT SPANISH ARCH MORE THAN 500 GMIT students marched peacefully through Galway city last week in the first of a series of pre-budget regional protests. The demonstration, also supported by students from NUI Galway, highlighted opposition to proposed registration fee increases and cuts to the maintenance grants. The rally began at the students’ campuses, with supporters converging at the Fishmarket at the Spanish Arch.

GMIT Students’ Union President Colin Canny, Union of Students in Ireland president Gary Redmond, NUIG Students marching from the Dublin road campus to Spanish Arch Students’ Union President Peter Mannion, and USI Western Area Officer Patrick Bonner addressed the gathering. Colin Canny said, “Each one of us here today represent a vote. When the general election comes - which looks increasingly likely will be in January - we WILL vote”. Gary Redmond also pointed out that, “Since over 40,000 students took to the streets of Dublin a few weeks ago – the largest student protest in the history of the State – hundreds have registered to vote.” The gathering of Galway students chanted “No ifs, no buts, no education cuts, no cutbacks, no fees, no Fianna Fáil TDs”. SEE PAGE 9 FOR MORE PICTURES

T U O K CHEC.gmitsu.ie www ! Y A D O T

Diary NOVEMBER

Thu 25th: International Soc Christmas Party Thu 25th: European Movement Ireland’s Career Talk Sat 27th: EDUCATION CONFERENCE: Perspectives on a Moving Target Mon 29th: Positive Mental Health Week

DECEMBER

Mon 6th: Less Stress More Success launch Thu 9th: Christmas Day Thu 9th: Scholarships & Bursaries Wed 15th: Kids Christmas Party

www.gmitsu.ie

Ingredients

News in Brief Library News Jobs in Europe Chaplaincy Galway Fees Protest Pics PREDA Just for Laughs 5 Things You Should Know Parking Zones PAL Health Unit News Student Assistance Fund Counselling Welfare News Habitat for Humanity Project Meditation Class Rep Training Programme

Page 3 Page 4 Page 7 Page 8 Page 9 Page 10 Page 12 Page 14 Page 16 Page 20 Page 22 Page 24 Page 24 Page 26 Page 29 Page 34 Page 34

What would you like in your Soup? If you have something you would like included in Soup, please email brendan.kenny@gmit.ie Any feedback you have is greatly appreciated. Thanks to all contributors.

A GMIT Students Union Publication, 2010. Printed by Mel Faherty, Reprographics Department

ATTENTION: GET ON THE VOTING REGISTER UNREGISTERED Call down to Union Square between 12 and 2pm any day this week to TELL YOUR TD, CHECK THE STUDENTS REGISTER, and REGISTER TO VOTE!!! Dear student...

I wish to inform you that your registration at GMIT is now overdue. Students who do not register have no entitlement to attend at GMIT. IT Access has already been removed from unregistered students, as of Friday 5 November. This email now serves as notice that unregistered students will also be removed from the students records system by close of business on Tuesday 23 November 2010.

YOU WILL ALMOST CERTAINLY NOT BE ABLE TO REGISTER TO VOTE FOR ANY UPCOMING GENERAL ELECTION BEYOND THIS THURSDAY Further detailed information on the Voter Registration Procedure will be up on the SU website shortly. WHAT HAPPENS AFTER NOVEMBER 25th??? You will not be able to register to vote until a general election is called.

If you have only just received your registration documentation, or have had an extension agreed, please ignore this notice.

However, any applications made at this point must be submitted at least 15 WORKING DAYS (3 weeks) before polling.

If you are a student who was offered a place in GMIT and has not taken up this place, or has applied to defer, please reply to this email to let us know whether you have withdrawn or have applied to defer.

Given the current crisis the country is facing, a snap election is extremely likely. Therefore, a campaign of more than 3 weeks is also highly unlikely, blocking any opportunity to register.

SO WHAT DO I NEED TO DO??? 1. Check you are over 18 on the 15th of INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS February 2010 ENGLISH LESSONS 2. Ensure that you are not already registered by The English class is on every Wednesday and Friday logging on to www.checktheregister.ie in the Dublin Road campus. For timetable and 3. Log on to your local authority website (County further details, please contact Dandan at Students’ Council) Union or email dandan.yan@gmit.ie 4. Fill out the Voter Registration Form completely and accurately and return to your local authority before this Thursday 25th November 5. You will now be registered and eligible for a INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS postal vote CHRISTMAS PARTY The Christmas dinner for international students is on the 25th November 2010. The dinner is just 5 euro with because of a Students’ Union subsidy and BURGLARY ALERT! It has come to our attention that quite a number that’s for a 3-4 course meal! of properties in the GMIT area have been burgled There will be also other exciting activities after of late. We would urge students to please take all the meal. The tickets are available at the Students’ necessary precautions i.e. locking all doors and Union. windows, don’t leave valuables in full view through windows etc.

CALLING ALL MATURE STUDENTS!

If you are a mature student and would like to be kept informed of events and special offers specific to mature students, then please leave your name and mobile number with the SU office.

MICROSOFT OFFICE OFFER

Microsoft Representative: For those of you who would like to purchase Microsoft Software (with a student discount), your GMIT representative is Vitalijs Komhrovs. Phone 0862518238 http://gmitweb.gmit.ie/msp/ 03

News

Library

Welcome to the library! Visit the library to borrow books, study, photocopy… Use the library website library.gmit.ie to access…  the library catalogue  databases of online articles  other online resources (e.g. ebooks)  exam papers EndNote ‘drop-in’ Training Bibliographies made easy…EndNote is a software application that allows you to store and manage all your references in one place. The next ‘drop-in’ training sessions on Endnote are scheduled for • Thursday 25th Nov 1-2 • Tuesday 30th Nov 3-4 Venue: Library IT Room (982) Dublin Road Campus Feel free to come along to any of these sessions, no booking required. Look out for posters in the library advertising times or ask staff for the latest info. Weekend Opening The Dublin Road Campus Library will open the following weekends in December: 3rd / 4th Dec 10th / 11th Dec 17th / 18th Dec Friday: 09.00 – 21.00 Saturday: 10.00 – 13.00 Exam Papers Get your past exam papers on the library website http://library.gmit.ie You will need a library PIN to access. Library PIN Don’t forget to set up your library PIN. Why? Because you can use your PIN to access Exam Papers, Databases and your Library Account on our website library.gmit.ie How? Create a PIN when prompted to enter one on our website or ask at the library desk.

Tel: 091 742785 Email: library@gmit.ie Website: http://library.gmit.ie

Opening Hours Dublin Road Mon - Wed 09.00 – 22.00 Thursday 09.00 – 21.00 Friday 09.00 – 17.00 Cluain Mhuire Mon & Thur 09.30 – 19.30 Tue & Wed 09.30 – 18.00 Friday 09.30 – 16.00

GMITSU presents

Christmas @The Library Bar Day Thu 9th December Ticekts only €7.00 :: Doors at 3pm

Christmas Dinner @ 4pm, festive music and treats with DJ followed by live band at 6.00pm. Then to Club K for Santa’s Grotto (Concessions on the door with your Christmas Day ticket) Doors 11pm.

Full info @ www.gmitsu.ie

Tickets from SU office

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Y A W L A G E R A CL Y L I M A F R O O D IN T E K R A M

y r e v e n e Op y a d n u S & y a d r u Sat o t m a 0 0 : from 10 m 5:00p WHERE:

E T A R O P R Y CO A W L A G E CLAR ARK P S S E N I S BU

A great place for all the family to get all your Christmas gifts

Jobs for Galway Graduates in Europe Thu 25th :: 11am :: Room 940 Andrea Pappin, Executive Director of European Movement Ireland, will be in Galway this Thursday, 25 November, to talk to NUIG and GMIT undergraduates and graduates about the career and internship opportunities available for them in Europe. Part of European Movement’s Grad Jobs in Europe campaign, these career talks will focus on informing Galway students about the internships and graduate positions available both within and outside the European institutions. At a time when unemployment is rife, and many students are forced to question their career prospects after college, this campaign has been developed to show students the vast scope for career development that the European system has to offer to try to encourage graduates who are considering emigrating to look to Brussels and Luxembourg as an alternative to the US and Australia. A worrying trend has emerged in the last few years. Ireland’s booming economy in the mid-90s and the plentiful career opportunities that existed here then meant that the number of Irish graduates looking to the EU for employment reduced dramatically. As a consequence of this, there is a real worry that not enough Irish people are rising through the ranks of the EU; and that if graduates don’t start feeding into the system now, the Irish will find themselves grossly under-represented at the higher levels of the EU civil service in a decade’s time. Jobs in the EU are highly competitive but as current Secretary-General of the European Commission, Irishwoman Catherine Day, and recently-appointed Chief Operating Officer of the new EU External Action Service, Irishman David O’Sullivan, have clearly demonstrated the Irish are well able to take on the competition, beat the odds and excel in Europe; when the Irish get to Brussels, they do extraordinarily well. Despite this excellent record, however, and the high regard in which the Irish are held in Brussels, too few Irish people know how to get started on an EU career path. During these talks, Andrea will guide students through the four routes of getting a stage position in Brussels, both academic and non-academic, as well as the various application criteria and processes. After several years of experience working in the European space – with the Department of Foreign Affairs, as Executive Director of European Movement Ireland and as a Special Advisor to Commissioner Margot Wallstrom, and as a former stagiaire herself, Andrea is extremely well-placed to advise students on the ins and outs of the stage system and shares her own insider knowledge of the system to maximise the chances Galway graduates have to succeed in their applications and get started on a promising career path they may not even have realised was open to them. These career talks will be taking place in GMIT and NUIG this Thursday 25 November, and are part of a series of talks European Movement Ireland have coordinated at third-level institutions all over the country throughout November and December. European Movement Ireland is a not-for-profit organisation working to make the connection between Irish people and the EU, campaigning for every Irish person to get involved with the European Union and by doing so, help shape it. For more information on the Grad Jobs in Europe campaign, log onto the European Movement Ireland website http://www.europeanmovement.ie/ or contact Jenny in their Dublin offices on 01 662 5815 or jenny@europeanmovement.ie. 07

News

Chaplaincy

VOLUNTEER FAIR Thanks to everyone who contributed to the

success of the Volunteer Fair run by Chaplaincy. See the SU Facebook page for photos. Fr. Adrian will leave Volunteering information will be left on the counter in the SU Office.

SVdP Volunteering for St Vincent DePaul this weekend at Dunnes Stores in Briarhill Christmas Bag Pack Fundraiser. For more info contact Henry Geraghty (Development Officer SVdP Galway Area Council), phone 086-0851188

Kids Christmas Party Students with children are invited to attend the annual Kids Xmas Party which will take place on Wed the 15th of December. Parents must register in the Students’ Union. They can leave a wrapped present to the Value of E10 (NO More) in Students’ Union to be handed out on the day. There will be a kids magician present and food and entertainment. And of course a visit from Santa Claus! This year the Kids Party is kindly Sponsored by the Lions Club in conjunction with Chaplaincy and student Union.

Carol Singing

Carol Singing In aid of John Paul Centre Ballybane for people with severe to profound intellectual disabilities takes place on 12th of December in John paul centre Ballybane. Can you play music or do you like to sing!!! JOIN US...we will meet Monday at 6pm Room 159 Also Carol Singing in aid of St Vincent De Paul will take place in the College this December.

7 Night Trip to the Holy Land

From May 23rd Cost per student E700, includes flights, food and accommodation, deposit of E200 hundred to be paid by the end of November. There will be fund rasing events help after Christmas to try and bring cost down. For more info contact Fr. Adrian.

Jomh Prayer

Jomh Prayer for Muslim students takes place every Friday in room 367 between 1pm and 2pm

Mass Times

Reminder: Mass times Mon-Wed are 8.40am. Thurs-Fri 1pm Fr Adrian chaplain has a drop-in now everyday from 4pm to 5pm in his office so please feel free to call in for a chat!

Contact Fr.Adrian

E: adrian.mcgrath@gmit.ie T: 091-742226 08

CHAPLAINCY BOOKLET

We now have a new Chaplaincy booklet available to staff and students. Pick yours up in the Chaplaincy office, the Meditation room, the Students’ Union, Students Services and around campus.

GALWAY FEES PROTEST

Here are just a selection of the photos from the fees protest, with GMIT students joining NUIG students at Spanish Arch after a peaceful march through the streets of Galway. Thanks to everyone who participated.

PREDA

2011 Calendar Now on Sale PREDA Galway Support Committee has launched the PREDA 2011 calendar. The calendar will be on sale for 6 euro through the main PREDA website and the PREDA Galway website as well as from local and national locations with all profits made going to PREDA Foundation in the Philippines. Each month features well known celebrities and personalities alongside pictures of PREDA’s good work and inspirational quotes. People’s Recovery, Empowerment Development Assistance Foundation was set up to rescue children from the streets, jails and brothels of the Philippines. To protect the rights of the women and children and free them from sexual abuse and exploitation. PREDA supports Fair Trade, providing marginalized producers and small farmers with cooperative skills, training, product design assistance and interest free loans. Many well known Irish musicians and sports stars that support PREDA feature in the calendar. Damien Dempsey, Sharon Corr, Imelda May, Sharron Shannon and Seán Regan feature along side sports personalities Tomás O’ Leary, Jerry Flannery, Greg Cunningham, Shane Long, Lisbon Lions members Charlie Gallagher and John Fallon, Former Celtic player Tommy Lally, Members of the Galway Senior Camogie Team and Liam Mellows Hurling Club. The calendar can be bought for 6 Euro online with post and packaging kept to a minimum. Simply email : predagalway@gmail.com for your order and the total price including post and packaging will be emailed back to you and you can either post your cheque to PREDA Galway or pay using PayPal on www. preda.org. If you want to help with its sale or distribution simply email PREDA Galway. The calendar is also for sale in Galway at the following locations : ·

Standard Printers

The Western Hotel Prospect Hill

Monroe’s Tavern

Galway Community College

The Health Store, Briarhill Shopping Centre

For more information: Telephone: 0872482770 E-mail: predagalway@gmail.com Web:www.predagalway.org / www.preda.org Thanks for your support, Philip Cribbin Chairperson PREDA Galway Support Committee

p l e h e s a e l P

CALENDAR 2011 ON SALE HERE

â&#x201A;Ź

predagalway@gmail.com www.predagalway.org www.preda.org

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JUST FOR LAUGHS 1970 v 2010 PART TWO: Scenario : Johnny falls while running during break and scrapes his knee. He is found crying by his teacher, Mary . Mary hugs him to comfort him. 1970 - In a short time, Johnny feels better and goes on playing. 2010 - Mary is accused of being a sexual predator and loses her job. She faces 3 years in Prison. Johnny undergoes 5 years of therapy.

That time of year again...

DID YOU KNOW?

• If you yelled for 8 years, 7 months and 6 days you would have produced enough sound energy to heat one cup of coffee. Hardly seems worth it. • If you farted consistently for 6 years and 9 months, enough gas is produced to create the energy of an atomic bomb. • The human heart creates enough pressure when it pumps out to the body to squirt blood 30 feet. • A pig’s orgasm lasts 30 minutes. • A cockroach will live nine days without its head before it starves to death. • Banging your head against a wall uses 150 calories an hour.

HOW THE FIGHT STARTED... Part Four

My wife was standing nude, looking in the bedroom mirror. She was not happy with what she saw and said to me, “I feel horrible; I look old, fat and ugly. I really need you to pay me a compliment.’ I replied, “Your eyesight’s damn near perfect.” And that’s how the fight started..... 12

• The male pray mantis cannot copulate while its head is attached to its body. The female initiates sex by ripping the male’s head off. • The flea can jump 350 times its body length. It’s like a human jumping the length of a football field. • The catfish has over 27,000 taste buds. • Some lions mate over 50 times a day. • Butterflies taste with their feet. • The strongest muscle in the body is the tongue.

JUST FOR LAUGHS

SUDOKO

BUTTERCUPS & GOLFBALLS Towards the end of a round of golf, Dave hit his ball into the woods and found it in a patch of pretty, yellow buttercups. Trying to get his ball back in play, he ended up thrashing just about every buttercup in the patch. All of a sudden? POOF!! In a flash and puff of smoke, a little old woman appeared.

NAME THE CELEBRITY

She said, ‘I’m Mother Nature! Do you know how long it took me to make those buttercups? Just for doing what you have done, you won’t have any butter for your popcorn for the rest of your life... better still, you won’t have any butter for your toast for the rest of your life.... As a matter of fact, you’ll never have any butter for anything for the rest of your life!!!’ Then POOF!... she was gone! After Dave recovered from the shock, he hollered for his friend, ‘Fred, where are you?’ Fred yells back ‘I’m over here in the pussy willows.’ Dave shouts back, ‘DON’T SWING, Fred!’ FOR THE LOVE OF GOD, DON’T SWING!!!’

WRITE TO US If you have a question, a joke, or indeed ANYTHING to say, pop us an email to brendan.kenny@gmit.ie ANSWERS ON PAGE 32

THINGS YOU SHOULD KNOW!

1. The 2010 GMIT Christmas Day takes place on Thursday December 9th in the Library Bar 2. You can still get involved in Clubs & Societies by calling into the Students’ Union. Get involved, or even set up your own!!! 3. The word QUEUE is the only word in the English language that is still pronounced the same way when the last four letters are removed 4. The 2010 Positive Mental Health Campaign takes place from Monday 29th November to Thursday 2nd December 5. The 2010 Less Stress More Success Week takes place on campus from Monday 6th to Thursday 9th December FOR INFORMATION ON ANY OF THE ABOVE, PLEASE CONTACT THE STUDENTS’ UNION

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GMIT Northern Carpark

Alternative Galwegians Carpark

gmitsu presents

The

Positive Mental Health Campaign

Monday 29th 11:00am // Please Talk Launch (DJ, Balloons, Badges, Pens) 1:00pm // Official Mental Health Week Launch with Michael D Higgins TD and USI Welfare Officer Rebecca Murphy Night Event // TBC Tuesday 30th 1:00pm // Mental Health Ireland Workshop on Building Resilience 5:00pm // Father Tedathon in Common Room 509 All day on campus: Mobile Farm Night Event // TBC Wednesday 1st 1:00pm // Laughing Yoga in the Common Room 509 9:00pm // Mental Health Table Quiz and Cocktail Night in the Library Bar Thursday 2nd 1:00pm // Commemorative Mass for Deaths by Suicide in Chapel 5:00pm // Common Room Party with Giant Jenga, Twister and Connect 4, Free Hugs from Welfare Bear, free Juke Box, Free Jammy Donuts, Cup Cakes and Rice Crispie Buns. ALSO: Student Services (Counsellors) will have an information stand on campus all week. Free Haribo sweets || Ice Cream van on campus all week Free USI packs on campus all week see www.gmitsu.ie and GMIT SU Facebook for further info

In association with

Education Conference

Perspectives on a Moving Target

Galway-Mayo Institute of Technology (GMIT) will hold its first Education Conference on November 27th 2010 titled Perspectives on a Moving Target. Is Change the New Constant in Higher Education?

Sat 27 November 2010

This first bi-annual conference will acknowledge the significant contribution to education of Bernard O’Hara, (GMIT, 1972 - 2010). The keynote address will be delivered by Dr. Rajani Naidoo from the University of Bath. Rajani is a renowned speaker on strategic issues impacting on HE and proposes to challenge the delegates thinking. Students from GMIT, AIT and NUIG will share their learning experiences of the modernisation of the curriculum.

Date: Saturday 27 November 2010 Time: 9.30am to 4.00pm Venue: GMIT, Galway CONFERENCE SCHEDULE 9.30am

Registration

10.00am

Mr Bernard O'Hara

"Evolution of Irish Higher Education with particular reference to the Institute of Technology Sector" 10.30am

Ms Marion Coy

"The Changing Scene in Higher Education: Challenges & Opportunities" 11.00am

Break

11.30am

Professor Tom Collins

"Building Flexible Learning into the Curriculum" 12.30pm

An tUasal Pádraig Ó Ceidigh

"Developing an Entrepreneurial Spirit in Higher Education Today" 1.00pm

Lunch

2.00pm

Dr Rajani Naidoo

“Higher Education and the Global Knowledge Race: Implications for Change” 3.00pm

Student Presenters

Student Perspectives and Reflections on new Curriculum 3.30pm

Q&A Session

4.00pm

To Register, visit www.gmitconference.ie

1st Year PAL Sessions IMPORTANT REMINDER ABOUT PAL:

Please note there is only 4 weeks left of PAL Sessions this semester. In order TO QUALIFY for the PAL Certificate: - 1st year students need to have attended a min. of 6 PAL sessions - to apply for the GMIT PAL Leader role in future years 1st year students need to have attended a min. of 6 PAL sessions - also there will be a Christmas raffle for a mobile phone for 1st years who have attended 6 PAL sessions or more. PAL Study Sessions run for one hour per week and form an important part of your programme of study (check timetable for room no’s). PAL sessions are led by students ‘PAL Leaders’ from 2nd, 3rd or 4th year of your programme. To find out more about the GMIT PAL Leaders go to: http://www.gmit.ie/pal/pal-leader-profiles20102011.pdf You can ask your PAL Leaders in PAL Sessions to help you: • with accommodation issues, travel or to share information on the best places to go • find your way around campus • with making friends and team building • locate resources in the Library • review lectures you’ve found really difficult • analyse assignment questions • discuss how to get the most out of lectures • analyse note taking techniques • practise your referencing skills or how to avoid plagiarism • explore guidelines for getting the best from group work • practise presentations • placements For more information visit www.gmit.ie/pal

PAL Leaders Daniel McCarthy, Cathriona Lafferty, Gudny Oyre Flatabo, and Christopher Griffiths pictured with their winning poster at the PAL Leader international conference held in University of South West England in Bristol in November. The poster design included a ‘mindmap’ which highlighted the benefits of PAL to GMIT, the first year students and the leaders. A copy of the poster is available for download at www.gmit.ie/pal or join us on Facebook at ‘PAL at GMIT’ for more information.

National PAL Staff / Student Conference, University of West of England, Bristol. The Student Conference focus was ‘Developing Leader Skills and Techniques’. 4 PAL Leaders and 2 GMIT Staff members attended the above conference on the 5th & 6th of November. The students were asked to design a poster that represents PAL in GMIT. They were placed 3rd out of a group of 20 3rd Level Institutes. (I have attached the poster for you also). Staff & Students that attended: Carina Ginty, SIF II Manager Evelyn Moylan, Lecturer in Business Studies Daniel McCarthy - B.B in Hotel & Catering Cathriona Lafferty - Bachelor of Business Gudny Oyre Flatabo - B.Sc in Chemical & Pharmaceutical Science Christopher Griffiths - BB in Event Management and Public Relations

Health Unit

HEALTH UNIT NOTICE Medical Examinations for the purposes of organisations outside GMIT cannot be performed in the Student Health Unit. Due to the high demand for appointments by students who need medical attention, the Student Health Unit does not have the resources to deal with such requests. Please make alternative arrangements with your own Doctor.

MEDICAL CARD NOTICE

Please bring your GMS Medical Card with you when attending the Student Health Unit.

News

Medical card prescriptions cannot be issued in the absence of an up to date medical card.

MAKE AN APPOINTMENT: Phone Student Services on 091-742118 Email: studentservices@gmit.ie

GENITOURINARY MEDICINE (STI) CLINIC SCHEDULE TELEPHONE NO.: 091-525200 DAY

CLINIC

TIME

Monday Afternoon

‘Walk-in’ * STI Clinic

Doors open at 13:50

Wednesday Morning

‘Walk-In’* STI clinic

Doors open at 08:50

Wednesday Afternoon

‘Walk-In’* STI clinic

Doors open at 13:50

Friday Morning

STI screening and review clinic

By appointment only

•*walk- in clinics operate on . a “first come first served basis” with maximum quota • Attendance at clinic is free of charge •Please contact us (091 525200) prior to your visit should you need any further information.

MUMPS Important health announcement for all students There has been an increase nationally in the cases of mumps in third level colleges. This is happening because many young adults aged 18-25 years have not received two doses of the MMR (measles, mumps & rubella) vaccine. Mumps is an acute viral illness that causes fever, headache and painful swollen glands. It is spread from person to person by coughs and sneezes, and can also be transmitted by direct contact through saliva (kissing). This illness has the potential to disrupt the education of a large number of students. Complications can include meningitis, deafness, and inflammation of the testicles in adult males.

IT IS ESSENTIAL THAT YOU CHECK WITH YOUR FAMILY DOCTOR THAT YOU HAVE RECEIVED 2 MMR VACCINES: If you have received 1 vaccine your own GP will give you a 2nd vaccine FREE If you are not sure if you have had the MMR before, having another one wonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t do you any harm. The GMIT Student Health Unit can help you with information on this issue. However; we do not have your MMR records, or the capacity to deal with all students.

PLEASE CONTACT YOUR OWN GP The HSE has provided this website for your attention: www.immunisation.ie

Page 27

Student Assistance Fund

e-mail studentservices@gmit.ie) to check your eligibility to apply for the Student Assistance Fund (SAF) & to pick up an application form.

to the Student Services Office. Incomplete applications (missing documentation/form not fully completed) cannot be assessed.

All applicants will be interviewed by the SAF Committee. To apply, eligible students must complete the form, attach proof of income (or grant letter), proof of social welfare entitlements if applicable and bank statements for the past 3 months.

If you are experiencing FINANCIAL DIFFICULTIES, call to the Student Services Office (or

Completed form and back-up documentation to be returned

Counselling Never feel that you are helpless and on your own in college. Contact the Counsellor to get help and support in total confidence. Counsellors Pauline Staunton and Pauline Clancy are available to speak to you today.

Opening Hours: 9.00 - 5.00 Drop in times: 11.00 -12.00 and 1.00 - 2.00 Phone: 091-742118

The Counsellors are available one day per week in Cluain Mhuire & Letterfrack campuses.

Welfare

gmit su

LESS STRESS MORE SUCCESS (Line-up) Healthy Living Week

Monday 6th December Hypnotherapy and Indian Head Massage // 11am – 3pm (on campus MonThu…make appointment in SU office) Tuesday 7th December 11:30am – 12:30pm and 1pm -2pm // Nutritionist Workshops with Sinead Bradbury (incl. free lunch) Wednesday 8th December 11:30am – 12:30pm and 1pm -2pm // “Fit for Life” Workshops in association with Irish Heart Founation focused on physical activity and staying active • Free tea, free fruit & free SU welfare stressballs on campus all week • All-important exam information available all week

POSITIVE MENTAL HEALTH WEEK (Line-up)

Talk to Joe!

T: 091 742316 E: suvpresident@gmit.ie

ALSO: Student Services (Counsellors) will have an information stand on campus all week || Free Haribo sweets || Ice Cream van on campus all week Free USI packs on campus all week See www.gmitsu.ie for details of our campaigns throughout the year. Take care of yourselves, Joe O’Connor (Jocser) Vice President/Welfare Officer

RNLI VOLUNTEER FAIR Please come along on

Friday 3 December 2010 10.00am â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 3.00pm Galway Lifeboat Station New Docks, Galway City Do you have a few hours to spare to support Galway Lifeboat Station save lives at sea? Please come along for a cup of coffee and a chat to find out about our volunteering opportunities in 2011.

THIS IS NOT CREW RECRUITMENT For more information on our volunteering opportunities log on to www.volunteergalway.ie for any other enquiries about the Volunteer Fair you can call Andrea Mills on Freephone: 1800789589

Volunteering Feature

GMIT Habitat for Humanity Project - Ethiopia 2010 GMIT HABITAT FOR HUMANITY PROJECT – ETHIOPIA 2010

After 6 months of selling raffle tickets, trying to find buyers of “fake horses”, washing cars and shaking buckets, the 14 Civil Engineering students had finally reached, and surpassed, their target of fundraising 48,000€. The students along with 2 staff members took part in Habitat for Humanity’s global village project in Ethiopia. In total, 55,000€ was raised. This fundraising would not have been possible without the support of the staff in GMIT, GMIT SU and Health Unit, local businesses and GMIT Management. The group were also delighted to assisted by the Event Management group of Business Studies students who raised over 3500€ from their “Mock Wedding” event. Figure 1 The Group after a hard day’s work.

On June the 19th 2010 the group arrived in Addis Ababa with all the essentials packed: a sense of adventure, willingness to work hard and of course, an open mind and sense of humour. After an eleven hour bus journey they reached their destination, Bahir Dar, where they would be located for the 14 day house building project. Bahir Dar is located on Lake Tana, the source of the Blue Nile, in the West of the country. The region Amhara, of which Bahir Dar is the principal city, has one of the highest HIV prevalence rates in the country. 1 The effect of this is seen in the amount of orphaned children living on the streets of the city. The vast majority of Ethiopians must improvise with housing that is cramped and unable to protect them from bad weather, insects and diseases. Almost 85% of houses have mud and stick or thatch walls, with only 8% of houses made of stonewalls. Only 27% of Ethiopians have access to safe drinking water, and only 10% have access to sanitation facilities 2 . Figure 2 Meeting a family at their current home.

Volunteering Feature Local methods of construction are used along with local materials as this ensures that the families and community can maintain their homes in future years. The frame is constructed using Eucalyptus timber which, while not an indigenous tree, is grown locally. While the frame is being constructed the “material” for the walls is being fermented. The sustainable “chika” is made from soil, straw and water with some added additions from the local chickens. The chika is thrown at the walls and when dry gives a solid thick wall. The outside of the wall is later plastered to protect it from the torrential rain while the inside is painted with gypsum based paint. The roofs are constructed with galvanised iron. Each home has two rooms, one for sleeping, one for living. Along with each home there is a pit latrine constructed to the back of the house.

Figure 3 Home ready to be plastered. Pit Latrine seen behind the home. Figure 4 Timber Frame Construction

For the two weeks the group worked on various stages of construction of the Habitat homes. All the work was carried out with the community; the men provided the skilled labour while the women provided the unskilled labour. The local children took turns at “overseeing” the work when not in the local school. They always had big smiles and echoes of “farenji, farenji” (foreigner, foreigner) could be heard from the moment the group’s bus came into sight. “Its amazing how the children are so happy and all they literally have is the clothes on them and one meal a day”, as commented by one of the students one day, as he walked into the site surrounded by a big group of laughing children. Figure 5 One of the Carpenters from the site along with two of the group.

Volunteering Feature At times the group found the work to be frustrating, there was a lack of basic tools, cement was in short supply and even water wasn’t available when required. The weather also took its toll with the sun at its height at midday and the torrential down pours from 4pm. However one of the learning aspects of the project was to “be patient with the slow pace of work and adapt to the community’s way of work.” Figure 6 Local Women Assisting.

The belief is that it is better to give 5 people a small wage for a week for digging holes by hand then to pay for expensive tools and get the job done by one person in an hour. Unfortunately labour is very cheap and as the group heard numerous times “hmmm, its culture”. During the two weeks the group visited five families who would be receiving the homes that they were working on. Two of these families were parents who had suffered leprosy and were unable to work due to physical impairments. These visits allowed the group to see the poverty and sub standard housing some families are currently living in. “Seeing, first hand, five or six families sharing one pit latrine or a family, of up to five people, living in one room, no bigger than 4m x 4m, is going to stay with me for a long while”, as stated by one of the group.

Volunteering Feature One day as the heavy rain fell and the “road” on the Habitat site turned to a river the Habitat representative started shaking his head looking at the water flowing past, saying “our local authority said they would build some drainage 2 years ago but look … nothing and you, you travel all the way from Ireland to help us.” Figure 7 – Handing over of a home to the owners

Thank you to everyone who helped and supported the group and made it possible to participate and show the small community outside of Bahir Dar that, yes, someone does care about them. Habitat for Humanity is a nonprofit housing organisation which builds and renovates simple, decent, affordable houses with those who lack adequate shelter. Habitat for Humanity International’s (HFHI) mission for the Global Village program is to provide an opportunity for groups of people to experience firsthand HFHI’s global ministry by traveling to and working alongside homeowners and partners at Habitat affiliates worldwide. GMIT Habitat For Humanity 2010

Name the Celebrity: George Clooney 32

Less

Stress More Success

WEEK

Monday 6th to Thursday 9th

December 2010

Meditation

Group…

Learn how to relax, stay calm and lower your anxieties... It lasts for 10weeks on a drop-in basis and it’s FREE! COME & GIVE IT A TRY! DO YOU WANT TO: Lower your stress levels? Stay calm under pressure? Sleep better? Learn to relax? Beat exam stress? Worry less?

Every Wednesday 1-2pm Meditation/Chapel Room Dublin Road (Near SU & Medical Centre) FREE – Just Drop In… Make a positive change in your life…

GMIT Class Rep Training Programme ’Step Forward’

110 Students across the institute undertake the new GMIT Class Representative Training Programme titled ‘Step Forward’ GMIT have introduced a new class representative training kit and workshop. The programme is titled ‘Step Forward’ and is based on a successful programme in place in Scottish Universities. This new programme is the first of its kind to be introduced to an IoT in Ireland. Since October over 110 class representatives across the institute have completed the training and been awarded the ‘GMIT Step Forward Certificate’. This new programme was developed in partnership with the SIFII Student Led Learning Project and the Students’ Union. The training programme works on communication, problem solving and negotiation skills in Higher Education institutes. For further information on the new programme contact ruth.merrigan@gmit.ie or carina.ginty@gmit.ie. 34

Join our event on facebook, at GMIT International Christmas Market

2010

November

TI M E: 10am to 2pm

re & 1st Floor W H ER E: Union squa in the new building, s GMIT, Dublin Rd Campu

DATE : Tuesday 30th

market s a m t is r h C Õs 3 Block/BB y Lions Club a lw a G e h T f o in aid

Prizes in clude: A 2 nigh t1 Flynn ho dinner stay in a n y of t he tels. Check t hem out at ßynnh otels.co m

¥ Ch ristm as Gifts & ha ndcrafts ¥ Ch ristm as Ca kes an d tre ats ¥ Gre at raf fle prizes ¥ plu s mo re! ¥ DONÕT MI SS OU T

In te r n at io n a l C h r is t m a s M a r k e t

Christmas Comes Early with the

H O T E L

H A R B O U R

& Giant Connect 4

Nintendo Wii

BLE ILA R AVA OU R Y Y FO IET

SOC LUB C OR

Red Carpet

arrival with pianist

DJ & Late Bar Call Sean on 091 894823 or email christmas@harbour.ie &C

's a

pp l

Private Parties in our ‘John B Keane’ Suite, 60-120 people, perfect for every occasion. From €25.00 per person

FRE IGHT RN OVE AY FOR ST THE R! KE BOO

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AVAIL OF OUR RESIDENTS BAR, A GREAT NIGHT’S SLEEP AN EXCELLENT BREAKFAST &

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