IMPACT SEMESTER 1 2016

DCU Office Of Student Life Biannual Activity Report VOL 5, ISSUE 1; DEC 2016

CONTENTS R E P R E S E N TAT I O N CHANGE AWARENESS OPPORTUNITIES COMMUNITY EVENTS HELP AND SUPPORT

Letter from Editor MARTINA BROWNE MARKETING & COMMUNICATIONS CO-ORDINATOR First of all I’d like to introduce myself as the new Marketing and Comms Co-Ordinator in the Office of Student Life. As a DCU alumni, I know how hard everyone in the SU, Clubs and Socs and The Student Body work to make DCU great.

Semester one here is always buzzing! We spend the whole summer getting to know the new team, looking forward to seeing some familiar faces along with some new ones!

This year there was extra excitement with the incorporation of St Patrick’s and Mater Dei, which in turn brought our DCU SU Sabbat team up to 5 members.

We have achieved so much in such a short space of time and hope to show you the highlights of many weeks of hard work, student engagement and fun times here in the Office of Student Life, Clubs and Societies and the Students’ Union. I’d like to congratulate all of those who organised and put in so much extra time making sure that the events ran smoothly and that students had a great experience.

I’m delighted to be back in DCU and working with such great people upstairs in the Hub. I look forward to getting to know you all in my new role and wish you all the best for the Semester!

REPRESENTATION

WELFARE & EQUALITY

PRESIDENT

CODY BYRNE

I don’t really know where to begin! Semester 1 has just been insane.

Literally every week there was some sort of campaign or massive event happening that we have been prepping for. There’s a whole bunch of things that I definitely didn’t expect walking into (like dressing up as a vagina and wearing a lederhosen for two weeks in a row). I’m not going to lie - there have been really stressful moments. I will say that, if you take them with a pinch of salt and look back at some of the really cool things that have happened, it’s been a great semester. 700 students attending our protest, having the most petitions signed in the country, DCU’s first ever Oktoberfest, three week-long campaigns, most engaging Clubs and Socs Week ever, first ever consent classes in DCU, and so much more. Most importantly - meeting all the new and welcoming faces. Everyone has been so great to interact with on a daily basis and I’m really looking forward to another successful semester you all!

DYLAN KEHOE

Semester 1 has been tremendous! It has been both the wildest and fastest 12 weeks imaginable. From installing the DCUSU Marquee in Week 1 to closing off the Semester with 12 Days of SU Christmas; it has been a jam-packed few months. Some highlights for me were Freshers’ Fortnight and the mayhem that came with it; closing off Oktoberfest with 2 of Ireland’s most notorious drag queens; Davina Divine & Dolly Grip and every Shite Night along the way! Next Semester I’m looking forward to ticking off more of my objectives with Gay Pride Fest and introducing cocktail/barista workshops.

It has been an absolute pleasure representing all of you this Semester. I want to thank you for engaging in everything we do and I can only hope we continue to do you proud for the remainder of the year. Have a great break and the very best of luck in the upcoming exams!”

ACADEMIC AFFAIRS JAMES DONOGHUE

Well, folks hopefully you know my name at this stage but just in case, I’m James and I work in Academic Affairs in DCU Students’ Union.

Starting out this year, my second year in Office I was excited as ever.

Although this time was slightly different, they’re five sabbats as opposed to three, and three campuses as opposed to one. Things are so exciting. I was lucky enough to have played a part in the Incorporation, sitting on Governing and Authority Committee within the University and overseeing the final stages of the Incorporation.

Just like last year, semester one has been extremely hectic, Freshers Fortnight was a great buzz, doing multiple talks and of course the events with the Freshers ball being the highlight in the Wright Venue. This semester I have worked a lot on teaching for students with the Teaching Enhancement Unit and Quality Assurance.

The highlight for me was presenting to over 14 Universitys in Boston on Student Leadership. Roll on semester 2.

ENGAGEMENT &DEVELOPMENT EIMEAR MAGUIRE

What can I say about this semester? It has been amazing, stressful, hectic and fun all in one. It has been a tough semester but I feel like the team all come together and developed a great work ethic .

We have achieved so much and ran some great campaigns.

I have enjoyed meeting new people and being challenged in my everyday work and in developing new expertise.

Travelling to Poland with USI and meeting other members from SU’s around the world was one of the most amazing experiences I have ever had. The conference was so engaging and informative.

Another high for me was of course the great class rep training we ran in Glendalough and seeing such large numbers of student representatives participating in our class rep council meetings. I hope that I have done you all proud this semester and I promise to continue to work hard for all our students throughout the DCU community

EDUCATION & PLACEMENT MANUS MCLOUGHLIN

First semester has brought with it a wealth of positives and negatives but overall it has been a success. There have been a few teething problems with the Incorporation but nevertheless progress has been made towards developing a community spirit across our multi-campus university.

“Vice President for Education & Placement” is a new role with no predecessor so the learning curve is steep but I am embracing the challenge. The issues that students face on placement are quite extensive and I am delighted to try to help resolve them. I am predominately based on St. Patricks Campus and this year the campus is home to over 4,000 education students.

The campus has been alive with life and this year it is home to early childhood, primary and post primary education courses. The campus is now a hub for the teachers of our future.

REPRESENTATION

EXEC

Each faculty is represented by elected representatives.

They work with their faculty class reps and the Students’ Union to ensure the voices of the students in their faculty are heard.

Club and Society members and Post Grad students are represented by Officers.

All elected convenors and officers sit on “The Exec” which is the main student committee in the University and the SU. They discuss the issues that are important to the student body and make decisions to better student life.

ALLAN STEVENSON- POST GRAD OFFICER

This has been a crazy first semester, what with sitting on Governing Authority, Academic Council and Graduate Studies Board to mention but a few. The insight into how everything works in DCU is mind blowing.

The highlight for me has been the support and encouragement I’ve received from Post Graduates in my role and I plan to continue fighting in their corner for more and better representation.

NIALL BEHAN - BUSINESS

I’ve been massively engaged in working on my manifesto, and so far I’ve helped implement more support for Accounting Students and have set up my own faculty hour so students can come to me for any support they might need once a week in person.

So much has happened in the Business School in semester one. The investment society has set up their very own Student Managed Fund, The MSc in Management is now ranked among the World’s Top 90 in it’s field, and boundless changes are occurring daily in research and development. It’s a great time to be in the school and it’s all been on the up since the AACSB accreditation, ranking it among the top 5% of schools worldwide !

JASON BOLTON - SCIENCE & HEALTH

To say this semester has flown by in the blink of an eye is an understatement. From Fresher’s Fortnight, Oktoberfest, SHIFT Week, Helping Hands week and Scene week we’ve packed as much as is possible into the 12 weeks. I’ve had a lot of good memories from semester 1 but my favourite part has to be Fresher’s Fortnight. Being re-united with all the familiar faces and meeting a lot of new ones has definitely been my highlight. I can’t wait for semester two to get working on the Science and Health ball, Nurse’s Appreciation Day and a few other items that were on my manifesto. Although I’m sad my last semester one is over I am looking forward to what semester two holds. I’m sure whatever it is it’ll be great craic.

LUKE O RIORDAN - SOCIETIES OFFICER

My first semester as Socs officer was very enjoyable as I got to represent and be the voice of over 80 Societies on the SU & SLC. Since being elected I’ve had the chance to be involved with so many different societies and meet people from all corners of DCU. So far this semester we have already finished all the budget apps, introduced GIG week with Sadhbh, rolled out the weekly Society Calendar and am currently working on plans for the Clubs & Socs Ball. The highlight of the semester though would have to be the buzz created in Glasnevin & SPC for clubs & socs days

SADHBH CANDON - CLUBS OFFICER

Semester 1 has gone so fast and has included challenging but rewarding work. I am very grateful to have been given the opportunity to run my Give It a Go initiative during Week 1. From collaborating with Societies Officer Luke, to the great uptake from clubs and students, the week was a huge success!

I’m looking forward to making Give It a Go bigger and better for Semester 2

CAOILINN TIGHE EDUCATION FACULTY REP

From Academic council to Oktoberfest. This first semester as Education Faculty Representative has been a crazy one! The amount of opportunities we have had this year to meet fabulous people is uncountable. I’ve gotten a chance to get to know the Class Reps, Staff Members and even some outside organisations. With regards to my manifesto, I’ve already started to take action on a number of the biggest aspects with The Education Faculty Ball being a thing for the first year ever. The stress is on in semester two but I am still excited to see what is to come.

CAOIMHE NI MHAOLAGAIN HUMANITIES & SOCIAL SCIENCES

Semester 1 started off with a bang! We had such an unbelievable freshers fortnight filled with some hilarious events and even funnier stories. It was great to meet so many new students from all different walks of life and it has really added a great buzz to the campus.

I am delighted with the new team of Humanities and Social Sciences Class reps. They are really going to do a great job in representing their classes at both programme boards and Class Rep Council.

Society and Club life are in full swing and I would urge anyone who hasn’t already done so to get involved. It will be the best decision you will make during your time in DCU!

#GIGWeekTake2! Being involved in DCUSU Exec, Class Rep Council and the Club Life Committee has allowed me to meet some remarkable people, both students and staff.

The experiences I’ve had this semester are second to none and I can’t wait to see what Semester 2 will bring!

RIAIN CONDON ENGINEERING & COMPUTING

Overall, semester one went very well. I began to work with this years executive and instantly saw how amazing each and every officer on it are, in terms of involvement, as well as interest in their positions and improving student’s lives in various ways. I partook in several events throughout the semester such as the fresher’s events, helping hands week and also the fees protest. I also got to meet the fantastic class reps of the engineering and computing faculty on multiple occasions and set up a faculty council. This year we have some amazing students doing unbelievable work to better their classmate’s experience in DCU. Semester one has been great and far too quick! I can’t wait to pick back up in semester two.

CAIT NI CHEALLAHAIN

Bhí an seimeastar seo gnóthach leis an Ghaeilge. Mar post nua ar Aontas na MacLéinn i mbliana, bhí sé deacair ag tosnú. Táimid tar éis obair a dhéanamh ar ionad na Mic Léinn a chur ar fáil ar Campas na Naomh Uile. Chomh maith le sin, táimid tar éis revamp a dhéanamh ar an Seomra Caidreamh agus anois is áit cúl é chun buaileadh suas le do Chairde, nó do scíth a ligeant. Táimid tar éis go leoir obair a dhéanamh air so bí cinnte chun buaileadh isteach agus bí ag faire amach do na imeachtaí ar fad ina mbeidh againn don dara seimeastar!!

Do Chara Gaelach, Cáit

CLASS REP TRAINING This year we have had so much engagement through our wonderful class reps.

We have had one of the highest turnouts for voting as well as extremely high nomination rates. Our class reps have been great and have started sitting on programme boards and making a difference within their individual classes.

In the past semester we had a productive training day in Glendalough alongside some very interactive class rep council meetings.

“It’s safe to say our Student Representation is in good hands.”

CLASS REP COUNCIL Class Rep Council (CRC) is held four times a semester, every two to three weeks. CRC gives class reps the chance to put forward motions and issues that affect them and their class. My job as Chair of CRC is to ensure that the council runs smoothly, equal time is given to people to speak and to sit on exec to ensure that motions mandated for the exec are followed through. This semester, CRC has seen several officers of CRC and the electoral committee elected, many motions passed and discussions on the proposed changes to the constitution.

It has been a successful first semester and I was delighted to see so many classes engaging with the CRC and I hope this follows through to next semester. - Callaghan Commons

NETWORKING

ABROAD

THE USA

THE UK & POLAND

The trip was also a great bonding experience which had the guys ready to take on the challenges of the new year. Eimear Maguire was fortunate enough to be chosen by VP for education of the USI Jack Leahy to be a delegate of the 71st ESUBM (European Student Union Board Meeting).

This board meeting focused on governance and student engagement. Eimear and 5 other delegates from around Ireland travelled to Gdansk for 7 days which was an amazing experience and learned loads of practice that could be implemented in DCU.

In November, Dylan, James and Una (OSL Manager) travelled to Boston to attend the annual ACUI (Association of College Unions International) conference. Taking place on the University of Massachusetts Lowell Campus, it was a great opportunity to meet with other unions from across the world and exchange some best practises and tips.

As well as engaging with some of the world’s leading Students’ Unions, Dylan and James both gave talks during the conference. James gave a session on Hurling and its place in Irish culture while Dylan gave a speech on his journey to DCUSU. Whilst in Boston, Dylan and James also visited Harvard, MIT and Boston University; taking in as much as they could to bring some ideas back to DCU.

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Every year the Incoming new Sabbaticals take a trip across the pond to the UK to garner some ideas to implement back home and to develop our Union structure.

This year was no different as the new team of Dylan, Manus, James, Eimear and Cody alongside Podge, flew to Scotland to check out Universities in Edinburgh and Glasgow in August.

The guys checked out three Universities in Glasgow and a further five in Edinburgh. They came home with new ideas on teaching supports, placement packs, student safety and even got to check out some ideas for the new Hub.

It’s great to see so many different Students’ Unions from all over the world.

However we all share all the same goal and values.

THE NEW DCU

CHANGE

In September our Freshers experienced the new multicampus DCU with the Incorporation. Our new DCU sees over 16000 Students and 5 full time Sabbatical officers working together to make the new DCU great!

This incorporation has blended the student body and seen existing and new services spread out over both the Glasnevin and St Patrick’s Campuses.

Orientation and Freshers Fortnight saw student engagement on both Campuses as the SU planned fun filled activities to cater for all.

With a Comedy hypnotist on Glasnevin and an outdoor back to school movie night on Patricks’s campus, all of the Freshers also welcomed DCU Freshers Goodie Bags to kick start their year in the new DCU.

The New Hub

CLC and SLC The Society Life Committee (SLC) and the Club Life Committee (CLC) are committees, elected by you, that represents all clubs and societies in DCU. They allocate funds, provide support when things go wrong and they make sure your club or society has a voice.

“What is CLC?” is probably the most common question or first thing that pops in mind when you hear of us. CLC is a committee made up of students and DCU staff that make sure that club activities run smoothly and try to solve any issue that comes up. The student members are elected each end of the academic year and they have to be part of a club to run. As for the staff positions they are permanent positions held by DCU staff members that help the committee throughout the year and make sure the committee itself runs smoothly while taking care of other aspects such as budget duties and communications with the Sports Gym. Each student member of the committee is a representative of a number of clubs and each week we try to keep in contact with our respective clubs and make sure there are no issues, if there is anything we bring it to the weekly CLC meeting and we try to resolve it. Apart from that we look over and allocate, in accordance with policies, budget for clubs for equipment, competitions and other activities.

That’s in short what CLC is and does and hope it clarifies things a little bit.

Thank you, Florin Frosin - Chair of CLC 2016/2017

The build has officially started on the new Student Hub. With this new build came a lot of changes to the Students’ Union and existing hub spaces.

The Old Bar as we knew it has descended into rubble in the last 12 weeks. Last year the Students’ Union worked heavily with the architects in designing the new build so it could be as student friendly as possible.

This July, the work finally began. From consultation with the builders we know that the build is on schedule so that students get their new building as soon as possible. The New Hub will be the figurehead of campus and will make DCU Students’ Union world renowned. The new 4 storey space will be a purpose-built space for students’ social, cultural, global engagement and entrepreneurial activities. The build is estimated to be ready by February 2018 and by the looks of the mock up imagery, should be worth the wait!

DCUSU ARENA Finding a suitable space for events was something I was very keen to secure for Clubs and Socs. Aside from building relationships with off-campus venues; I spearheaded the introduction of a temporary, 1,200 capacity marquee on to the heart of campus. This is something that has never been done before and was by no means an easy process!

After a long summer of talks, the DCUSU Arena was finally introduced for Freshers’ Week.

It hosted many events such as Iron Stomach, the Roast of Dylan Kehoe & James Donoghue, Morning Rave, Oktoberfest and a host of other performances and rehearsals.

A special mention is owed to Events Manager, Peadar and his crew without whom no events would have been possible in the DCUSU Arena. - Dylan Kehoe, President

GRADUATIONS

This year was the final year of students graduating from St.Patricks College and Mater Dei institute of Education. Due to this myself and Manus McLoughlin (VP for education and placement) felt it was only fitting to celebrate the end of an era with a big celebration. We had over 580 people attend the ball which was held in the Regency Hotel as per tradition. The evening went off without a hitch and was enjoyed by all. We had amazing acts such as Keywest and we even had the resident DJ Alli B of Coppers.

So much hard work was put into this event and it was great to have the Alumni of these Colleges enjoy one last night together.

- Eimear Maguire - VP for Engagement and Development

Congratulations Class of 2016!

OKTOBERFEST One of the main points on my manifesto was to introduce a festival to DCU’s social calendar. This came in the form of Oktoberfest in Semester 1; a carnival of German culture, music and beer. Utilising the space in the marquee, we were able to put on some great entertainment for the festival.

Monday saw the arrival of Oktoberfest with a traditional brass band playing all of the favourite tunes in the marquee. This was followed by Tuesday’s ‘Shiza Nocht’; a play on the usual Shite Night! Oktoberfest finished on Wednesday with one of the best nights of the year; LipSync night with Davina Devine and Dolly Grip!

Overall, Oktoberfest went down a success. It was something that has never been done in DCU and can certainly get bigger over the coming years!

- Dylan Kehoe, President

The DCU Graduation Ball took place in the DoubleTree Hilton Hotel on November 5th. The fashion on our DCU red carpet would have put the Oscars to shame, the added novelty props illustrated how DCU students don’t take themselves too seriously. With Live music, great food and company, the night was a big success.

The Class of 2016 went out with a bang and are now part of our growing DCU Alumni.

Office of Student Life

As part of the Incorporation, DCUSU have been spreading out SU events over our multi-campus University. On September 28th we kicked off one our newest events to engage multiple campuses, this was our DCUSU “Mock All Ireland Final.” Students on all campuses battled it out on the pitch on St Pats, split up into rival teams Dublin and Mayo. It was a tough match but there were comedic undertones as Hardy Bucks star Buzz and Salmon commentated the action. The Dubs remained victorious and took home the “Ham Maguire trophy”

This year saw the arrival of three new staff members in the OSL. Peadar Gill has taken on the role of Events Co-ordinator, Martina Browne is the new Marketing and Communications Co-Ordinator and Podge Sheehan is now the OSL Democracy and Development Officer.

The Democracy and Development role is a completely new position and aims to develop the SU and OSL and retain a democratic environment amongst the Sabbaticals, OSL, Exec and Class Rep Council.

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DCUSU MOCK ALL IRELAND FINAL

A place to learn, grow and develop as a person.

Podge Sheehan (Pádraig if his mother is asking), an expert in student politics, is the Democracy & Development Officer in the Office of Student Life. As a student, Podge was heavily involved in all aspects of student life locally and nationally. He has over seven years’ experience in student politics, spending the last two as IT Carlow Students’ Union President empowering his team to strive to be the best.

Podge believes that University life is about much more than academics, but a place to learn, grow and develop as a person. He is dedicated to helping students grow their capabilities and capitalise on their skills and to getting them to that next level of success, no matter where they are in the process right now. Podge is responsible for ensuring the work of the sabbatical team is carried out in a professional and representative manner and is instrumental in maintaining the strategic direction of the Office of Student Life in line with the activities and aspirations of the membership of the Students’ Union.

Podge is passionate about lifelong learning, regularly facilitating team building activities and Leadership PODs. In his spare time, Podge is often found spending time with close friends and family. He enjoys ​politics​, ​food,​exlporing new places​and speaking about himself in the third person… His office is upstairs in The Hub ​and you can contact him on podge.sheehan@dcu.ie

CLUBS & SOCIETIES Clubs & Socs Fair on the DCU Glasnevin campus was held over three days in the main hall of DCU Sports Complex. The venue turned out to be extremely successful with all stands on the same floor with more space than ever before.

Clubs & Socs Fair on the DCU St. Patrick’s campus was held on one day in The Auditorium. After the initial worry, this also was a big hit.

Office of Student Life – St. Patricks Campus For the first time ever, the Students’ Union on St.Patricks Campus will be located in a permanent space on the Campus.

The Office of Student Life can be found just beside the Quad of D Block and it offers a huge range of services to students.

The OSL has the following on offer to all students: A round table meeting room, free multi-phone charging docks, Payzone, Lost & Found, two Vice President sabbatical officers, condoms, clubs & societies, social space, DCU merchandise, Leap Card top up and much much more.

Clubs & Socs have had very high registrations/sign ups across the board for semester 1. Overall registrations reached over 19,000, with Society sign ups at approx.. 14,000 and Clubs at approx. 5,000.

The Society with the largest amount of sign ups was ESoc with just over 2000 and the Club with the largest amount of sign ups was SurfnSail with over 380.

We have 85 very active societies and 37 active clubs. Across campus interaction is excellent with society events running very smoothly in the Auditorium on St. Patrick’s campus.

A number of society events have been held in the Regency Hotel which have worked very well. We had a very successful C&S Xmas Ball in the Crowne Plaza with over 200 students having a fantastic time.

After what was a very worrying time for society activity, we are fairly happy with how Semester 1 has gone and look forward to a very active Semester 2.

We also have a number of societies travelling during the inter-semester break.

Have a great trip, Enjoy! Stay Safe!

AWARENESS

WELFARE WORKING GROUP As there are so many campaigns and initiatives to roll out, our Welfare Officer Cody has recruited volunteers to help out. Welfare Working Group member Lee Licayan writes about his experience “Volunteering with the Welfare Work Group was one of the best decisions I made during my first year of college. Getting involved allowed me to get a better grasp of the college community and it introduced me to people who shared the same concerns as me, whether it was mental health issues or human rights. Even though my individual contributions are small, the group’s collective contribution has prompted change and encouraged diversity throughout DCU and the wider community. The highlight for me, so far, was when myself and multiple members of the Working Group went around the DCU campuses to collect signatures for a petition to the Irish government. It gave me the opportunity to get up and speak in front of 500 students and since I’ve never done public speaking to that scale before, it was truly an amazing experience.

The result was us receiving up to 350 signatures in a single hour. Doing this made me feel like I was really making a difference. To conclude, the Welfare Working Group has allowed me to contribute to society and in return I was able to find joy and self-fulfillment from that contribution. It was a great experience and I hope to do it all over again next year!”

EQUALITY GROUP Our Equality Working Group is made up of seven student activist LO’s (Liaison Officer) who encourage the better representation of five different minority groups both in society and in DCU: two Woman LO’s, two Ethnic Minority LO’s, one Man LO, one LGBT LO, and an African LO. As Woman LO, my role entails attending, promoting and raising awareness of protests, talks and issues of inequality facing women, as well as all other minority groups in the DCU student body.

This year I attended the Annual March for Choice, in the fight for the decriminalization of abortion services in Ireland. The Rape Crisis Centre held a workshop on consent during SHIFT Week, which I attended and aided in promoting across DCU. I presently attend an eight week long Bystander Initiative programme in DCU on the safe intervention in situations of sexual assault.

In October we attended the ‘Education Takes to the Streets’ demonstration to lobby against the introduction of a third level education fee payment loan scheme. In advance of this, we handed out petitions around DCU campuses, collecting signatures to back the lobby against the introduction of the proposed loan scheme.

I have enjoyed my role as the Woman LO so far and look forward to the remainder of the academic year with the other members of my equality team.

- Orla McGing

SHIFT WEEK

(SEXUAL HEALTH IN FIRST TERM)

3rd - 6th of October

Our Sexual Health Week took place from October 3rd - 6th. We really wanted to deviate from the norm and include plenty of opportunities to learn as well as have fun with sex. We handed out 2,500 condoms during the week, paid for free sexual health tests for the year and two of the sabbaticals even dressed up as a penis and a vagina for the week! We discussed the growing HIV problem in Ireland and had sex therapists on campus talking about the importance of ‘loving your vulva’. We had a 26-table sex quiz with sex prizes and had mental health organisation ReachOut available to talk to students on the same day that we had a penis rodeo on St. Patrick’s Campus. We discussed consent and the importance of consent every day and had, for the first time ever, Rapid HIV testing on campus. We’re VERY happy with how our SHIFT Week went!

HELPING HANDS WEEK A slight spin on the usual ‘Mental Health Week’ that we have here in DCU, this week was all about reinforcing the DCU Community. Week 6 is the highest drop out rate for students here in DCU so we encouraged each student to identify who in their class is struggling to make

friends and make them feel included.

Even a simple hello can make the world of difference. We handed out 1,000 #SayHello stickers and 1,000 ‘Mind Your Mates’ wristbands to remind students that there are friendly people to be met all over campus.

DCU Gym was free all week to highlight that positive physical and mental health are interlinked. 30 more students were trained in Suicide Awareness Training. We had yoga instructors and self-defense classes, nail technicians, makeup artists and barbers for Treat Yoself Tuesday. We had sleep therapists, mindfulness classes and top psychologists telling us how to promote self-resilience. AND OF COURSE; doggy therapy.

D i v e r s i t y We e k This week could not have come at a more opportune time where it was important for us to recognize each other’s differences as a benefit and something to build upon and not to discourage relationships. The poster campaign for this week was mugshot styled shots, highlighting the diversity of our student body with three adjectives and the underlying theme being that we’re all members of the DCU Community. We looked at Diversity from a religious, cultural and sexual orientation perspective. We had a pop-up shop displaying traditional African fashion and had the Islamic society doing Henna tattoos.

We had asylum seekers on campus providing free African-themed lunches and joint events between Christian and LGBT groups to highlight that being religious and a member of the LGBT group are not mutually exclusive things. No Hate Speech Movement came in to train students on how to be anti-racism/no hate speech advocates and we organised over 500 petitions to be signed to call on the Irish government to welcome the 4,000 Syrian refugees into the country that they promised. We had Irish language classes and African dance classes. We ended the week with the national Breaking Borders Intercultural ball dedicated to celebrating our Diversity. It’s 2016 folks - can’t we all just be friends?

EQUAL PAY FOR TEACHERS The “Pay Equality” rally was a massive success with a huge turnout of 5 buses full of DCU student teachers. The INTO (Irish National Teachers Organisation) held the rally on the 27th of October right outside Dáil Éireann.

It is safe to say that the DCU student teacher’s voices were heard on the day. “Students Today, Teachers Tomorrow” was the motto.

Post rally refreshments were provided for all hungry rally goers in Quinns pub, Drumcondra. The student teachers may not have earned the right to Pay Equality after the rally, but they surely made their voices heard!

USI STUDENT LOANS PROTEST Education Is is a USI campaign calling on the Irish government and the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills to make a historic long-term decision and invest in the publicly-funded third level education model as outlined in the Cassells Report. USI know that income-contingent loan scheme is not a viable solution to third-level funding. This system will create a burden of €20,000+ debt on anyone who wishes to attend third-level education.

The financial strain of carrying a debt to cover fees spans across all communities and groups including parents, children, staff and teachers – not just students. DCU students took to the streets on October 19th to express their opposition to this scheme. There was a massive turnout and DCU students were a key presence at the event. Even other colleges and individuals joined in on the DCU chants “ 1,2,3,4 - show student loans the door!”

OPPORTUNITIES

ARTS BURSARY The aim of the Arts Bursary is to promote excellence in artistic and cultural activities in Dublin City University and to encourage the pursuit of such excellence. The Arts Bursary was established in 2009/2010. The Office of Student Life, supported by the Educational Trust offers a limited number of Arts Bursaries to undergraduate students involved in the Arts. All art forms are considered and students are asked to submit an application detailing their achievements to date, their hopes for the future and some detail on how they propose to spend any bursary they may be awarded. To date over 50 students have benefited from the scheme.

HOW TO APPLY Applications for Arts Bursaries are invited in the first Semester. Applicants are required to complete and submit an application form. Visit the ‘Resources’ Section of dcusu.ie to download an application form. This is due in on December 16th.

“Film photography is my passion and thanks to the Arts Bursary I was able to purchase the equipment to develop it myself. This has allowed me to further my work and also led to me having a better understanding of how film photography works. The arts bursary was so helpful to me, I cannot recommend enough that you apply!”

Colin Tonge, CS, 2015

The Uaneen Module is a unique scheme, offered to students in their final year, that formally recognises extra-curricular activity both internal and external to DCU. This includes experience gained through outside clubs, societies, community and volunteer work.

Taking this module sets students apart from other applicants in an interview and job situation, as the skills gained through extra-curricular activity are being recognised and valued more by employers.

The employer’s organisation IBEC works in co-operation with DCU in facilitating these awards.

The Uaneen Module can be either a contributing 5 credit elective (UM404) or a non-contributing optional additional 5 credit module (UM405).

During the year long module, students are required to attend two compulsory workshops and submit a short reflective essay (500-700 words) in the first semester. Students attend another two compulsory workshops and submit a 4,000 word portfolio at the end of Semester 2.

The portfolio is the culmination of all the work and achievements students have gained through their extra-curricular activities.

This includes a Log of Activities which students can begin to complete as early as their First Year in college and gives a detailed outline of every extra-curricular activity you been involved in.

In 2016, we were proud to honour 105 students who successfully completed the Uaneen module at a reception held in The Blue Room, The Helix on 2nd & 3rd November. DCU President Brian MacCraith and Deputy President Daire Keogh spoke of the importance of extra-curricular activities and the transferable skills that benefit the employment market that students gain.

Guest speakers were Jackie Fox and Dónal Mulligan, both DCU alumni who went on to carve successful careers in media and education respectively.

For more information of how beneficial involvement in this module can be to you, please go to www.dcu.ie/Uaneen. If you have any questions or queries, in relation to the Uaneen module, please contact Sandra at uaneen@dcu.ie, phone 700 6163 or come to the drop-in clinic every Tuesday at 12pm in the Uaneen office.

TEACHER’S APPRECIATION DAY

CYCLE SCHEME Condoms and Bike Scheme

The teachers did not go hungry on “Teachers Appreciation Day”.

A food truck came onto campus to supply students with NuBar Goujons and Chips for only €2, a cracking deal to say the least.

“St. Patrick’s Campus” was hopping with life as Cody Bryne our Welfare & Equality Officer ensured the campus was jam packed full of events.

“

A teacher affects eternity They can never tell where their influence stops.

Myself and Cody Byrne (VP for welfare and equality) are currently trying to gather finances for a student intercampus bike scheme. To do this we have decided to sell condoms in packets of 144 for €30. The money made from these condoms then goes into our bike scheme ‘kitty’.

This initiative benefits both your sexual and physical health. We’d encourage students to pop up to our offices in the SU on Glasnevin Campus, where they can purchase condoms and have a chat with us about the scheme.

- Eimear McGuire VP for Engagement and Development

SSH CAMPAIGN

“

DCU JOBBIO Giving DCU students more professional opportunities was something I was very keen to work on this year. This came in the form of a partnership with Jobbio. This will open DCU students to thousands of new job opportunities over the coming academic year.

From part-time roles in the local area to full time graduate positions; there’s something for everyone on our jobs marketplace.

By creating your profile you can apply for jobs, view jobs that are currently available and even connect with companies to be alerted when they have new roles all done with a simple one click application process.

This partnership will make it much easier for DCU students to find and secure work throughout their time in university. It’s something I was very keen to introduce and I’m delighted we’ve done it. The old jobs section on our website was completely inefficient and never had much traction from the wider student body. With this new partnership, DCU Students have a whole new window of opportunity ahead of them!

The page will be launched on the dcusu.ie website in the coming weeks. Check it out and as a DCU student I really hope you make the most of it!

- Dylan Kehoe - President

Now in it’s third year, the SHH campaign is going strong.

DCUSU are very conscious that we are located in the middle of a community and that people are living and working in the area completely independent of DCU. Being aware of this is really important to us and we encourage our students to do the same. Without a venue this year, it was tough, however we managed to keep the noise level in the DCUSU Marquee and surrounding areas as quiet as possible. We’d like to remind Clubs and Socs to continue to use this logo for late night events that cause Noise. Be neighbourly and considerate and above all, keep up the great work!

The Rediscovery Centre deliver the bike clinics/services i.e. checks to make sure your bike is safe are free of charge but you need to pay for any parts needed. ALL the clinics are open to ALL DCU Students and Staff i.e. Students/Staff based on SPC or AHC can avail of the clinic on Glasnevin Campus and those based on GLA can also use clinic on St. Patrick’s Campus if more convenient.

​Last Bike Clinics of the Semester: Tuesday (29/11) : DCU Glasnevin : 13.30 - 16.00 : Albert College Foyer outside AG00 Wednesday (30/11) : DCU St Patrick’s Campus : 13.30 - 16.00 : PF207 ​Tuesday (6/12) : DCU Glasnevin : 13.30 - 16.00 : Albert College Foyer outside AG00

The SU are very much so aware of the fact that our students have a massive impact on the local community.

Apart from local engagement from our extensive list of Clubs and Societies, be it RAG’s Operation Ballymun or SVP’s weekly soup runs, DCU SU organises workshops for our students to engage in, which do have positive repercussions on the surrounding areas.

Semester Two, we’re going to be introducing 4 three-week self-defense programmes on both Glasnevin and St. Patrick’s Campus, as well as look at bringing in CPR Training.

All of this have extensive repercussions on both the local DCU and greater Dublin community. DCU SU are committed to ensuring that there is a good working relationship between all members of our North Dublin region!

COMMUNITY

Semester One introduced our Bystander Intervention workshops which helps to teach students to safely engage in incidents which may result in sexual harassment.

We’ve also been organising safeTALK suicide awareness training with the Health Services Executive. Both of which will continue in Semester Two.

DCUSU’s 12 DAYS OF CHRISTMAS

My

gave to me.......

This semester we wanted to really embody the Christmas spirit in DCU. Events Co-Ordinator Peadar Gill envisaged an event where the DCU community all came together for a day long event with as many fundraisers as possible running simultaneously.

As opposed to having the annual DCUSU Christmas Ball, we have decided to go for DCU’s “12 Days of Christmas” commencing from December 1st until December 12th.

This 12 day festival will engage DCU students and staff with a multitude of festive events, including DCUSU Christmas number 1, International Night Christmas Dinner, Movie Screenings and Christmas Carolling.

Our big Christmas event will be Christmas Day which will be on December 8th. Santa will be arriving in fashion and will have his grotto stationed outside Henry Grattan.

Come along for some gifts and live entertainment and to get a word in with the man himself before December 25th arrives! All of the proceeds from these events will go to charity. The specific charities are listed on DCUSU.ie

SVP GIVING TREE Now in its fourth year, the SVP giving tree appeal run by DCU Clubs and Societies had it’s biggest response yet. DCU staff and students were invited to the launch of the tree on Glasnevin and St Patrick’s Campuses. At the launches we decorated the Christmas trees with tags that represented children and adults who would receive the gifts. There was a great turnout for the mulled wine and mince pies, and DCU students were definitely getting into the festive spirit.

There was an amazing response and the St Vincent de Paul were delighted to receive the gifts to distribute to people in need before Christmas.

EVENTS

Semester one was a challenge, as the Old Bar was being demolished and Spar was settling into the Venue. We knew we had a lot of work to do, to ensure that students had the usual enjoyable and exciting events. With the help of the Students Union and the society committees, we believe semester one was a huge success and I thank everyone who came along to our events.

Kicking things off with Freshers Fortnight where we saw the installation of the DCU Arena, which housed some brilliant events such as the “Comedy hypnotist” , and “Iron Stomach” along with some other great society events. The first big Ball of the year, the Orientation Ball in memory of Harambe, took place in the aptly named Big Tree, this was a huge success and engaged students as they were invited to come along and pay their respects in a jungle themed club. First semester also saw one of DCUs biggest ever Freshers Balls where over 1,500 students made their way to a sold out Wright venue to see Mark McCabe, and 99 souls take to the stage with an amazing light show and effects. It was definitely a highlight of semester one for me.

The dust had just settled on Freshers Fortnight when I set my sights on Oktoberfest, another first for DCU. It was a huge challenge to transform our DCU Arena into a suitable venue to house our own version of the world renowned Bavarian festival. With the help of a Bavarian brass band along with some Drag queens and traditional Oktoberfest decorations, Oktoberfest was another big hit.

We are finishing off the semester one event calendar with the 12 days of Christmas, each day the Students’ Union shall give back to the community through music, freebies and general Christmas cheer. With the help of DCU clubs and societies, 12 days of Christmas hopes to raise funds for several different charities and we look forward to doing so.

I would like to thank all of the events crew, 1 Plus security staff and society commitees who help me pull these events together, without their help, and the consultation of Damo our tech officer and “Shite Night” master, these events would not be possible.

- Peadar Gill, Event Co-Ordinator

TO DONATE A TOY, COME TO THE GIVING TREE, TAKE A CHRISTMAS CARD AND BUY A GIFT FOR THE CHILD Any queries, contact the helpdesk at suhelpdesk@dcusu.ie

LARKFIELD BLOCK PARTY | LOCK & KEY NIGHT | SHITE NITE | ORIENTATION BALL | INTERNATIONAL NIGHT | COMEDY HYPNOTIST | OUTDOOR CINEMA | COUNTY & COUNTRY COLOURS NIGHT | OKTOBERFEST | 99 Souls | NEIL DELAMERE | MARK MCCABE |

EVENTS SEMESTER ONE

HELP & SUPPORT

EXAM SUPPORT

Exams are tough for every student. Education Officer James Donoghue writes about how he has worked to help students out during exam time.

Exams are a stressful time for students and here in the Students’ Union we are acutely aware of this and try ease this at all times.

We have goodie bags ordered with the January exams in mind to make sure students know we are there to help. We have been working closely with Student Support and Development to make sure students know the workshops that are available to them. Most importantly we will be there to assist students if exams don’t go their way.

ACCOMMODATION

This year, the SU were very proactive in tackling accommodation. Last year’s SU did a great job at amplifying the usual service so that everything is present online rather than using paper format. In response to this, we did a massive community appeal around the Glasnevin, Saint Patrick’s Campus and All Hallows Campus for accommodation in the local area. The SU, plus hired students, handed out more than 7,000 flyers into homes and local businesses. We were published in the Independent, the Herald, and local newspapers. We were even on Joe Duffy!

Currently, we have over 300 digs still available for students to take. We’ve also typed up a document for International Students coming to DCU to ensure that they will be safe in securing accommodation to reduce the number of scams that they experience.

Finally, we’ve even been successful in working alongside local accommodation groupings to ensure that they are treating our students fairly. to do this. I was able to compile large digs list and I posted any ads that came our way on the accommodation page. Digs are something that many students were hesitant about but the fact was it was all there really was. We managed to weather the storm and are hopeful there will be more long term solutions made by the University and government.

Cody Byrne - VP for Welfare & Equality

LEADERSHIP POD The Leadership POD (Programme of Development) is in it’s third year in DCU. Run by DCU Clubs and Societies along with U & Sport from DCU Student Support and Development, the programme provides a framework where students can learn and develop as they volunteer and lead activities,. This is achieved via development days, training, workshops and resources. The programme this year had an extremely successful launch day on September 21st where the committees of each club and society were given an overview of how to approach the upcoming year with advice from DCU OSL staff, DCU Operations staff, Sports Development staff and past and present students with a leadership background.

One of the key PODS this Semester was Ian McKinley’s talk on “Resilience” where he discussed his sports career following a sports injury that cause his eye to rupture.

Throughout the academic year there will be more PODS focusing on different strengths and skills including managing finances, safe practice codes, event management, entrepreneurship and casualty management. It is hoped that by fostering our student leaders and reinforcing their skills as leaders they will excel in their student leadership positions thus creating an even better environment for even more DCU students to learn and grow.

SUPPORT FROM USI

DCU Students’ Union is a member of the Union of Students Ireland. This body represents every DCU student on a national level. During the summer the sabbats attended USI SUT (Student Union Training) in Athlone. This was a great opportunity to get to know all of the SU’s around the country and make contacts so that we can all work together to support one another.

These few days gave us plenty of information on starting in our new roles and how to progress throughout the year. USI is a great support network and it is great to see the way different Student Unions’ are run. They also keep us up to date with matters arising nationwide and support us in campaigns we feel strongly about such as the Student Loan Scheme Protest which took place on the 19th of October. USI will also be leading a few nationwide campaigns throughout the rest of the year.

DCUSU HELPDESK THE DCUSU Helpdesk is the first port of call for many students who come into the SU. There are lots of services available at the SU Helpdesk, including: Dublin Bus tickets, Leap Cards, Ticketmaster, SU event tickets and DCU branded clothing and merchandise. Students can also book meeting rooms 1 &2.

Students are encouraged to use the Helpdesk and the resources in the SU. Just use the new temporary entrance and follow the white hoarding down the corridor until you reach the reception.

Helpdesk opening hours Monday - Friday 9.00 am -17.15 pm.

Student travel card issued between 9.15 am and 16.00 pm Monday -Thursday Friday 9.15 am -15.00 pm Please check @dcusu on twitter and Facebook for updates on Christmas opening hours.

REPEAL THE 8th DCU Students’ Union maintains a pro-choice stance with regards to the Eighth Amendment. There was a preferendum last academic year which reinforced our position. For the 5th annual ‘March For Choice’ protest on Saturday, September 24th, the SU organised transport to and from the city centre for DCU students. We had marketing material included a DCU SU Pro Choice Equality Banner. We met with other DCU staff and students in the city centre and were represented amongst the 65 groups and 20,000 protesters present.

DCU STUDENT UNION PAPER 1995 ISSUE

DCU Office Of Student Life

Email us : suhelpdesk@dcusu.ie Phone: 01 7005392