Mini MotleyMagazine Election Special

PSUM

VOIC

UccMotley.ie

6 E T O V SPECIAL

DEPUTY

%

issue

ELECTION

A note from this year’s president PAGE 4

Motley’s Eoin McSweeney chats to Laura Harmon and Annie Hoey about the lack of female representation in student politics PAGE 5

How to Win an Election

“Apathy is rife in the student electorate; last year there was a 24.5% turnout in elections meaning they had a lesser majority than Hitler did when he came into power.”

PAGE 13

CANDIDATE INTERVIEWS WHERE TO VOTE PAGE 10

2

PAGE 14

PAGE 8

Team Editor: Ellen Desmond editor@motley.ie Graphic Designer: Cathal O’Gara Deputy Editor: Eoin McSweeney Current Affairs Editors: Eoin McSweeney deputyeditor@motley.ie Laura Cashman currentaffairs@motley.ie Features and Opinion Editors: Claire Crowley features@motley.ie Hannah Kingston deputyfeatures@motley.ie Entertainment Editors: Laura Hussey entertainment@motley.ie Kelly Doherty deputyentertainment@motley.ie Fashion Editor: Emily Horgan fashioneditor@motley.ie Creative Director: Laurence Keating creativedirector@motley.ie Webmaster: Andrew Shortall Public Relations Officer: Méadhbh Crowley Staff Writers: Adam O’Reilly Sorcha Lanigan Rachel O’Shea Contributors Kieran Murphy, Max Farrell, Donagh Kavanagh.

Special Thanks Laura Hart, Tony Butler and all at Webprint. The UCC Student Media Executive. The UCC Express for telling us where voting booths are and allowing us to briefly wade our way through their local news territory.

Very Special Thanks Barry Nevin, Mark Stanton, Laura Harmon, Annie Hoey, all the candidates who gave up their time to speak with us.

Pieta House Cork Address: Highfield Lawn, Model Farm Road Bishopstown Cork

Phone: 021-4341400 Website: http://www.pieta.ie To Donate: http://www.pieta.ie/index.php/donate

omeone recently reminded me that, in March 2014, when the current Students’ Union Officers were announced, they were dubbed “the worst in living memory,” evidence of “the patriarchy rampant in UCC” and much, much worse. I had forgotten this completely. I think almost everybody has.

As a student editor, it’s often expected of me to report on the SU. In tandem with that, I also am put in the strange and stressful position of working alongside these people, who are often the topic of student conversation, for the time periods in which our roles crossover. This past year, Motley has sat on the UCC Media Executive with the SU, we’ve also worked on various projects with them, interviewed them and sought clarification from them on their actions, and more. This year’s UCCSU went on to be the best in living memory – by more a mile. I have no problem being the one to report that and think it’s poor form to do otherwise. They have always been on top of their game and proud of the work they are doing. People are always very quick to criticise. It would make for a much more viral editorial were I to slam the current SU with my words. But Mark, Dick, Barry, Joe, Cian and the rest have done their jobs this year to the best of their ability; they can’t do everything.

We come now to that exciting and, often worrying, turning point where we see the candidates that UCC has on offer to represent its students next year. The talents put forward are always mixed. There are always the chancers, the hacks and the downright delusional. It’s always sad to see the niche of interest and realise the vast majority of the student body don’t care at all who represents them, or think it’s a laughing matter. I’ve said it before in editorials that I don’t like needlessly dabbling in local news but as a team we strongly agreed there’s a lack of education out there about what the hell is happening on the 9th and 10th of March. There’s nothing sensationalist about what we bring you here; we’re going to be very black and white.

As a result, we give you Motley’s first ever SU Election Special; an issue to discuss everything SU and hopefully clear a few things up before you make some rash decisions; or decide not to cast a vote at all. Recently, our own Eoin McSweeney and Méadhbh Crowley met with those running for election this year and we’ve summarised their interviews within this magazine. Further information will soon be up on uccmotley.ie and on our social media. Make sure to educate yourself because the SU do a lot of work that affects you; both seen and unseen, both wanted and unwanted.

These people will spend the next year of their lives representing you on various boards, nationally and locally, whether you like it or not, so at least try to have some sort of say in the matter.

I personally think it’s more important now than ever before to make sure your own individual voice and vote gets heard. There’s a groupthink threaded through universities right now – the same type of people, year in and year out, make the decisions for those who are too afraid to stand up and demand what they are entitled to. What about the everyday student who doesn’t care at all about political stances, but urgently needs his or her fees cut down? Take a stand for that person or better still, don’t allow yourself to be that person, who gets lost in the voiceless crowd.

This year’s UCCSU went on to be the best in living memory – by more a mile. I have no problem being the one to report that and think it’s poor form to do otherwise.

3

“Make sure you take time to read the candidates manifestos, or better yet – quiz them on campus. It’s vital you make an informed decision and elect the people you think can represent you the best!” ell, sin é.

By Wednesday the 11th of March you’ll have a new SU President. It’s funny, writing a sign off, with a quarter of my own term still to go.

We’ve had an amazing experience so far this year and but we have a lot left to do.

Between planning an end of year ball, exam success week, helping around end of year exams, finishing the New Student Hub feasibility study and much more still in the pipeline, we’re by no means checking out just yet!

First on the agenda is running a smooth election. I really want to congratulate all candidates on putting themselves forward.

It’s not an easy thing to do. Now that you’ve taken the leap, make sure to enjoy it! The elections are a brilliant thing to be a part of, either as a candidate or as part of a campaign team, just be sure to stop and take it all in, they have a habit of flying by!

Speaking as somebody who has lost and won an SU race, I can say that while it’s great to win, it’s also not the end of the world if you lose out. I’m not going to lie and say that it’s easy to lose, it is a gutting experience missing out at something that you’ve put so much work into, but like everything else, life keeps moving on. You’ll be all the better for putting yourself forward.

To the successful candidates, I’ll look forward to working with you over the summer. This job is nothing like you’d expect,

4

prepare to lose your social life and anything resembling a healthy look. Try as you might, the sabbatical stone is real, you have been warned! All this aside, it’s also one of the most rewarding jobs you’ll ever do. Plus, you’re in here with a team of people mad enough to do it with you.

We’ve had a rollercoaster of a year so far. Podge set off into the sunset on the 1st of June and left me armed with the office key and a phone that never stops ringing.

Since then we’ve run the orientation for over 4000 first years and international students.

We held events every week from Freshers’ Week to R&G Week and everything in between. We established a new ents brand and set up the ents crew to give you the best in entertainments.

We got the very best students deals from local businesses and when they couldn’t make the cut, we got your hoodies from further afield, all to get you the best price! We ran competitions and gave out thousands of euros worth of prizes.

Raising the profile of the SU was a big project, both in the college and in the wider community. We put up new signs around campus and on the building so students actually knew where to find us and focused in on how we communicate through social media. To be honest, we still can’t believe the reaction to the procrastination snaps!

The University went through a big change this year and we lobbied the powers that be to try and make the transition to

a semester based system as smooth as possible. When they couldn’t do it, we did it ourselves and took over the library for a week. There has be a student rep on every college board and committee from AB to UMT and that was us too, while also trying to remember the little things like microwaves and common room space which we’re still working to perfect.

USI played a big part in UCC this year, we joined the protest in Dublin and you had your say on them at the affiliation referendum. On top of all of this the SU do so much unseen work; we’re the first stop for many students with academic or welfare issues, we’re your voice at the table for every college committee and speak on your behalf to everyone outside these walls. Make sure you take time to read the candidates manifestos, or better yet – quiz them on campus. It’s vital you make an informed decision and elect the people you think can represent you the best!

The year has absolutely flown for us! We hope you enjoyed the year as much as we have! So, like I said, we’ve another three months in the job so it’s far from a goodbye from me. If anyone has any issues of any sort and you’ve bothered to read my ramblings this far, please feel free to contact me on president@uccsu.ie and don’t forget to vote on the 9th and 10th!

Slán agus beannacht leat,

Mark

WHERE HAVE

The Women gone Motley’s Eoin McSweeney speaks to USI President Laura Harmon and USI Vice President for Equality and Citizenship Annie Hoey about the alarming figures relating to women in politics and the lack of female representation in this year’s UCCSU elections. ho was the first female prime minister? Margaret Thatcher, 1979. The first female president of Ireland? Mary Robinson, 1990. The first female chancellor? Angela Merkel, 2005. However what about the first female president of the U.S.A.? The first female secretary-general?

The first female Taoiseach? 2030, 2040, 2050 or beyond?

There still exists a disparity between men and women in politics worldwide despite the great strides that have been made in the last forty years. 51% of Ireland’s population is female, yet 141 TDs are male. Taken out of the 166 sitting in the Dáil, this is just under 85%. In Europe, only five government leaders are female, worldwide, only ten.

Aristotle once said: “So it is naturally with the male and the female; the one is superior, the other inferior; the one governs, the other is governed; and the same rule must necessarily hold good with respect to all mankind.”

While our opinions generally have changed, this quote isn’t far off describing the unbalance in the world of politics.

The reasons for this inequality can be traced to an ingrained cultural disparity. In the United States, women are paid only about 78% of what men are paid. In the UK, more women than men attend university, yet men dominate the higher salaries and positions. There still often exists a culture (whether conscious or subconscious) where women are inferior. This is something that both USI President Laura Harmon and USI Vice President for Equality and Citizenship Annie Hoey agree upon.

“Well, 51% of the population are women but women are underrepresented in politics and boardrooms across the country. We need the voices of women at the table when decisions are being made. Until we

5

One could suggest that the gender imbalance in UCC could be down to ‘laddish’ behaviour.

‘Lad culture,’ as the National Union of Students in the UK describes it, is “a group or ‘pack’ mentality residing in activities such as sport and heavy alcohol consumption, and ‘banter’ which was often sexist, misogynist and homophobic.”

tackle under-representation; the gender pay gap; affordable childcare and reproductive rights - women won't be equal. Things are improving though and more and more women are in high profile positions.” These are the words of Laura, and when Annie suggests reasons for this inequality, the answers echo each other.

“There are a number of reasons women do not put themselves forward for election: confidence in their ability, childcare and the possibility of childrearing being a factor in the political sphere, cash and the cost involved in actually running for election, and the cultural barriers where we see political positions being handed down though political family dynasties, or the fact that perhaps a women has never been elected into that role before.”

If we are to look at the 2015 UCCSU elections, the candidate list is worrying. Out of the 5 fulltime sabbatical positions (President, Deputy, Communications, Welfare and Education), only three of the fifteen students running are female.

None of these women are running for president, which continues a wait of more than ten years for a female leader. Aside from this, many of the larger societies in UCC, such as Law, Commerce and E&S all had male auditors for 2014/2015.

As Annie states: “I think we have a systematic problem in student politics where women feel

6

Election Advice from Annie: Q: If a candidate was unsuccessful, what advice would you give them?

As someone who lost my first sabbatical election, all I can say is: get back up again! I was devastated and awfully upset. But I then had to step back and reflect on everything. I wasn’t a bad candidate. I had good ideas and still held the same convictions I had before they announced I was unsuccessful. So I channelled those into other areas.

Q: Do you think that various leadership roles such as auditor of a society are worth running for?

Of course! Running for any position, be it auditor of a society or Taoiseach, all teach you valuable skills and life lessons. You work on your public speaking, networking, idea-development and building a team.

Q: What advice would you give female candidates that are now trying to step into your old shoes?

I think it is important to have confidence in yourself and your abilities. If you have thought about putting yourself forward or someone has suggested it to you then there is a reason for it. Have faith in those who encourage you to run. Build a close-knit team of supporters around you. It is not always the biggest team that wins- a small dedicated group of people are just as capable of getting elected. Be as tough as nails.

they cannot run. When you see a group of men standing up in front of you at orientation and there is no female there, how can you be inspired or see yourself as a part of that group? When I was in first year, I remember being blown away by a female class rep. She was a year ahead of me but she was so involved in the SU that she put it in my mind that I too could be involved.”

In a recent speech, Mary Robinson said that it would it would take 80 years for women in Ireland to be afforded the same opportunities as men.

While one can say this is pragmatism, Laura thinks otherwise. “This is realism if we don't address the issues such as the under-representation; the gender pay gap; the lack of affordable childcare and the need for full reproductive rights and bodily autonomy for women.”

One could suggest that the gender imbalance in UCC could be down to ‘laddish’ behaviour. ‘Lad culture,’ as the National Union of Students in the UK describes it, is “a group or ‘pack’ mentality residing in activities such as sport and heavy alcohol consumption, and ‘banter’ which was often sexist, misogynist and homophobic.” This type of behaviour can be uncomfortable for women, among others, and discourage them for running for positions of power within a college setting.

Heavy alcohol consumption is mentioned in the definition of ‘Lad culture,’ and if alcohol was the main cause, it would be no excuse, just as being drunk should not be an excuse for rape.

However, many have witnessed it in a sober setting too and so it cannot always be described as a drunken practice saved only for big match days and night out. As Laura explains: “No I don't think drinking culture has much, if anything, to do with it. The problem is that a lot of language and behaviours that are sexist often go unchallenged and this needs to be addressed through education from primary school all the ways up to third level. All genders need to be educated from a young age on gender equality.”

It is difficult to say whether UCC has this problem. Many have felt that it permeates down from the SU sabbatical positions and affects the rest of the community. This has probably been suggested due to an all-male sabbatical team this year, and only one female officer on the previous team in 2013. However, both interviewees disagree with this possibility, with Laura praising the current SU.

“To be honest, I have found UCCSU this year to be one of the main drivers of campaigning for more women to run for election. Of course, the sabbatical officers happen to be all men but that doesn't mean they aren't inclusive of women.

There is a great emphasis on gender equality in UCCSU especially through the work of the gender equality officer.”

Outside of the SU, is there a male domination in societies and clubs around campus? While female participation often isn’t an issue, if a large amount of extra-curricular leadership positions holders are male, it gives an impression to women running for positions in clubs and societies that they are unable to lead. When you see a male giving a class announcement rather than a female, it can fail to inspire the women in that lecture. Annie Hoey believes this to be a problem when looking from the outside in, but it is not just a problem that applies to gender inequality.

“You might be inspired to join a society because you truly believe in the work they do. But we must also be aware that if we portray ourselves as one homogenous group then we must be prepared for those outside that set group to feel as though they may not be welcome. And this does not only relate to women; this is an issue that pertains to other minority groups (not that women are a minority because statistically we aren’t- but in representation we are).”

So what solutions do we have to tackle the problem? Campaigns have been launched by the USI to empower women and encourage them to vote. The Women in Leadership campaign was launched by Annie and has been met with great success. A recent conference in Galway on this topic was “very well received” as was the event So you’re going to Run. UCC itself held a ‘Women in Leadership Summit,’ in February, which aimed to encourage women to run in the SU elections, again dismantling the theory that this year’s SU officers are ‘laddish’ further. Annie believes that this is just the start though, and there are still deep rooted cultural problems.

“But we also need to start running events that inspire women in other areas, not just student politics. In primary education, we need to stop defining girls and getting them to buy certain toys and choosing certain colours, which lead them to think they must adhere to certain roles in their grown-up lives. Sexism, whether overt or unintentional, is rife in our society. And this feeds into women feeling they cannot run for public positions.”

“To be honest, I have found UCCSU this year to be one of the main drivers of campaigning for more women to run for election.”

Election advice from Laura: Q: What would you say to those that don’t have an interest in student politics and are not willing to vote?

That’s their personal choice. However, if you don’t vote or engage, you lose the power you have to change anything or shape student politics.

Q: What advice would you give candidates?

Be authentic and be able to communicate your reasons for running effectively. Talking to people in person is the best way to secure votes as opposed to relying too heavily on social media.

Don’t use negativity in your campaign and be respectful to all other candidates. It should be about policies, not personalities. Class addresses are key.

Q: What do you think the UCC SU and USI primarily do for students?

Represent students in education and wider society. USI and UCCSU fight for students and for students’ interests - protecting student supports; making the case for accessible affordable education; making the case for affordable and quality accommodation; ensuring students are registered to vote and campaigning on social issues that affect students such as marriage equality, mental and sexual health.

Another suggestion that has been put forward is implementing a quota of female TDs that must sit in the Dáil. This can be used in a similar fashion for SU elections. So say for example, on any one SU team, two members must be women. However, this throws up a major problem if the female candidate is not the best running and this can be seen as inherently unfair too. Laura Harmon agrees that it is not a good idea.

“I think this could be very difficult to implement in practice. I would like to see the results of the campaign started by the UCCSU this year with Women for Election first and have that campaign run over a number of years.” Annie adds: “Student politics is not like Local or General Elections where every party can be mandated to put forward a certain number of female candidates or else face financial repercussions. I am not sure there would be a way to implement this at a student union level.”

Robinson suggested eighty years as a timeframe for this problem to be rectified.

Hopefully with programmes like the Women in Leadership campaign, we can solve it sooner.

People like Laura and Annie have begun to blaze a trail for future women to follow. They are role models, ones that will hopefully inspire the next generation of female leaders. For now, we must be content with guessing when we might see the first female Taoiseach.

7

MÊadhbh Crowley chats to the outgoing students’ union officers of 2014/2015

What have been your favourite parts of your year as President?

It won't really hit me until I finish up I imagine because the year was such a whirlwind with so many amazing projects. The Library protest was obviously a big one as was R&G Week. I also loved Freshers' Week. The energy around campus that week with everyone back is great and the orientation talks were a serious laugh.

What have been your favourite parts of your year as Deputy President?

Orientations fo sho!

Have there been any low points during your term?

There were some very late nights in the office where the list of jobs seemed never ending but we had a great team and always pulled through.

There's also nothing worse than looking at your calendar and seeing a day of back to back committee meetings.

After working in this position, what do you think are the characteristics the ideal candidate must possess?

Patience but also impatience! You need to understand this is a 160 odd year old University which moves very slowly, while also finding ways to fast track important issues. Good judgement is important in these situations. Sometimes you need to take a step back and allow something to cool off and other times you need to strike while the iron is hot. It's crucial you make the right decisions and also listen to your team.

Is there anything you wish you had more time to achieve or better?

We could have used more time on almost everything but I think we did well on most projects.

I would have loved to put on a large scale outdoor gig but you'd need a team of people working on only that to pull it off!

What would you like to see the next SU achieve?

I think a 24 hour library is achievable within the lifetime of the next SU. We've started the ball rolling and with the Hub set to open in Oct 2017 it would be great to have the campus open 24 hours, at least mid-week.

8

Have there been any low points during your term?

As Christmas was approaching I wanted to fly over UCC in a Helicopter and drop bombs!

Is there anything you wish you had more time to achieve or better?

Nope!

How has being in the SU changed you personally?

It's like I lost my virginity for the second time!

After working in this position, what do you think are the characteristics the ideal candidate must possess?

There is no ideal candidate I think. All the different flavours on the team are what make it tick. You gotta have the right ingredients yaalllll What would you like to see the next SU achieve?

A Better phone contract

CIAN POWER What have been your favourite parts of your year as Welfare Officer?

This year has been an incredible adventure for me. I have had so much positive experiences throughout my time as Welfare Officer so pinpointing it is difficult. My favourite part of the job has definitely been the engagement and helping students.

There is no feeling like it, it is electric.

Has there been any low points during your term?

I would be lying if I said there wasn’t, the job of Welfare is a demanding role, and there is times when you forget about your own welfare, and those days are tough cause it catches up with you. The effects of semesterisation especially on us and I think all of our roles has put added pressure on us , but forgetting who you are and you as a person was a low I experienced , but we had a great team this year I felt and they are my new family that supported me .

How has being in the SU changed personally Is there anything you wish you had more time to achieve or better?

One thing I wanted to do when entering the job was to erect a Tree of Remembrance for all UCC Students and Staff who've passed away. It was one thing I wanted more than anything and I hope next year’s team can make my dreams come true to have a safe, quiet and reflective space to remember our friends and family.

How has being in the SU changed personally?

I have changed dramatically.

Coming into the job I was a little naive, but reflecting now on my year I have grown up, become more compassionate but also I am more in touch with me as a person that I have never experienced before. Welfare has helped me more personally than anything. It has certainly been a milestone in my personal journey.

After working in this position, what do you think are the characteristics the ideal candidate must possess?

Someone who is true to themselves, someone who has a burning passion and someone who is approachable.

Being enthusiastic and having a reflective personality helps also.

Someone who puts the students first.

BARRY NEVIN Has there been any low points during your term?

There have been a few, but these are limited and far outweighed by the positives of the year! A huge problem has been the almost glacial pace that the University works at. When you're in the position for only a year you want to get as much done as you can but it's not always possible within the constraints of the University processes.

How has being in the SU changed personally?

The SU has changed me personally in a number of ways - I've been exposed a huge variety of work that I never would have otherwise got the opportunity to experience.

From consulting with architects on the design of a building to hiring staff and liaising with local and national press, these have nothing to do with my degree or anything I studied in college but I'm very thankful for the opportunity to be able to experience them.

After working in this position, what do you think are the characteristics the ideal candidate must possess?

Comms is such a versatile role

What have been your favourite parts of your year as Education Officer?

There have been a couple of really difficult issues that individual students had that I helped to resolve which is a fantastic feeling. Another course were going to have no graduation ceremony and after a lot of work we managed to get them one. It was great being on campus that day and seeing them all in their gowns.

JOE KENNEDY “It’s incredibly frustrating when you’re trying to help someone and you’re meeting administrative barriers.”

that you really need to be multitalented! On one side you have to be a business person, negotiating contracts, supply deals and generating income for the SU through advertising.

The other side of the job is doing PR and communications. This is everything from building websites, doing graphic design, sending press releases and using Facebook, Twitter & Snapchat to engage with students.

What would you like to see the next SU achieve?

Next year’s SU have massive potential to get a huge amount of work done. They need to ensure that the Student Hub becomes an incredible building for all students.

A UCC App is in production at the moment and next year's SU need to ensure that this becomes a proper app that's of use to students and not just a marketing ploy by the University.

I would have liked to have done a lot more for international students. They often have a very difficult time. I’d some good ideas but it’s such an intensive role and there’s constantly things coming up that they didn’t get off the ground.

How has being in the SU changed personally?

I’ve matured a lot. I’m more decisive, better informed and less naive. I also try to take better care of myself.

Has there been any low points during your Dealing with students who have serious issues can term? take its toll so I try to go to counselling when I need to.

Yeah plenty. Sometimes the University can be very cold and it’s incredibly frustrating when you’re trying What would you like to see the next SU to help someone and you’re meeting administrative achieve? barriers.

We really have made some decent strides this year, like with the library so I’d hate to see that fall back.

Is there anything you wish you had more time Getting the Student Hub right will be a major task for to achieve or better? next year’s team.

9

WHERE TO VOTE Medicine & SEFs: Health students: Kane Building Brookfield FOR MORE INFORMATION LOG ON TO: Arts, Celtic and SS: Boole Basement 10

Business & Law: ORB

Government and Politics Society Auditor, Donagh Kavanagh, addresses the issue of apathy among student voters Voting is an issue fairly close to my own heart, unsurprisingly, having been on the Government and Politics Society committee since first year.

For some reason, politics has always had something that just fascinated me. It might be a deep-seated lust for power; it might just be a thirst for knowing what makes the countries of the world keep ticking along. That’s what makes the apathy I’ve found towards voting all the more pressing to address.

On the 9th and 10th of March, UCC will be voting for who they want to be on the Students’ Union for the upcoming academic year in 2015/16. With regards to these upcoming SU elections, considering the pandemonium that is the two days in which candidates are allowed campaign on campus, the overall turnout is always underwhelming to say the least. Over the past two years the final tally has been in and around the 4,000 votes mark. It cannot be said that this is for lack of effort on the candidates part, as anyone who has experienced campus during the two voting days can testify to. The same can be said for anyone who has Facebook in the weeks coming up to the elections, as it steadily becomes flooded with invitations to like this page, share that poster, and add a “Twibbon” to your profile picture.

12

Of course there are those who actively avoid campus for the two days of campaigning. This is for the sheer reason that what occurs in the attempt to harness votes can be said to often be bordering on harassment.

While the on-campus campaigning does genuinely have an effect on the voting numbers, it can be also argued that the additional votes gotten on those two days are mostly down to quality of sweets given out, and/or the sheer luck of having someone outside the right polling building at the right time. Having been involved in these campaigns for the past two years, you can’t hold anything against those who get out and try to persuade you to vote for their candidate. My own experience as a co-campaign manager last year involved 12 days of little-to-no sleep, a dangerous amount of energy drinks and coffee, and a hell of a lot of emotions. They get out and try to get you to vote, not just for their own kicks, but because, for the most part, they genuinely believe that the person who they campaigning will do the best job for the 20,000 students

of UCC. This is the fundamental point trying to be brought across by the bleary eyed students who will have been up since 6am, waiting to set up on campus at 7am, and who will be shoving that flyer in your face with a handful of jellies.

Those who get elected will be representing over 20,000 students and ensuring that their experience is as enjoyable as possible, with as few existential crises, and as many fond memories as possible created.

They will be running your R&G week, fighting for longer library hours, contacting the heads of department on your behalf, and giving you advice when that workload gets a bit too much and you need an outside opinion on what to do.

Yet still, it’s the 20% that actually vote who are the ones that decide for the other 80%. The excuse that it is the postgrads and final years, who may not care anymore, simply do not make up that amount. Regardless, it can’t be forgotten that these decisions will, and do have a large impact on the university experience of the “other” 16,000. But still the

Yet still, it’s the 20% that actually vote who are the ones that decide for the other 80%.

thought of any electoral process or informing themselves of what goes on behind the scenes of all of these events is one that just won’t cross the minds of those who won’t vote. Why this is, I really cannot say.

During the first semester of this year, a fantastic voter registration drive was run by the SU along with the LGBT Society on campus. It got nearly 3,000 students registered to vote, with the main outcome aimed towards having the student population being a deciding factor in the upcoming marriage equality referendum. If this is to be a resounding success, the same emphasis must be put on actually getting students into the polling station come the 22nd of May. Complacency hits hard when it comes to voting, and much like when Homer Simpson was sanitation commissioner, the mind set of “Can’t someone else do it?” starts to creep in. The polls won’t do any favours in this aspect either. For example, 75% seems to be the figure popping up most frequently in favour of marriage equality. I am not saying that this will lower the voter turnout even more (I’m looking at you, less than 40% turnout for the abolition of the Seanad vote), but you can be sure that of that 25% against marriage equality, every last one of them will vote. The same goes for SU elections.

No candidate is safely guaranteed a place unless enough students cast a vote for them.

In the referendum in January of this year a disappointing 2,500 students (less than 20% of the overall student population) turned out to vote on whether or not the students of UCC were to stay part of USI, and whether or not the SU could campaign for a Yes vote in the aforementioned ME referendum. Why the turnout was so low, I just can’t say. My own guess was that it was a fine mix of “I don’t feel well informed enough to vote” and “I really couldn’t care less.” Sadly neither of these thought processes involve the action “I better learn about this, seems to be fairly important” - which is a sorely needed attitude in this day and age.

With students continually being hit in budgets, and the importance of the SUSI grant keeping students in college bigger than ever, students need to show themselves to be out voting and actually making their voices heard on the issues that are no doubt affecting them. Unless this happens they will continually be overlooked in favour of the electorate who return the attention given to them with a vote in the next election.

Toilet Training Campaign It seems like the toilets in Boole Basement flood every week. Why? Because, for some reason, the male students of UCC don’t flush - period. I can’t speak for the women’s toilets but I’m sure that you’re just as disgusting #equality. Any wannabe SU officer who is willing to get their hands dirty and get down to this messy job of addressing the college’s lack of toilet etiquette will be sure to get the students’ vote.

Free Shit

Kieran Murphy lays down in black and white what the students of UCC are really looking for from SU candidates Some people don’t even know that Students’ Union elections are happening until one of their overlyeager friends tries dragging them into the Boole to vote, and scarily enough some people can’t even name this year’s current SU officers. Apathy is rife in the student electorate; last year there was a 24.5% turnout in elections meaning they had a lesser majority than Hitler did when he came into power. However, candidates shouldn’t look to Frank Underwood or Josiah Bartlet when appealing to students but rather, look to the lowest common denominator instead.

This is what your manifesto needs to win the UCCSU election:

“Students have short attention spans. How are we meant to care that this week is for One Super Awareness Algae Depletion Week Awareness when Students have short attention spans. we still can’t How are we meant to care that get over Bee this week is for Algae Depletion Awareness when we still can’t get Conversation over Bee Conversation Week? That was a rollercoaster. Any credible SU Week?” note of ‘Looking for Freedom,’ as West Berliners looked for an escape.

You too, potential candidate, can get into the elusive SU corridors with your own catchy number. To make this work you obviously need a name that rhymes easily, god help the son of Take That’s Jason Orange if he ever goes for the SU.

officer to-be is the one who proposes that we have one super awareness week, so we can get all our insincere Songs can be powerful political tools; statuses and twibbons out of the David Hasselhoff tore down the Berlin way to deal with what really matters; Wall brick by brick with every off-key gattin’.

Campaign Song

Free stuff is a hallmark of student living. Many students wardrobes are comprised of unpaid for class hoodies and Relay for Life team t-shirts that never even made it to the event.

Their diets mostly comprise of jellies, hoarded from Societies’ Day and for the frugal few, the Koka Noodle packets from Freshers’ Week. Clearly, if you want to get to get to the top of the SU elections, then you need to wow students with some amazing free shit. Take it up a level to get their attention. For instance, one can buy 500 personalised condoms for a bargain of only €250, even if less than 10% of the student electorate receive them, the infamy will surely bring you over the finish line.

Be Honest Look, we all know what you’re really doing. We know that you’re not going to save the whales or unite the North with the Republic. We know that we’ll never get a microwave in Brookfield (one that can be used during the hours that Kylemore is open). We know that you got a 2.2 and you need this to bump up your CV. We know you’re only running for the position because you’ll be unopposed.

The student electorate will view you much more favourably if you just give up the ruse and admit that you’re a conniving careerist; the honestly will do you wonders. Or not.

13

14

More interviews & analysis available on UCCMotley.ie

“I haven’t been as involved in the Union as other candidates, and as an outsider and from the people that have spoken to me so far, they say that they haven’t had their voices heard, they’re not being represented.”

l l i G e g r o e G Q: So you’ve mentioned in your manifesto an SU lottery. Do you think that students will have the money to participate in this?

Well the tickets could be as low as a euro or two.

I think that this being the price of a Mars Bar or a bottle of Coke, it is sold in a way where they can see that it is going directly back to them. At the same time, I’m not telling everyone that they have to buy them, but it is for a good cause.

Q: Do you think that having more clinics will diminish their value?

When I say clinics I mean that I just meet with students. Look, I haven’t been as involved in the

Q: Do you think that the student body will be focused enough to continue RAG throughout the year? You talk about wanting to raise more money, but will the student body be able to focus that much?

What I propose is that you need people who want to embrace the spirit of adventure for the year. Now, I’m not saying that they are out every weekend, it’s not a burst like R&G Week is. People

Union as other candidates, and as an outsider and from the people that have spoken to me so far, they say that they haven’t had their voices heard, they’re not being represented.

Q: Where do you suggest that extra parking be made available?

Obviously, there isn’t much room to manoeuvre on this, but in an election year, you’d be amazed what movement can be made. I think that if we lobby the Cork City Council, there could be areas made available. If elected I promise to look really hard for any area that could be used.

SU President

President: The president is the leader of the Students’ Union and it is their job to chair the Union and ensure that everything runs correctly.

They are the spokesperson of UCCSU, and often speak on behalf of all UCC students. They also have chief financial control of the Union.

the welfare officer. When first years come in, we want to develop their academic abilities but also their personalities.

Q: What experience do you bring to this role?

I worked for four years in the department of Government studying policies. I think that policies are my greatest strength. I always look at things from a grass root level. Policies come from the issues that people are having and in my manifesto, I’ve looked at the issues that I’ve had and I have policies that will solve to problems other people have.

Q: Out of all the positions on the SU, which do you think is the most important?

Welfare Officer. Over the years here I’ve seen students that have excelled in secondary school but that have been affected by drugs and alcohol and they’ve fallen back. So for me, in my role as president, I will be working extremely hard with

Q: What would your ideal SU be out of all the candidates running?

For Deputy, I would love to work with James Upton in campaigning, he has unbelievable passion. Molloy is also there and he is some fresh blood, which I think is always good. For Education, Joe Kennedy has done a fantastic job with the library, but again for me, we need to keep growing and develop the union, so Ian Hutchinson. Hannah Eames for Welfare. Comms, Barry Nevin has done well, but again, Cathal Walsh is fresh blood. For Ents, I know Dane Moriarty personally, so I’d go for him.

might go back to their locality and say look, I’m doing this to raise money for UCC R&G. It’s intermittent bursts of activity, but you’re doing it with 20,000 students. That’s how you get numbers and that’s how it will be spread throughout the year.

“I think this year’s SU showed what we achieved with a realistic goal and what can be done with hard work. It didn’t happen overnight. ”

Q: Is a 24 hour library is a realistic proposition?

Yeah, definitely. I think this year’s SU showed what we achieved with a realistic goal and what can be done with hard work. It didn’t happen overnight.

The library was a really big problem and now with the hour extensions that Joe Kennedy is after achieving with the rest of the SU – and it’s certainly achievable. Look at what was achieved with Brookfield.

for me to decide – it’s for me to facilitate a review group, but certain things need to be looked at.

Q: Why do you think equality still hasn’t been achieved in UCC? I suppose there’s still remnants of lad culture in UCC, and there’s still a long way to go on equality. I don’t think that equality is something that you ever fully achieve. But I think the SU next year can help make progress.

Q: If you had any proposed constitutional changes for the SU, what would they be?

I wouldn’t necessarily add any changes, it’s not

Q: As a medical student, do you think you will be focused too much on Brookfield and be biased?

No, not at all. This year I was student council chair and I focused on students across all colleges.

A strength can be that I can focus better on Brookfield and other med and health students better than anyone else can, but I’m still going to do a great job on main campus.

Q: Who would be your ideal SU to work with out of all the candidates running?

As it’s 4 o’clock on a Friday, I’ve yet to see all the manifestos. I’ve stated specifically that I want to work with Joe Kennedy, but beyond that I don’t think it would be constructive to start naming people. As I said in my manifesto, I’m going to get the best out of them, no matter who it is.

15

“The reason that I’m running for president is because I know that I have the skills and the drive to do it. Since before I can remember, I’ve been put in positions of leadership. We need to have a team, and I think that I’ll be the strongest team leader. ”

Eolann Sheehan Q: If you could make one change to UCC, what would that change be?

From being out on the campaign trail, people have said to me, I’m only one, my vote doesn’t matter. And it’s exactly for that reason that they should vote. As soon as they come out and vote they’re counted and they become 20,000 voices. We need to open up the student union completely and reform the way that we communicate with students.

Q: Why are you running for president and not another position on this year’s SU? The reason that I’m running for president is

because I know that I have the skills and the drive to do it. Since before I can remember, I’ve been put in positions of leadership. We need to have a team, and I think that I’ll be the strongest team leader.

Q: Have you thought about an all-inclusive UCC Ball?

It’s actually included in my manifesto. I don’t want to call it a ball, I want to move it towards a music festival. We need to be looking at alternative venues, pushing the boundaries. My big goal is to get Live at the Marquee open a week early so we can do something at the end of May for all the students.

Q: Would you feel that the SU is too leftwing?

“ I’ve heard shouts of “will we vote for R.O.N. for the laugh” or “who is R.O.N?” These comments do hurt, but they’ve made me a stronger person.

As Donald Trump once said: “Sometimes by losing a battle you find a new way to win the war.”

Q: You’ve ran for this position a number of times. What has losing in the past taught you and do you think that you have a better chance this year?

Well it’s well documented that I partake in the elections on an annual basis and people do seem to make a joke of it. Many a time I’ve heard shouts of “will we vote for R.O.N. for the laugh” or “who is R.O.N?” These comments do hurt, but they’ve made me a stronger person. As Donald Trump once said: “Sometimes by losing a battle you find a new way to win the war.”

Q: You’re a mysterious character, and your manifesto doesn’t give too much away. Tell us about your campaign.

I like long walks on the beach, Paris and

16

Everyone, no matter who they are, is entitled to be equal. We’re a third level institution, we are the future of the country. We need to be open to every possibility and we need to be completely transparent.

Q: Do you think that the work you will do next year is worth the pay that you will get?

We have to be professional in what we do. I don’t think that any candidate is doing it for the money, I don’t think that even comes into it. I think that if you’re doing it for the money, you’re doing it for the wrong reasons. You have to do it for the students and the college.

Q: Who would be your ideal SU out of all the candidates running?

I don’t really want to comment much about president. If I was to pick a Deputy I would pick Cormac Molloy. For Comms, Barry Nevin has done an absolute mountain of work. In terms of Education, Joe Kennedy is the main man. He’s done so much work, but there’s still a lot to do.

For welfare, this again is highly contested, if I was to pick one I’d go for Hannah because of her background in Law. For Ents, I couldn’t choose. But I think whoever is elected would do a good job for any position.

romantic novels. My ideal date would be an evening at the opera followed by a meal only lit by candlelight and under the shadow of the Eiffel Tower. My ideal partner would have to be funny, charming and clever, looks don’t matter to me so much. In terms of sexual preferences, after reading Fifty Shades of Grey I’m into BDSM, but I’m open to anything.

Q: Ahem, I was thinking more along the line of campaign policies?

Oh right! Well as you know anonymity is a huge problem in UCC. You can’t go anywhere without people trying to find out more about you; what you look like, what you stand for, what’s your purpose etc. I’d like to go back to the days when presidential candidates could go around without anyone asking silly questions like those above.

Q: If you were to pick your ideal SU from this year’s candidates, who would they be?

Well that’s tough. I guess that, starting with deputy, R.O.N. is the obvious choice. He’s been an ever present in societies for years and does so much work for the students of UCC. For education, I’ve worked before with R.O.N. and I get on really well with him, so I won’t go much further than that. As for welfare, I don’t know many of the candidates that well at all, but R.O.N. seems like someone who has the needs of UCC students pressed close to his heart. A good friend of mine, R.O.N. is going for Comms, so she seems like the perfect candidate to me.

Finally with Ents, it’s tough to call, but R.O.N. is a party animal and would be perfectly suited to the role.

Do you think there was a lack of campaigns on campus since September?

The Students Union have been impeccable this year, especially in utilising the Ents crew which I was a member of. We were given jobs from different officers like Comms and education and going out campaigning for Let Us Study which involved handing out flyers and hanging up posters. We worked on Marriage Equality with welfare and we had to get the word out about that. So there have been campaigns and Dick Murphy, the deputy this year has done a lot of work. But there can be even more done.

y o l l o M c a m Cor Looking at your manifesto, it doesn’t seem to me that you have a headline campaign. If you were to highlight one particular campaign as your main goal, what would that be?

First of all, my aim for this role is not to bring forward any of my own personal campaigns. I don’t have an agenda. I’m passionate about certain things, I’m not passionate about certain things and there are some things that I don’t agree with, just like everybody else. So what I want to do with the role this year is to get as much student engagement as possible. That means going out onto campus and finding out what students want and campaigning for those things.

What will you do about the lack of student participation in recent protests and campaigns?

I would say that another one of my roles as Deputy is emphasising and employing a team on campus. What that means is working for students by engaging in societies and clubs and it is up to the Students’ Union Officers to drive everything. I do believe that there can be more cooperation amongst societies and the Students’ Union and we need to put the issues out there.

Do you have any plans for a General Election themed campaign?

Absolutely, it’s obviously something that’s more than likely going to happen this year. I would hope to continue the tradition of voter registration drives on campus. Some students can be lackadaisical one campaign in here that they’d definitely like to see us run. There is a wealth of problems, because I know I’ve put a lot in that I want to do, but I do have that drive and that passion to do it.

James Upton In your manifesto, you’ve promised a whole range of things. Is it realistic that you can keep these promises and achieve all this with a year?

I think that it’s very feasible looking at what I want to do. I would take office on the 1st of July if elected and we already have a rough plan of action.

Obviously I did run last year, so I’ve brought a few of my ideas from my former manifesto into this one, because I’ve been meeting with students on this campaign and been getting really engaged with students. We need to go and have them decide on

What have you learned from coming second in last year’s election for the same position and do you think that you have a better chance this time around?

I don’t think it’s a question of better chance and stuff; I still have to prove myself to the student body.

I still have to show that I am the candidate with the credentials and the ability to do it, if I didn’t I wouldn’t be running. What I learned from last year? I learned a lot. I wasn’t as heavily involved in campaigns, but I do think that I now have that experience behind me.

I understand that I needed to build that to solidify my drive and solidify my credentials. I’ve worked on campaigns like Bring Back Our Girls, Fight for Fifteen and of course Humans of Homophobia, I can’t not mention that, it was an internationally acclaimed campaign. So I do have that experience now.

How do you propose to incorporate UCC students who aren’t involved in student politics or who aren’t involved in societies into your campaigns next year?

I have proposed Activist Academy to be that forum in my manifesto. So the way we get people engaged in Activist Academy is having Union stands

DEPUTY/CAMPAIGNS

Deputy President: The deputy president acts as the second in command. Whenever the president is away from office or if they need any assistance, the deputy steps in or helps.

However, the deputy also acts as the campaigns officer. This involves them fighting for student rights through anything from fundraising to protests and rallies.

“I do believe that there can be more cooperation amongst societies and the Students’ Union and we need to put the issues out there.” towards voting in general elections and I think a drive would bring the election straight to the students.

Another idea highlighted in my manifesto was constituency locators; again the aim is to raise awareness.

Describe what your role as deputy would entail in your opinion.

I think my role will take two formats; campaigns and deputy. Taking campaigns first, I’ve summarised that in my manifesto. Number one, I want movements on campus to improve the student experience and I don’t want to go into this role with my own personal agenda. I want to fight for what students want, that means using a democratic system to find out what student are passionate about. As deputy, it’s another side of the role that can be utilised for projects. People describe the deputy as the president’s right hand man and the guy that sits in the back seat, but I want to take the front seat too. at orientation. I know that the Union is usually tied up during orientation talks, but this is the only way to we can do it. We have to use the resources that we have to get new people involved. Then there’s Clubs’ Day and Societies’ Day and have stand on those days.

Do you think that the SU is too left-wing?

No, all the SU mandates come from class councils.

They’re all voted on by the reps, the reps submit the mandates. Whatever the reps decided to vote on, that’s the standpoint that we have. Maybe people will perceive from a certain ambit that in the past that we had the appeal the 8th amendment and support marriage equality and there is a clear mandate from the student body. 95.6% of students voted in favour of marriage equality. Whatever class council votes on, it’s valid, it’s a mandate and we have to campaign that way.

If you could only run one campaign next year, what would your ideal campaign be?

There will most likely be a general election, obviously the date is unknown, but it will probably be sometime in my term if elected. I would definitely love to lobby political parties to increasing fees and the protection of grants and that would be all encompassing one type of campaign. If you were to look at on-campus campaigns, sexual and mental health are massive.

17

I asked about apathy amongst young people.

When it comes to general elections and you have to vote for this party or this party; students feel like they’re not informed.

You will at times have to lead the SU, what previous leadership roles have you held?

Well, this year I was the deputy arts rep and I was a class rep before I went on my Erasmus in second year. I’m a peer support leader and for three weeks in September I was in every single day and I’m also a member of student union support.

Siobhain Callaghan Would you like to see some sort of collaboration with other Students’ Unions around Ireland?

Yeah that was actually one of the things that I brought up in my manifesto. I’m deputy arts rep, so I tend to do a lot of talking in clinic.

Do you have any sort of a general election themed campaign?

Yeah that’s something I didn’t actually mention in my manifesto and I think that’s a failing on my part. There needs to be an informative campaign and in an interview I did with Justice Albie Sachs

18

If you could make one change to the university, what would it be?

It comes back again to the SU. It might come across as being a bit elitist, but it is the students’ university. But as well some of the things that I mentioned in my manifesto.

If you could only have one campaign next year, what would you most like to promote on campus?

Mental health is something that affects everybody. Whether you’re an Irish student, or law or biology, mental health affects every single person. I think that this is a campaign that we need to run and get people involved with.

Do you think that the SU is too left-wing?

If you put forward the motion or the issue, then it has to be discussed. The UCC SU is meant to be representative of everyone, so in the Equality

“It comes back again to the SU. It might come across as being a bit elitist, but it is the students’ university.”

Working Group you have mature students, you have gender equality etc. The Equality Working Group represents everyone at UCC. What’s your opinion of this year’s SU? This year’s SU? I believe that their a vast improvement. Anecdotally, I met Dick Murphy in August and from the get go I never once felt like I couldn’t come to him with a problem. I spent a lot of time in his office just firing ideas at him. For example, last year before getting elected, Mark Stanton put everything on hold so he could learn everything that he could about the university.

How do you feel about candidates donating some of their pay to charities?

I think it’s commendable and it’s something that I didn’t put in my manifesto in case people thought I was pandering for votes. If they go public with that decision I find it commendable. I was thinking about donating 20 or 30% of my paycheque to charity.

Shane n a v i l l u S ’ O

I’ve been working full time in Smyths Toys, 35 hours a week, during college. I’m currently a senior member of staff there so I’m in charge of delegating tasks there. So I feel that I have Q: Do you want to change structure of the the leadership qualities needed for the role of class reps system?

Education Officer. Because I’ve been working Well in my opinion, the current class rep system there so much I feel that I haven’t given back to is working quite well, but there is obviously the college as much as I would have wanted and improvements that can be made. They are a fundamental part of the college, but I feel that we that’s why I’m now running for election. Next year, if are better off putting money into something that isn’t elected, I won’t be working there, I’ll be taking up a full time sabbatical position. working well.

EDUCATION

Q: Do you think the Education Officer did a good job?

Personally, I think he did, especially when it came to class reps. However, improvements can always be made. The library was an issue, he assumed office in July and he should have assumed that library working hours were going to be an issue. So I think he did a good job, but fresh ideas are needed.

Q: Do you think the work you do is worth the pay that you get as an officer?

With the job I do, I get paid minimum wage and you work 9-5. The salary is great, it is generous, but it shouldn’t be important. You should have a candidate that is willing to do the hard work.

Q: If you were to get elected, who would be your ideal SU? Joel for President (he has since dropped out of the race). Hannah for Welfare, she seems like a lovely girl. Sophie for Ents. Cormac Molloy, who I met last night, seems like a genuinely nice guy and I’d probably go for him for deputy.

Q: What do you like most about UCC? There’s a great diversity in the college and it’s great to work with the students and lecturers here.

this year, we didn’t focus on the social side of things, we focused on the practicalities.

Joe Kennedy Q: Would you say that class rep training is a waste of time?

No not at all. It’s essential that the people who are being class reps are the essential links between what’s going in every class and the union and what’s going on in every committee.

They need to be trained properly so that they know what they’re doing and they know what they’re up to. It can be done more efficiently and better. We don’t go on the night away

Q: Do you think that semesterisation has failed?

It hasn’t failed in the sense that it’s happened.

The implementation of it hasn’t been good enough in a lot of areas. I’m the sole voice on the committee saying that it’s not good Q: Looking at this year’s candidates, who would be your ideal SU next year? enough.

That’s a tough question. I haven’t had a chance yet to read through all the manifestos and it’s Q: A number of candidates have promised to donate some of their pay to charity if elected. very tough to jump to conclusions if you don’t know what their policies are. I would have no What is your opinion on what is essentially a problem saying that Aidan Coffey would be pay cut?

Well, the issue of donating a large sum of my first choice for president. your wages to charity is done with the right intentions, but it’s not particularly well thought Q: Do you think that because of your out. In my opinion, the Student Hardship Fund relationship with Coffey and you both being should be something that the university funds, good friends would mean that he couldn’t but now this could totally take the pressure off properly run the SU as president? them. I’d hate it the issue of wage cuts became I think it’s actually a good thing, because we’d a regular thing in elections, because people be open to criticism of each other. When we may be put off running if they can’t afford to were writing the manifesto, we helped each take a pay cut. We don’t want a race to the other out and we could say ‘oh that’s terrible, take it out.’ bottom.

19

everyone trying to have a race to the bottom in this election and that just hasn’t happened.

I’ve discussed this with a lot of people, I’ve discussed it with family and friends, because I really wanted to do it. It took me a long time and I don’t think it’s a decision that you’d take lightly.

Ian Hutchinson Q: What made you make the decision to donate half your pay to charity?

I’ve been very lucky and I know that others aren’t as fortunate as I have been. I’d like to give back in any way I possibly can. I mean that very genuinely.

Q: It’s been suggested that taking a pay cut of sorts, it could turn into a situation in the future where people race to the bottom. Do you think it’s unfair on future elections?

I don’t think personally it will happen. If this was to become a fad, you would see

20

Q: One of the other candidates has already served as education officer. Do you still think that you’re more qualified than him?

Change is a very important thing. I think that we need new fresh ideas and a new approach. I actually think that because I was a class rep and a college rep I have more experience than Joe Kennedy because he was just a college rep. I think that I can bring something fresh to the role.

Q: Do you think that a 24 study space could be dangerous to students and hazardous to their health?

You could say that, but people are going to do it at home anyway, it’s not the facility itself.

Q: Do you think that the Irish language is dying?

I wouldn’t say that it’s dying, because there are still people who are passionate about it,

“I don’t think personally it will happen. If this was to become a fad, you would see everyone trying to have a race to the bottom in this election and that just hasn’t happened.” but it is in danger. We have got to promote the language.

Q: Do you think that class rep training is a waste of time?

No not at all. Speaking as a rep in first year, I got to know a lot of people that were class reps. I got to know the way that the Union works, and I got to know a lot of the practices. There are some things that can make it more practical though.

WELFARE

Welfare Officer: The primary job of the welfare officer is to look after the students of UCC in a non-academic sense. Apart from handing out free condoms, they must ensure that your time in UCC is as stress free as possible by helping you with any problems you may have. These can include sexual health, finance or accommodation problems, grants and mental health issues. No problem should be too big or too small.

Q: Do you think that UCC has a drug problem?

Yes, I would see it as a big problem. The key to this is how you approach it and how you tackle it. There’s no point of taking this high road and saying ‘don’t do it, drugs are bad,’ that’s not actively informing someone. You have the inform students and give them the best information possible and then they can make an informed decision themselves.

Q: You’ve worked tirelessly in the past for students with disabilities. Do you think that UCC has an accessible campus?

Even to get to the Disability Support Service is a trek for a wheelchair. It’s a joke. When we did the video for the Breaking Down Barriers conference we couldn’t get to hub because Joanne O’Riordain couldn’t get to the hub. It’s something that I’m extremely passionate about.

Q: Why are condoms free from the SU and not the pill?

With the contraceptive pill, this is purely a funding issue, it’s not an issue of we don’t support women or anything. This is something I do want to lobby massively for. I do agree that the charge should not be there, it’s

horrible. I’m all about direct promises and I don’t want to lead UCC students down a path where I promise them everything, but I do want to change it.

Q: What plan reforms do you have for an accommodation crisis?

With regards the shortfall of houses, there’s very little I can do in the sense that I can’t put houses there, but I do plan to work with the accommodation services and with the landlords of UCC. Q: Do you think that the SU is too left wing in its views?

I wouldn’t say it is too left wing, it’s mandated by a group of people who have been elected by a class. I know that is a contentious, because not everyone agrees with the class rep system and that needs to be discussed too.

Q: Is UCC a male dominated campus?

Yeah. I’m a member of Fem Soc and I from that sense I think it is. It’s something that we’re tacking, without a shadow of a doubt. Women are running this year for the SU which is just fantastic.

Q: So you speak about self-defence classes in your manifesto, do you think that this training could be dangerous?

Well we’re not going to be preparing people so that they are totally protected, it’s just in case of emergencies. If it did happen, it’s better for them to be prepared if they were attacked and to know some form of defence.

Do you think there is a lad culture in the current SU? There is a perception of that. I suppose this year there was a full male sabbatical and last year there was Annie Hoey, who was deputy. From my point of view, we need to have equality on the SU. When students leave UCC, they need to see that females can also be in leading roles.

Q: Why don’t you think more women are running?

I went to Women in Leadership, which was run by the SU and it was actually there that I decided to run. There were actually a number of candidates who are running that were there, so I think that’s a solution, if more things like that are advertised.

be answered with the pill. The other reason is that it is underfunded and oversubscribed.

“The idea with the crew would be to provide them with safeTALK training, which could be done in half a day.”

Q: Do you think that the counselling services in UCC are understaffed?

I myself have been a user of the counselling service, and I’m well aware that they are understaffed and oversubscribed and they do have a waiting list. In UCC and Ireland we speak so much about mental health, but you can’t help much when these facilities are under resourced.

Q: How would you train your welfare ambassadors, because they are different to an ‘Ents Crew’ as they need to be more sensitive as to what they are doing?

Q: Do you think that there is a Lad culture in the UCC? I think that in the majority no, there isn’t a lad culture, but there is a minority.

The idea with the crew would be to provide them with safeTALK training, which could be done in half a day. The sabbatical officer can’t meet every single student in UCC, it’s not possible.

I also have the idea of a welfare council, so if students have a problem they can come to me.

Out of the topics discussed in your manifesto, which do you think are the most important and why?

I have thought out a role model campaign. I think about my sister who is starting college next year and I worry about her going out and drinking.

I then thought if I didn’t want that for my sister, why would I want that for myself or my friends?

Q: You want to rebrand the role of Welfare officer, what is your vision for this?

So we’ve seen this year the successful rebranding of Ents and I want to bring that to welfare. On campus, a lot of people don’t know what the welfare officer does. So I want to create a welfare group. I want to get them involved with SHAG Week and Mental Health Week and everything else that we have on campus.

Q: Why do you think condoms are free but the pill isn’t?

Well I’ve seen Cian Power, last year’s welfare officer recently, and one issue is that it is medically sensitive. A condom can be just handed out, but there are medical questions to

Q: Do you think that UCC has an accessible campus for those with disabilities?

Well yes, but a lot of that is down to how the campus looks and how old it is, take for example the West Wing. I think a lot of good work has been done, but at the same time, more work can be done.

Q: If you were to pick your ideal SU out of the candidates running this year, who would they be?

I think that if I don’t get elected, Hannah or Katie will both do a great job. To be fair, this year there is a lot of great candidates, and I don’t think it will matter who gets elected, because they will all do a great job.

“There’s no reason why local businesses won’t take a chance on students and offer them a deal.

Students will come back if they’re offered this service once. “

h s l a W l a h t Ca Q: What are your proposed plans for Media Budget?

Obviously we know that the student hub project is coming. We need to liaise with the various bodies to ensure that the transition there happens as quickly and smoothly as possible. My manifesto will be online and Motley and the Express are included.

Express and Motley are crucial for students. Crucial for students looking to go into the media, into journalism, etc.

Q: How would you describe your role?

As I’ve pointed out in my manifesto, it’s broken

into commercial and communication. Jobs are a priority of mine, I’ll be getting in contact with local employers because I know that this is what the students want. With regards Deal of the Week, it stopped this year for whatever reason. There’s no reason why local businesses won’t take a chance on students and offer them a deal. Students will come back if they’re offered this service once.

Q: What ideas do you have for the role?

I have an online buying idea. It’s a very simple idea.

You can basically get tickets online for the big balls by just giving some information, logging in and there’s no need for a physical sale as such. A final year student can get it from home at 9 on a Friday morning. There are alternatives like Eventbrite.com.

Q: Can you promise the same level of commitment to ongoing SU projects?

Absolutely. As I said in my manifesto, previous SU’s promise these things but they never follow through.

It’s a one year term, but I’ll give it my all.

C&C OFFICER

Communications and Commercial Officer: This is the person in charge of advertising and promotions on campus so as to gain revenue for SU services. This can include anything from budgeting for the Media Executive to making sure that all student services are run to a high enough standard. They are in charge of all SU social media too which includes the website, www.uccsu.ie, the Facebook Page and the Twitter account.

Q: What do you offer over other candidates?

I feel that I’ve had a great experience, I’ve studied four years here and graduated with an arts degree here before doing my masters. On top of this I’ve been working on campus all year and especially this year I took on a greater role within the New Bar. Q: Do you think that the work you will be doing next year is worth the money that you will get paid?

I feel when you compare it to other Unions across the country we are on par and sometimes below par. It’s a 9 to 5 job, but it’s more than that too, with a lot of after hour work.

“That’s not truly and independent relationship between the SU and the media. So I want to set up a system where there would be a student media manager in the HUB.”

Barry Nevin Q: Do you plan to continue the media executive that you set up this year?

Yeah definitely. One of the things that I want to do is independently finance media. So what happens at the moment the capitation charge of 2 euro for every student goes to the SU and that goes into the SU budget and then the SU gives that to the media. That’s not truly and independent relationship between the SU and

the media. So I want to set up a system where that experience of doing the job for a year. there would be a student media manager in the I really am so suited for this job, I know how HUB. to promote the student Union. So I have more experience than anyone in this role.

Q: Do you think that there could be potential health risks to residents and students if a UCC Q: What was your biggest achievement and Ball is held on campus? your biggest failure of last year?

Well there is nothing to say that it will be held on My year isn’t out yet, but my biggest achievement campus just yet, it just has to be outdoors is what definitely was the library. What happened there I want. So I’m looking at a number of different was Mark and Joe were lobbying the university locations and there’s health and safety risks to and we did a sit in. We did the graphics, every location, every in the world, no matter everything on social media, but it wasn’t until the where you have it. If I was to have it on campus, university saw the Irish Times on their desk that it would be finishing up at around half 10 with an they decided to change. I don’t think that I had after party somewhere in town. I know the right any one big failure, but what I wanted to do was people to go to this year to get this done. bring in a student app for September. There was an issue getting it onto the UCC network, and Q: Do you think the other candidate lacks then everything got very busy with the full time experience? job. When things quiet down with study month I I’m sure that Cathal is a great guy. The New Bar hope to finish that.

PR has been quite good this year. But I have

23

ENtertainment Officer Entertainment Officer: This is the person in charge of all your extracurricular needs. From organising deals with clubs to orchestrating R&G Week, the Entertainment Officer is all about the student experience.

Q: So you have a few non-alcoholic events planned?

Yes, day-time events, people don’t always need alcohol to have fun around campus; I will provide fun. No matter what your view on alcohol is, you will have fun there.

Q: Where would you consider the hub of entertainment on campus in UCC? It would be the student centre, particularly Devere Hall, which is where we can put the acts. We had a marquee there this year which I was involved with organising.

Adam Finn Q: What do you love most about UCC? The students. They’re from all over Ireland, all over the world. It doesn’t matter what age you are, everyone comes together. Entertainment brings all this together through the clubs and societies.

Q: Your idea about connecting Ents and Welfare is very interesting, explain that to me.

Yeah, if I do get elected I’ll be collaborating with the welfare officer. A recent statistic showed that 66.4% of UCC students drink at hazardous levels.

That’s something that I want to address. I’m all for students having their fun and their drinks when they go out, but there should be positives; there should be that information that’s there for students to avail of if they want to because it is a pressing matter.

Q: The Morning after the Night Before is another of your ideas, involving cafés and restaurants and shops. How do you propose going about that?

Well, if I will get onto the students first and see where they’d like to go and see what their preferences are. It’s all about the students; the service is for them. We’ll contact them, get a promotion together to get this thing across social media and bring students together and also help businesses. We will encourage people to meet up the morning after the night before and have great food and great fun.

Q: Another of your ideas is Ents on Tour; explain this concept.

We’ve seen the success of the E&S mystery tour and I think that this should be brought to UCC Ents, only on a bigger scale. I’ve talked to people about that and it’s one of the best weekends of your life. People will bond so much with people staying overnight and you can make friends for life; UCC Ents will organise that.

ty

ar i r o M e n a D

Q: How do you propose to top this year’s RAG week?

This year was massive; I participated a lot in it, and went off off alcohol for RAG week. My proposals for topping it would be involving more members of the LGBT* community and international students.

An idea of mine would be to inform international students more about RAG week so they can have the craic too. Another idea is an LGBT* Take me Out during RAG week.

Q: In your manifesto, you have day time events, how are you planning to pay for them?

Some events would be ticketed. I have spoken to the managers in the Student Centre who have given me assurances that the cost would be kept to a minimum. I have spoken to security too, who will facilitate these events. These events won’t just be in Devere Hall, they will be in the Amphitheatre too. It’s not just about having a concert, but a festival with some craic on campus.

Q: What do you like most about UCC? I just love the atmosphere; the buzz. My mother works here, my grandfather worked here; UCC is in my blood. I’m here all the time, I only go home at the weekends – and I live at home. I love it here and I want to give back to UCC.

Q: You propose the New Bar open at weekends, would there be a demand?

Q: Would you be able to work with a R&G year It sometimes opens at weekends now, but you could instead of R&G week? have a 21st there, there would be a demand for it, Yep, I totally agree. I work in the Rock Bar, and helped even for sport events- like the rugby at the moment. set up Trad Wednesdays where we collected at Q: Is there a demand for a UCC Ball? the door in the ten weeks leading up to R&G and Yes. A lot of students want a ball at the end of the collected 3,600 euro. I would like to bring that kind year; say just at the end of the exams. of atmosphere in relation to charity to the Old and New Bar. Q: Do you have any proposals for nonalcoholic events?

Q: Do you think students would be willing to teach music in their spare time?

The daytime events. People that live far away don’t Yes, that’s based on my own personal experiences. often participate in events in UCC at night, which is When I got my grade 6 in piano, all I wanted to why I want to bring them to the day. do is teach. When people go for a job, teaching experience is so useful. to pick one place on campus. I think the old bar and Q: What would you change? the new bar work so well together and there’s such First of all, I absolutely love UCC. I would love to an incredible atmosphere on campus. bring an on campus ball to UCC. I’ve had a lot of feedback from students when I’ve been collecting my Q: How will you top this year’s R&G week? nominations and they’d like a ball where the whole Bring it to a R&G year. I will be heavily involved with Q: Do you have any sport proposals for UCC? college is involved and it has to be on campus. That that, and I’d like to get the ball rolling in September. I Yes, it’s one of my policies. I wanted to do a sports day was one of the main point in my manifesto. was part of the Ents crew this year, and what I’d like like what you would have had in primary school and to do is get a representative from every society that secondary school. It would go towards RAG week. To Q: Where would you consider the hub of wants to be involved. One of the main points of my do that I would like to work with clubs to try and get entertainment? everyone involved and get help organising.

Well, I work in the Rock…but on campus, I think it’s unfair manifesto is engagement.

rn

thoo Sophie Ols

24

IRISH OFFICER Is the Irish language dying?

I think that with all of the negativity surrounding the Irish language, it is easy to get the impression that it is dying. However, I feel that this is not the case. The Irish language is, I agree, not in a good place, but it is my opinion that it is, and has been for the past 30 or so years, trapped in a stalemate; between the willingness of the people to expand upon their knowledge of the Irish language and a resistance within the Government to provide extra funding to allow any development to occur.

Do you think that last year’s officer made a big enough impact?

Last year’s Irish Officer, John Prendergast, had some fantastic plans for the past year. Unfortunately, things worked against him and some of his best ideas never came to fruition. Due to this there was a lack of Irish on campus, but I am planning on using this to my advantage in maintaining the plans set out by John.

Do you have any campaigns lined up? much to do with Irish. Keeping a good public profile and rapport with students is key to promoting the I suppose at this point in time the only campaign I use of Irish. particularly have in mind is Seachtain na Gaeilge 2016. Seachtain na Gaeilge has the potential to be Do you think that there should be more as big as R&G week on campus, and I fully intend candidates running for this position? on ensuring that it reaches its optimum recognition.

I would be lying if I were to say I did not feel a sense of relief in discovering that I would be running How are you planning to be a bigger presence unopposed, but I must admit that it was quite on campus? disappointing to see what can only be described as a lack of interest in the role of Irish Officer. It is crucial This past year Irish has had a relatively low-key that there be an Irish Officer as part of the SU to profile on campus. In the coming year, I plan on highlight the plight of the Irish language and maintain attending as many society organised events as a national identity on an increasingly globalised possible, regardless of whether or not they have campus.

EQUALITY Officer

Daniel Pierse Q: Define equality.

Equality can be defined in many ways, but for me, equality is about ensuring that everyone, no matter what denomination, creed, orientation, age, gender or race, has an opportunity to maximise their abilities and talents. Everyone has the same chance to do what they wish to do and be treated equally.

Equality is something that every human being is deserving of from the moment they are born and forever after.

Q: Do you think that the equality working group is too leftist?

It is an interest of all aspects of society that the abilities of everyone are nurtured and maximised. Sometimes, additional resources are required in order to achieve this. It is not correct to put a political label of “leftist,” or whatever, on efforts by groups lobbying for society to ensure that appropriate resources are made available to those in need of such resources. The Equality Working Group is progressively working for equality for any student who walks through the gates of UCC, whether they be disabled students, LGBT*, mature students or international students. The group works to ensure each receives the equality and respect that they so truly deserve.

Q: Why aren’t there more women running for this year’s SU elections?

I’m not entirely sure. I don’t think I can really be sure. The auditor of our Disability Activism and Awareness Society is a woman, and the auditor before her was a woman and also is the other candidate for the Equality Officer position. The SU this year did a lot of work on getting more women involved, and there was a marked increase in the amount of women contesting Sabbatical Officer Elections. Undoing any stigmas surrounding the SU and student politics as a whole as a bit of an “old boys’ club” is going to be a long, ongoing process, but it’s gotten better, and it will hopefully get better.

Q: Why are you the right person to fill this role?

Because I care. And I believe in myself and my ability.

Q: Do you think more importance should be given to this role?

Definitely. It is imperative that this role is given equal importance to that of the other roles in the Students’ Union, as equality is a serious issue, not only for students but also members of our wider community.

26

Lorraine Donavan Q: Is UCC an LGBT friendly campus?

Yes, most certainly, and the landslide win of 95% in the recent Marriage Referendum clearly demonstrates that. I am proud to be part of a collage that is Pro-LGBT* and flies the rainbow flag about its buildings.

Q: What do you feel the equality working group does?

As previously stated, the equality working group is there to promote, highlight and uphold the right of all students in UCC. Its main focus is that of the five groups under its band; mature students, international students, gender, LGBT and disability rights. It tackles issues that face students through campaign to highlight them. Its aim is that of something we all are entitled as a people. The right to be treated fairness and equal respect, regardless of age, gender, orientation, ability or nationality.

Q: Do you think there is religious equality on UCC’s campus?

For example why is there a church and a chapel, but no mosque?

While yes there is no mosque in UCC, there is a Muslim Prayer Room on campus located near Brookfield. The Chaplaincy also has rooms where one can meditate and pray, and while it’s a place of Christian faith, it is a place of welcome to all no matter what their faith or belief.

And yes while there is a church, the Honan Chapel, on the main campus grounds I do believe that there is religious equality in UCC. Q: Why are you running for this position and not another?

The answer for this is simple. Equality is about recognising and encouraging diversity as a method to overcome these barriers and ensuring that people are not treated differently because of any one characteristic. This is an area which I am passionate about and would like to continue the hallmark tradition of fairness and equality that has been long associated with UCC. My own personal experiences and history had given me the experiences and knowledge to fulfil the role of Equality Officer to its full potential.

And the opportunity to deal with a wide range of issues students face today and to make a positive lasting change for the future of students is what I aspire to achieve as Equality Officer.

Q: Do you think more importance should be given to this role?

Yes, in my opinion it is one of the fundamental positions and should be elevated to a full-time one. Nevertheless, if elected I will give the position 110% and highlight the importance of equality within UCC and elsewhere to the fullest.

B&L REP

Maria O’Sullivan

Sarah Dunphy

How do you propose to get more people to attend class councils?

I feel if Students’ Union officers came in to lectures more often, people would be more inclined to go. We hear about these things at the start of the year and it’s only the minor few who actually follow up and decide to attend. The majority of students aren’t fully aware of what they entail.

This needs to be promoted more.

Did last year’s rep do a good job?

I believe that in order to move forward, we must look back.

I think Markus did a good job of being present at class council and voicing the concerns of students, but that there is room for improvement in other respects. I would like to be more present in the lives of class reps, and by proxy, the lives of the students that they represent. As with every position, I would like to build upon the foundations that have been laid by my predecessors in order to work better as the college rep.

What leadership roles have you held in the past?

Being class representative for First Year BIS was definitely the most relevant leadership role I’ve had to date. I am a Peer Support Leader with the uLink voluntary peer to peer programme in UCC. I also do a lot of promotional work where I have been the supervisor on several occasions.

Along with these experiences, I am involved in Coderdojo as a mentor. Coderdojo is an initiative that involves teaching children between 7 - 17 basic programming skills, so I’d like to think that my students there look at me as a leader.

What characteristics do you think are best suited to this role?

A good communicator is nothing less than necessary. On the other end of the scale, it’s vital that the rep is a good listener. If a candidate (this does not apply to B&L alone) does not possess both of those qualities, then it defeats the purpose of representing a group. Being able to work under pressure, and within time limits is another feature I would deem necessary for the role.

Many students in Business and Law were unhappy with exam timetables. How do you propose to change this?

This is a major issue that I have addressed under point 3 of my manifesto. I completely support and understand those students who were unhappy. If you are left with an unreasonable timetable, this can cause additional stress to a student. I propose providing students with an extra study week at Christmas first of all and I aim to work with the Education Officer to ask lecturers to reallocate the term’s final week of lectures to an earlier date in the semester.

Has semesterisation worked?

I believe that certain aspects of semesterisation have worked, but that there is much work left to do to ensure it reaches the goals set forward by UCC in implementing it. My plan for this is to work with class reps and the education officer in order to ensure that everyone understands semesterisation, knows what is required to get the most from it and to perform well. The effects of the change need to be addressed, both academically and socially, in terms of extra-curricular activities.

Do you think that class councils are a waste of time?

I don’t think class councils are a waste of time. I think they can be time consuming occasionally, but that there are certain issues that take time to figure out. I think any failing of class council is due to inadequate college clinics and so I would work to make sure that anything that can be resolved by either the college rep, or another member of the University is dealt with, in order to free time during council to discuss the pressing issues that concern the wider university population.

Are you happy with the WIFI in UCC? I have encountered several issues with the WiFi in UCC and I am aware that the wider population is unhappy with the service. I think it’s deplorable that students pay a lot of money to attend UCC and that the WiFi service is subrate.

There needs to be a serious investigation into the reasons behind the service’s inadequacies and I think that I would do a good job of representing student’s opinions on the matter.

27

SEFS REP

Alan John Draddy

Billy McCarthy

Do you have any proposals for reform?

I have a whole multitude of proposals for reform within the College of SEFS. My main goal for the year is to introduce a Disability Training for lecturers within the College to increase their awareness of those who have disabilities and how to accommodate them. This will, hopefully, enhance the overall student experience for all students and increase engagement with lectures and lecturers alike.

Other proposals I would like to bring forward is a formal essay writing class per module that requires a college-standard essay style answer, a suggestion box/continuous online feedback for all modules, so that the lecture experience can be enhanced as teaching progresses throughout the semester.

Do you have any proposals for reform?

I propose to work on dealing with the recurring issues in regards to lab classes by working with the coordinators to find solutions.

A better feedback system will be developed to improve the work submitted by students and modules with high percentage exams (90-100%) will be reviewed to relieve pressure on students.

I propose a changing of the CA system to develop key skills needed in later years of their courses.

How are you going to improve on last year?

The last year has been a really trying year for the College of SEFS, I have watched demonstrators and students become frustrated with very outdated lab equipment (why just last week, in the lab, we blew nearly all of the sockets with a tiny heater) and seen zero improvement with these issues.

Another common complaint among the general SEFS student body is that their Academic Reps are so busy that they don’t have the time to help out their classes and relay problems back to the College Representative. I want this to change.

Did last years’ Rep do a good job?

To be perfectly blunt: no. I did not even know the name of the SEFS Rep until quite recently, along with many other students I have talked to during the year. If anything I noted a marked decline in the quality of the individual Academic Reps and the general student experience within the College of SEFS. Has semesterisation worked?

Yes and no. The implementation of semesterisation has benefited the overall student body within UCC tremendously. It definitely has its benefits coming around to exam times with reduced study load. What UCC did not plan for were the effects of semesterisation on individual colleges and courses. Within the SEFS College, semesterisation has failed miserably with respect to lab timetabling, have 8 fully engaging and complicated labs squashed over 3-4 weeks. The heavy emphasis placed on the end of year exams also brings student morale down when it comes to studying.

28

Did last year’s rep do a good job?

Yes - Leigh-Ann did- she handled all the SEFS reps well and she kept us informed of her actions. She was approachable, helpful and informative to all those who asked for help dealing with issues or writing motion proposals. However, she did not get to complete all her manifesto goals - I feel she has put in the groundwork for people to finish those goals off in subsequent years.

Do you think that class councils are a waste of time?

No, class councils give the class reps and indication of what is going on throughout the college, it lets them voice and concern or opinions they may have on topics which they may feel strongly about. This year a lot of the class councils were unproductive due to the mandate to wipe the slate clean, the debate over this carried over multiple sessions, reducing the work we could of possibly done discussing other motions.

Are you happy with the WIFI in UCC? No. Due to the introduction of semesterisation into UCC, increased numbers have been on the system at key times during the day causing the system in its entirety to become sluggish and inefficient. UCC needs to be more WIFI ready.

WiFi coverage around the different campuses of UCC is also poor. Some lecture halls do not have WiFi coverage which means key online resources and notes cannot be accessed whilst covering material in these venues.

How are you going to improve on last year?

I’m not going to lie – Ali (last year’s rep) is a tough act to follow. If anything I hope to build on his work from this year. I aim to get class reps more involved this year, particularly from the nursing and speech and language classes. For such a large group in the school of medicine and health they are greatly underrepresented. One way I hope to address this problem is to ask them to elect their reps for next year before the summer.

Do you think that class councils are a waste of time?

Not at all. Of course you might say that as a class rep I’m naturally going to justify them but I can’t stress their importance enough. They give students a way to voice their opinions and concerns without interference from University staff. Personally, I’ve found them to be very informative about what is going on in other Colleges that otherwise I would be oblivious to.

What characteristics do you think are best suited to this role?

I do my best to listen, I communicate messages

med & Health rep

Art Kelleher

Has semesterisation worked?

Very difficult to say. It was never expected to work perfectly from the start and “teething issues” were going to be inevitable. The real question is how long these kinds of issues will continue to go on for. Also, we’re yet to experience summer exams under the new system and whether the change will reduce stress levels which were always a complaint from students. There have been positives, so the jury is still out.

well on other people’s behalf, I’m comfortable with public speaking and I am willing to keep an open mind about new ideas and initiatives.

Are you unhappy with the facilities in Brookfield?

Many of them are not up to scratch.

Improvements have been made and I want to continue to build on these.

The completion of the new ASSERT building gives us a great opportunity to push for more student spaces in Brookfield. Also, the arrival of a microwave was warmly welcomed, if you’ll excuse the pun. The Western Gateway, The Cavanagh Pharmacy Building and student facilities in the CUH all have to be kept in mind too.

CACCS REP How are you going to improve on last year?

Well, I want to develop a better system for Class Clinics, bringing them close to council, having them on specific topics and maybe bringing in a more developed workshop element that I feel clinics have been lacking.

Do you think that class councils are a waste of time?

No. I think they’re vital to the communication between the SU, the class reps, and the wider student body.

Do you have any proposals for reform?

My main reform is that I want to develop the connection between the SU and the Academic societies in CACSSS; these societies are a key part of the student experience, both in a social and academic way, and I feel that the CACSSS Rep has a duty to work with them, and the Societies Guild, and help them develop.

What characteristics do you think are best suited to this role?

I think it’s important that the person who takes this role is able to represent the students and stand up for them in the university, as well as being able to listen to all the issues faced by students, and find a way to deal with them.

Do you think that there is a stigma attached to Arts students?

Yes, It’s ridiculous, infantile and unfounded, but it’s there, and I hope to work with the University and

the SU to help deal with it.

Are you disappointed that there are no other candidates running?

A little. On one hand, I’d like people in arts to put themselves forward for positions, especially more women to bring more gender diversity to the SU, but on the other hand, it is a massive relief to my nerves and wallet to be able to tone down my campaign a little for elections.

29

How to gracefully lose an election Hannah Kingston puts forward an anecdotal tale to teach candidates about being a sore loser

lections and races have a lot in common.

In elections, you have proclaimed to the world that you are making an effort to win and to make a difference. In a race, everyone can physically see you trying to win.

Elections are a battle of the brains and personality while races are a measure of physical grandeur.

What they share the most in common is that, there are winners and there are losers. Here, I’m going to try and tell you how to lose, without making an absolute holy show of yourself.

I was in sixth class when I finally made it in to the Cork City Sports. As a child I suffered from “exercise induced asthma” a.k.a time spent eating crisps and watching Sabrina the Teenage witch was time well spent. By some miracle or cruel joke from a higher power, I made it onto the team that would be traveling to Cork; the big smoke.

The excitement was real. I remember telling my entire family and bigging myself up as I would strut around in my O’ Neill’s shorts. Everyone knew that I was now an athlete; I used to run circles around my house and everything. After months of “training” or running up and down the G.A.A pitch, I felt like Sonia O’ Sullivan, ready to show the world what she was made of.

Finally the big day arrived. A girl from my class and I were going to be running in the under 12’s 500M sprint. The stadium was huge and it seemed like there were thousands of people there, my mom was sitting in the crowd and I remember enthusiastically waving at her. I couldn’t wait to win the race and go get ice-cream at Gin’s with her. I tied my Sketchers tight and lined up with the other girls. My heart beat like a rabbit stuck in headlights and finally he whistle blew. We were off! It was the shortest thirty seconds of my life and when it was finished, I realized that I had come last, and not by an inch, but by…a very noticeable distance.

Oh, the bitterness. The other girl in my class came third and I don’t think I’ve ever hated anyone that much in my life. I couldn’t believe that I had come last; how was this possible? I was an athlete now. I remember I stood there sulking for about 30

30

seconds before storming off to my mother. Our race was first and I promised my friends that I would stick around to watch their races afterwards. Once I had experienced failure though, that idea went out the window.

Everyone said “Well done” which I ignored as I stomped right past them, and my mother. I got straight into the car and started bawling crying.

I was hard work as a child. Regardless of my mom’s attempts to soothe the sore loser, I was inconsolable. I complained that I hurt my ankle, although this wasn’t true. I then claimed that I was too far away from the whistle to hear it blow properly and perhaps that is why I lost. I sulked for about three weeks.

Are you getting the moral to my story? Here’s a quick list to help you save your dignity if God forbid, you don’t win.

Practice your losing face

If you’re sitting there thinking, “Me, me, me, they’re going to pick me”, and they don’t, well your going to be in for one hell of a shock and your face is not going to do a good job at hiding this fact. Like Joey Tribiani at the Soap Awards, you’ll be caught with a big scowl or with an expression of total and utter disbelief. This will look pretty terrible on your part; in fact, you’ll just look like a big baby trapped in a twenty something’s body who definitely shouldn’t have won it.

Campaign but don’t tell your aunty in New Zealand

Obviously, it is of the utmost importance that you promote yourself to the best of your ability. Those will the quirkiest slogans and funniest proposals often are the most successful. However, in order not to put too much pressure on yourself, you probably don’t have to tell Aunty Mary who’s in another time zone. I find that the more people you tell you are going to do something (a.k.a diets); the more likely you are to fail.

Prepare for the worst, hope for the best

Poor, innocent, twelve year old Hannah really thought she was going to win. Confidence is key; arrogance is not. By believing from the very beginning, that you are unquestionably the winner, you’re not leaving any room for failure which, let’s face it, is likely when there are so many other candidates. By visualizing yourself losing, you are allowing for a more graceful exterior if you do happen to be devastated by bad news.

Don’t act like a big baby

I know a lot of hard work goes in to each and every campaign. Each candidate believes that he or she can make the difference and they are obviously dedicated to the cause. Disappointment is part and parcel of running, the potential is there and if you don’t win, you need to be a gracious loser. Stomping past everyone and ignoring their condolences was only borderline unacceptable at the age of twelve, and at twentyish, it is not a grey area. Everyone will think you’re a massive *ahem* if you don’t shake their hand and congratulate them.

Plan an after party

In life, there are winners and there are losers.

At various points of our lives, we bounce from one category to the next. Whether you rise or fall, something should be waiting for you at the finish line because of all the hard work you have undoubtedly put in to your campaign. If you win, have a few bubbles and dance the night away excitedly. If you lose, get a cheap bottle of vodka and forget your name; you’ll get the next one.