SIN Vol. 21 Election Special

March 03 2020

NEWS EDITORIAL

By Paddy Henry Hello again gach duine, welcome back to yet another issue of SIN. Moving away from elections, we have plenty of other stories inside, including my piece on the Corrib and Goldcrest Village rent hike scandal. There is also Caoimhe Killeen’s reports on whether the visit of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge will impact upon students getting to college on the 5th of March, with the city expected to be on lockdown. Sadhbh Hendrick brings us the story of Professor of History Emeritus at NUI Galway Nicholas Canny being conferred with the Royal Irish Academy’s highest honour, The Cunningham Medal. Also inside, Rachel Garvey investigates whether a tram line for Galway is coming down the tracks, following research from an NUI Galway mathematician which found that Galway was the perfect city for a light rail system, while Harry King gives us his report from the recent Ireland at the Heart of Europe talk, which took place in the Aula Maxima theatre. All this and more inside, including Ellen O’Donoghue’s story from the celebration of Irish Traveller Ethnicity Day which took place in the college late last month.

As always, if you hear any whisperings around college that you think would be worth reporting, do let us know, we’re always happy to hear from you. My email is deputy.sined@ gmail.com if you’d like to contact me. Our next meeting is Monday 16th March in AM127 at 6pm. There’s free pizza and we’re all very nice so do come along.

FEATURES EDITORIAL

By Shauna McHugh Hello, lovely readers!

Welcome to another issue of SIN, and to what is fast becoming a precious commodity, as this is our third last issue! It’s hard to believe that we only have this issue and two others left before the semester is over, but we’re all determined to go out with a bang, and make the remaining editions of SIN our best yet.

True to form, my trusted team of columnists are helping with just that. Jody Moylan shares some eighties nostalgia in his latest instalment of the Mature Student Diary, which is a fantastic read throughout. Honestly, it’s worth having a look at even if you’re just curious about what life with a pilot for a Dad is like! Meanwhile, as midterm season takes over our lives, the library is busier than ever. Our final year writer Sadhbh Hendrick has many pearls of wisdom to share – this week, they’re about library snacking etiquette. Meanwhile, in her First Year Diary, Aoife Burke details the stress of preparing for summer exams whilst dealing with an arm injury.

As uproar over the college’s rent hikes continues, Tara Trevaskis Hoskin details how this will affect the average student. Also in this issue, Rachel Garvey poignantly explains why it’s more important than ever to think before you type. Somebody who could have benefitted from thinking more ahead of their comments is Father Ted creator Graham Linehan, whose transphobic comments are investigated by Ellen Kissane.

If you were left without power by the recent Storm Dennis, our Aoife could have helped you pass the time! She’s put together a list of

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G N É- ALTANNA

innovative ways to pass the time during such occasions. Meanwhile, Alice O’Donnell has the latest on how vegans are finding love online…

With such a jam-packed issue ahead, you’d best get to reading it!

Until next time, Shauna.

OPINION EDITORIAL

By Anastasia Burton Hello, bonjour, Привéт! It’s me again, your favourite opinion editor! Boy, oh boy, was rag week tough?! How’d y’all find it? Anyway, this goddamn weather, I feel like it’s become a regular thing for us to complain about it, but honestly… Would it be so bad to get a tiny bit of dry weather? I wish to once again say a huge thank you to all of my amazing writers who always do their best to contribute to SIN! I may not reply to emails, but I see them! Emails are dreadful and I get such a volume of them that I can’t get to them all! But I see you! Thank you, gentle readers, for always picking up our paper and giving us feedback whenever you can!

As I’ve mentioned before... Rag week! I personally hate it, but how do you feel about it? Why don’t you read our article and see?

Bouncers can either be the easiest part about your night or the hardest. Want to read more about bouncers and what others think of them?

Come on over! How do you stay positive during storms? I know I’ve been feeling rather sad over the lack of sunshine! Read our article and see how you can cheer up during such a gloomy time. NUI Galway facilities. This is a topic as old as time and it needs more attention! Go check it out! Addictive apps, they’re all over! I know I love browsing Insta! What’s your favourite app?

LIFESTYLE AND FASHION EDITORIAL

By Catherine Taylor Hello again, everyone and welcome to our special election edition of SIN! With exams looming, what better time to sit back and relax with some tea (or a can) and give your college newspaper a read? This is the new and improved method of procrastination.

As always, the lifestyle and fashion section is full to the brim with all the celebrity content you could ask for. Here’s the lowdown on everything we’re talking about this week.

For starters, we’re discussing everyone’s favourite guilty pleasure reality show, Love Island. Now that the first Winter series has ended, Sarah Molloy is investigating whether it’s really worth our time. Is the show mere harmless fun, or is it perpetuating harmful beauty standards? Read on to find out.

Beauty buffs rejoice, because we’re looking into the “permanent makeup” phenomenon, whilst fashionistas can relive their early 2010’s glory days when Gossip Girl reigned supreme. In our new Gossip Girl series of Styled by the Show, this week, Valerie McHugh is recapping all the best looks ever to grace Blair Waldorf’s petite frame. XOXO. Elsewhere, Sadhbh Hendrick takes a look at singer Adele’s substantial weight loss and whether there truly is a one-size-fits-all, surefire method to dropping the pounds. Read on to see whether weight loss really is as simple as a caloric deficit or keto diet.

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With exams coming down the line faster than a speeding train, many of us are feeling the stress, but not to worry! Opinion editor Anastasia is looking at all the simple ways we can indulge in self-care when we’re feeling overwhelmed.

And speaking of self-care, why not head over to our Foodie Diaries column and rustle up the amazing Isabel Dwyer’s latest recipe?

It’s delicious, nutritious and full acknowledges our obsession with avocadoes. A win/win.

All this and more in the new issue of SIN. As ever, you can get in contact with me at lifestyle.sined@gmail.com. Enjoy the issue!

ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT EDITORIAL

By Sarah Gill Fancy seeing you here.

With another issue of SIN comes another jam-packed Arts and Entertainment section and I’ve got to say - the writing team are by no means losing their momentum. As with every issue, there’s a great selection of reviews, creative pieces and social commentaries that will definitely get you thinking. In honour of the release of Billie Eilish’s Bond theme, Utku Muratoğlu has put together the ultimate top 7 007 theme songs - take a peek and see if you agree. Stevie Buckley has penned an incredibly open letter to Jameela Jamil in the wake of the tirade of public criticism she’s been on the receiving end of lately, while Alanna Phelan has given us a succinct report on the death of Caroline Flack, reflecting on the aftermath on this tragedy. When something like this happens, it stops you in your tracks. It shouldn’t take something as grave as this to remind society to be better and we can all be better.

SPORTS EDITORIAL

By Darren Casserly Hello everyone, and welcome back to issue 10 of SIN. In this issue, Darragh Nolan covers the now infamous Huston Astros cheating scandal, who not only stole the 2017 World series, but the chance for honest teams to compete for the 2018 and 2019 World Series.

A bit closer to home, I take a look at Galway United ahead of the start of the 2020 Airtricity League season.

From the world of kickboxing, Keith Faherty talks to Galway Native Cian McCormack about his career in amateur kickboxing in Ireland, what his hopes for the future and how he prepares for a fight.

In athletics, Harry King writes about pole vaulting phenomenon Armand Duplantis, who broke his own world record and looks set to become the greatest pole vaulter of all-time.

Finally, in the Club Spotlight section, Ilka Denker tells us about the NUI Galway International Gaelic team, and how international students can get involved, what is involved with the club and the benefits of joining.

As always, a big thanks to the contributors and if you would like to get involved just email me at sport.sined@gmail.com

INSIDE: ELECTION SPECIAL!

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STUDENTS’ UNION

ALEX COUGHLAN

DENIS MORTELL

By Mark Lynch

By Mark Lynch

Alex Coughlan is running for the position of Students’ Union President on a campaign based on access to education and listening to the students of NUI Galway. The current Disability Officer spent two years as a class rep and one year as Gender and LGBT Rights Officer before taking up their current position on the Executive Committee. This experience, Alex says, allows them an insight into how improvements can be made to the Union. “From my experience over the past couple of years, I’ve seen what we can do, but I’ve also seen what we can improve and that’s where I want to look forward, to look into what we can do and to use the platform to try and better the experience for all students, and to make improvements where we can”.

Student consultation is a vital part of improving the Union’s representation of all students, says Alex. “I’m prepared to ask them what they want. One of the key things that I really want to do is to actually conduct a full review of the Union – what we do, how we do it, and whether or not it’s working”. This review, they add, would be wide-ranging, from the day to day running, to the election process, to the SU Constitution, and could take the form of focus groups, surveys, and anonymous feedback from the entire student body.

Housing, fees, and the general cost of education are the key issues that Alex feels are affecting students in 2020. However, they prefer to encompass these issues under the umbrella term of access to education. In keeping with the USI’s (Union of Students in Ireland) campaign, Alex highlights the fact that barriers to education can be physical and financial, and they are keen to break those barriers. “For example, if a building is inaccessible, that eliminates a good number of the population from being able to even access that in the first place. If the fees are too high for someone to attend from a low socio-economic background, then they don’t get to attend college, or they have to take on 2 or 3 jobs to pay for it, which obviously has a knock-on effect on your studies. I’ve worked 2 jobs my entire time as a student. So, it’s looking at access and all the ways that access comes up and various ways it presents”. Alex points to the way buildings are designed, the software

that comes with the campus PC suites, I hope the review I want to carry out and the expansion of support services, would address, because it would give especially for those with disabilities, people a forum (for criticism)”. They as examples of how to improve access continue, “It’s something that has to education. come up this semester even with the In terms of how to go about these referendum, that there were groups improvements, Alex feels having a of students that felt marginalised by written student-staff partnership that push. As a student from a queer focused on certain goals would be one and disability background, the creaway of ensuring the University has to tion of those positions felt like being “put their money where their mouth invited in and it’s a case of, if people is”. This would look to bring in the don’t feel represented, then we need practical changes mentioned above, to look at how we can invite more stuas well as ensuring functionality on dents to the table”. campus. “On a very basic level, people One of the reasons cited by the outwant basic services and infragoing SU President, Clare Austick, for structure to work. That the Students’ Union referendum this is something that semester was the inefficiency of havdesperately needs ing such a large Executive Committee. to be done and Alex feels the Exec is still workable funding needs with 19 officers. “It is something that to be looked is feasible and it’s about, again, sitting at for that. So, down and asking people how they feel it’s obviously is best to organise and finding what’s f ighting for best for the most people. Scheduling is those things going to be something that comes up, on a very pracbut that comes up every year, whether tical level, more you have 16 or 18 people, realistically. microwaves, more Especially when you have part-time water coolers, more officers, because realistically, in office working lecture seats”. hours, they’re in class, particularly Alex claims they are willing when you have a lot of arts and scito negotiate on student issues with the ence students. A lot of times, the time University, but stresses the imporbetween lunch time and evening is tance of taking industrial action when just taken up by class, so it’s lookneeds be. Given the example of the ing at what day works for people and recent rent increase on student then narrowing it down to a time accommodations by Atalia within that frame and Student Residences, seeing who’s availAlex insists there able when, but it’s are ways students something that’s One of the can be heard, absolutely doakey things that I “Depending on ble. It just takes really want to do is to the outcomes a bit of organactually conduct a full with the meetising and a review of the Union – ing with the willingness to what we do, how we do Board, they try new things it, and whether or not may decide to at the start of it’s working.” reverse the decithe year”. sion, given the Alex has this amount of bad press final message for that they’ve gotten out of voters on the fence. it. There are options, there’s “I believe in a rights-based protesting key meetings of Údarás (na Union. I believe in a Union that values hOllscoile) or UMT (University Manits members’ voices as much as it values agement Team). There’s the option of the voice of the President. Ultimately, I strikes if it comes down to it, walkouts, see what I’m doing as to facilitate, and like, there are options. It’s a case of to lead, yes, but also facilitate the work looking at what the outcome of the of others, to facilitate the work of VPs, next while is and whether or not that part-time officers and to give people decision will be reversed”. the space to run the kind of things they One of the most common criticisms want. I’m pushing for a Union that is of the Students’ Union is its ability to active and politically active on campus represent and engage with all students. and that values input from everyone, all Alex hopes to address this with open of our members, no matter what their discussion. “If a group of students is experience is with the Union previously. coming to the Union and saying, ‘we That’s what I want to see, and that’s the feel that we’re not represented’, then kind of structure that I lead towards. I that’s something that, as a body, we would hope that that is something peoabsolutely have to take on board and ple identify with and certainly I would we have to ask why. It’s something that ask for a No.1 vote”.

ple. It’s just, if you’re the voice for that group of people, you’re the voice for Denis Mortell is a Final Year Arts stu- that group of people, regardless of dent whose desire to run for Students’ the number of students”. He added, Union President is long-running. Hav- “It’s not a thing of experience. I think ing been a class rep from the start of his at the end of the day, you can have first year, he was initially enthusiastic more experience, but if I truly believe about being involved in the Student’s in myself more, I can definitely get a Union, before losing interest as he pro- better job done. If someone believes gressed through college and saw how that it’s just experience that makes the SU was run. “From the first day, them good at their job, then that’s the I wanted to be President. I lost that a wrong way of thinking. If I believe and bit in second year, but now I’ve spent if I act on all my things, if I canvass the last 3 months planning out all the the strongest, that should be the real things that I want to do. I was talking to decider. If I prove to all the students people, some of my friends, who were on campus that I’m the one who really interested (in the Students’ Union) in feels most strongly, most positively first year, who couldn’t even about the Students’ Union, name the President or then I should be the one the Vice-President, to go forward. Just and I think when experience isn’t it gets to that, enough”. He also “I’m a it’s not good, points out that workhorse. And I’ve b e c au s e i t ’s he still acts as no problem speaking to the Students’ an unofficial people, I’ve no problem Union. It class rep for being the one voice for should go to his economics everyone else. 20,000 every corner class. people is the same as of the UniverDe-stigma20 people.” sity; it shouldn’t tising mental just be a group health is also of of friends or just a massive importance clique. I find that it’s a to Dennis’ campaign. clique these days more so than a “It’s still something that’s being union of students”. pushed under a table, everyone says Engaging with students is key for ‘yeah, let’s bring a change, let’s bring improving the Students’ Union, says a change’, but the University aren’t Dennis. “One thing that I want to inte- tackling it well enough. I’m lucky grate is having open hours from the enough to never have had to avail of Convenors for students. Let’s say the the counselling services. But, if I did, Convenor of Engineering sits at the SU if things went not great for me in the desk for an hour, 4-5, 3-4, whatever next couple of months, I wouldn’t even time they’re free, and any student know where to start looking on campus from the engineering college can go to find counselling services or anyup to them and talk to them. For me to thing, because I feel like they’re hidden find the Convenor of Arts, I wouldn’t away”. He feels that marking the even know their name and counselling services with I’m a final year Arts stua large green X would dent. (That would) take away from the bring the connectaboo of walktion from student ing in to try to Convenor to and improve the Council in your mental 3 steps”. Denis health. “We also wants to all go to the bring regular student doccharity events to t o r, w e a l l campus, to bring take care of our students together physical health for worthy causes, on an open basis with the students decidand mental health is ing which charities the just taking care of ourfunds would be raised for. selves still. Why should that be Denis feels that his work ethic concealed? Why should that be hidand his belief should make up for his den away? Why should that be quiet? apparent lack of experience on the Stu- It should be vocal, you should be able dents’ Union Executive Committee. to say ‘oh look, there’s the counsel“I’m a workhorse. And I’ve no problem ling services’. It should be completely speaking to people, I’ve no problem destigmatised and keeping it hidden being the one voice for everyone else. away is something that riles me up 20,000 people is the same as 20 peo- too much”.

ELECTION SPECIAL PADRAIC TOOMEY

By Mark Lynch Despite a promise Padraic Toomey made to himself in secondary school, to never get into student politics, the current Clubs’ Captain finds himself in the running for Students’ Union President after seeing, this year, how the SU can accomplish goals and help students. “(In the SU) You actually feel listened to, you have say and that’s why I got into the Students’ Union and got to love it again”.

Representing over 20,000 students is nothing of a deterrent for Padraic, as he points to his compassion and outgoing nature. “I love talking to people. I love listening to other people’s experiences.

I think I can represent a large number of students just from the sole fact that I want to hear how people are doing, what they want in life and what they want from the Students’ Union. So, I think, I’m a good representative for the Union, and especially as President, because I can actually represent them and talk to them, because I want to hear what they want”.

Padraic is adamant that equality and removing the barriers to education are key to his would-be term of presidency. This includes financial barriers, such as the cost of accommodation. “I think students are being priced out of education and the University is trying to become more of a business than a public body. If you were to think of a primary school and there was a money-making w ay t h e re , i t wouldn’t be right in your head. Universities’ sole purpose should be for education and betterment of students and betterment of society. But that’s not seen a lot, especially when university-owned property is pricing students out of the place”. He continues with praise for the USI’s national campaign, Break the Barriers. “I love the Break the Barriers campaign, I think we really need to push for it, because there are barriers to education. The repeat fee could even be seen as a barrier to education. Everyone should have an equal opportunity for everything. I want to make sure students are always taken care of and always remembered”.

One of Padraic’s tasks this year as Clubs’ Captain is the organising of Clubs’ Ball, which, combined with his experience organising trips and events for sports teams, gives him event management skills that make

his goal of a one-day campus festival of the rent increase in Corrib Village realistic, according to him. “I want and Goldcrest. “You need to show that more events on campus. I want just a students really care. Really, this isn’t better atmosphere on campus, where affecting us. Right now, this is affecting we feel valued”. future first years and future years on Padraic also says that making things that, because it’ll just keep going and as easy as possible is an important step it’s the new people who get screwed for any change, and simple things like the most. While it doesn’t look like it giving out keepcups and labelling bins affects the rest, it does, because the clearly and thoroughly can make private sector goes up as the puba big difference, while as lic sector goes up. I feel like many classrooms as I get passionate about possible should it because I really be kept open for want it just to “I love the study in the run stop and I know Break the Barriers up to exams. the only way to campaign... because These all make do it is just if there are barriers to up basic issues, you make your education. Everyone according to voice very should have an equal Padraic. “I loud and show opportunity for feel like every that you won’t everything.” university in stop unless it’s the country talks stopped. You’ll about more microwant the students waves and more water raising their voice and coolers on campus, but even protesting it. It’d be crazy if water coolers come back to the envi- we didn’t protest it”. ronment. If people find it easier to buy As the Clubs’ Captain, Padraic has a bottle of water, they’ll buy a bottle had experience of the inner workings of instead of refilling one. You need to the SU, without becoming too attached. make it as easy as possible. And micro- “I think I have the best of both worlds waves – it should be a basic thing that because I was on the outside and then this you can heat up your food and enjoy year, I got into the inside, I learned eveyour food. Even seating, the lack of rything I needed to know, like best ways seating, in my head, these are all basics to talk to someone in the University and – seating, food, water. It shouldn’t be how to deal with people in the University. easier to buy a bottle of Coke I think it’s a good advantage to have an than refill your water outside view, but by being in the Union, bottle, which it is you have a support network, but also find here on campus”. it easier to find out information on how to On the point of talk to University staff, let’s say, because student engage- it is an art in itself to even know what’s ment, Padraic the best way to contact certain people”. wants to take Having been captain of the swimactive initia- ming club before his current role, tive, including Padraic says he knows what it’s like giving students to participate in and organise large the chance to groups. “I really enjoyed it and I meet the Execu- learned that I love working with peotive Committee once ple and what’s the best way to work a month for a coffee with people, how to make sure everyand a chat. He also spoke thing’s running smoothly and ensure of the importance of including people actually feel like they’re enjoystudents of the College of Hotel Man- ing it too, and that nobody’s doing too agement in Shannon, and regular visits much work because they’re sharing to that campus. the workload”.

Physical and academic accessibility As a final message to voters on the are also essential to Padraic’s campaign. fence, Padraic says: “At the core of it, I He says he was a big fan of the Univer- want students to be valued and I want sity of Sanctuary initiative, which the University to stick with what it says allows more people to access education. when it talks about respect and openHe also says, in terms of physical access, ness, and for students to feel respected the University should have a system in even for the basics. For microwaves, place for students to flag broken doors, for water fountains, for seating, they lecture seats, etc. to the buildings office, feel that they are taken care of and similar to the way that ISS works for valued and respected because, at the technological issues. moment, not all the time you do. They Padraic then outlined how he would just keep adding students and don’t go about representing the students increase the funding and how we’re on important matters that need to actually taken care of, so I really want be taken care of, using the example students to feel valued”.

STUDENTS’ UNION PRESIDENT

Another issue of utmost importance to students today is the price of student accommodation, which Denis feels the Students’ Union isn’t doing enough to combat. “Back when I was in first year, we had the Cúirt shakedown. Why isn’t something like that happening again? We made national news with the Cúirt shakedown. We need to vocalise when we’re being put down or stepped on. If we stand up to it in an organised fashion, the university will be scared almost to push us down again. We need to light the fire underneath the heads of the University and make sure that they don’t screw us over again. That goes across the board with private housing as well”. Denis also wants to see workshops brought in where student tenants in private housing can learn more about their rights, while he feels that he’s the right person to negotiate with the University on difficult issues. “I’ve no problem going there, and I know they’ll all be against me if I’m coming in with something like housing. They want to widen their pockets, but I’m ok to go in. I’m stronghearted. I’ll go in and I’ll talk to them for hours and hours and hours until we come to an agreement that benefits the students, not this 10 or 12 people at the top”.

Denis is keen to maintain a strong on-campus presence should he be elected, which, he says, may come at the price of certain involvements with the USI at a national level. “If it’s something that benefits us and helps the people on our campus, then yes, 100%, but if it’s something where we’re going up to protest against something and it’s almost just a protest to protest, I’d feel like we should take a step back and focus on ourselves. That’d be a day where I’d be on campus. That’d be a day where the VPs would be on campus and that might make a difference. I want to be the President who’s on campus. I want to walk down the concourse and have people know me. So, I’m not saying to ignore the USI, but I think we should focus more so on ourselves than the USI”.

Denis has a number of other initiatives he would like to bring to campus, which are outlined in his manifesto. These include backwards vending machine, which would reward students with SU card points for recycling glass on campus, a oneday campus festival involving only students, and re-styling NUI Galway merchandise. He would also like to add more defibrillators outside on campus, bring back the shuttle bus from Corrib Village to Lidl and make sanitary products for women much more available on campus.

As a final message for voters on the fence, Dennis says: “You should vote for me because I bet you’ll have seen me on campus. That’s it. I’ll be shouting and roaring and making sure everyone sees me on campus”.

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STUDENTS’ UNION

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ELLEN O’DONOGHUE

SIMEON BURKE

By Mark Lynch

By Mark Lynch

Ellen O’Donoghue is in third year of her undergraduate degree, where she’s studying Journalism, Gaeilge and English. She explains that she’s wanted to run for the position of Welfare and Equality Officer for a long time, but now feels that it’s the right time for her. “I’ve always wanted to run, since first year.

This year, I saw everything that was happening and I have nothing against the SU, but I think that there’s kind of a disconnect there, and since I’m only 20, I think I’m in the right headspace to do it, so I just decided, why not?”

Ellen says that her biggest concern for students today is mental health, and she outlines that she’s seen first-hand that changes need to be made. “I’m big into mental health and I have a few friends with disabilities. I can see what’s wrong and I’m sick of waiting around for things to change, so I just decided I’d change it myself”.

In terms of how she wants to go about making change, Ellen says she has plans to revamp the counselling services at a low cost and effort. “I want to work on the counselling services. They really annoy me and it’s a really clinical place in there, so I want to paint it, like, little steps.

What I want to do is a lot of little things i n s t e a d o f re a l l y b i g , e x t rava g a nt things that some people lay out, and I don’t really see the point (in doing that) because it’s really hard to get a lot of big things done in a year”.

Ellen was class rep for her first year, but aside from that, has never before been involved in the Students’ Union.

This, she explains, is part of why she wanted to run this year, as people sometimes see the SU, and those involved in it, as a separate entity entirely to the rest of the students.

“I’ve never been involved (with the SU). I was class rep for Journalism in first year, but I had no idea what I was doing. I went to one meeting. I would know a lot of people who are studying different things, and not that people are scared of the SU, but they’re up in the Bailey Allen and there’s a kind of stigma around them. So, I want to break that. I get along with so many people and I’m not ‘one of them’”.

Ellen has other specific ideas that she feels would help, especially first years, acclimatise to life away from home. “One of the main things I want to do is an NUIG survival pack for first years. So,

“I want to work on the counselling services.

They really annoy me and it’s a really clinical place in there, so I want to paint it, like, little steps. What I want to do is a lot of little things instead of really big, extravagant things that some people lay out.”

the incoming first years would get a wee pack with, say, recipe ideas for cooking for one, because I still struggle with that. I’m more a meal planner, but if I knew in first year

how to make enough dinners and how to budget, and budget realistically, I would have been much better off. A lot of the times, when you Google it (budgeting), it doesn’t take into account going out and drink and vodka and stuff like that, so I’d like a realistic one of those that includes how to get exercise in, or ways to exercise at home if you don’t have the confidence to go to the gym, stuff like that just to keep yourself right”.

As well as mental health, counselling, and help for first years, accommodation is another one of

Ellen’s key points. “I want people to stop looking at the University like it’s a business. It’s actually registered as a charity, but they’re treating it like a business. DCU students are saying that now as well, and I want that to change. I want to show that students are not just students, like we’re not stupid, if that makes sense!” Ellen adds that she would be willing to work diplomatically with the University to achieve small steps, especially at first, to problems like these. “I think it (my method) would be small steps.

I’d rather make small steps than make a big fight out of it. I’d rather go in and see what their opinion is and try compromise on it and build blocks, like, because I’m not going to miraculously save everyone €750, but if I could save people €100, I’d be happy”.

Ellen believes it’s difficult to know if all of her aims would be achievable in the one year, but that it would be important to get the small things done. “I think I won’t know until I get in there, but I think there’s a few of them that would be (achievable). It’s not hard to get somebody in, like get a nutritionist or something like that, to do up 10 different meals and you can alternate that over 2 weeks, and then (for the counselling services) it doesn’t cost much to get some cushions or blankets or paint. I was thinking of going through Facebook marketplace and stuff, because I know there’s a lot of people that give things away for free on that, and if I could just get 3 cushions, if someone was doing up their sitting room, it would make it a lot better”.

Ellen is also no stranger to working in large groups that are pushing for change. “I actually volunteered with JIGSAW and Foroige until around 2018, so I’m used to working with fairly big groups. There was a lot of us with Fóroige, it was the national panel or one of those things, and there would have been about 50/60 of us in that, and we’d be put into separate groups and then alternate each other and ideas and stuff. Then with JIGSAW, I was on the youth advisory panel, so there was about 20 of us there, so it’s something I’m used to”.

As a final message to voters who are on the fence, Ellen says: “I want to rebuild the bridge between you and the SU”.

Simeon Burke is running for the position of the Students’ Union Welfare and Equality Officer because of growing concerns he has with the way the SU is run and the representation of all students. He asserts his reasoning behind running, “To look at the bigger picture, I’m running to promote real inclusivity and diversity and hopefully get students involved in the Students’ Union and ensure that students feel included in the Students’ Union, who I know, at the moment, just don’t feel it’s there for them at all”.

Simeon outlines that he has concerns over the Students’ Union’s commitment to representing any students who he says, “don’t ascribe to a certain type of ideology”, and their commitment to inviting debate with differing opinions. “I am concerned about issues around inclusivity and diversity. When I say that, I mean real diversity, in every way because, I think at the moment what you have is a diversity in everything but opinion, to a certain extent, and that’s an issue”. He references an example of the Students’ Union posting a video, which he felt alienated students who believed same-sex

Simeon believes that he will change that by being ready to engage with any student. “(I am) somebody who has respect for all beliefs and really treasures the idea that we have a union and we have a student society on campus that respects every belief and says to every student, it doesn’t matter what your perspective is, what your belief is, what your lifestyle is, where you come from in regard to all of these different ideologies and beliefs, you feel welcomed and respected. I am somebody who is

tolerant and respectful and I hope that if I was elected, I hope that’s what I would be characterised by and that’s certainly what I would aim to be characterised by – a respect for all students and an approach that says it doesn’t matter what your perspective is, what your belief is, you’re welcome, you’re respected and your voice matters because I think that’s missing at the moment”.

Simeon also high“I think at the lights interactions moment what you have he’s had with is a diversity in everything students who but opinion, to a certain extent, h av e a s k e d and that’s an issue... If you have him to abolish a Students’ Union, no matter the Students’ what your beliefs or what your Union, as well as the poor turnpersonal positions are, you out in recent have to develop respect by-elections, and inclusivity for all as symptoms of students.” a deeper, underlying issue within the Students’ Union, which marriage he feels nobody has yet to is wrong, as an acknowledge. “I just think that if example of the Union failing to we really want to see engagement, we represent all students. “This is the Students’ need to recognise the fact that we have Union that represents me and that repre- to tolerate discussion and we have to tolsents my friends and represents, apparently erate people in the Students’ Union and every student on campus, but they put up a we have to welcome everybody into the video mocking anybody who believed that Students’ Union and say, ‘look, it doesn’t same-sex marriage is wrong. That’s just matter what you believe in these issues, problematic. If you have a Students’ Union, we’ll have a debate about them’, because no matter what your beliefs or what your a debate is, at the end of the day, the corpersonal positions are, you have to develop nerstone of the proper and successful respect and inclusivity for all students”. democracy and a proper political system”.

ELECTION SPECIAL

RÓISÍN NIC LOCHLAINN

By Mark Lynch Róisín Nic Lochlainn is running for the position of Welfare and Equality Officer because she has seen first-hand the difference they can make. “I’ve been through a lot of things that people who go to the Welfare Officer would be going through, so in first year, the main reason I said I want to do this is because Clare Austick actually helped me when she was Welfare Officer when I was in digs and I just had no rights. When you’re in digs, the landlord can throw you out whenever they want, so that’s the main reason I want to run. As well, I’ve been an activist since I was 16, so community activism, political activism.

I’ve been at housing protests, and the water charges, I came up from Antrim to fight them. I want to help people, basically”.

In terms of the qualities and skills set she has that could benefit her in this role, Róisín says her own personal experience will allow her to help others who are struggling. “I think to be in activism and politics, you have to have compassion, you have to have basic empathy and, like I said, I’ve been through a lot of the things a person would go through, wanting to drop out, financial issues, not liking your course, missing home, all that, so I know how it works. I would say it’s one of the most important roles because being at college, you want to feel welcome, you don’t want to be miserable all the time”.

Róisín says the financial aspect of university is what’s affecting the most students. “My biggest thing would be affordable accommodation. With the 4% rent increases, the SU is meant to be there to represent the students and I don’t feel like the SU has done that. If you look at UCC, they’re camping out there until the rent increases have been reversed. My main thing would be lobbying the SU President and the Atalia board and TDs to get affordable accommodation”. As well as this, she would like to see students engage in the SU’s actions. “The SU’s work has to be directly associated with the students, so, let the students have their input and lobby the boards, as I said, and the President and the Bursar and have direct action, have protests, have camp outs, lobby TDs, all that kind of stuff. Create a mass movement, because I don’t think we’ve seen that done, maybe since repeal, but on housing, you don’t really see a lot done but it is an issue that is big to me”. She added, “A lot of people don’t know that it was pro-

posed in legislation to let a third party of a political society for 3 years now. person handle the deposits between the It wouldn’t be anything as big as that tenants and the landlords so that the (the SU Exec), but I was the chairperlandlords can’t keep people’s deposits, son and it was mainly me organising but it never actually passed, so (I will everything, liaising with the rest of also be) lobbying for that to get passed, the committee. We’ve organised prohopefully starting a campaign and pro- tests, events that would come under testing that. Also the health unit as equality, so that well, I think that the fact that kind of thing for some things, you have would be to pay fees is ridiculous.

Healthcare should be free”.

“The SU’s work has Róisín is to be directly associated a l s o ke e n t o with the students, so, let the take action students have their input and on issues like lobby the boards and the President mental health and the Bursar and have direct and tenants’ action, have protests, have camp right. “I’d like outs, lobby TDs, all that kind of to give mental stuff. Create a mass movement, health training because I don’t think to class reps, lecwe’ve seen that done turers, societies, on housing.” clubs, anyone that deals with students, and suicide prevention awareness, stuff like that. I familiar to also want to look into hiring a fullme. Just working as time campus psychiatrist on campus, well, like, I’ve been working precarious because counsellors only being there at jobs since I was 16”. certain times is ridiculous”. On helping She’s never taken up any position student tenants, Róisín says, “I want before within the Students’ Union, to set up a scheme to deal with living although Róisín doesn’t see that as a conditions, because in some places, negative thing. “I think, personally, there’d be mould and that. I want to it gives me an advantage because create a scheme where students can it’s someone from the outside going honestly put reviews of their accom- in. I’m just an ordinary student like modation without fear of being kicked everyone else. I go to the SU Council out. And reduce parking fees, abolish meetings and the Working Group for exam repeat the levy to see how we can reduce that, so I have an insight into it, but I think it’s good I haven’t been on the SU. I think someone new should come in that’s not on the inside and I also think there needs to be some reform of the SU. It’s always just people already in the SU that go for positions and I think, especially for Welfare and Equality, it has to be someone that isn’t just wanting a step up the ladder and a job. I think it should be someone in it who cares about people”.

As a final message to voters who are on the fence, Róisín makes this plea: “You should vote for me because I have experience in activism. I’ve been looking to change things for 4 years now. Nothing really is happening. My main things are mental health, affordable accommodation and breaking fees, because people can be repeat- the barriers to education, because we ing exams for any reason, like mental all know someone that’s either had to health, and you can’t just decide when decline their offer completely, because you have a down day, it can happen they just simply can’t afford to live here, any time”. or drop out halfway through college and Róisín points to her own political go home. I want to fight the landlords involvement as the experience she and lobby TDs to make a big change. I needs to work effectively in the Execu- want to bring in better Wi-Fi as well, tive Committee. “I’ve been chairperson and more parking spaces”.

WELFARE & EQUALITY OFFICER

Accommodation is also something that Simeon considers a big issue for students today and feels the Students’ Union is not putting their resources into this as much as it should, which is another reason that engagement is low.

“I think in terms of these part-time positions, we have a position for LGBT and ethnic minorities. I would ask, what are those officers doing of value for students?

I think they should go, and I think what we should be doing is focusing on practical issues and accommodation is one of them. I would say if we had an officer for accommodation, rather than officer for LGBT or ethnic minorities or postgrad students, I think students would benefit a lot more practically from that”. Simeon also points to the closure of Caife na Gaeilge as a situation where he felt the Union’s priorities weren’t right.

Following the news that two NUI Galway students died fighting for ISIS, as well as the revelation of the misuse of funds by the Galway University Foundation, Simeon says he expected more and better representation from the Students’ Union. “I go back to people saying it should be abolished. That will grow unless it actually becomes meaningful and I think, in order for it to become meaningful, it needs to start taking practical decisions and I would be in favour of radical reform and abolishing a lot of these positions”. Simeon also questions the practicality of the USI, whose membership fee, he says, should be going to students of NUI Galway instead.

He also feels that, should he be elected, the SU’s response to the University management would be more united. “I think it should be the students pulling together and saying we’re not going to accept financial intransparency, we’re going to demand an apology from the UM, and if they don’t apologise, we will use our clout to make them apologise”. Simeon believes it would be an improvement if “we emanate a message of pulling together to stand up for our own rights and that we can do it and take on the University Management if needs be. We’re not there to cause trouble, but we need to be able and willing to cause trouble if the need arises”. Simeon also points to his experience representing NUI Galway as a Law student, as well as his membership on the committee of An Cumann Staire, as examples of his willingness for working in teams.

As a final message to voters on the fence, Simeon says: “I think the Students’ Union is rotten at the moment. I think it’s hugely messed up and if I was elected, I would promise to shake it up and try make it more representative of the students. I’m concerned about the suitability of other candidates to this role. I’m very concerned about the way the Students’ Union is going. We need a Union that’s inclusive, that’s really diverse in opinion as well as everything else, where every student feels welcome and we need the will to radically reform the way things are done. So that’s what I would hope to bring to the SU and if you have common ground with me on any of those things, I’d appreciate your vote”.

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VICEPRESIDENT

STUDENTS’ UNION

8

KENNY COOKE

By Mark Lynch Kenny Cooke is running for the position of Education Officer in order to help students and use his experience to improve things for students on the NUI Galway campus.

He sums up why he put himself forward for the position, “I just wanted an opportunity to make things better for students around here”.

He says his personality would make him an Education Officer who can listen to students and fight for them when needs be. “First of all, I’m friendly and approachable. It’s all well having someone who can do it (the job), but if nobody’s going to go up and talk to them, they’re not going to get much done. I’m quite good with people, I think, but also, I’m not afraid to say what I’m thinking. If I see something that I think isn’t right, I’m not afraid to say ‘right, well, actually, I’ve a problem with this, what can we do to sort it here?’”.

On the kinds of issues he intends to rectify for students, Kenny says that Irish language students are a priority for him, as they’re currently being ignored. He also points out that a re-shaping of the Executive Committee, due to the merging of the Colleges of Engineering and Science, is an urgent issue that needs solving. “The Convenor of Science and Engineering in these elections coming up is going to be one position rather than two, and that is an awful lot of work. Just being the Convenor of Science this year, it’s quite stressful, more so than I thought it was going to be. There’s no overlap socially or academically (between the two colleges). It’s too wide a margin, so in the next week or two, I’m going to be working with Cameron and Sachi (Sinha, outgoing Convenor for Engineering) because the three of us have to just sit down and figure out what’s going to happen”.

Kenny also highlights the distinct lack of water coolers around campus, and outlines how he’d like to see what the University’s plan of action is after Brexit.

“I’d like to work with the University and see, for students from the 6 counties, after Brexit, what sort of supports are they going to be afforded? Nationally, you know, that’s one issue, but what’s the university going to do to support students, are they going to charge them the domestic Irish fees, EU fees, non-EU fees, what’s the story?” He says that he also wants to reform exam timetables, with final years getting priority.

From Kenny’s own experience, wherein he was narrowly over the margin to receive the SUSI grant, he understands the financial struggles that affect students, and the barriers to education that they create. “I think access to education is a big barrier. There are other

countries which we have a higher GDP than, which we’re per person wealthier than, and they have a higher access to education. I don’t see how it makes sense if we want to be this modern progressive society, when we can’t send every person who wants to go to university, to university. There’s a disconnect and it’s the same with accommodation. You’re effectively recreating a two-stream class system which we’ve been emerging from the last 100 years. Education is slowly going that way because of all these extra

SCOTT GREEN I’m in my fourth year now and I see how it works, I see how the system works. I’m close enough to know the procedure for certain things but there are a lot of things I can see I’d like to change about the way it operates. I don’t think I’m too close to see changes that need to be made. I’d like to try heighten student engagement. I’d like to encourage more people. I hear all the time ‘Kenny, you’re in the SU’. Well, actually, we’re all in the Students’ Union, it’s just that I’m taking this involved role in it. I’d like to encourage people to not see it as ‘there’s these people over here and they’re in the SU and they can sometimes do things, but we can’t’, when the whole point of the Students’ Union is empowerment. I’d like to encourage people to not think ‘you’re in the SU’, but ‘we’re in the SU’. We can do something, we just need to get together and see what we can do”.

Kenny feels he has experience to help him assimilate into this role.

“I have experience from when I was growing up. I was in the scouts and you learn leadership as you progress up along it. I’m on a management team back home for a unit of Order of Malta, Birr-Roscrea, so that’s a leadership role where you’re involved in the decisionmaking process. Being on the Exec as well, that’s leadership itself. As the Convenor of Science, you are effectively in a similar role, as the SU Education Officer is to the Convenor what the Convenor is to the Class Reps. I’m on the committee of Rover Soc as well, I’ve been in positions where I’ve been the decision-maker and I’ve been able to motivate people to keep going”.

Kenny has this to say to voters on the fence: “I just feel like I’m the right candidate for the job. I have the drive, I know how the SU

costs, so, on paper, yeah, we have free third level education. Realistically, there are a lot of barriers for people to get into university”.

Kenny then explained what he could do for students to tackle these barriers. “As Education Officer, you’re a voice for the students. You can go and lobby to the University and I’m not sure what, directly, the Union can do. We don’t have the funding or the resources to start doing that, but we could ask the University for bursaries.

“I think access to I was at that meeteducation is a big barrier. ing last week There are other countries in the library, which we have a higher GDP than, where Ciarán Ó hÓgartaigh, the which we’re per person wealthier University Presthan, and they have a higher access ident, said they to education. I don’t see how it might be able to makes sense if we want to be find bursaries for this modern progressive accommodation. If society.” we could encourage more of that, if the system isn’t going to change, we could at least encourage the University to be more accomworks. I don’t modating for students who do come up see it as a disadvanagainst financial difficulties, because it’s tage being close to how it has worked. I a real issue”. see it as I know the procedures and how As someone who has been involved to go about things and get things done in in the Students’ Union for a few years the Students’ Union. I’m approachable. I now, Kenny is keen to reject the notion have a lot of ideas which I would say are of a ‘they’ who are involved in the SU, good and would be good moving forward and the rest of the students who aren’t. and I feel like I’d be the right voice for the “I’ve been involved since second year, students of NUI Galway”.

By Mark Lynch

and fees, as well as physical, with many buildings difficult to manage for people Scott Green is running for the position with restricted mobility. It can also come of Students’ Union Education Officer, in the form of access to information and primarily, to give back to the student com- study materials, which Scott says needs to munity. “I’ve got a lot out of the Students’ be reformed. “I think one of the best things Union and I felt it was time to give some- we can do right now is look at how we thing back, because provide our education. Could we move I’ve quite away from heavy tomes of infore n j oye d mation and could we move to a more digital ecofriendlier approach?”

“It’s up to us to They also reference Open Scholarship, bridge that gap with which Scott goes whatever community it is on to explain, that are saying the Union isn’t “It’s about movdoing enough. The Union, as an ing away from organisation, has a hand in quite a licenced, publot of different aspects. The more lished products we do, the more we have to do and trying to well, and at the heart of the mind open inforUnion, we’re here for mation on those every student.” same things”. They add that this ties into removing unnecessary costs to students as well. my time here Scott also has many ideas for in NUI Galway, the new redevelopment of the James participating in the Galway student move- Hardiman Library, such as social spaces, ment and student community. I felt that, a 24-hour study space, a sensory room, and since it was in my power to give something a few more group study rooms. back, that I should and I felt that this posiThey are also keen to draft a studenttion was the best use of my abilities, the staff partnership in order to encourage best combination of my skills and expereal engagement. rience.

“Basically, Scott is the current SU Council Chairperson, and has previously been Convenor for Science, which they say gives them a wealth of experience representing students. As well as this, they say their own experiences through university make them a suitable candidate, having gone through DARE, being a SUSI applicant and dealit’s ing with the deferral process. a doc“I’ve gone through a lot of the ument channels and I’ve dealt with a lot of that sets up the problems personally and helped others both students and through the problems that the Education the University to work collaboratively to Officer is expected to anyway. I’ve become agree to, and then by certain deadlines, quite familiar with a lot of the structures improve the student experience, mainly that are already here and I can apply that. based on the student experience and I will admit that I don’t know everything. engaging students more and using that It’s up to me to reach out to students and information and those channels to actuwhen my information is lacking, to get that ally improve the student experience in from them. The combination of experience the way that students want, as opposed and skills is only the beginning. It’s also up to, say, the way the University thinks it to me to reach out and fill in the gaps in my should improve”. Scott also highlights how knowledge that I don’t have”. they’d like to build more of a relationship Scott feels that the rent crisis is the with the Shannon College of Hotel Manmost pressing issue for students right agement. now, but focusing on access to education Despite the failure of the SU Referenin general is their goal. This comes in the dum this year to cut down on the number form of financial access, which they say of Executive Officers, Scott believes they is restricted by accommodation prices have the ability to work in, and lead, in a

ELECTION SPECIAL EMMA SWEENEY

By Mark Lynch

ics and just working with a lot of students in general, I think that’s given me a lot of experience, and also, I’m still always trying to learn”. She continued, “education is so important and a lot of students can’t get through it because they don’t know who to turn to, they don’t know where to go, they don’t know what resources they have available to them and there is a wealth of resources available on campus that is there for them – they just don’t know about it”.

Emma feels she has the right tools to work with staff and management within the University in order to represent students and make changes.

“This year, I’ve met with people in the SU itself and I’ve spoken to them about how to get things done. I think it’s important to know the right people and know the right paths to go down so you’re not overwhelming yourself.

I think it’s important to know where to start and be logical about it so you start small and build up, as you don’t want to create a bigger problem from not knowing where to go. I’ve learned a lot of problem-solving skills over the last year, so to be able to start small and know the right pathways, talk to the right people, make those connections with the right people straight off the bat”.

Despite having never been involved in the Students’ Union before, Emma feels her dealings with officers this year means she’s not com-

Emma Sweeney was the last candidate across all 3 full-time positions to submit her nomination, but she admits the role of Education Officer was one she had considered for a while, “I was thinking about it for a while and a few people said to me that I’d be good for the position so I said, let’s have a serious think about it”.

Working as the graduate intern at CÉIM, Emma says she has been heavily involved in helping students this year, “I’ve seen a lot of areas where teaching and learning could be improved and ways that student engagement could be improved, especially for younger students and any students who are struggling. We’ve seen it a lot through CÉIM. We’ve seen the pitfalls and we’ve seen where we can help them and I’d like to be another voice to be able to help them and liaise between staff and students”. She also explains how her work in CÉIM has given her many transferrable skills to help her as Education Officer, “I’ve learned how to approach academics more and I’m open to hearing a lot of students’ opinions this year. I think I can really help to improve their experience overall and being so heavily involved in the education side of it has given me a real idea of what students need and what experience they’re looking for”.

Emma adds that her own experience of third-level education would be helpful in understanding people’s struggles, “I think that (my) experience of education, going straight through from Leaving Cert to college, and the transition was a little bit tougher as well because I was younger and just the struggles that you deal with. I went on Erasmus as well – it wasn’t so much a struggle but it’s another experience that needs support and “Education students need to know where is so important and to look for the support, so I’d a lot of students can’t get like to be another place for that and where students through it because they don’t can feel safe, where they know who to turn to, they don’t can find the support know where to go, they don’t know and the options they what resources they have available have, because I know I’ve to them and there is a wealth of experienced it myself, as resources available on campus – every other student has they just don’t know experienced it. So, student about it”. engagement is really what I’d like to see happen more and that’s really why I’m running, to improve the student experience”.

Emma outlines how she believes strongly in education and giving people ing from an every opportunity to get through the eduentirely outside point of view. “I feel like cation system. “I’m not from the best area I am somewhere in the middle. Last year, in Galway, so I’ve seen a lot of people not it wouldn’t have even dawned on me to pass through the education system. For me, run for a position like this. I was just a it’s important to give every student every regular student, wasn’t involved with the opportunity they can have to pass through SU. I knew it existed and had really good that education system and not get stuck friends who were on the SU, but I feel like in a rut and have to drop out for whatever now I’ve worked with a lot of them for the reason. I also think being involved in the last year and I see the really good work education side, meeting a lot of academics they can do. I feel like because I was that this year, working with a lot of academstudent in first and second year, where I

had no idea what was going on in the college, I feel like having no background in it, in a way, is beneficial as well, because I’m learning and I’m trying to help people come along. I’ll have a fresh view of what it will be like. I know I haven’t the experience a lot of people have but I think I can bring a fresh perspective to it”.

Emma also runs a martial arts club in her spare time, while she has been heavily involved in CÉIM throughout her whole university life.

According to

her, this will help her work in the large Executive Committee efficiently. “I am really used to working with all sorts of different people, knowing people’s strengths and weaknesses and knowing where they have to improve. I feel like I can see straight away where the problems lie, how to move things along a bit quicker and making sure that everyone feels important and heard is always super important”. She added how her other responsibilities would also help her in a leadership capacity, “I’ve had the experience of having to work through college, so I don’t just do college, I also work. So I think trying to balance those things is really important and I feel like I’ve been in a lot of leadership positions. With CÉIM, I was a leader for 3 years. With running a club, I’m a leader there every week, so I feel like being in a leadership position is something that I’m comfortable with and something I’m used to and I’m quite used to speaking on behalf of minorities. I can really help with student engagement and student experience, and also just being a leader”.

As a final message to voters on the fence, Emma says: “I want to show that I’m a driven and committed candidate and I will work for whoever, because I’ve always balanced work and college and I feel like I am driven in my other aspects of life. I’m quite highly motivated and I feel like I understand the problems and the flaws with certain aspects of the University and certain things that can be improved, and I think my experience over the last couple of years has been really important.

EDUCATION OFFICER

team that size. “The only time I’ve been on the exec is when there has been 19 people, because I only came on 2 years ago, so I’ve worked specifically in that environment with that many officers before. I’m vice-chair for Galway Community Pride and I was involved as their fundraising co-ordinator last year and that’s a committee of about 15 as well, and then in terms of the Writing Soc committee, that I’ve been on for, some would say too long now at this stage, that usually ends up around 10/11, so I’m no stranger to what some would deem as large committees. I’m no stranger to operating either at the top of or anywhere within those structures”.

Scott says that their experience in the Students’ Union, and the processes of getting things done, is of huge benefit, although it doesn’t mean they know everything. “I think I can get the benefit of knowing how the ‘inside track’, as it were, works, while still missing some things, because I don’t know, for example, as a postgraduate student, what the Union is or isn’t doing for me, because I’ve never had that experience.

As someone who doesn’t use a mobility aid, I don’t know how accessible the majority of our events are, because I’m not involved with the majority of our events. And I can talk about my experience with the Union but there are experiences, even in terms of student life, that I will not and have not experienced. It’s not necessarily up to us to go ‘the Union does this or doesn’t do this’, it’s a case of, if students are coming to the Union saying ‘we don’t feel represented’ or ‘you’re not doing enough on X’, it’s up to the Union to address that and work on that on themselves”. They continued, “It’s up to us to bridge that gap with whatever community it is that are saying there’s not enough of this from the Union, or the Union isn’t doing enough on Y. The Union, as an organisation, has a hand in quite a lot of different aspects. We’re not solely an academic body, we’re not solely a welfare body, we’re not solely a science body. We do an awful lot. The more we do, the more we have to do well, and at the heart of the Union, we’re here for every student and we shouldn’t necessarily shun anyone if they point out flaws in our system”.

As a message to any voters who are on the fence, Scott says: “I think I’m bringing fresh ideas to the table. It occurs quite a lot that education manifestos have been accused of being the most same-y. I would be hesitant to look at any others and mine and say that they’re very similar. That’s not because I don’t want to focus on the issues that are there, but it’s just that we know a lot of the issues that are existent, we know they’re there, we know we have to work on them. It’s what you can do surplus to that, and I think I’m the only candidate that’s bringing my mix of experience, skills, and outside qualifications, as well as inside qualifications, in terms of the Union, to this role. And that’s why I think I’m the best fit. Nobody’s bringing to the table what I am”.

9

VICEPRESIDENT

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STUDENTS’ UNION

Outgoing SU President welcomes increased student involvement in elections

By Paddy Henry Being the President of the Students’ Union can’t be an easy job. In fact, most would see a remit of representing the interests and concerns of 19,000 students as an almost insurmountable task. The often-cited cliché of “Who would be a politician?” springs to mind.

However, for Chemistry graduate Clare Austick, the role of representing the interests and welfare of the student population has a certain appeal to it.

Looking back at her time in NUI Galway, she says she had never envisaged taking up such lofty offices on her arrival to university in 2015, but gained a passion for helping students from early on in her studies through her role as a class rep in both her second and third year. “I was an engaged student”, she remarked, “but absolutely not I would never have seen myself as SU President!” she continued.

While she has had multiple successes at the ballot box in her time in NUI Galway, she has also suffered setbacks. In 2016, she ran for the part-time position

of Convenor of the College of Science, losing out on that occasion. However, she credits those setbacks as a learning experience which helped her better understand where her interests lay, telling SIN, “I was a defeatist after not being elected Science convenor”, she recalls, “Not getting Science Convenor was one of the best things that happened to me. It made me see that my passions lay elsewhere, mainly in the welfare side of things”, she added.

Having decided to run for the top job last year, after previously holding both the full time Welfare and Equality position and the now reformed, part time equality portfolio, Clare felt like her experiences within the Union executive helped her to a certain extent, but reassured people running for office with no prior experience on the Executive Council that it isn’t essential. She commented, “I suppose having the experience as part-time Welfare Officer and also in the Full-time Welfare and Equality Officer role was somewhat advantageous, as I would have seen how the Students’ Union works and I would have been familiar with its structure.

But, if you have no experience, we do a twoweek crossover in the summer to help people get used to the role”, she added.

Looking back on her successful election campaign last year, the President remembers the feeling of “exhaustion” that came over her after a long hard fought campaign, and encouraged anybody running this time around to prioritise their own health and wellbeing during the campaign. “I was wrecked!

It is so overwhelming; you give your all for 12 hours a day in the lead up to the campaign. The key thing is taking care of yourself. If you don’t do that, you can’t be the best candidate that you can be. It’s important to make sure you’re eating well and sleeping well and to always remind yourself why you are running in the first place”, she said.

Nine candidates have put their names forward for the three full-time positions this time around, an increase on last year. The President welcomed the heightened engagement, but insisted that unsuccessful candidates should not feel like losers,

nor should they feel deterred from being involved in student politics in the future. “It’s brilliant to see such a great engagement in this year’s elections, and it is great to see that people want to engage with the Union. Even if somebody doesn’t get elected, you never lose, either you win, or you learn.” she said.

“Adapt and overcome” says outgoing Welfare and Equality Officer

Outgoing Education Officer feels Postgraduate and inclusivity achievements were important

By Caoimhe Killeen

By Paddy Henry

“Even though I planned on running, I thought ‘yes, I’m doing it’, and put in the nomination. The Sunday before election week, it all just hit me, and I thought ‘Oh no.

What am I doing?’”

That was the start of a hectic election week back in 2019 for Brandon Walsh, who eventually became elected into the role of Welfare and Equality Officer as well as a Vice President of the NUI Galway Students’ Union. His time in office has been a hectic one, full of twists and turns at every bend, but it has ultimately been a positive year for the Science undergraduate.

Brandon had been no stranger to the Student’s Union, having previously gained experience through working in different committee positions on societies such as GigSoc and Dance Soc, and even held the position of Societies Chairperson, a part time officer position in the Students’ Union. Even before running for the position, Brandon recalls “I would have been involved in campaigns through canvassing and being a campaign manager since I was in first year… I think that’s what scared me more before I knew in depth how campaigns work”.

Yet, Brandon had always held an interest in the Welfare and Equality position. But like most people, he had his doubts about running for election, recalling, “I didn’t think I could run because most people do think, ‘Oh, I don’t know if I could do it because it’s really intense’”.

Thankfully, a good support network surrounded him during the election process and once elected, he got down to business with his original aims, including improving the counselling service and

a focus on mental health issues.

Yet, he quickly found out that “being in the role, sexual health would have been a lot more prevalent”.

After a conversation with the medical director of the Student Health Unit about the increase in numbers of people reporting being sexually assaulted after their drink was spiked, he set about on various initiatives such as the “Pegless” campaign to highlight the issue. He also managed to implement some mental health related ideas, such as introducing an anxiety resource pack with online resources for students on work placement, which is due to be set up next year.

Unfortunately, there’s only so much that can be achieved in a short space of time and in Brandon’s case, his biggest regret is not being able to improve the counselling service due to underfunding. “As much as I want to change it, it’s not going to happen in my time”, he admits. “So, it’s about putting the things in place so that it can be worked on again in future years, in years to come”.

With that in mind, the main advice that he offers to this year’s candidates running for election is to adapt and overcome. “Be adaptable, and remember that people voted for you for a reason…

Because sometimes you forget it, and have really hard times thinking, ‘Why am I doing this? It’s completely thankless, I’m not achieving anything’. But remember, people voted you for a reason, and having people sitting here and talking on your couch and talking to you about problems and just being able to listen is such an important and valuable resource you have to offer. So, stay strong and you can do it!”

A year is a long time in politics. This much is certainly true for Cameron Keighron. The current Vice President and Education Officer has moved up through the ranks within student politics.

Taking on one of the full-time roles may have seemed like a natural progression for them, having started in the college all the way back in 2012.

But for Cameron, their activism began long before their first steps onto the concourse eight years ago. It stemmed from a desire to help people in need from an early age.

“I have been involved in activism since I was very young, I have always wanted to help make society better, but having been in college helped me channel that into productive campaigns or arguments”, they said.

The former Postgraduate Taught Officer, who holds an MSc in Regenerative Medicine (Stem Cell Biology) saw from their time in the role that issues relating to Postgraduates weren’t being fairly represented which led them to taking the plunge into running for a full-time role within the Union “I felt that postgraduate issues and inclusivity in education were becoming more prevalent and I wanted to contribute my experiences as a postgrad who had disabilities to that area. I wanted to ensure that we continued the great work from last year, I wanted to make sure that accessibility to education remained a key focus of the role I took over”, they said.

“Personally, I felt like it was the right time for me, that I had gained a lot of experience to ensure I could understand how I could represent students but also that I understood how to engage relevant students in the discussions they should be part of.”

Cameron feels that their heavy involvement within the SU executive before the full-time position helped them adapt. “My previous roles helped to a certain extent, but I don’t think anything prepares you for a full-time role, and how to balance all the work and emotions you feel through it. No one ever understands the role until they live it, you take on a lot of what students feel and what they are going through, but you help them navigate the university policies. That’s a lot to take on, I can’t fix your issue but here is the route in policy that can help. The roles I had helped me to evaluate situations and also understand some of the processes in place, but the most Important thing to learn is how to ask for help and guidance”.

Cameron highlights certain achievements that they are particularly proud of. “I think I’ve done a pretty good job but that is always subjective. I’ve helped secure over 100k into inclusive education and learning, one of my core objectives. I’ve helped engage more Postgraduate reps than ever. I’ve helped frame our student digital pathways progression in terms of what’s important to students (exam results, registration etc) and I’ve helped ensure the student voice is paramount to what the university does, that is the most important thing any officer does. You need to make sure the student voice is centre to everything you do, and I feel like I’ve done that this year. I’ve also ensured I’ve been adaptive in my policy to ensure I’ve reflected the student voice”, they said.

Cameron has this message for their successor: “The most important thing is to always ensure that what you do is in the best interest of all students. You speak up, you shout, you send an email, you represent a student because you feel that it will effect change to put the student population in a better position”, they concluded.

ELECTION SPECIAL

11

NUI GALWAY STUDENTS HAVE THEIR SAY:

What do you want to see next year’s Students’ Union do?

By Mark Lynch

SHANNON

I would like to see more microwave facilities on the north side of the campus, as there are only 2 microwaves to work between Áras Moyola, the Engineering building and the Cairnes building.

MARY

over there, whereas it’d be a lot handier to be on campus.

Even the hours of guests visits to the gym are very hard to make. They’re early morning or late at night, so cheaper gym service would be great of the SU has any power to do that.

LOUISE

3rd Year Occupational Therapy

Final Year Commerce and Accounting I’d like to see more microwaves in the Cairnes building.

RORY

3 Year Arts

4th year Financial Maths and Economics

What I’d like to see is more plugs in the north of the campus.

I want the SU to bring more microwaves to campus.

JOHN

ERIC

I think the SU should focus on the rising cost of living for students, the 4% hike in rent for student accommodation here in Goldcrest and the overall cost of the exam fees, repeat fees, Kingfisher cost (though I know there’s been a lot of debate about that). So I think, try to make student life not a luxury, because it’s a necessity, not a luxury for those who can afford it.

I would like the SU to be working on campaigns that students can relate to – political ones, but also student-related campaigns that the majority of students could empathise towards. I think the work the SU do already is really good, sufficient, so keep it up.

rd

1st Year Commerce

1st Year Corporate Law

ZHONNA

1 Year Civil Law st

TANNER

3rd Year Business and Finance Something I’d like the Students’ Union to do is have more microwaves, both in Smokey’s and obviously, there’s one over in Friar’s.

But it seems like the only place you’re able to microwave stuff is Smokey’s and there’s always a line, which is kind of inconvenient.

ADAM

3rd Year Science I’d like the Students’ Union to look at the increase in student accommodation prices and also, there’s society issues, but mainly the cost of current student housing, which is ridiculous.

TEDDY

2nd Year Biopharmaceutical Chemistry The one thing I’d like the SU to do is look after the microwaves in the Hub and Smokey’s,

The issues I would most like the Students’ Union to address would be the sustainability agreement that we have in the University and how our CocaCola deal affects that.

EOGHAN AND LUKE

Final Year Mechanical Engineering Eoghan: A problem that I encounter frequently that I want the SU to fix is the lack of microwaves in the Engineering building. There’s one here (on the first floor), but around busy times, there’s a queue of 5/6/7 people and when everyone puts it on for ¾ minutes, that’s your whole lunch gone, so another microwave would be handy.

Luke: What I would like to see the SU do is help provide cheaper gym services on campus. At the moment, the gym services in Terryland are a lot cheaper and people are being drawn

LAURA, AOIFE, ANNA

Laura: I think the SU should focus on helping students, particularly the OTs, because we don’t get any of our placement subsidised – no travel, no accommodation.

We have to pay for our uniforms and they cost €150 and sometimes we’d only wear them once, whereas the nurses get theirs subsidised. We also have to pay for our vaccines as well, which is a big financial burden on some students.

Aoife: I agree with Laura and I think the vaccines is a really important one, because it’s like €35 each and then a blood test as well, so you’d probably spend about €100 on vaccines in first year for placement.

Anna: I think the SU should really focus more on what students actually need. Doing something like a survey every year, or going around to students and asking them before the end of each year what they want for next year and to continuously have good ideas from the students, and see who’s going to benefit more from their campaigns and things.

JEREMIAH

1st Year General Science I think the SU should sort out spacing issues and just making sure that all the students in the college have a place to be, which is very important.

EVA

3rd Year Arts with Children’s Studies I would like the SU to help with anything with day to day students life, so more access to seating and more staffing within the student resources, so student counselling and the health unit, and more microwaves!

CIARA

3rd Year Science I think there should be more focus on the entire student body rather than just specific groups of people.

Again, all the counselling services and health services need to be improved. There’s no point having them there if they’re not useful or resourced.

And more seating, more areas where you can just chill out

STUDENT VOX-POP

3rd Year General Nursing

especially the handles, as they don’t have handles and it would be really great if they looked after that. And look after study rooms, probably create more for just literally study, that would be great.

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