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Referendum.

Features.

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Examining UCD’s Sexual Assault Policy

Talking to upcoming Irish Artist Farah Elle

Campus Referendum Coverage Special

Student Union Election Interviews

Independent Student Media *Since 1989

Demise of 3D TV a Warning for VR tech

UCD Host Judo Intervarsities

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UCD Convert 40 Student Accommodation Beds on Blackrock Campus into Executive Seminar Rooms Jack Power | Editor College spending €2.5 million to convert Blackrock accommodation into seminar rooms for ‘executive’ business weekend courses FOI documents obtained show UCD felt redeveloping the rooms for executive diploma courses ‘provides a far better financial return’ UCD are converting 40 student accommodation rooms on the Blackrock campus into corporate seminar rooms at the cost of €2.5 million. The works which started last summer are expected to be completed by September. Two floors of Blackrock ‘Halls’ accommodation in Management House are being redeveloped as four 40-person seminar rooms, fine dining facilities, and a floor of office space for the college’s Executive Development programme.

University documentation outlines the college decided the redevelopment ‘provides a far better financial return’ as the corporate diploma courses are a significant revenue stream.

The Executive Development programmes are diploma courses offered to mid and high level corporate clients in areas like strategic growth, innovation and change, corporate governance and leadership development. The executive seminar classes are run over six weekends and cost from €7,750 to €9,000, with approximately 1,600 participants a year. UCD have identified the professional diploma courses as a key way to ‘generate additional non-exchequer income’.

A university report obtained under the FOI act reveal the 40 rooms of student accommodation were reaching their current ‘end-of-life’ utility, and it was

decided ‘refurbishment of them to modern standards is not a feasible option’. The 40 beds were separate from the newer Proby House accommodation on the campus, which has 140 beds available. Minutes from the UCD finance committee (FRAMC) show the administration approved the conversion works on April 29th 2016. The resulting decision to redevelop the accommodation will enable the Executive Development programme to double its capacity.

UCD Governing Authority noted the proposals in May 2016, without any ‘major opposition’ from the Students Union a source on the authority outlined.

Continues on pg 3.

Issue 8 Volume 30

CT.

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Editor Jack Power Deputy Editor & Creative Director George Hannaford

News Editor Cian Carton Politics Editor Oisín McCanna Features Editor Rachel O’Neill Music Editor Aoileann Kennedy Fashion Editor Naimh Cavanagh Food & LifeStyle Editor Ciara Landy Film & T.V. Editor David Deignan Arts & Events Editor Holly Lloyd Eagarthóir Gaelige Sophie Osborne

Editorial: Blackrock Accommodation Conversion Highlights Need

for Oppositional Student Representation

The Tribune this week leads with another piece of investigative journalism, exposing how UCD is converting student accommodation on the Blackrock campus into seminar rooms, office space, and fine dining facilities for the college’s Executive Development programmes.

The revelation is the another telling example of the strategy and priorities of this college’s administration, which seems is working almost exclusively towards increasing its income. The lack of political opposition from the to this strategy from Student Union representatives is a critical element in enabling UCD to pursue their course of increasing corporatisation. The arguments offered to student representatives for the planned conversion to executive seminar rooms (in the middle of an accommodation crisis) should have been questioned. It highlights the fact that the paradigms of decision-making presented to SU officers at university committees are gamed to favour the university administration’s predetermined plans.

Similarly, weak arguments that on-campus rent increases are necessary in order to fund future residences developments are too readily acquiesced to and unchallenged. It is not the responsibility of students currently living in UCD accommodation to fund future residence plans, through the near 40% increase in rent over the last five years. It is the responsibility of UCD to fund capital developments like building more on-campus accommodation, not the students. The successful lack of any political opposition from the Students’ Union to exorbitant rent hikes have allowed UCD to increasingly square the cost of Res developments onto student’s shoulders. Thus freeing up capital funds to spend elsewhere; on projects like the Confucius Centre, or the planned private staff club and restaurant the University Club.

The apathy of students in UCD to their Students’ Union only extenuates the problem, and thus perpetuates a repetitious cycle of poor representation. The low student turnout and engagement with Union elections has seen the regular elections of popular careerist hacks to the office of President. Rather than the kind of political candidate who would be willing to stand up to the

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university and question their assumptions and priorities, which have been too often accepted a priori by ‘pragmatic’ SU officers.

The Tribune has this year sought to breath some political discourse into student’s relationship with this university administration. To clearly demarcate and investigate the decisions taken

by UCD’s management and pose the question to students if they think those decisions are made in their interests. From investigating library staff cuts, to the Confucius Centre overrun, or the €10 million profit made from on-campus rent, and this week’s lead on the conversion of 40 student accommodation beds on Blackrock to executive seminar rooms. There has been a marked absence of effective student representation providing an adversarial opposition to the strategy and university priorities behind these decisions. If you find yourself in agreement that the need to enact change has never been greater, then that starts by voting for proper SU representation on March 7th and 8th.

The one candidate in the SU Presidential race I believe who could represent a political change in leadership is Ronán Bartley. The final year Arts student demonstrates the most defined and articulated comprehension of the university’s politics and strategy, and recognises this corporate culture of management is sidelining student’s interests and should be properly challenged.

While it could be questioned how effective Bartley would be in reawakening a more active and engaged student body polity as he claims, I believe he offers on balance an ideological change from the other candidates of this race and past elections.

However, the more oppositional candidate Bartley will certainly fail to get elected if the usually small turnout in Union elections is repeated. The re-politicisation and return of an adversarial Student Union will be defined by the degree to which students who traditionally have disengaged with Union politics vote for its return. Failure to do so will ensure a continuation of student representation that has little to no understanding of the university administration’s politics, and is bound to fail to oppose it effectively as a result.

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Editorial Note 0830 Student Union Elections take place on March 7th & 8th.

The Election ‘Hustings’ are on Wednesday February 29th, 6pm.

In Theatre M, Newman 0830

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*Cover Continued UCDnews. p.05

SU Elections.

Students’ Union President Conor Viscardi said that ‘during the time information was presented to student representatives, it was at the same time of the inception of the Ashfield residences project. In line with this, it was communicated that there would be a net increase in student beds, compensating for the re-purposing of accommodation in Blackrock’.

Referendum.

Viscardi said it was outlined to the SU that the ‘accommodation units had deteriorated to a state of disrepair that were no longer fit for purpose’. The final proposals were introduced by the college to FRMAC and Governing Authority in April and May of 2016, during the changeover of SU President between Viscardi and former President Marcus O’Halloran.

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p.16

SU Pres Candidate says handjob comments made ‘in jest’.

Tribune SU Sabbatical Election Interview Special.

Coverage of the United Ireland and Student Fees Refernda.

Fashion. p.18

Gucci’s Resort ‘17 Runway Show.

Features. p.22

Examining UCD’s policy on sexual assualt and harassment.

LifeStyle.

p.24

Film. p.27

Best of the Internet: Travel edition

Is the Superhero trend here to stay in film, or will the genre soon wear thin?

Arts & Events. p.28

Do we value our underpaid artists enough in Ireland?

Music. p. 30

A sit down interview with the interesting and upcoming artist Farah Elle.

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The income in rent from the 40 student accommodation units was €196,040, as the older single bed rooms were among the cheaper residences options at €4,900 a term. Despite the health and safety concerns a university review of the proposed project outlined the accommodation could still be used ‘in the short term’.

Above: Current Executive Development seminar rooms opposite Blackrock library.

The SU President Viscardi said he did recognise there was an ‘acute shortage in light of the student accommodation crisis’ and the redevelopment meant the overall number of beds available decreased. He was also critical at the disparity in costs between the new Ashfield accommodation, which is now €8,334 a term, compared to the cheaper Blackrock units. ‘The underlying cost of on-campus accommodation is a significant concern which has to be addressed’ Viscardi stated.

the premier courses designed to each company’s requirements for development, and past companies include the Department of the Taoiseach, Bord Bia and Microsoft. UCD outlined it will have 902 customised clients from June 2016 to September this year. The open-enrolment participant’s courses are still run on the Smurfit campus.

Executive fine dining suite and lounge facilities, as well as a separate coffee dock are being incorporated into the new redeveloped Management House on the Smurfit campus, to cater to the courses clients. Brown Bean Coffee Company have been contracted to run the corporate dining facilities being developed. The UCD contract specified ‘the food provided must be of an exceptionally high standard at all times, similar to what would be provided in a 5-star hotel’. The contract was awarded to Brown Bean Coffee Ltd in December 2016.

In May 2015 the proposed works were plannned to cost €1.8 million, but after the scope of the project was increased in October 2015, the final figure came to €2.5 million.

The Executive Development courses have been prioritised in UCD’s internal strategy for 2015-2020. Documentation from that strategy detail that UCD will plan to ‘generate additional non-exchequer income by attracting increased numbers of non-EU and graduate students, [and] by the further provision of professional development programmes’. The current Executive Development courses are run in a building adjacent to the Smurfit campus library.

p. 32 SPARC KhÍLA lasta fosta.

Tech. p.33

The school of business’ executive programme also required increased office space and are taking up one of the floor’s redeveloped from student accommodation. In FOI’d reports from 2015 it was noted by UCD that twenty offices could be built on the second floor ‘without significant structural work’. The executive development programme ‘has a pressing need for 10 office spaces for new faculty hires’ documents detail.

Duggan Brothers Contractors are the company who won the €1.8 million contract to convert the Novitiate or ‘Management House’ student accommodation into seminar and office space.

Duggan Contractors are the same building firm who previously constructed the more modern 140-bed Proby House accommodation bloc, which adjoins Management House – that contract was worth €11 million. The conversion project also required work to be done refurbishing the building’s roof and windows, and works to bring the fire safety requirements of the building in line. The Management House was originally built back in 1908.

Caroline Kinsella is the head of business development and marketing within the Executive Development programmes. Kinsella confirmed the programme was ‘looking to double the size of our business. We’re in a real growth phase at the moment. We’re going through a huge revamp, so there’s Minutes from the Governing Authority on a multi-million refurbishment going on, the 16th of May 2016, sourced under the FOI we’ve taken over the Management House act show queries were raised about ‘inflation in residences’ she told the Tribune. the construction sector’ over the recent project.

The minutes noted that the college’s head of The three new seminar rooms, break-out, finance Gerry O’Brien ‘advised that the univerand group learning rooms will ‘offer us more sity always sought to minimise costs. To this end flexibility to take on more [clients], and take professional project managers were assigned to on more at the time we want to take on more, monitor progress’. The minutes continued to rather than trying to shoehorn things when detail that UCD felt ‘momentum was importwe’re tight on capacity’ she explained. The ant, and attempts were made in all cases to corporate Development courses cater to commence construction as quickly as possible international clients, and the college ‘are after the tender was awarded’.

UCD is also privately renting out seminar rooms for the Executive Development courses in the Royal Marine Hotel in Dún Laoghaire. Some of the professional programme seminars were run in the ground floor of the Management House, below the other two floors of student accommodation.

The construction works means the university has been paying for seminar space and fine dining all-day catering in the Royal Marine Hotel from January 2016 to September 2017 to house the executive ‘customised’ course clients. The customised clients are

Gaeilge.

looking to expand overseas’ in terms of clients and reach Kinsella said.

The Death of 3DTV, and the lessons VR can learn from it.

Turbine.

p.34 Mature student sumbits essay on floppy disc.

Sport. p.35

Sacking of Claudio Ranieri a bad advert for modern football. p.3

#UCDNEWS

Education Candidate Gorman Climax Apologises Over Elitist Ad Astra Email New ‘Consent at UCD Group’ Launched by Students Alison Graham Senior Reporter

A

new group called ‘Consent at UCD’ (CUCD) has been launched to raise awareness about consent, sexual assault, and healthy relationships on the campus.

The group set out its four major goals on its Facebook page - educating students about consent, sexual assault, healthy relationships and relational abuse, creating a community and culture at UCD where consent and healthy relationships are talked about openly and freely. And creating a community and culture where survivors at UCD feel supported and able to come forward regardless of gender, sexual orientation, religion, or ethnicity.

Julia Canney, founder of Consent at UCD, spoke to the Tribune about how it was formed by a group of undergraduate and postgraduate students this past semester. She explained that previously, ‘students could turn to the UCD Student Counselling Services which offers licensed psychotherapists and psychologists who are trained in issues relating to sexual ad relational violence, as well as information on services such as the Dublin Rape Crisis Centre and Women’s Aid’. However, several students ‘felt that there needed to be a dedicated group on campus focused on these issues’. She hopes that that the group will serve ‘as an avenue for disseminating information to the wider student body on these issues in order to prevent sexual assault from occurring, equip students with the www.collegetribune.ie

knowledge of on-campus and off-campus resources for survivors, and to create an environment where UCD survivors feel supported’. CUCD are in contact with various groups in the Dublin area who are interested in working with them on education around consent, sexual assault and healthy relationships, and Canney added they are excited about the opportunity to engage the UCD community with these issues.

The Students’ Union recently announced it could no longer commit to funding consent classes on campus due to low attendance and a withdrawal of promises to fund the classes by the university. But the issue featured heavily in many of the campaign promises and manifestos of the SU Presidential election candidates.

Canney explained how CUCD ‘works with the Students’ Union (SU) and other societies on campus to plan and execute various events around the topics of consent, sexual assault and healthy relationships’. There are many benefits to these relationships, as ‘working in conjunction with other societies on campus allows us to raise awareness about consent, sexual assault and healthy relationships in a variety of different ways’ she explained. They recently launched their Facebook page where events happening on campus that relate to these issues for UCD students are publicised.

‘Consent at UCD’ organised a complimentary screening of the US documentary on sexual assault in colleges The Hunting Ground in the UCD cinema, in conjunction with the Students’ Union as part of SHAG Week. The group also recently sought to promote information regarding history professor Lindsey Earner-Byrne’s talk, ‘Behind Closed Doors’ on gender and sexual violence in the Irish family. As both events related to CUCD’s areas of focus, their followers were encouraged to attend. CUCD is currently organising two larger events, a mid-semester panel discussion with experts on consent, sexual assault and healthy relationships, and a Take Back the Night event in April 2017.

Jack Power Editor

“ We cannot believe that we are superior to others, but we must recognise that we are different

”

CUCD’s ‘Take Back the Night’ will be an evening dedicated to sharing stories and support with survivors, activists and advocates from across the university.

Canney said it will be a two-part event, beginning with an indoor portion featuring survivors reading their own or a friend’s experience with sexual assault or relational violence, and ending with an outdoor vigil where attendees may step forward and speak about any experience they have had. ‘The aim of an event like Take Back the Night is to raise awareness about the prevalence of sexual and relational violence on university campuses, and to show survivors that their community supports and stands with them’ Canney stated.

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#UCDNEWS

S

tudent Union Education candidate Joshua Gorman Climax has apologised over an elitist email he sent to all fellow Ad Astra scholarship students in first year.

The revealed email obtained by the Tribune, stated that ‘we cannot believe that we are superior to others, but we must recognise that we are different’. Gorman, who is on Ad Astra, sent the email to fellow scholarship students to look to form a ‘Scholars Council’.

The Student Union election candidate stated that the ‘email has tormented me since minutes after I sent it. It is probably the most colossally stupid thing I've done in my entire life’.

The email Gorman Climax sent out last year detailed that ‘we are the home of future Olympians, world class musician and leaders in all areas of society. We cannot believe that we are superior to others, but we must recognise that we are different. All of us hold in common a standard of success which is far above the norm’ he said.

Climax, who secured a university scholarship, had looked to set up an Ad Astra Scholar’s Council ‘to give a space where world-class standards are our normal standards and where every last one of us can push to achieve the absolute most that we can’ he outlined in his email.

‘You were accepted to this academy because you achieved what most people thought would be absurd to even attempt. You were accepted because your performance went above and beyond all standard expectations of ability’ the email continues.

Recognising the sentiments expressed were elitist Gorman said he has been working on changing his outlook on life and changing himself for the better since then. ‘I was in a very strange and isolated place when I wrote it. I got by day to day because I was compelled

28.02.2017

by this grand vision of the good that I could do in the world. A vision disconnected from people and from reality.

I thought that it would be great if what I was writing was true, so I guess I assumed that it was’ Gorman outlined.

‘It was never malicious. I never thought that I deserved the life I had - indeed that guilt is largely what motivated me.

I wanted to take advantage of my privilege and use it to make the world a better place’ the election candidate detailed.

Student Union Presidential Candidate Bartley Says SU ‘Handjob’ Comments Made ‘in Jest’ Jack Power Editor

The mail-out was sent to the near 150 Ad Astra UCD students. ‘We’re not saying that we’re perfect or unique or some sort of celebrities - we all know that smart people do literally the stupidest shit ever.

But amidst the general confusion of our lives, we’ve been able to set down a plan that reaches just a little bit further, in a few particular areas, than the majority of people around us; and it’s all of those little steps beyond that make society move as a whole’ Gorman Climax wrote in the email.

‘And it’s not enough to achieve one victory and sit back with that memory in the background for the rest of our university life. The determination that got us here is such a small thing - just a spark shot out into the darkness - but every fire must begin with a spark, and the academy is here to support a true flame’ the email detailed.

Speaking now he said ‘I still don't understand who or how I was at the time and my vision's still clouded by remnants of the outlook I had back then.

I've talked to my closest friends - they knew me at the time and they've been helping me deal with my problems ever since and they promise me that I'm so much better now than I was then. It's still a struggle and I'm still out of touch sometimes - I recognise that. If nothing else, I can accept when I'm wrong.

But I accept that I have a problem’ Gorman Climax stated.

SU

Presidential candidate Ronán Bartley has said comments he made on Facebook about last year’s Union elections were ‘written in jest’.

A Facebook post on the candidate’s page from March last year stated, ‘I want to live in a UCD where almost all of the SU positions are uncontested and pass between all the same people, who sit in the SU offices, giving one another handjobs while simultaneously pat themselves on the back for all the work they’ve done for charity and nothing else. Wait…’

Bartley, a final year Arts student responded to the comments to say, ‘I think my main criticism was the uncontested nature of so many seats, I was a little bit opposed with so many seats going unopposed. That was written in jest’. ‘I wouldn’t say it demeans the role in any way’ Bartley, who is running to be President of the Union stated.

He maintains that the comments were representative of a frustration he, and many people still have with the Students’ Union. ‘I felt like the SU wasn’t really doing anything’.

Last year only one of the SU races was contested, the Campaigns & Communication role. ‘It really pissed me off that there was this almost changing of the guard last year’. The jadedness towards student politics the comment outlines he says, would be representative of a second year Arts student, and many students – ‘very disaffected, jadedness, and frustrated’. The uncontested and apolitical nature of last year’s races was a key factor Bartley says in deciding to get involved and run himself to provide students with a change or alternative.

‘It was only this year that when I started to look into it more, I began to realise that some of these things aren’t the SU’s fault. I think there is a lot of people in here who are actually doing good work. There was a lot for people in there who wanted to get

stuff done, whose hands were tied in so many ways’ Bartley says. ‘When I started to meet people form the SU, what I started coping on to was that these people were doing work and they weren’t being recognised for it’.

He said in the run up to deciding to stand for election he met several of the current Union sabbatical officers and began to understand more and more about the amount of work that is done behind closed doors.

Bartley says he would now be opposed to that culture of just criticising the SU and those involved.

‘Students need to row in behind the SU rather than nipping at their heel telling them what they are doing wrong’ he claimed. Returning to his own comments last year he admitted it was ‘done out of a cynical and more comical element’.

To read the Tribune’s interview with Bartley, and all of the Student Union sabbatical candidates turn to page 9.

Politics.

UCD President Andrew Deeks Argues for Loan Scheme at Government Committee on Future of Student Fees Ronan O’Sullivan Politics Writer UCD President Andrew Deeks spoke to the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills on November 10th of last year. The committee is looking into the options for funding higher education proposed by the expert Cassells’ report last summer.

President Deeks told the committee about the benefits of a student loan schemes, as a possible scheme to help students pay for college and also help reduce the college dropout rate. According to the latest figures by the Higher Education Authority (HEA) the rate was around 16% for 2012/2013.

Professor Deeks gave the Australian loan model as a potential example for Ireland. He explained how the Australian student loan scheme was actually called a ‘higher education contribution scheme’. Deeks then referred to how income contingent loan schemes did not burden people from lower socio-economic backgrounds and increased retention rates.

Commenting on how when the system was totally free, he indicated that many students didn’t fully think about if they were suited to third level and didn’t think through their course choice enough. Speaking further to the committee on the issue, he insisted that this led to many students ‘drifting into university’. The creation of a debt to the state made Australian students think more about their choices of course and ultimately led to a decreased dropout rate. He used this example to reason that the state, the student and employers all need to contribute to student education. Mr Deeks then referred to how there were no Irish universities in the top 200 universities in ‘The Times’ Higher Education World University Rankings’ published in September 2016. This later turned out to be

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wrong as Trinity College is now in fact 130th on the list after a computer formatting problem led them to being placed outside the top 200 by mistake. The results were fixed on February 10th, four months after President Deeks’ comment.

He commended their ‘good grant and bursary systems’ enables those from lower socio-economic backgrounds afford university costs. Deeks then continued by stating that the Australian system calculated what the programme would cost to operate and what the benefits of it would be to the students. As such the prices set for loans are different for Arts compared to Science.

However, he then told the committee how the scheme had started off well but after 30 years the cost and economic return continues to be varied. Speaking about how the UK opted for a flat rate system, Deeks stated that although it initially caused concern, people began to realise that it had no real impact and that there was actually an ‘increase in participation from lower socio-economic groups’. He then concluded by saying that people began to see the system as fair and that ‘’it also had a positive impact on retention rates’.

The Students Union’s stance UCDSU do not currently have a position on student loan schemes however there will be a referendum on the Students Union’s position on student loan schemes in March.

It will be held alongside the Executive elections and will consist of three options. An income contingent loan scheme, the revival of a ‘free fees’ initiative with a slightly lower student contribution charge and finally a continuation of the current policy. Speaking to the College Tribune, UCDSU’s education officer Lexi Kilmartin stated that they will be determined to see that whatever choice the government makes about loan schemes, that it does not place undue financial pressure on students and their families.

On the Left UCD President Andrew Deeks at a recent EDI report launch.

UCD Political Parties’ stance Sinn Féin UCD have stated that they are against a new student loan scheme stating that they believe ‘education is a right not a privilege’. Believing that instead of burdening students with loans they will be forced to pay back as soon as they leave college, Ireland should opt towards the examples of other EU countries like socialist Finland and Denmark who both have universities in the top 100 and several in the top 200 of The Times Higher Education Rankings. Both Finland and Denmark fund their universities and colleges through high general taxation.

Labour Youth in UCD have stated that they do not favour a graduate tax or a student loan model. They believe that exchequer funded third level employment is the best way to fund our education system and that this will make education freely accessible to all at the point of use. The UCD Labour chair Liam van der Spek referred to how Labour abolished university fees in 1996 and then claimed that Fianna Fáil and the Progressive Democrats went back on this when the economy collapsed in their hands.

Although it should be noted that these remarks come after the Labour Party’s Minister for Education Ruairi Quinn in the 2011 Fine Gael-Labour coalition made a notorious u-turn on student fees, where it was promised that fees would not increase. Since 2011 Ireland student fees have in fact doubled from 1,500 euros to €3,000 with both Quinn and his successor, Limerick TD Jan O’Sullivan as Education ministers.

The UCD Social Democrats have stated that the state needs to increase investment into higher education and that they would oppose a loan scheme, believing that it would only ‘shift the burden of funding third level education increasingly onto the shoulders of parents and students’. They concluded that they favour a strong third level sector that is publicly funded and affordable for everyone. Ógra Fianna Fail have stated they would favour a loan scheme in the past, and launched a policy proposal on the issue last year. The UCD Kevin Barry Cumman FF branch argued then that a loan scheme would make education free at the point of entry, and proposed that a free fess system is unattainable given the current condition of the state’s finances.

UCD Young Fine Gael were unavailable for comment on their stance on student fees. The society chair has stated they are refusing to engage with the College Tribune, following reporting on their societies receipt of donations from a councillor and TD who they canvassed for in past elections.

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#SUelects17

Student Union Election Special

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ELECTIONS 2017

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College Tribune

President UCDSU

Philip Weldon

Rebecca Hart

‘The Political Climber’

Philip Weldon is a second year Business student, and the auditor of the LGBTQ+ society in UCD. He’s never held a role in the Union before, and displays an ambition for politics and position.

Weldon’s manifesto is slogan heavy and substance light. He claims ‘there is a lot of change that needs to happen, there needs to be more representative of what students actually want, there is a huge amount of opportunity for the Students’ Union to re-engage with student who have for a long time felt disinterested’.

He says he will reform ‘any necessary elements of the SU to make it more cost-effective, transparent and accountable’ in his manifesto, when pushed on what exact reforms he would propose he said they would be to make sure ‘the SU is responsive to students’.

‘Mandatory [consent] classes would be highly beneficial particularly for first years’ Weldon was critical of some of UCD’s priorities and lack of financial accountability. ‘There is a lot of opportunity to question the university and hold them to account, in relation to finance’.

He cites that there is an ‘opportunity for the university to re-engage’ with students that could be mutually beneficial.

He is strongest and most passionate on issues like marriage quality, repealing the 8th, and tackling sexual assault. On the topic of sexual assault, he says there should be national mandatory sentencing for sexual assault, abuse, and rape. Despite the legal group the Irish Penal Reform Trust heavily criticising mandatory sentencing as a blunt instrument for what are complex issues. On the issue of third-level funding Weldon says he favours free fees.

Weldon commits to continuing the consent campaign and making classes mandatory.

‘Mandatory classes would be highly beneficial particularly for first years’ he thinks. ‘It’s

‘The Union Hack’

morally reprehensible to say we even need consent classes. By educating people you prevent it’ he said. Weldon said UCD needed to own up to students are start publishing the figures it has of the number of instances and cases of sexual assault on campus. ‘For me, we wouldn’t be sweeping issues under the rug. We need to be very strong in our voice to the university, and we need to make it clear these things are happening here. Change can’t happen overnight, but it can happen’ Weldon affirms.

Philip wouldn’t be in favour of re-joining the USI (Union of Students in Ireland). ‘UCD Students have twice said they don’t agree with being members of the Union of Students in Ireland, their choice has to be respected’. When asked how he would bridge the gap currently in the lack of representation for UCD students at national policy level, due to remaining disaffiliated to USI, he said he would make people aware that UCDSU are separate and need to be considered. ‘There’s a lot of posturing in the USI, sitting down and talking to someone doesn’t solve the problems’ he stated. His own accommodation policy would include trying to sit down with private developers and ‘stakeholders’ to identify neighbouring areas of development for student accommodation to be built privately.

As auditor of the LGBTQ+ society he has overseen an increased partnering of the society with large corporations, including Accenture and Arthur Cox. But Weldon rejects the idea he’s allowing the society to take sponsorships and in return ‘pink wash’ corporation’s PR images and help their social responsibility. ‘Has the LGBTQ+ society become too corporate? No. Because we are working with organisations that have the same values that we have, equality, inclusion, diversity’ Weldon responds. When asked if he’d consider a career in politics the candidate said he would ‘love to get involved in politics. There’s a massive opportunity for people who genuinely get engaged and improve conditions’.

Words Jack Power

Rebecca Hart is a third year Nursing student, the current SU college officer for Health Sciences, and the traditional Union candidate. ‘I’ve been involved in the Union since day one’, and to her credit would have the best understanding of how the SU works of all the candidates.

Her run of the mill type manifesto highlights a need to increase the sense of community and bring the SU team closer to normal students. ‘I want the students to see who we are more, people don’t really know who the officers are. I want to make it much more community based’ Hart stated. In terms of social policy she says she would be ‘pro-choice, the students have mandated the Students’ Union to repeal the 8th’ she stated. On the funding of third-level education Hart doesn’t see too much wrong with the current model, but says a loan scheme could be offered as an additional alternative to students.

One of her manifesto priorities is accommodation. She claims she will ‘tirelessly lobby’ the university to review on-campus rent. Hart was also critical of the current plans to build 3,000 more beds if they were going to be unaffordable to ordinary students. The newest bloc, Ashfield ‘looks great on prospectus but I’d rather see accommodation students can afford’ she says.

Cheaper more standard accommodation should be the focus of the plans for new residences, rather than world class units offered at high prices.

Hart comes across as a traditional Union establishment candidate, but says she does think the SU’s relationship with the university needs to be looked at. She was critical of UCD manage-

‘I want the students to see who we are more, people don’t really know who the officers are’

ment not listening to the SU in negotiations or at committee meetings within the university’s governance. She also highlighted that the SU President isn’t invited to the top board in UCD - the University Management Team, and doesn’t have voting rights on the top finance committee.

‘The problem is about having a fair voice. I could sit on UMT, but I think it would need to be a higher level of negotiation that’s recognised the university. If a student is asked to come to these boards they have to have a voice. That is something I would push for, to get our vote back on FRMAC [the finance committee], and on UMT. It’s not fair that the university feel like they can just shut us down’.

When it was put to Rebecca that in second year she ran for her school’s college officer position and then went on Erasmus, meaning she couldn’t sit on boards or run campaigns, and had to pass those jobs onto her deputy officer, she denied that she let the students of Health Sciences down.

‘I ran before I was offered Erasmus. I went it to the Union and said I have been offered Erasmus – do I take it? I tried to work out with the sabbatical officers whether they could facilitate me going, and they were absolutely 100% behind me. I did as best as I could’.

She points out that in Health Sciences, college officers who are in nursing, medicine, midwifery will be on placement for periods of the year anyway. She was critical of the current Welfare Officer Roisin O’Mara, who running for the position in her final year ended up on placement for the whole summer. ‘There were some difficulties there, it wasn’t fair on the students or the rest of the team when she wasn’t there, there was a missing link in the chain’. Hart said she decided to run now finishing third year, rather than after she finished her final year – to avoid being on placement during the summer and not being able to properly work on preparing for the college year as President.

Words Jack Power

28.02.2017

p.10-11

Katie Ascough

Ronán Bartley

‘The Pro-Life Candidate’

Katie Ascough is a controversial candidate, claiming to be running to provide better services to students from the SU, many students will know her as a prominent pro-life activist.

Ascough, a 3rd year Science student says she wants to ‘bridge the gap’ between students and their Union officers. ‘I just felt like it would be cool to make some changes in UCD, I’ve been here three years now. I’ve really enjoyed it. It’s time to take some initiative here, there’s a few things that could use some change’ she says.

Katie is undeniably a people person, amicable and approachable. ‘I took the time to talk to a lot of students and see what their needs are, a common thing that come was they didn’t know who their Union was. I’d love to see more inclusivity in UCD’.

One of her key manifesto promises includes lowering the price of food on campus. However, UCD rent their commercial space out to private restaurants and cafes in most instances, and neither the college or the SU have any control or say over food prices. Despite this Ascough says she will still try to bring the issue up with the private companies operating on campus. ‘The food here is really expensive, you wouldn’t know you’re stepping not a campus here. I’m going to be negotiating my hardest’.

Another popular and routine campaign promise Ascough is putting forward is to bring microwaves and kettles onto campus. But the Students’ Union have repeatedly said that issues regarding the maintenance and health and safety of open-access microwaves has blocked moves to roll them out across campus. But Ascough said ‘I really don’t see why there aren’t more of them on campus. That could help solve the food problem’.

Ascough is a prominent pro-life campaigner, a columnist for the Catholic newspaper Alive, and one of the leaders behind the recent UCD 4 Neutral group that campaigned for the SU to take a neutral stance on abortion. Despite that Ascough affirms she isn’t looking to run for President to change their stance on abortion. ‘I am

‘The Bernie Sanders Outsider’

not the pro-life candidate, I am not running on that platform on any level’.

When asked if she would be comfortable attending a Repeal the 8th March as SU President she grimaces, but says that in her capacity as President she ‘will do it’. ‘I will represent pro-choice, pro-life, undecided, I will represent

‘I am not the pro-life candidate; I am not running on that platform on any level’

everybody. I will be fulfilling and acting upon the policies voted in by the students, regardless of any personal convictions that I have’.

‘Whatever the students have voted and put in place, at the moment there is a pro-choice policy, and a mandate to Repeal the 8th. My job as President is to act upon whatever the students have voted on, and that is what I will do as President.

The President’s personal views are actually irrelevant when it comes to the job’ Ascough stated.

‘I don’t want to be pigeonholed into that issue’ she says. But Katie does admit that she is ‘aware’ liberal students mightn’t vote for her based on her opinion she on abortion. ‘I would hope students will look beyond any propaganda or rumours, or group think’.

Ascough isn’t the most familiar with the relevant university boards where real decisions are made. But says she does feel students aren’t represented enough. ‘Student don’t feel like their needs are being met, they are neglected in a few key areas. So one of my objectives would be to raise those issues at the most senior boards in the university’.

Words Jack Power

Ronán Bartley is a 3rd year Film and Drama student from Meath, he says he wants to shake up the current cosy circle of hacks inhabiting the SU in recent years, and start fighting back against the university.

‘I’m someone who is quite political, but never wanted a career in politics’ the anti-establishment candidate says. Back in 2012 UCDSU ran up a huge financial overrun, and had to be helped with a loan from the university. Bartley feels this is why the SU haven’t been able to provide any real opposition to UCD’s administration on issues like repeat fees, accommodation rent, and under resourcing of student services. ‘Obviously in the past couple of years there was the issue of debt and the SU was slightly more beholden onto the university than it is now. I think this is the opportunity to implement real change, bring back that sense of community the SU used to represent’ he states.

‘It’s suited the university’s agenda to have such a divided student body’

‘I think the attitude at minute of the SU in negotiating with the university is no seems to be an answer that is taken too readily’ he feels.

He contests that it’s an issue he’s never held a position in the Union beforehand. ‘I was quite apathetic towards the SU’ he says. But says he decided to stop complaining and try get involved to change things. ‘To combat the lack of apathy, we need to begin with a new sense of community on campus’.

Bartley envisions a re-politicisation of the SU, he cites protest, rent strikes, demonstrations, and even small annoying letter writing campaigns as

ways in which the Union could start demanding more from the UCD administration. ‘I don’t give a shit what executive people think of me, I’m not afraid of annoying people high up in the institutions’ he said. He feels the current lack of political energy or unity around UCD and student politics has ‘benefited the college’. ‘Due to the resentment towards the SU, there isn’t a united student front. It’s suited the university’s agenda to have such a divided student body’.

Bartley proposes consent discussions, but alongside other useful informative sessions on tenants rights, employee rights, drug abuse, sexual education, and mental health during Freshers week or Orientation aimed at first years. This way he says ‘you catch a wider group than just doing consent workshops’. ‘Even if I’m setting the foundation for the de-structuring of this rape culture that exists on campuses, I’d be happy with that. You can’t bring about a radical change overnight’.

Socially Bartley says he’s pro-choice, ‘considering I’m a man I shouldn’t really have a say in it at all’ he adds. He is also in favour of a Free Fees system, and admits he would find it difficult to advocate for a loan scheme if that’s how students voted in the preferendum.

He’s promising to reawaken widespread political activism on campus, but says his campaign team is only a core group of fifteen or so people.

Bartley’s manifesto is also on balance the poorest in terms of design and presentation. Yet he has a conviction that the majority of students on campus are disinterested in the same old SU hack politics of CV builders, and might want someone to change things up.

He says a political President who is left wing will be able to challenge UCD and not look to rub shoulders and side with the administration.

‘If [UCD] stonewall me, I think if anything it would be an advantage to the SU because it would create a clear demarcation between the SU and the university itself’.

Words Jack Power

#SUelects17

College Tribune

Campaigns & Communications UCDSU

Victoria Banach ‘The Campaigner’

Barry Murphy ‘The Ideas Man’

Vikki Banach is a third-year Veterinary Nursing Student. She is the current UCDSU Gender Equality Coordinator and previously served as a class rep and was part of the ENTS crew. She unsuccessfully ran for College Officer for Ag, Food and Veterinary last year.

Banach’s platform is heavily focused on the campaigns part of the job.

Banach feels that ‘a lot of people don’t understand what is going on in the SU and being part of it I’ve seen how things are ran from the inside point of view’. She said her friends are aware of her involvement in the SU, but do not really understand what it does. People go to events on campus ‘but they don’t even know it’s an SU event’. Regarding student apathy, she said ‘you can’t force people to want to have an interest in it’, but said she knows people who would have an interest in UCDSU but are not aware of how they can find out information or get involved.

In order to promote the Union, Banach suggested ‘Pints with the Pres’ which would allow students to have a free drink with the sabbatical team, funded through SU vouchers. ‘If we can get pints after Council I don’t see why we’d be able to afford vouchers for the pints.’

She believes students are intimidated by the SU Corridor ‘you go in, you don’t know which office is where and there are so many doors, you don’t know where you’re going’, and that by having drink in the bar would encourage them to meet the team in a more relaxed atmosphere. ‘A lot of people don’t even know where the SU Corridor is, I mean everybody knows where the bar is.’ Banach said she does not think the chance of a free pint would cause an unduly large crowd to show up. For non-drinkers, she proposed organising coffee mornings or free breakfasts.

Banach was the only candidate to mention the campaign coordinators and their crews which help the C&C Officer. While her manifesto sets out many different campaign ideas, she believes they all can be carried

out with the help of the coordinators, crews and societies. She praised Fitzpatrick’s handling of campaign coordinators this year. They were not as heavily utilised when Cian Byrne was C&C Officer. She liked the way in which Fitzpatrick gave them freedom to carry out their campaign ideas while offering support and managing the budget. She would continue this approach while helping them out, as ‘there’s more to running a campaign than just putting money into it’.

Regarding the C&C being Chairperson of the ENTs forum, she said ‘it shouldn’t be the job of the C&C to plan out the events for the year, it’s kind of working with the ENTs forum’, and stressed the importance of letting them decide their objectives for the year. Banach then mentioned her intention to organise a sports day to include similar events from the Mind, Body and Soul festival like Sumo Fights.

Banach said the three options in the upcoming fees referendum are all ‘interesting’, and her personal position on fees is irrelevant. She said the SUSI grant ‘is a good system, theoretically, but there is so many flaws with it that I think if we stay with the way fees are now it could be a good idea, just as long as we can get rid of the flaws in the system’.

Words Cian Carton

Barry Murphy is a third-year Environmental Biology student. He is the only candidate without prior UCDSU experience, but served as the ENTs Officer on UCD Volunteers Oversees committee. He travelled to Tanzania with UCDVO and has helped organise campaigns with them.

Murphy praised the work of current C&C Officer Luke Fitzpatrick, who he described as ‘very approachable’ and said he ‘definitely increased UCD student’s awareness of what the Union does’. He said there is a communication gap between the Union and students, but has decreased in recent years. ‘Many students don’t know what the union has done and can do for them just through lack of exposure’.

Murphy plans to host up to three ‘Themed Discussion Weeks’ each semester. A UCDSU page would be made where students can ‘post, comment and discuss on issues’ so students ‘could share ideas and inform the SU about what they really want.’ He said Open Forum evenings would be where people could meet informally to discuss opinions and ideas further. Murphy would attend these and ‘record everything suggested’.

Murphy said that societies and clubs have ‘huge student engagement in UCD’ and this is something that the SU ‘can definitely encourage further. The SU promotes student engagement and clubs and societies are what students get most involved in - so why not work together?’ He also wants to work with the Welfare Officer to ‘provide mental health training for student society committees’ through ‘educational workshops over a number of evenings both semesters’.

Murphy wants to help reduce UCD’s Carbon Footprint by improving recycling in UCD. He aims to provide ‘plastic beakers along with a DIY washing service’ to reduce the number of unrecyclable paper coffee cups.

Murphy believes student fees ‘should stay how they are’ but said ‘SUSI does need to become more efficient’. He thinks the current fee system ‘makes third level educa-

tion most accessible for all’ and that ‘accommodation cost is far greater issue for Irish students, especially those in Dublin’.

Murphy wants to work with various groups and the student body as a whole to improve RAG Week. He said it could be improved to have ‘more for fundraisers and much better nights out. UCD students work very hard and the week could also be seen as a chance for us to celebrate our successes, and not feel guilty about it, from sporting to academic’. He would like to ‘highlight such successes throughout the week, be it on our social media, prize giving events on campus or even in Coppers, I think success in UCD could be congratulated a lot more’.

The lack of parking spaces on campus was mentioned to Murphy when he was collecting signatures. He wants to start a UCD ‘Car Pooling Forum’ which will ‘hopefully decrease the number of cars entering the campus each day’ and suggested ‘highlighting extremely poor parking and wastage of space would also open up more spaces.’ Murphy said his approach would be ‘practical, yet strong, parking spaces do not have to be permanent and extra spaces could be made available for the end of the semester and exam periods’. However the number of parking spaces on campus are regulated and is now capped by Dún Laoghaire county council. Similarly though he said UCD should not be ‘building huge ensuite accommodation for students when smaller, cheaper rooms would be much more accessible and practical. Putting pressure on UCD to use space more wisely has to happen’.

Words Cian Carton

“In order to promote the Union, Banach suggested ‘Pints with the Pres’ which would allow students to have a free drink with the sabbatical team, funded through SU vouchers”

A UCDSU page would be made where students can ‘post, comment and discuss on issues’ so students ‘could share ideas and inform the SU about what they really want.’

p.12-13

28.02.2017

Cóilín Garvey is a second year German and Politics student. He is the current Public Relations Officer for the German Society and a Student Brand Manager for Red Bull Ireland. His various roles around campus saw him interact with current C&C Officer Luke Fitzpatrick. After seeing what Fitzpatrick was up to, Garvey saw an opportunity to expand upon his work.

The issue of student unity is long-term, ‘it will take substantial effort before students feel more united’.

Cóilín Garvey ‘The Promoter’

Zak Brophy

‘The Ents Crew Head’

Garvey’s manifesto makes it clear that communications is a key issue. His main ideas all centre on a desire to ‘bridge the gap between those involved in the Union and the rest of the student body.’ He claimed the C&C Officer position has helped to bridge this gap, but it is still ‘early days’ as the C&C has only been back for two years. ‘I don’t think it’s something that can be done in one year or one kinda catchall thing, I think it’s something that has to be gradually built on.’

Regarding Fitzpatrick’s work, Garvey stated he believes ‘he has set a solid foundation this year and there is room to build on them’. When asked what specifically he would like to build on, Garvey chose the Winging It Handbook. He called it ‘a great start’ and said ‘hopefully next year we could update it to bring in more student opinion and stuff.’

Garvey said that due to the size of UCD ‘it’s very hard to tie people in together’. He cited his plan to diversify ENTs as a way to create unity within the student body and said ‘it’s important to bring events back onto campus’. He said UCD needed more live music in the

Zak Brophy is a second-year History and Politics Student who has served as a class rep. Brophy has been involved with ENTs since he started UCD and knows the past two C&C Officers. He is running for the position as he is ‘passionate about the change’ he wants to bring to UCD. and believes his work in organising events with ENTs equips him with the skills necessary for the job.

Brophy said that since he arrived in UCD ‘there’s been a disconnect with the Union’ and that he felt lucky to have gotten involved, and mentioned he has several friends who ‘don’t particularly care about the Union, they don’t particularly know what’s going on with the Union.’ He claimed ‘a big portion of the student body doesn’t really care about the Union because they just feel so distanced by it.’ Brophy said he did not blame the past two C&C Officers for this increasing disconnect as they have been trying to bridge it, but it is such a massive problem. ‘I don’t really know how to explain it because it’s such a big issue and you can’t explain what’s going through the minds of all the students disconnected from it.’ He said he thinks he can ‘at least lessen the divide’, one which is a ‘really harsh divide between the Union and the students’.

Brophy plans to install SU Hubs around campus to improve communication between UCDSU and students based on the number of open spaces around campus, with reference to the Newman and Science Buildings.

He suggested the possibility to ‘revamp An Cuas’ and said ‘it’d be my job to enquire about it if I get elected.’

He wants students to be able to access UCDSU to tell them about problems which need to be fixed.

He said the campaigns in his manifesto are ‘all high priority.’ He personally believes that student fees should be lower but is willing to represent whatever position students choose in the referendum. He also wants to run a campaign to get UCD to lower exam resit fees. When asked why he thinks he can succeed where previous SU attempts have failed, he said that there has

bar, and food and culture events that ‘aren’t just a one day a week thing hidden over there’, a reference to the food market held every Thursday beside the Sutherland School of Law building. Garvey said when he was collecting signatures to run many students told him they would never attend UCD ENTs events, ‘they just pre-drink and go to town’. Others said they ‘didn’t really visit the Students’ Union’, had no idea what went on there or anything about the C&C Officer. Regarding student apathy, he is aware that some students only come into UCD for lectures and go back home again.

The issue of student unity is long-term, ‘it will take substantial effort before students feel more united’.

Garvey had originally planned to have a pop up stand every Monday in a different building around campus, but after listening to feedback from others thinks that every second week would be more feasible.

He said it would involve setting up the pop up desk high profile locations and having printed out leaflets about upcoming events. He envisioned it as something whereby students could visit it and have a chat with him about anything so they could ‘see their union actually in work’.

Regarding campaigns, Garvey did not wish to outline his personal views in his manifesto. He believes fees will be a ‘substantial issue’, given the upcoming referendum.

He is undecided on fees, Garvey he said he was ‘torn, I really would like to see more information about it’ and that it was ‘crazy’ that no official campaign groups were involved. He spoke of his intent to pick up the campaign part of the job by shadowing Fitzpatrick during the transition period. Garvey stressed he would have no issue leading a campaign he did not happen to agree with, but he does ‘personally agree with all of the current stances of the Union’, and ‘at the end of the day it’s not about me, it’s about the student population at large.’

Words Cian Carton

not been a significant attempt by UCDSU to deal with the issue and stated ‘I feel like I would be able to push at least for a conversation’.

Brophy stated that ‘there’s no denying drug use is prevalent among students’ so the ‘only realistic way to ensure student safety is through a sensible drug policy’. He wants to ‘push an agenda of not condoning or condemning drug use but just acknowledging that, you know, it’s gonna happen.’ He aims to work with Students for Sensible Drug Policy Ireland to reduce the risks of drug use and keep UCD students informed and safe. He wants to bring in speakers and demonstrators as there has never been demonstrations for tester

The ‘only realistic way to ensure student safety is through a sensible drug policy’

kits. He is aware of the issues that if UCDSU were to provide tester kits at their events and something were to go wrong, ‘it would be a scandal in all the papers’.

But committed to looking into harm reduction initiatives for the upcoming ‘Ball’ the SU is organising with DITSU is elected.

Regarding the C&C Officer being chairperson of the ENTs committee, he noted it is up to each Officer to decide how involved they would get in ENTs events.

He said he would like to stay involved, but would put the campaigns and communications first.

Words Cian Carton

#SUelects17

College Tribune

EducationUCDSU

Joshua Gorman Climax

Robert Sweeney

Joshua Climax is an engineering student who has been a class rep for the last two years.

He cites this experience as making him a good candidate for education. When you first read his manifesto, there is substance behind the ideas.

Joshua was educated in Blackrock college and an Ad Astra student, but doesn’t want people to make assumptions. When put to him if he was elite he rejected the idea, ‘I know people who are struggling, I’m not in some bubble’.

‘The core issue for me as education officer would be getting the funding for the college’. This ties with his view that a loan scheme may be the best way forward for future students. He is quick to point out when challenged on unpopular loan schemes in the UK and US that there are better loan schemes in places such as the Netherlands or Australia. ‘I believe in a loan scheme as a way to make things easier for students by bringing in lower interest loans without making fees higher’.

In the models he cites, the fees would be based on the economic potential of your degree so fees for courses like engineering would be higher than those for arts. When asked if he would lobby for this if the referendum on UCDSU’s position on fees didn’t go his way he said: ‘I definitely wouldn’t contradict the referendum because the lobbying won’t work if we contradict the students’.

In favouring a loan scheme he says he is putting the value of education to the forefront, rather than the cost of it. ‘The quality of education is something we need to mindful of, we need value. We can have a system where people go in and really improve themselves’. He is wary of a situation where free fees are introduced and there’s a decrease of funding into the 3rd level sector to subsidies the difference. Free fees could lead to a situation Joshua says where you ‘get a shit degree free of charge’.

Climax would be in favour of re-joining the USI if students were properly informed about the USI and their mandates. He cites the lack of understanding of this as a reason why he

Robert is a 3rd year Economics & Politics student with a wealth of experience in running societies. He’s the current auditor of the Economics Society and was the Vice Auditor of Arts Soc, as well a Student Ambassador. He’s packed a lot in during his time in UCD and cites his strong work ethic and leadership experience as key skills to have as an Education Officer.

His manifesto is bright and better designed than his opponent but do his actual policies hold up? He says ‘if I put something in my manifesto, you’re damn sure that I’m going to hold it to account’. When asked if his manifesto could come across as populist, he defends it strongly stating, ‘I definitely have not written a populist manifesto, I’ve written a manifesto that achievable and that works’.

The most attractive feature on the manifesto is the promise to put cap on resit and repeat fees. In his eyes fighting for a reduction in fees is unrealistic. ‘If resit fees were able to be reduced, they would have done it by now but that doesn’t mean I’m not going to fight for that’, He does believe that he can achieve a cap on resit/repeat fees which would ease the economic burden on many UCD students. The motivation behind this belief is pretty simple; ‘they have said in Councils

‘The Bureaucrat’

campaigned against the referendum last year.

When asked about the absence of students and the SU at the top levels of college management he envisioned a more lecturer-student centred way to run UCD. Climax said, ‘what we have on our side is the discontent of lecturers’. ‘We can work with the faculty and form a more powerful block and push back.’ Climax is in favour of a system whereby lecturers are in a more powerful position to make decisions on the direction of the college, and in effect ‘overthrow’ the current administrative bureaucracy.

‘Free fees could lead to a situation Joshua says where you ‘get a shit degree free of charge’

One of his main goals is using societies to help improve student performance as a whole. He wants societies to put on some more academic events such as tutorials in particularly tricky modules. He cites an example this year where MechSoc provided a mechanism tutorial to over 100 engineers.

When asked about his opponent Robert Sweeney’s promise to cap repeat fees he said: ‘If you take away that revenue stream, they’re going to take it from somewhere else by raising rents or something else’.

Climax is determined, his past performances in SU Council has seen him more prepared on topics than most sabbats at times. He comes across as both knowledgeable and committed to dedicate himself to the role. But his less than populist stances on repeat fees and his favour towards a loan scheme may harm his election chances.

Words Rachel O’Neill

‘The Populist’

‘I definitely have not written a populist manifesto, I’ve written a manifesto that achievable and that works’

that the option they’d push towards is that they will cap repeat fees if we push them’. Universi-

ties don’t want to lose students. ‘It doesn’t look good if you have a low retention rate’. This would see the headline price remain, but a cap on how much you pay if you fail several modules.

Another main feature of Robert’s manifesto is the intention to bring UCD to the national stage.

We don’t feature on many government working groups when it comes to discussing student accommodation amongst other topics as we’re not a member of the USI but Robert believes we should be demanding a place at the table.

‘Being the largest university in Ireland means we deserve the representation’. A key part of this plan is the library: ‘The cornerstone of any lobbying policy is improving the library and that’s something that needs to be looked at’. He has no wish to rejoin the USI as he believes that reform of the national union is needed.

His position on fees is clear; ‘I don’t think loans are a good idea. I think it puts up barriers to both part time and mature students’. When asked why, he explains: ‘How can you have students coming out of college saddled with debt? They’re not going to innovate. They can’t afford to take risks.’ He cites the potential drop off of innovation as a particular problem, giving the Irish government’s encouragement of it.

Another main feature of his manifesto is smaller, targeted career shows in faculty buildings. ‘Breaking them down into smaller fairs means both get a better deal, better interactions’.

He also wants to train convenors to help students during registration, ‘they can be centred in buildings, helping students go through questions that they have and pointing them in the right direction when they get stuck’.

There’s no doubt that Robert is ambitious and if he truly can deliver on his manifesto then he will go down as an excellent education officer.

The only drawback is that his manner can sometimes come across as defensive, and a manifesto built on popular promises can be a tough bar to live up to when in the role.

Words Rachel O’Neill

p.14-15

28.02.2017

WelfareUCDSU

PostGradUCDSU

Eoghan Mac Domhnaill

Niall Torris

Eoghan Mac Domhnaill is a third year Science student and is running unopposed for the position of Welfare Officer. He is also currently the outgoing Oifigeach na Gaeilge for the UCDSU after having been in that position for the past year.

Niall Torris is a postgraduate studying for his H.Dip in Psychology. He’s no stranger to student politics being the former President of Carlow IT SU and last year’s UCDSU mature students coordinator. He is likely to bring experience to the table if elected to the role of Postgraduate officer.

As experienced as he is, this is definitely the most significant role he has held in an SU yet and how much he achieved in the last year for Mature Students is questionable. He admits he never held any events with the Mature Students Society but he maintains he will in the future. He says ‘I’m trying my best’. He says his best interaction with Mature Students came through interactions via class representatives. Niall recognises that it is a ‘strange role’, as mature students generally don’t get involved in campus politics.

When asked about why he chose to run for Postgraduate Officer, Torris said that ‘ten to fifteen years ago getting an undergraduate degree was key and you could move forward with that, but postgraduate degrees are becoming more and more necessary.’ The labour market is demanding postgrads more than ever now he says, and they need more support in college.

He realises the life of a postgraduate is different to that of an undergraduate and he wants to tweak the way in which the SU communicate with them to cater for this difference. Niall says ‘postgrads have a busier schedule. It’s much more haphazard because you have a life behind it.

You’re probably working.’ Due to that he would like to promote the use of online surveys. But when asked for more detail he didn’t know how he would get these surveys out. He said that this year’s Postgraduate Officer Cian Casey told him there is a way of doing it but Torris is unsure of what the system actually is. Niall stated ‘they had a system they were prepared to use and they decided to go a different direction with it. I’m unsure as to exactly what it was’.

He pledges in his manifesto to secure more library space for postgraduates. Realising that this would be nearly impossible to acquire in the

‘Mr Nice Guy’

UCD for Choice ‘will be very central to the position’ of Welfare Eoghan explained that his reason for running for the position is that he believes Welfare Officer is an important job that ‘needs to be done well’, as well as feeling that the position ‘can do more than it has done in the past’. His manifesto mentions that the Welfare Crew has ‘dwindled in recent years’ and claims that if he gets elected he will make a more active welfare crew of about five or six people. If elected Eoghan said that he would ‘give more responsibility to equality officer who will be thrown into the welfare crew’. He stated that this would allow the equality officer the opportunity to run their own programmes as well as work within the Welfare programme which would benefit students.

On the topic of consent classes Eoghan believes that consent classes are important, but should be non-mandatory. Despite the SU recently cancelling consent workshops due to lower turnouts, Mac Domhnaill’s plans for consent classes will be scaled down and initially just for those living on campus. They will be for all genders and will not be heterocentric. He hopes to include the LGBTQ+ society as well in the non-mandatory workshops that will take place during Orientation Week if elected.

Moving to mental health, Mac Domhnaill has plans to run the SU Mental Health Week in the beginning of semester one to help students who are ‘struggling to find their feet’ in the first few weeks of the academic year. He emphasised the importance of counselling services which he

called ’run down’ and seeks to improve these services for all students. Eoghan also expressed an interest in bringing in speakers to talk about mental health and his desire to put more focus on its importance.

Mac Domhnaill has plans for a scheme whereby himself and the Welfare Crew visit certain schools for one to two hours a week is part of his ‘Turas Tae’ initiative which hopes to ‘make it more convenient for students so they aren’t trekking across campus’. It will also hope to ’improve communication between the students and the Students’ Union’.

As UCD For Choice comes under the Welfare Officer’s budget, Eoghan has stated that he will support them as ‘’they will be very central to the position’ and have a mandate from two thirds of the students following the recent referendum.

Speaking about how he would make the Union more relevant to students, Mac Domhnaill said that he would make sure people know what services are available, including ‘Walksafe and counselling’. Stating that services need to be highlighted more, he suggested that he would perhaps have posters up of the services available to students throughout the year.

He pointed out that there has been a problem with UCD where services and supports are only advertised and made known about an incident and are too late, such as the reported rape on campus last November. Eoghan said that if elected he would ensure at least a weekly post on social media would be made about raising awareness of these services.

Having served as vice auditor of An Cumann Gaelach, Residents Coordinator for the SU, treasurer of UCD Sinn Féin Society, and Oifigeach na Gaeilge to the SU, Eoghan has definitely got experience in leadership roles. His manifesto strongly emphasises health and equality of students in UCD, as well as improving the services already on offer and creating his own services that will benefit students as a whole.

Words Ronan O’Sullivan

‘The Experienced Head’ James Joyce library, he proposes an interesting solution that sees areas in the smaller libraries be given priority to postgraduates during certain times, such as ‘when key pieces of work are coming due for large batches of postgrads’. Torris would also look into getting desks in UCD’s research buildings that have freed up due to job losses designated specifically for postgraduates, ‘As the university undergoes the restructuring it is going through at the moment, new spaces are opening up.’.

‘Postgraduate degrees are becoming more and more necessary’ ‘They need more support in college’ Niall Torris believes that the Student’s Union is an outlet for student’s anger and he promises in his manifesto to campaign on a nationally for postgraduate issues. When asked about how he intends to campaign he says he does not believe in unnecessary protests and that ‘no protest is better than a poor protest’. Although he does say that there has to be less of an aversion from action and if the students aren’t happy, action must be taken to convey this.

Torris is running unopposed in this election.

He could very well be a good postgraduate officer.

He has the ideas. He seems like he has the drive, and a lot of prior Union experience. But if he will be able to implement them effectively is one thing in question, in what is traditionally a role that has a tough time engaging students.

Words William O’Brien

Referendum.

Student Fees Preferendum Explainer: What Are the Three Options to Fund Higher Education?

Jack Power Editor

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The context of the report is the serious under funding of higher education

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www.collegetribune.ie

Alongside the SU sabbatical position elections and the referendum on the Union’s position on Irish reunification, there is also a key ‘preferendum’ being put before students on what stance the SU should take on funding higher education. The UCDSU have not had a stance on whether they support free fees or a loan scheme in over a year. The choice put before students on March 7th and 8th will be based on the three options outlined by the Cassells’ report. The Cassells’ report was an expert which looked into the future funding of higher education. The three options are a free fees system, a loan scheme, or the current registration charge with increased state investment. The Tribune takes a look at the merits and arguments for each option, and the drawbacks.

The context of the report is the serious underfunding of higher education in Ireland, with state grants to universities and college decreasing substantially since the recession. For example, it costs between €11,000 – 12,000 to run a non-clinical course like Arts or Business for a student. But UCD only receives €9,000 currently (€3,000 from the student, and €6,000 in a grant from the state per student). Meaning there exists a deficit in the funding of higher level education. Since 2009 state funding into higher education had dropped considerably year on year. All the three options have different merits and political remifications for society.

The Current System One of the options the Cassells’ higher education report was to maintain the current registration fee students pay of €3,000, and increase state investment to colleges to tackle the funding crisis. The SU referendum outlines the option of the current fee system (of a €3,000 registration fee).

The Cassells report outlines that this system would seem to some to be a fair way to balance the public and private benefits (and contributions) of higher education. However, the expert report outlined that the €3,000 registration fee means Ireland is one of the only EU countries in which higher education is not free at the point of access. Most European countries have a significantly lower entry fee, in Germany and several Nordic countries for example college education is entirely free. Even in the UK or Australia where a loan scheme is in place, college is free an entry and the cost is then paid back later. The current Irish system therefore puts up a barrier to entry. But 50% of those in college do receive a SUSI government grant to try combat this socio-economic barrier.

The report identified the current charge has resulted in ‘people experiencing considerable difficulties in paying’. With a proportion of those in higher education who don’t qualify for a SUSI grant required to take out a bank loan, which would have a higher rate of interest than a state-backed student loan.

The other disadvantages of the current system also include the perpetuation of the funding crisis in third-level education, save for political will for a large scale investment in universities and colleges.

Above Peter Cassells, chair of the expert report into the future funding of higher education.

The Student Loan Scheme Student Loans schemes are based on the idea that anyone can go to college, and then pay back the cost when they start to earn over a certain amount later in their career. However, they are often proposed alongside increases in the per year fee.

The Irish Cassells report suggests an income-contingent loan scheme of €4,000, or €5,000 a year, that graduates would start paying back when they earn over a set level.

The idea has the benefits of ‘abolishing the existing upfront fees’ the expert report stated. The Cassells report continued to say ‘if it is accepted that students should make a contribution to the cost of higher education, some will argue that there are a number of advantages to deferred payment (using income contingent loans) rather than up-front fees or mortgage-type loans’.

However the drawbacks include raising fees by stealth, from €3K up to either €4K or €5K under the options suggested. The reality of this approach is that it shifts the responsibility of funding higher education from the state’s pursue onto private shoulders. So in the future if more or additional investment is needed by universities, the deferred element of the scheme makes it politically easier to simply increase the deferred rate to more than €5K, it is argued. In the UK a loan scheme was introduced at a deferred £9K, and now stands at £12K per year of study. The other drawback of a loan scheme is that while it is free at the point of access, students from lower socio-economic areas would traditionally be debt averse, and as such may not be willing to attend higher education if they’ll come out with potentially €20,000 in debt to pay off.

Publically Funded ‘Free Fees’ Model The publically funded model would see the €3,000 registration fee scrapped and instead government funding into higher education substantially increased to make up the difference, and invest in the underfunded higher education system.

This option the higher education report outlines has the obvious benefits of reducing barriers of entry fees or future debt to a student entering college. It’s based on the Nordic and German models which view higher education as a public good and service the state should seek to invest in, and as such then benefit from the increased number of skilled graduates in the economy later.

The disadvantage or flaw identified is it relies on the government to both be in a fiscal position, and possess the political will to adequately fund higher education. State investment into higher education per capita is well below the European average currently. This option would mean the state would have to bring its contribution into third-level up to European standards. The report outlines the main pitfall being the lack of a political will or impetus to achieve this, which could result in colleges, ITs and universities facing similar resourcing crisis as they do now.

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Referendum.

Vote Yes: United Ireland Referendum Callie Crawley Politics Writer The SU is running a referendum on whether they should support a United Ireland.

Below The UCD for Unity group has formed to campaign for a Yes Vote.

The first issue that has arisen in Ireland as a result of Brexit is the guarantee of human rights. Human rights issues will be a challenge facing the North of Ireland as the UK no longer has to comply with human rights obligations contained in the EU Treaties and other sources of EU law.

The EU Charter of Fundamental Rights, for example, would not apply, and the European Court of Justice would not have jurisdiction over the UK except possibly for transitional cases that arose before withdrawal.

Some British politicians have also floated the idea of leaving the European Court of Human Rights, in part because of politically unpopular decisions, including voting rights for prisoners.

If the Human Rights Act was repealed it would unilaterally put the UK in violation of the Good Friday Agreement, and its international treaty obligations to Ireland. This would have international consequences and raise concerns for the reciprocity on which the Treaty depends. Irish unity offers an opportunity to satisfy this as the North of Ireland would be within the boundaries of the Irish Republic, safe in staying a member of the ECHR with greater human rights for woman and the further advancement of rights in the future.

A hard border is also another harsh reality due to Brexit. This is inevitably going to be a factor due to the Republic being a member of the EU customs union which means that as long as the North is outside the EU and its customs union, there will have to be North-South border controls to rule out trade diversion. This is problematic as if a border is enacted along the 325-mile frontier between Northern Ireland and the Irish Republic it has the potential to create unnecessary tension and friction. It also will be disruptive to free movement, and set the formation of checkpoints and set peace relations on the island back 20 years.

A return to the hard border would see both social and political impacts as well as economic disturbances to the €1bn trade that goes on on a weekly basis. A hard border will not just affect border towns and those regularly travelling North and South of the border, but the entire island.

Finally, a united Ireland makes complete economic sense. An independent report was recently undertaken by the Canadian consultancy KLC which suggested ‘significant long-term improvement’ in the island’s economy resulting from unification. Report contributor Marcus Noland noted, ‘Northern Ireland is falling ever further behind the Republic in terms of economic development’ and said future relations North and South could ‘potentially could become more problematic due to the UK’s withdrawal from the EU’. The North would particularly benefit from unification with its exports initially rising by 5% and long-term GDP per capita increasing by 4%-7.5% after adopting the euro and the Irish tax system, while the Republic would benefit from barrier-free access to the Northern market.

The North would also see improved economic development and salary levels. Peace and stability is what is needed in the island of Ireland as the world is facing greater adversity than ever, now is the time for Irish unity as we can no longer afford to be divided. Economic and political stability will be achieved by having a single state together combined with all its citizens’ equal and just under the law.

This is why the having the UCDSU stance to be ‘Pro Unity’ will be a stepping stone in the direction of a United Ireland and this in turn is why UCD students should vote yes to unity on 7th and 8th March.

Vote No: United Ireland Referendum Conor Duffy Politics Writer

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A United Ireland carries a hefty price tag.

Northern Ireland are net recipients of public spending in the UK.

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28.02.2017

A United Ireland carries a hefty price tag. Northern Ireland are net recipients of public spending in the UK. The latest figures from HM’s Treasury indicate that the subvention received by Northern Ireland in 2014 was slightly over £9 billion. That amounted to a little over 1% of total UK government spending in the same year and so was manageable for the British taxpayer. Total Irish government spending in the same year was just shy of €50 billion. Even converting to the use of more favourable exchange rates in early 2017, simply maintaining that level of expenditure in Northern Ireland would cost over €10 billion, a spending hike of around 20%. Trimming Northern Ireland’s bloated public sector and harmonizing service provision would ameliorate this somewhat, but the Northern Irish tax base is still substantially smaller than Ireland’s. We can expect to be subsidising that region for significant time in the event of unification. With our national debt only recently dipping below 100% of GDP and an Irish public that has already endured almost a decade of austerity, taking on a substantial extra expense is reason to be wary about uniting the two political units on this island.

However, one might say, everything comes with a price, and here the benefits outweigh the costs. A fair point, should there be substantial benefits stemming from a united Ireland. But there’s cause to doubt this. Models that predict large economic gains (like the Unity side’s 36 million figure) generally assume clever policy making and a rosy political climate. Between Brexit and a protectionist in the White House, political conditions in 2017 are anything but favourable. The RHI scandal in Northern Ireland and the immature response to it does not give one hope for sensible politics should these politicians join the Oireachtas. Furthermore, the scandal demonstrates that Northern Ireland still has some way to go in healing the sectarian division that have long plagued the region. It’s difficult to see how a united Ireland would improve the situation; it may well infect the political culture of Ireland instead. Further economic integration of this island is possible without political integration – we can co-operate to slash barriers to commerce and fight to keep an invisible border during Brexit, and this approach would bring us closer together in a more constructive manner.

Finally, much of the appeal of a united Ireland is emotional, the idea of having ‘A Nation Once Again’. While I am sympathetic to this, romantic ideals are hardly a substitution for policy. The related desire to correct perceived historical injustice is a noble one. I agree that the plantations were an immoral act of imperialism and that partition was handled badly. But nobody alive today can truly be held responsible for these actions, it isn’t the fault of a typical unionist that their ancestors were colonizers. Better instead to focus on the here and now, rather than simply reversing an act carried out by those long dead.

A Northern Irish identity, separate from both British and Irish, has since formed. By the 2011 Census, this is the identity of choice for over half a million Northern Irish citizens. We ought to encourage this development, rather than reopen old wounds by forcing an Irish one upon it.

I like Northern Ireland, it has the Giant’s Causeway, humans that speak with a delightful brogue, and was my great-grandfather’s birthplace. I am delighted to be neighbours and desire a cooperative relationship. But for all the reasons outlined above, I can’t in good conscience support a united Ireland, unless it’s the North advocating to unify rather than the South. I’ll be voting ‘No’ in the upcoming UCDSU referendum, and I hope you do too. p.17

Fashion.

Gucci’s Mystical Romance of Resort 17

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he Resort or Cruise collections are particularly important around this time of year as they give us a sense of hope and excitement with their light Spring and Summer clothing which is quite frankly, the bright light at the end of our very cold, dark tunnel in these gloomy winter months.

Gucci’s Resort ‘17 runway show was held in the Cloisters of Westminster Abbey and not only did Alessandro Michele pay tribute to British tradition through the venue, but also through the 94 looks that were showcased there. The collection sported vibrant plaids, trench coats and union jacks whilst still remaining true to the brand’s colorful Italian roots. Each look was very heavily accessorized, especially in the ring department with every one of the 94 looks being styled with an abundance of rings on both hands.

One of the most popular pieces, if not THE most popular piece, to come out of this collection is the white t-shirt with the vintage Gucci logo. If you haven’t seen this t-shirt yet, then trust me, you will. Not only was it featured left, right and centre on the runway at Westminster Abbey, it is now absolutely everywhere. So much so that the t-shirt (which is retailing for €390) is now on backorder on the Gucci website until the beginning of March, and appears to be sold out everywhere else.

This collection ranged from posh to punk, with Michele taking inspiration from all different era’s of British culture. The collection perfectly captures British eccentricity with a bold daring colour palette and by, quite literally, making it rain cats and dogs. The Victorian epoch has a romantic elegance which is captured by the fabrics used in the ensembles; the lace, chiffon and satin, all in carefully selected hues. This collection bears ruffles galore in the details of dresses, on neck collars and even socks. Both the garments and accessories are densely packed with embellishments of pearls and gems alike.

And not to mention intricate floral embroidery and designs that are breathtaking. Of course it is a Spring collection so florals are not so groundbreaking, but nevertheless they are still adored.

Although it is mesmerising to stare at the sublime, well put together outfits that are featured on the runway, the looks aren’t quite so attainable in real life. Even more so, they are especially not so attainable with our student budget.

Something that is so admirable about this Cruise collection is the fact that there is, for the most part, one accessible and wearable piece in each of the 94 looks; whether it be a vintage style t-shirt, or a silk scarf. Now of course that doesn’t mean that we can afford these accessible pieces, but we can find substitutes for them. I’m going to take you through 3 styles that were found on the runway and what to look for so you can find a similar item while still remaining true to Gucci’s key concept.

Shannon Doherty Fashion Writer

Fashion.

t

Euro-trash or Global Treasure?

V

etements has ditched the uniform of the underground club-kid and ventured for the modernization of the uniform of the everyday person. The underground revolution has come over-ground. Age, gender and race, have no specific requirements. The diverse runway was a sight for sore eyes with the usual Hadid/ Jenner clan opening and closing shows. This collection is creativity at its best and of course ensured the element of surprise with every one of the 37 looks.

What Gvasalia has done with Vetements is make it a house that truly stands out from the silhouettes of other European fashion houses. Vetements has created its own genre and with it, has dominated the culture of fashion and of the high-street. Now, more and more carbon copies are being made by the high street brands of Vetements designs pushing itself again into another cultural stratosphere.

Being creative and daring as the collection was, it was hard to really see the clothing being worn outside of the show. Out of context, some of the pieces would lose their meaning and the concept incoherent. The biohazard puff bomber was one piece I felt would become very popular amongst the Insta-hungry fashion bloggers; the biohazard piece making a statement about today’s political society. But there is more. The entire show felt like one big social experiment, an entire flip of Bourdieu’s ideology. Is this all just one big joke that only Demna Gvasalia and his creative team are in on or is a highly symbolic view of our culture today? In four short years Vetements has placed itself amongst the hierarchy of fashion houses. Their success also derives from restricted exposure and limited supply.

Every stock list as well as every celebrity are carefully chosen to keep with the ethos of the brand. Their success proving no bounds. DHL tees along with BIC lighter heels, fill the feeds of Instagram “Influencers” and Tumblr accounts. The bootleg creations are innovative and made by millennials for the millennial market.

What’s so fascinating about Vetements and its millennials, is that it is not just feeding culture but creating it. No matter how you feel about the latest collection or any of the previous collections, Vetements has furthered the boundaries of fashion and has cemented its legacy into the fashion industry.

All hail Vetements.

Niamh Cavanagh Fashion Editor

Features.

Calling all Students!

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What are you waiting for? Sign up today.

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Features.

8th March

REPEAL

Strike4Repeal:

How Effective is Industrial Action in Fighting for Reproductive Rights?

Features editor Rachel O’Neill looks at the argument for striking when it comes to reproductive rights and the campaign to Repeal the 8th.

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triking is one of the fundamental rights that we as workers have. It allows us to protest for fair pay rises, better working conditions and fair contracts. Strikes have been used throughout the years for this purpose but they’ve also been used to make a point about how we value certain members of society. This is the vein that Strike4Repeal is aiming for, to apply pressure on the axis of power in Leinster House to call a referendum on the 8th amendment.

But what is Strike4Repeal? Essentially it’s a group of students, academics, trade unionists and activists who are encouraging people to strike on March 8th, if the government does not call a referendum on the 8th amendment by then. The likelihood of the government calling this referendum before March 8th is low given that they have continually stated that they wish to wait for the findings of the Citizens Assembly which is expected to report back in summer of this year.

The strike itself is not a traditional one so to speak as people are being encouraged to take annual leave on the 8th of March, cover someone’s shift if they can’t take the day off or wear black in solidarity. There will also be an event at the Ha'penny Bridge at around 12:30pm and a march to mark International Women’s Day later in the day. Students are being encouraged to walk out of lectures or to wear black in solidarity and try to discuss the strike as much as possible with friends, co-workers, family members and lecturers. The action has been officially supported so far by Trinity College Student’s Union and supported by a number of other colleges around the country.

UCDSU have committed to support the strike for Repeal, and will be supplying t-shirts for the UCD for Choice group.

So why should we as students support the action? On October 24th 1975, the women of Iceland went on strike to protest against the wage gap where women were earning less than 60% of what men earned for the same job. The main message of the protest was to show how the country could not function if women refused to work either in their jobs or in the home. It was estimated that approximately 90% of Iceland’s female population refused to attend work or do any work in the home that 28.02.2017

Above The Strike4Repeal will take place on the 8th of March.

day resulting in the closure of many industries. There was no telephone service and no newspapers were printed that day as all the typesetters were women. Most of the teachers were women so many of the schools closed and bank executives had to work as tellers in order to keep banks open. In short, the strike caused such a colossal shutdown of many services that the following year, the Icelandic government passed a law which guaranteed equal rights for men and women. The legacy of the Icelandic strike lives on. Every 10 years on October 24th, Icelandic women leave work around 2:30pm to symbolise the time at which they stop earning an equal pay to their male counterparts.

The Black Monday protest in Poland in 2016 was largely based on the Icelandic strike of 1975. This protest was organised in the wake of the Polish government’s threat to abolish access to abortion services in the country where access is already limited to abortion in the case of rape, incest, fatal foetal abnormality or risk to the mother’s

life and health. Women in 60 cities went on strike and the following Thursday, the proposed ban was rejected in the Polish government following the intense political backlash.

What the Icelandic and Polish examples show is that strikes can and do have a massive effect on the political landscape. While the likelihood of a referendum being called before March 8th is low, the strike will likely keep the pressure on the government to face the abortion issue instead of hiding behind delay tactics and empty rhetoric. A strike allows people to show their support for the Repeal/ pro-choice campaigns in a new way. It allows the people to tell our leaders than we can wait no longer. A strike allows the people to show their solidarity for any person who has to leave Ireland to procure an abortion or order abortion medicines from the internet.

It lets our government know that this issue is not going away anytime soon. Similar successes of collective action have worked for transport works in the Luas, Dublin

Bus, and this year teachers, nurses and Garda have leveraged the threat of strike to demand better conditions Will a strike cause a sudden change in our legislation or constitution? Probably not yet that reason alone does not make a strike worthless or pointless as some people have suggested, Will it change the minds of those who are still undecided on this controversial issue? It is difficult to say, the real debate will likely only start when a referendum date is tabled.

The strike will certainly be a force of momentum to draw form for the growing movement to Repeal. The more engaging the action, the more people feel empowered and the more momentum gained.

The Strike4Repeal campaign is allowing people to voice their anger in a powerful way. The withdrawal of work has many effects and is yet another ripple to incite more change in the way we view our abortion services in this country.

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Features.

Several high profile incidents internationally and on campus have seen UCD’s policy and approach to sexual assault and harassment on campus come under question. Do students know how to report an incident with the university if they want to, or do the college need to make it clearer? Should the college take a proactive stance on tackling sexual assault or ‘rape culture’ on campus?

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he combination of the young adult’s burgeoning sexual identity, the nebulous concept of consent and the alcohol fuelled first taste of freedom. The formative years of university life are a vulnerable period for young adults which can turn college campuses into an insidious breeding ground for sexual assault.

America has seen a number of high-profile sexual assault and rape cases, which have brought to public attention the endemic of college rape culture that has existed for many years. The Stanford rape victim penned a widely publicised open-letter to her attacker; a university town called Missoula earned itself the label 'America’s Rape Capital' because of a series of 80 rapes within a three-year period; and the case brought against Owen Labrie rape case uncovered the long-standing tradition of senior students sexually propositioning younger students in an elite boarding school.

Irish press covered similar cases of violence against female

www.collegetribune.ie

students in November of last year, with investigations underway into the alleged rape of a UCD student in November in Belfield campus. Mainstream media reporting would suggest that these was random and isolated event, however the lack of press coverage should not be considered indicative of Ireland’s college rape culture.

Sexual violence is undeniably a stain on the wider fabric of Irish educational institutions and a study by the Union of Students in Ireland (USI) in 2013 shows that 16% of students received an unwanted sexual experience while at their educational institution. The prevalence of sexual assault or harassment in borne on the shoulders of Irish female students more acutely.

One in five women experienced unwanted sexual behaviour and one in twelve were the victim of rape or attempted rape, with the figure being less than 1% in relation to men. Speaking to Neuroscience student Áine she acknowledged feeling scared late at night in UCD, saying. 'When I’m alone and walking through the car park or walking home

Lack of Information and Emphasis Highlights UCD’s Problematic Approach to Sexual Assault on Campus

Eleanor Brooks Features Writer

through the library I have my keys between my fingers.'

Sexual assault on campus is an Irish problem not just an American one.

How does UCD deal with Sexual Assault involving its Students?

Hand-in-hand with the disturbing frequency of sexual assault attacks against students in Ireland is the lack of proactive behaviour put in place by educational institutions to handle it.

The Journal recently reported on a UCD student’s attempt to lodge an incidence of sexual assault, which is said to have taken place on October of 2015, with the college authorities. The second year student has said she was 'bounced around' by UCD

officials as there are no 'visible system in place' designed to handle her claims, which remain unaddressed despite her feeling unsafe.

Informing students on the correct course of action in the aftermath of a sexual assault has not been a point of concern for UCD. With information on how or where to report an incident notoriously difficult to find.

Anecdotally the Tribune quizzed fourteen random students on if they knew where to report an incident of sexual harassment or abuse within UCD, with not one knowing how to make a complaint.

I began by looking at information on the Welfare page under the sexual health section. The page listed the UCD Health & Counselling centre, a student advisor link (that didn’t work), the welfare page itself and the

Dublin Rape Crisis Centre. There was no prescribed route for dealing with the matter internally, nor any information beyond links to external websites. Next I turned to the support section of www.ucd.ie. The page listed the Emergency Campus helpline, which would refer the incident to official Emergency Services.

Again, there was no information detailing an internal handling of the case, with all guidelines targeted towards the immediate aftermath of the assault.

I had a hypothetical scenario in mind, in which one UCD student is raped or sexually assaulted by another student of UCD. Was there a specific body in UCD to process such complaints and what were the necessary procedures and safeguards in place?

My last port of call was UCD’s code of conduct. Trawling through the entire document

I found only one mention of sexual violence, Article 6.14, which forbids ‘sexual harassment of any student or member of the staff of the University’. I referred to the UCD Dignity & Respect Policy to seek elucidation of the university’s sexual harassment policy. The Dignity and Respect policy (which is currently under review) fleshed out the meaning, by providing examples of sexual harassment of varying degrees of intensity. Only two of the nine examples involved physical harassment, the most severe of which beginning 'threats of or actual, physical assault'. No more details were given as to what actions ‘physical assault’ would encompass.

Given that 1 in 20 of Irish female students are the victims of rape, with an additional 3% suffering an attempted rape, both documents appear grossly

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Features.

What to do if you have been sexually assaulted or raped: Contact the Gardai as soon as possible.

If possible, do not eat, drink, brush teeth, shower or use the toilet before reporting to the Gardai. Keep your underwear and trousers.

Go to the SATU Unit at Rotunda Hospital for a medical and forensic examination Write a timeline of events, leading up to and including the assault

inadequate for dealing with the reality of sexual violence in UCD. It is unclear if sexual assault and rape is included within the scope of this terminology, and even if it were, the heading 'sexual harassment' demeans the level of violence suffered by a victim of sexual assault.

Speaking to UCD SU Welfare officer Roisin O’Mara about the issue she told me that if you go the Gardaí UCD cannot do anything about your claim. Acknowledging that campus sexual assault was not a new problem, she said that UCD needed to change its approach to a zero-tolerance stance. 'This isn’t going away. This isn’t anything new.'

Seeking more answers I contacted the student discipline administration as well as a dignity & respect colleague. My experiences mimicked that of the earlier mentioned UCD student: I was forwarded from one person to the

28.02.2017

next and ultimately received no answers to my questions.

UCD’s willingness to distance itself from student instances of sexual violence and leave all investigations to Gardaí is at odds with the US universities, where often the preferred course of actions is to handle reports of sexual violence internally, often to the detriment of the student. Yale law student, Alexandra Brodsky has spoken openly about her experience of reporting her sexual assault to her university, whom coerced into not telling the police.

In response to public backlash, the US government sought to strengthen legal protections, and turned to Title IX, a US federal law designed to prevent sexual discrimination. In existence since 1972, it has been bolstered by the Obama administration to include sexual harassment and sexual violence, legally requiring schools to have an established procedure

for handling such cases. If a student files a complaint the school is required to conduct its own investigation, regardless of whether it is reported to the police, and must act to remedy the harm incurred while ensuring it doesn’t happen again. This is still an imperfect model. The life form such an investigation should take is uncertain given that recommendations made by the US Department of Education are guidelines rather than uniform rules, leaving each university free to develop their own procedure.

Having a precise, judicious and thorough process laid out is in the best interest of both the victim and accused, as shown by the John Doe v Jane Roe San Diago Case. After John Doe had been found guilty of sexual misconduct by a tribunal and suspended for over a year he sued the college arguing that the administrative case brought against him was one-sided and unfair. The state judge agreed he hadn’t received due process and the guilty determination was overturned, putting the victim in a far worse position than she would have been had the original investigation been more rigorous.

If a disciplinary hearing were to take place in UCD to investigate a claim of sexual assault it is unclear what safeguards would be in place to accommodate the sensitive nature of the case. A disciplinary procedure designed to punish plagiarism is wholly unsuitable, and the rudimentary mention of sexual harassment in the UCD code of conduct would suggest that a UCD disciplinary committee is ill equipped to handle such complaints.

How can UCD help?

Supports outside UCD:

UCD can offer support services to victims of sexual assault, even if the perpetrator was not a UCD student and there is no Gardai involvement

Dublin Rape Crisis Centre 24 hour helpline 1800 778 888 Email: counselling@rcc.ie

Report the incident to any Student Advisor (http://www.ucd.ie/ studentadvisers) You can apply for extenuating circumstances.

UCD Health & Counselling Service Number (01 716 3134) For information on how to make a complaint email: bianca.shaw@ucd. ie

Does UCD have an obligation to handle sexual assault claims involving its students?

The salient question is whether it is appropriate that third level institutions should have an investigative and discriminatory role for sexual violence involving its own students, or whether it should be left solely to the legal system. The answer is that both investigations should be conducted in parallel with one another as neither is sufficient as a standalone procedure. Sexual violence is a criminal matter that should be handled by police forces, however there are circumstances that require action beyond the Gardaí, like how the university will deal with the practicalities of a victim and alleged abuser sharing a campus or a course.

Low prosecution rates serve as a major deterrence to victims reporting crimes of sexual violence: two thirds of rape cases reported are brought to trial and only approximately 1% of reported sexual assault instances result in conviction.

With the burden of proof being 'beyond all reasonable doubt' for criminal cases, lack of evidence is the overwhelming reason, as it is often one word against another.

Legally an administrative investigation by UCD on the other hand would benefit from requiring a lower burden of proof ('on the balance of probabilities') minimising the evidentiary hurdle permitting some form of disciplinary action.

Sometimes victims don’t want the perpetrator to go to jail yet wish to avoid the vulnerable position of seeing their attacker on campus. Columbia Univer-

sity student Emma Sulkowicz carried a mattress on her back throughout the school year to protest at the way the college handled her reports of rape at the hands of a fellow student Paul Nungesser. He was cleared by a tribunal despite similar rape claims made by three other students, and he continued to study alongside Sulkowicz for the duration of their degree.

Committing repeat offences is not uncommon for those who commit sexual violence and internal action would allow UCD protective action swiftly and effectively.

By failing to take a firm stance against sexual violence UCD is contributing to culture that permits attacks and neglects victims. UCD’s response to the alleged rape last semester is particularly telling as they only made public the allegations once it had been circulated by mainstream media.

Out of fourteen UCD students I spoke to, twelve had heard about the attack via social media and not from UCD. English and Drama Student Ronan Bartley described UCD’s reaction as a 'tepid and lukewarm response', suggesting that UCD intended cover up the incident, a worry voiced by several other students.

It is a worrying reflection of the disconnect between UCD’s governing bodies and its students if they believe the university favours its reputation over their personal safety. An environment in which students feel their safety concerns aren’t being addressed is the same environment that emboldens potential attackers.

It’s clear internal policy and institutional frameworks have a long way to catch up to the realities of sexual assault and harassment on campus.

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LifeStyle.

Recipe of the Week:

Aubergine Potato Curry Ciara Landy Food & Lifestyle Editor Food & Lifestyle editor Ciara Landy scours the internet for good food so you don’t have to!

Each week we feature recipes from a variety of ‘up-and-coming’ health & lifestyle bloggers around the world.

Spotlight

Conseulo of @earthlytaste Instagram-fame, couples incredible food-styling and photography with delicious, healthy recipes. For more recipes check out her website www. earthlytaste.com, or follow her on Instagram (@earthlytaste).

Lighter Aubergine Potato Curry Serves 4 A delicious, creamy aubergine potato curry,vwhich keeps well in the fridge for up to 5 days.

1 2

Ingredients 4 small potatoes 1 medium-sized aubergine 1 onion 2 tbsp. olive oil 3 tbsp. tomato sauce 200 milliliters light coconut cream 1/2-1 tbsp. curry powder cilantro, rice, etc... (to serve)

3 4 5 6 7 8 9

Method Start by washing the potatoes thoroughly and cutting them into small pieces.

Put them in a bowl covered with plastic wrap and microwave them for 10-15 minutes while you cook the rest of the vegetables. Alternatively, you can just boil them, but that’s messier and takes longer.

Heat 1 tbsp. of olive oil in a pan and add minced onion.

Sauté for 2-3 minutes until fragrant.

Add the remaining oil and sauté the eggplant, cut into medium-sized cubes, for 10-12 minutes.

Add the steamed potato cubes and sauté on low for 5 minutes.

Add salt & pepper to taste and tomato sauce and stir to combine.

Add in coconut cream and curry powder, stir and cook on low heat for 10 minutes, or until it has thickened a bit.

Enjoy with some rice and cilantro.

YouTube

Best of the Internet:

Travel edition www.collegetribune.ie

Instagram

Backpacking Bananas

Lost Leblanc

‘Backpacking Bananas’ follows 22 year old female traveller Christianne on her adventures around the world.

The channel offers great practical advice in a number of areas, with videos talking you through the visa application processes for Australia and New Zealand.

‘Lost Leblanc’ combines solid travel advice with sensational videography that is pure visual escapism.

@sam.travel

@jeremysnell

For surreal and dreamy travel snaps look no further than Dublin-based photographer @sam.travel. Shortlisted for Beautiful Destinations’ “World Coolest Job” out of 65,000 applicants, Sam is definitely one to watch for 2017.

Pictured below is Sam’s take on Sandycove, Dun Laoghaire.

This photographer and cinematographer, has amassed a cult following over 80,000 on Instagram. Jeremy Snell’s feed features affecting travel photography, short videos and numerous portraits of those he encounters along his journey

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LifeStyle.

The Concerns and Controversy around Palm Oil Ciara Landy Food & Lifestyle Editor

Raspberry White Chocolate Smoothie Bowl

Palm oil. You might not be familiar with it, but your body certainly is. Palm oil is the most widely consumed vegetable oil on the planet, it is loaded into everything from confectionery to cosmetics. Palm oil production is under increasing scrutiny of late, and critique that has been welcomed by environmental advocacy groups.

Palm oil plantations are almost synonymous with ecological disaster. Each year thousands of acres of valuable rainforest are cleared to make way for palm trees. This process destroys vital habitats and is leading the extinction of critically endangered species like the Sumatran orangutan and tiger. Indonesia and Malaysia are the world’s largest exporter of palm oil, with almost 85% of the market share between the two countries. Mass palm oil production in these areas also raises many human rights concerns, as numerous plantations have been linked to widespread child labour practices, with one plantation in the Indonesian island of Sumatra employing children as young as seven years of age for hard labour.

Why should you monitor your intake of palm oil? A high intake of palm oil also carries associated health risks, it is laden in saturated fat and cholesterol, major contributors to heart disease. In May 2016 the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA), reported that palm oil generated more of a potentially carcinogenic contaminant than other vegetable oils, when refined at temperatures above 200 degrees Celsius. The EU Authority stated further study was necessary to assess the oil’s true level of risk.

Simple Swap If you’re looking to cut down on your own consumption of palm oil, there’s plenty of healthier alternatives to your favourite snacks.

Ingredients 1 + 1/2 frozen bananas 1 cup frozen raspberries 350 milliliters light coconut cream 3 tbsp. coconut sugar 2 tbsp. coconut milk powder

Method

1 2

Blend all the ingredients together.

Top with extra fruit, white chocolate and nuts/seeds and enjoy!

Quick Tip Pop your leftovers in a bottle to store in the fridge to take to college the next day.

Nutella Sugar is the main ingredient in Nutella, with palm oil coming in a close second.

Palm oil contained in Nutella is certified sustainable palm oil. Per 100g contains 56.8g of sugar, 31.6g of fat and 6g protein.

Wyldsson Hazelnut & Cocoa Spread This Nutella alternative contains no palm oil or refined sugars. Made from roasted hazelnuts, sunflower seeds, cashew nuts, dates and organic cocoa, it contains twice the protein and half the sugar of your standard spread.

Per 100g contains 23.8g of sugar, 40g fat and 12.3g of protein.

Websites nomadicmatt.com

theblondeabroad.com

Nomadicmatt.com is an incredibly useful travel resource created by Matthew Kepnes, New York Times best-selling author. With over a million readers a month, nomadicmatt.com features great travel tips and advice, from how to avoid major travel scams and find work overseas, to city guides and detailed recommendations. The website is free from sponsored content – all services and products were paid for by the author’s own dollar.

Travel blogging and photography can often be a male dominated industry and Kiersten Rich’s theblondeabroad.com, provides a refreshing new perspective.

The blog explores travel, food, fashion and festivals and contains numerous tips on solo female travel and how to make lasting friendships when travelling alone.

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Film.

Hindiwood: Hollywood and its Influence on the Hindi Film Industry Film & TV Writer Paurush Kumar takes another look at the shifting landscape of Hindi cinema, this time examining the impact of Hollywood on its Indian counterpart.

A

lthough the Hindi Film Industry has hit a lot of heights, it has more than its fair share of flaws, the chief of which being its many influences. Chief among these is Hollywood, from costumes, characters and plotlines to VFX, Bollywood cinema exists permanently under the weight of Tinseltown.

Throughout the 1990’s and early noughties, audiences watched as Hindi cinema began to change, influenced irrevocably by its bigger, louder and sexier counterpart.

1999’s Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam (In English: I Have Given My Heart Away), directed by Sanjay Leela Bhansali marked a tipping part for the Hindi Film Industry. Everything about the picture, its costumes, music, plot progression and character development, was very much in line with the traditions of Bollywood cinema up to that point. A three-hour long spectacle filled with comedy, romance and rip-roaring song and dance numbers, the film was adored by critics, (Filmfare’s reviewer called it ‘a once in a decade type of extravaganza’) and performed well at the box office both at home and overseas.

This stands in sharp contrast with the Dhoom series (the Hindi word ‘dhúm’) meaning ‘bang’ in English, which began with 2004’s Dhoom and was last updated with 2013’s Dhoom 3. The franchise, which was expanded in 2012 by a canonical graphic novel, is highly westernized, with the stylized visuals and choreographed action set pieces owing a significant debt to films such as the James Bond series and The Fast and the Furious. Dhoom 2: Back in Action (2006), also bought into the Hollywood’s habit of product placement in order to promote the

film and boost box office revenue, creating associations with both Pepe Jeans and CocaCola. The second film proved wildly successful and became the highest-grossing Bollywood film in history upon its release, perhaps pointing to an appetite among Indian audiences to experience more Hollywood inspired pictures.

As Hindi Cinema continued to move into the 21st century the industry came to be defined by hip-hop and rap music, genres of music that are not a part of traditional Bollywood culture. Recent movies like Ok Jaannu and Dum Maaro Dum have even added hip-hop verses and grime overtones to evergreen Hindi classics, angering portions of audiences who consider these western influences to be rotting the hallmarks of Hindi cinema.

In terms of storylines, contemporary Hindi cinema is now home to a host of western remakes – mirroring the stagnant trend of unoriginality eating away at Hollywood today.

In recent years Bollywood has seen a host of these direct adaptations, mostly of Hollywood classics, including versions of The Godfather, When Harry Met Sally and Reservoir Dogs among countless others.

Visual effects are another notable influence, with films like Ra.One and Krrish 3 marking significant technological advances for the Hindi film industry. Bollywood was borne out of the traditional and regional dances of Indian culture, although today a lot of these segments in Bollywood films are being replaced by westernized freestyle and hip hop dance sequences, a la Step Up and Stomp the Yard.

While the influence of Hollywood continues to seep through the Hindi cinema there is

Above Krrish 3

hope for the film industry yet. Select filmmakers continue to produce pictures which honor both India’s national and cinematic heritage with films like ‘Devdas’ and ‘The Lunchbox’ serving to express the unspoken emotions of the Indian people.

All this being said, the influence here tends to go both ways – Hollywood has also been inspired by Bollywood, although obviously not to the same extent. Chandran Rutnam’s A Common Man, starring Ben Kingsley and Ben Cross, is directly inspired by Indian film A Wednesday! while the critically panned Amy Adams starrer Leap Year, set in Ireland, is a loose adaptation of the 2007 romantic drama Jab We Met. While the Hindi Film Industry will undoubtedly continue to be bear the mark of Hollywood, its long term must be to strive to produce films that are on par with its western counterpart.

Moonlight CT Rating: 5 / 5

Films in Review: David Deignan Film & T.V. Editor

www.collegetribune.ie

Barry Jenkins’ sophomore feature is worthy of every word of the praise it is getting. A bildungsroman with a difference, it charts the life of Chiron – a young, gay black man – through three distinct stages as he struggles to deal with senseless school bullying and his mother’s debilitating drug addiction while trying to come to terms with his burgeoning sexuality. Bursting with standout performances, including a scene stealing turn from Mahershala Ali and a careerbest from Naomie Harris, Moonlight is a nuanced, thoughtful and – ultimately – heart-wrenching depiction of youth, love and loneliness. It is admittedly an uncomfortable watch - just because it feels so real. Just like fellow Best Picture nominee Manchester by the Sea the film is effective because, in all likelihood, the subject matter and problems that it deals with haunt real life people every single day.

Moonlight feels like an important film that will hopefully act as a watershed for the black homosexual community and remind them that they are never alone.

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Film..

War of the Red Capes:

Is the Superhero Hero Trend Here to Stay?

Film & TV Editor David Deignan takes a look at the rise of the Superpowers in Hollywood - and wonders whether they will ever start to fall.

T

here can’t be many people who know cinema much better than Steven Spielberg.

One glance at the legendary director’s filmography, which includes critical and commercial darlings like Schindler’s List, Saving Private Ryan and E.T. The Extra Terrestrial among countless others – cements the driving influence he has had on modern cinema. In fact Spielberg, who is the highest grossing director in history, can be credited with originating the contemporary blockbuster through the release of defining films such Jaws, Jurassic Park and Raiders of the Lost Ark – all three of which spawned divergent franchises and continue to be beloved by audiences both young and old decades after their initial conception.

So when Spielberg comments on the current landscape of Hollywood his words should, naturally, carry a lot of weight.

Speaking to the Associated Press in September 2015 Spielberg was asked about the flood of superhero films currently dominating the landscape of Hollywood and saturating cinema screens.

‘These cycles have a finite time in popular culture’, the

director responded before predicting that ‘there will be a time when the superhero movie goes the way of the Western’. The Western was, of course, hugely popular in the silent and early sound eras of cinema – according to The Guardian the genre made up for more than a quarter of Hollywood’s output in 1953 – but the amount produced began to slowly slump from the 1960’s onwards, each passing year seeming to deplete the relevancy of a dearly-beloved cinematic staple. It has been almost a year and a half, however, since Spielberg’s claims that the time of the superhero is running similarly short but the current ‘cycle’ shows little sign of slowing down. 2017 will, in fact, likely be its biggest year yet as comic book characters continue to do battle on both cinema and television screens while major Hollywood studios go head to head in a bitter war of the red capes.

It can be argued that the catalyst for the current boom in superhero movies was 2008’s Iron Man, the first film self-produced by Marvel Studios and the premier entry in their shared cinematic universe – entitled the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) – which is now fourteen films,

Lion CT Rating: 3.5 / 5 Based on Saroo Brierley’s non-fiction book A Long Way Home, Garth Davis’ directorial debut is an accomplished – although occasionally choppy – tale about the importance of family and a child’s innate yearning for home. Audiences follow the story of young Indian boy Saroo who, after being separated from his family, winds up being adopted by foster parents in Australia. His subsequent quest to find track down his relatives forms the backbone of the picture, which is propped up with stellar performances from its cast. Saroo is vividly brought to life, first by newcomer Sunny Pawar and later by Dev Patel, while Nicole Kidman is impressively understated as 28.02.2017

five separate television series and multiple short films and comic books into its life cycle.

While Brian Singer’s X-Men (2000), Sam Raimi’s SpiderMan (2002) could both be credited as significant entries in the genre, both spurring filmmakers and critics to take superhero stories seriously as films, Iron Man’s post-credits sequence changed the course of the modern blockbuster.

Samuel L. Jackson’s brief appearance as Nick Fury, director of S.H.I.E.L.D., teased at 2012’s team-up event The Avengers and the sheer scope that the MCU was looking to reach for. Marvel’s films have proved the most popular both critically and commercially and, with nine cinematic entries mapped out until the end of 2019, the company are investing a great deal of faith and money in audiences’ adoration for the superhero sustaining. This year alone will see three releases from Marvel: Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 ( a sequel to 2014’s sleeper hit of the summer), Jon Watts’ SpiderMan Homecoming (a co-production between Marvel Studios and Sony) and Thor: Ragnarok (which will feature The Incredible Hulk and Doctor Strange in addition to its eponymous Norse hero).

his adoptive mother. Plaudits must be given to Davis and his team for setting the first third of the film in India, with the vast majority of the dialogue in the native language. The safe option would have been for them to depict Saroo’s childhood through a series of flashbacks and thus introduce their A-list actors from the beginning. Their decision to hold off, however, is brave and benefits the film greatly, as the alien setting and foreign tongue help the audience to share in the young boy’s helplessness throughout the powerful opening section. While the script does leave a handful of loose ends by its finish, the filmmakers manage to successfully avoid clichés for the most part, helping to make this a thoroughly engaging adaptation of an even more powerful true story.

Above Steven Spielberg is no stranger to action films

The issue of superhero fatigue amongst audiences is a very plausible possibility when taking into account the amount of rival studios attempting to copy Marvel’s shared universe template and steal some of the box office limelight for themselves.

Their long-time comic book competitors DC have, along with Warner Bros. introduced their own cinematic universe with lukewarm results with the first three entries – 2013’s Man of Steel as well as Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice and Suicide Squad, both released last year – all infuriating critics, polarizing fans and, perhaps most crucially, disappointing at the box office. DC will desperately hope that Wonder Woman, releasing in June, and Justice League, scheduled for November can correct the course and get their superhero slate back on track. Bizarrely the best-received superhero release from DC and Warner Bros. Thus far was last month’s non-canonical Lego Batman Movie, which could potentially be read as a vote of non-confidence in DC’s overly self-serious brand of superhero.

20th Century Fox have also attempted to go down the shared universe road

with the continued release of their X-Men films, but have managed to muddle their own chronology to the point that even the filmmakers themselves appear to be confused.

The studio did, however, prove with last year’s Deadpool that a superhero film can succeed standing on its own two feet. The film, driven by leading man Ryan Reynolds, was widely praised for its low-budget, self-aware script and R-rated action.

All of which set it apart as a fresh entry amongst the mass of star-studded, CGI-filled shared universe releases in the genre. Fox will attempt to recapture the success of Deadpool with this week’s release of Logan, which will act as a swansong for Hugh Jackman in his signature role of Wolverine. Early reception to the film has been hugely positive, with critics praising writer/director James Mangold and co-writer Scott Frank for being brave enough to tell a small, human story about aging, guilt, and coming to terms with your individuality. Logan is set to rip the up the template for superhero stories, with Mangold telling Empire that the finished film has ended up being ‘the ultimate contradiction of what tentpole movies tend to do’.

It remains to be seen for how long this cycle of superhero blockbusters will continue to thrive. With the amount of superpowered protagonists in Hollywood seeming to grow greater by the month, it would be understandable if critics and audiences start to tire of the tirade, just as they ultimately did with the Western. But if filmmakers can continue to breathe new life into the genre by straying away from generic conventions, there is no telling when the rise of the superpowers will begin to turn into a fall.

The Great Wall CT Rating: 2 / 5 For months leading up to its release The Great Wall has drawn ire over its choice of lead actor, with the white face of Boston-born Matt Damon cast as the only person who can defend China from fleet of supernatural enemies.

Spurring claims of whitewashing and accusations that director Zhang Yimou is pandering to Western audiences by embracing the stereotypical white saviour narrative. While these fears prove to be largely unfounded, this film may be destined to draw ire of a different nature. Along with the aforementioned foes The Great Wall is plagued with poor CGI, bland characters and a number of blatant plot holes as well as wooden performances from

its large cast, with Damon and Willem Dafoe chief offenders. For the amount of talent involved here (plus the generous budget to play with) this wannabe monster epic proves to be a monstrous disappointment. It earns points for unintentional hilarity, it’s near impossible not to laugh at more than one instance of staggering stupidity. But overall The Great Wall is a bland, uninventive effort that won’t live long in your memory once the credits have finished rolling, if you managed to last that long.

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Arts & Events.

Senator David Norris Receives LGBTQ+ Award in UCD Jack Power Editor

S

enator David Norris last week received the UCD LGBTQ+ society’s ‘Foy-Zappone’ award for contribution to the rights of LGBTQ people in Irish history.

Senator Norris spoke at length on the night about his life fighting for gay rights sine 1969, from the time when homosexually was a criminal offence in Ireland.

‘I remember coming out to UCD when they were trying to start a Gay Soc, and the authorities were completely 100% against it. And only one member of staff signed a petition to allow us set-up. That was really quite remarkable … Trinity was more liberal back then.’

He talked about setting up one of the first gay rights groups in Ireland. ‘I said we are all fairies, we are Irish, we are gay, we are looking for our civil rights, we are a political movement, that means we should call ourselves the Irish Gay Rights Movement. We had in those days what we called a ‘hop’, a dance in those days in Trinity. We thought about twenty people would show up, two hundred and fifty people turned up. So we started regularly running discotheques, we were the first group ever to run a gay discotheque in Ireland’.

Norris talked about his legal challenges against the criminalisation of homosexuality in the Irish and European courts.

He described setting up the Hirschfeld Centre in Temple Bar,

Caitlin Doherty appointed MOCA Jacksonville Director A former lecturer at Waterford Institute of Technology has been appointed Director at the Museum of Contemporary Art Jacksonville, a cultural institute of the University of North Florida. Caitlin Doherty, originally from South Uist in the outer Hebrides, she will take on the new role on March 20. Doherty has extensive experience in the arts, having worked in Ireland, Qatar, Scotland and the U.S. Doherty will leave her post in the Eli and Edythe Broad Art museum at Michigan State University to pursue the role of Director in Jacksonville .This is a very prestigious title and is well deserved by Caitlin who has shown great versatility and willingness to spread her knowledge of art.

www.collegetribune.ie

“

It struck me when we got Marriage Equality that there I was, stranded. I had spent so much time pushing the boat out that I had forgotten to jump on.

” which was used as a gay disco and centre. He says it was the gay movement that really began the rejuvenation of the Temple Bar district as a nightlife scene, something that is written out of history. ‘I didn’t know too much of the music, I remember interrogating Freddie Mercury about if his membership card was up to date, and Elton John, because I didn’t know who these people were’ Norris laughed.

Speaking about the passage of Marriage Equality the Senator touched on a point of sadness in his life. ‘It struck me when we got Marriage Equality that there I was, stranded. I had spent so much time pushing the boat out that I had forgotten to jump on. There it was sailing out from the harbor with little fingers waving at me, and I was on my own here, at the strand’ the Senator lamented.

‘I have to pay tribute to the people from the Yes Equality campaign, [Brian Sheehan and Grainne Healy] there was a man and a woman, they were just wonderful the way they ran everything, and they hardly got any credit for it. It was all people like Gerry Adams and Panti who got the credit for it’ Norris said.

‘Now we have marriage equality, I think that’s great, and it’s all rosy in the garden. I know things are difficult for people, adolescence is difficult for everyone. It’s difficult for heterosexual people, they have all these hormones swinging around – getting erections if you go over a bump in the bus!’

He concluded by saying young LGBTQ+ people shouldn’t spend their time worrying about trying to remember or not forgot the past struggles or discrimination. Senator Norris said the gay community back then fought, so that LGBT people today could live their lives openly and in normality.

The Chair of the Board of Trustees Charles Gilman III, said ‘Caitlin possesses a truly creative and inspired intellect along with a practical business mind’. Doherty looks forward to the Museum's future growth under her direction and she is sure to do a fantastic job in her new role.

In The Loop Holly Lloyd Arts & Events Editor

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Arts & Events.

A Decent Wage for Dedicated Artists?

Holly Lloyd Arts & Events Editor

A

dancers salary has a very broad spectrum. On one hand we have the commercial, celebrity backing dancers and prestigious ‘Principal dancer’ of dance companies such as the Royal ballet. There are different types of dance, and these disciplines fall into different categories on the popularity chart. My attention was grabbed by friends of mine who have studied dance, and while it is exceptional to see them do what they love, they are tilting into the domain of full time dancers and how they now must make a living from it.

Of course many people will argue that dance is not a true career and not one to be maintained, therefore not entitled to the status of a high salary job. Yet certain things are not taken into account. Firstly, the initial cost of training. Ireland has relatively low college fees, and the majority of people would assume fees for a dance college or school are equal, but the mere mention of ‘studying dance’ by a young Irish person instantly translates to ‘high fees and living abroad’. Ireland on an international scale is unequipped to provide the third level training necessary to produce full time dancers. We have produced great schools and stepping stones to third level training, yet we are only beginning to scratch the surface with regards to third level (the University of Limerick will have the first ever BA in contemporary dance in Ireland, beginning in September 2017).

The most common move is to the UK, where fees begin around the £9,000, surely to increase again for prospective Irish students due to Brexit. Dance

The Comet is Coming: This electro jazz band from London uses drums, saxophone and synthesizers to create a psychedelic edge to its modern jazz. The band has a genre described as cosmic jazz, and is inspired by science fiction. The trio made up of King Shabaka, Danalogue the conqueror and Betamix Killer, they will play The Sugar Club on 7th March.

Tickets priced at €15.

28.02.2017

This Lime Tree Bower: A play by Conor McPherson first premiered in 1995, the play shows the lives of three men in coastal Ireland, and explores what it means to grow and how these men identify themselves as they remain in their rural areas. It explores the pattern of falling easily into a monotonous life. This Lime Tree Bower will run in the Pavilion Theatre on the 7th and 8th March, with tickets at €18-€20.

Martin Redmond: Molesworth Gallery will host ‘Sleep’, an exhibition of Martin Redmond’s work. The artist concentrates on still life and makes everyday objects the centerpiece of each painting. He uses a Trompe l’oeil technique in his painting which gives it a 3D quality, and uses soft muted tones to accentuate the main object. The exhibition will run until March 10th and admission is free.

schools in central Europe carry the same sort of fees. Arts grants are available but very rare, so this is the beginning of a road to debt in order to obtain a dream career. Freelance dancers are common in Ireland, particularly from a contemporary background. These artists rehearse for at least eight hours a day, and it is rarely if ever paid. Indeed there is the security of a dance company, but wages aren’t much better unless it is a prestigious, international company. Dancers provide a service, a release from the mundane in everyday life. They provide performances for the public, and although their work and talent is undoubtedly appreciated, should we consider showing our appreciation in other ways, such as a justifiable wage?

It is unnerving to hear that those who have put years of training and thousands of euro into their work to live below the poverty line (many estimated to earn about €10,000 a year).

Can we blame these poor wages on the evolution of dance in the latter part of the 20th century? The more liberal people became the more freedom they had with dance, such as in nightclubs and even street performers. Have people lost the realisation of the talent and training needed? Although in the dance world contemporary dance has exploded in popularity, many people are unaware of the whole style. Styles such as ballet and Irish dancing have been glamorized and are known for their intense training, and this association seems to have followed it through to recognition and payment. Funding is made available to these artists but it may be time for more analysis on the wages they truly deserve.

Ballyturk: Enda Walsh’s award winning play Ballyturk will run from 3rd - 11th March in the Abbey Theatre. Having won the title of Best production in the Irish Times Theatre Awards, the play is ambitious, with lots of laughs yet plenty of heartache. This cast features some highly acclaimed actors such as Olwen Fouere (The Rite of Spring) and Mikel Murfi (Swan Lake/ Loch na hEala), and previously featured Cillian Murphy. Tickets €13-€45

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Music.

The Year That Was: 2007 It’s been a whole decade since the cultural high that was 2007. Here’s a look back of some of the best jams of the year to make you feel sufficiently old.

‘Apologize’

Timbaland feat Open Republic This was THE song of 2007, which was a monumental year for Timbaland. Major collaborations with Justin Timberlake and Nelly Furtado spawned him several hit singles.

‘Ayo Technology’

50 Cent feat Justin Timberlake Another track produced by Timbaland, Ayo Technology was released at the height of the Justin Timberlake FutureSex/ LoveSounds era.

‘No One’ – Alicia Keys

If you were a teenage girl in 2007 and went through a breakup, you definitely belted this one out.

One of her best releases, Alicia Keys once again showed us why she one of the greatest artists of that decade.

‘Stronger’ – Kanye West Vintage Kanye, back when he had a thing for Teddy bears and shutter shades. This track is heavily influenced by Daft Punk, and features a sample of their 2001 track ‘Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger’.

Misery Business – Paramore

The anthem of emo gals everywhere, this was the song that made Hayley Williams an icon for a generation of angst ridden teenagers.

“

There is a sense of revolution within the music and creative industries.

W

Ryan Adams – ‘Prisoner’

Albums in Review Adam Bielenberg Music Writer

www.collegetribune.ie

”

hen you hear Farah sing, it can come as a shock that such a powerful voice comes from such a small frame. Once you get chatting to her it makes complete sense.

Farah is a singer/songwriter, pianist and recent BIMM graduate. I first came across her at a gig in town in September, and was awestruck. At the moment she is based out of her home in Meath where she is working on her debut album. Farah comes from a Libyan background, something that adds an Arabian influence to her sound.

Tracks like ‘Silk’ marry that influence with alternative-pop to create something very unique. Her heritage came up in our chat in the context of Trump’s Muslim ban, something which affected her directly. A planned trip to Disneyworld Orlando with her boyfriend had to be shelved as her place of birth meant that she would be denied entry to the US. One of the first things Farah and I talked about was diversity within the Irish music industry. Not necessarily diversity of person, but diversity of sound. Farah thinks that there is lots of diversity within the Irish scene, citing a newly formed hip-hop collective and an influx of jazz artists as prime examples. The music is out there, it’s up to us to find it. The industry itself is small. Farah does see herself leaving Ireland someday, more so to broaden her own experience and enrich her music. She feels that this particular moment in time is exciting. There is a sense of revolution within the music and creative industries. She tries to provide a voice for people who share her outlook, but she won’t consciously create overtly political music.

Hyper-reality, specifically people’s emotional response to it is something which influences her song-writing. In an age of Instagram perfection, consumerism and spin,

There are breakup albums and there are divorce albums. In June 2016, Ryan Adams and fellow singer Mandy Moore got a divorce. Prisoner is a top notch depiction of lovesickness. Adams is very upfront about his emotions on this record, making this a truly sad heart-rending record. Adams is Bruce Springsteen 2.0 on much of this album; his voice is twangier but the melodies are highly reminiscent of the Boss. Prisoner has a sleek retro feel with 80s electric guitars and some exquisite finger-plucked guitars popping up

Irish Act On The Rise:

Farah Elle Music Editor Aoileann Kennedy sat down with eccentric up and coming Irish artist Farah Elle to discuss music, diversity, solitude and Trump.

Above, Irish Arist Farah Elle

she has a very valid point. She has had this feeling for a long time (she wrote a song called ‘Modern Life Is Boring’ at age 14, denouncing Bebo and mobile phones).

Solitude is something that is very influential for Farah. She feels it’s difficult to find. As she explains, our generation have to make the conscious decision to be alone – switch off the phone, logout of Facebook, disconnect. She went as far as Florence to find that elusive quietness. Her hometown on the North-Dublin/ Meath border provides her with some sort of peace. She lives in her family home near the sea, close to nature, creating an environment where she can have the silence required to write. Solitude provides

regularly. Some songs have a breezy feel where Adams is exploring his gloom-stricken mind and others which are exceedingly depressing like ‘Shiver and Shake’ and ‘Tightrope’ where Adams sounds delirious. However clichéd these songs are, they are touching considering the context and it’s refreshing to hear an album of this theme not cloaked by pretentious metaphors. Adams’ sixteenth album is his most affecting yet.

CT Rating: 8/10 0830

Music.

Gigs on a Budget This March A selection of some of the best gigs in town, all under €20.

MARCH 8TH The Sugar Club No Assembly Required A night of music, comedy and performance in aid of the Abortion Rights Campaign.

Guest will include Farah Elle and will be hosted by Tara Flynn. Student tickets are €12.

MARCH 9TH Workmans Club Gigionometry Presents...

The March line-up includes Moon Looks On, Chasing Felix, More Than Machines, and Electric Shore. Student tickets are €5.

MARCH 11TH Whelans Gypsies on the Autobhan The four-piece from Cabra hit icon Dublin music venue Whelans for what should be a fantastic show. Tickets are €10

her with clarity, something which was hammered home recently when she broke her phone and had a few blissful, distraction free days. She was able to write a song which flowed organically from her.

Her song-writing process has evolved as she has grown. As life has gotten busier, she now doesn’t always have the luxury to sit down at a piano and write the music first, so she had to alter her methods.

She constantly keeps notes, and she is adamant that ideas never die. She finds writing to be a very healthy and cathartic exercise. Empathy adds to her music. She feels that musicians have the ability to translate emotion to music. They are a vessel, not a master. The song-writing

Future – ‘Future’

process is something which is happening to you, so staying humble is something that is very important to her. It is a gift which you should share.

Being empathetic is not an obstacle to assertiveness, something she tries to be at all times. Assertiveness is essential in the music industry. Emotional intelligence is something Farah greatly values. She likes to document emotion, even her own. When she meets new people, one of the first thoughts that come into her head is ‘How do they feel?’.

In terms of live music and performances in Dublin, Farah cites Sin É, Workmans and The Grand Social as a few of her favourite spots in town.

She is a huge fan of other Irish

The trap rap scene has witnessed Zan explosion in terms of output. Future’s eponymous album arrives after four mixtapes and two LPs in 2015 and 2016 combined. To say that this latest offering is a step too far is an understatement.

As expected, Future raps with a terrible flow and spouts the most disinteresting lyrics possible about consumerism, drugs and sex - those seem to be the main themes even if some of his words are unintelligible. But a lot of these 17 tracks are not merely boring, but actually discordant like ‘Zoom’ which contains 28.02.2017

acts like Planet Parade, Too Fools, Zapho, Fiona Hart, Little One and Claire Z. She is full of praise for the quality of fellow up-and-coming artists at the moment. For me, Farah is one of the most interesting and engaging voices out there right now. Her voice is strong and sweet at the same time. Her songs are powerful and emotional. I for one am eagerly anticipating her new record.

Catch Farah Elle at The Sugar Club, March 8th , The Chester Beattie Museum March 19th and The Workmans Club March 24th .

Listen to her music on Soundcloud @ www.soundcloud/ farahelle

dissonant pianos and ‘I’m So Groovy’ which couldn’t sound less groovy if it tried.

The trap genre sounded avant-garde at first but the volume of artists releasing ridiculous amounts of music has rendered it obnoxious.

It’s a sub-genre of rap but a lot of its flagbearers simply can’t rap. Future has proven once again on this occasion that he is one of those rappers.

CT Rating: 3/10

MARCH 18TH The Sugar Club

Oldskool: The Evolution of Hip Hop

A live performance from a 7 piece hip-hop collective playing tracks from Tv Eminem and more. Tickets are €19.50 from www. oldskool.ie

MARCH 24TH The Grand Social Girls Rock Dublin A night of live performances from female artists and groups like jungle-pop group Æ MAK and punk band v. Tickets are €10.

Jens Lekman– ‘Life Will See You Now’ It’s ten years since Jens Lekman released Night Falls Over Kortedala where his blend of romantic charm and humour was a winning formula. A decade later, Lekman takes the same approach and he still has the knack of writing the most syrupy yet likeable tunes.

Whether Lekman is recalling the scent of his ex-lover or planning to hijack fairground attractions, he can sound sappy or goofy but to a point where one can only listen to the songs with a light-heart. But then there are numbers on here where Lekman tugs at the

heartstrings like the masterful ‘Postcard #17’ where he sounds like he’s at breaking point.

Whenever you listen to Lekman, it feels like you’re in a holiday resort. The instrumentation is exotic and varied, with bright banjos and Spanish guitars appearing at different points.

Listening to Life Will See You Now is like swimming in a pool of chocolate and getting hit by a marshmallow boat.

CT Rating: 8/10 p.31

Gaeilge.

SPARC KhÍLA lasta fosta Sophie Osborne Eagarthóir Gaeilge

Reáchtáileadh ócáid shiamsúil i Nasc 2, Leabharlann James Joyce ar an 7 Feabhra, le caint agus ceol ó bhaill an bhanna ceoil KÍLA. Tháinig an banna ar an bhfód 30 bliain ó shin nuair a bhí siad ina ndaltaí meánscoile óga i gCóláiste Eoin, ach tá beocht agus fairsinge a spéise sa cheol ríshoiléir fosta. Thar na blianta d'éirigh leo lucht leanúna a ghnóthú dóibh féin a scaipeann fud fad na hEorpa. Is dócha go mba chuid mhaith den chúis atá leis sin ná gur ceol uilíoch a chasann siad, sé sin le rá go bhféadfadh aon bhall den chine daonna a bhfuil cumas na gcluas acu sult a bhaint as a séiseanna áille. Dúirt Rónán Ó Snodaigh, fear an bhodhráin, i rith na hócáide, go n-athraíonn a gceol chuile huair a bhíonn siad á sheinm, go mbíonn sé éagsúil ag brath ar an

atmaisféar, an slua, agus ar a bhfuil ar a n-intinn acusan ag an nóiméad sin. Is cinnte gur dlúththaibhsiú a bhí sa seit ar sheinn siad do mhuintir SPARC meascán de cheol Gaelach, ailtéarnach agus eile, rith na fuaimeanna binne ar cheol siad isteach ar a chéile chomh smior sin go raibh an seomra ar fad faoi gheasa acu.

Tá an ceol go tiubh ina bhfuil go deimhin. Ní fhéadfaí a chur ina leith go deoraí feasta go gcumann siad a namhráin ar bhealach ró-acadúil, rótheibí, róphleanáilte. Braitheann siad é, braitheann siad an saol, agus tagann an méid seo trasna ar dhóigh chomh nádúrtha go bhfuil sé nach mór ósnádúrtha. Ach is gnáthdhaoine iad ag an am céanna, a bhfuil spéiseanna agus cumais eile acu. Bhí móimint

chinniúnach nuair ab éigean do Cholm cúlú siar ó pheil ghairmiúil i Léig na hÉireann le díriú ar an mbanna.

Níor chabhraigh an tuarastal íseal do pheileadóirí na hÉireann a mhaígh sé.

Paisean eile ina saolta ná an Ghaeilge.

Ní cur chun cinn gníomhaíocht teangan an chúis a bhfuil cuid mhaith dá líricí i nGaeilge, ach is deas fós féin é. Mar a mheabhraigh duine den slua, is iarUachtarán Chonradh na Gaeilge a bhí in athair Mhuintir Uí Snodaigh.

Chuimhnigh na leaids go mbíodh scaifte leabhar bailithe timpeall an tí (níos mó ná a bhí sa taispeántas leabhair ceoil a bhí leagtha amach sa seomra don ócáid), agus thug siad le fios go mbíodh comhairle faoi leith aige ar sheas amach dóibh fós: Just focan déan é. Cleachtaíonn Kíla an dearcadh sin gan aon agó.

Bhí an imeacht seo ar an gcéad cheann de thrí imeacht a bheidh ar siúl sa tsraith “An Ghaeilge Bheo", mar chuid de thionscadal SPARC, atá faoi stiúir Oifig na nGairmeacha, urraithe ag Oifig an Chláraitheora agus eagraithe ag Bord na Gaeilge UCD, Leabharlann James Joyce agus mic léinn. Is imeacht dhátheangach a bhí i gceist, bhí ball den bhanna i láthair nach bhfuil Gaeilge ar a thoil aige agus a thug freagraí i mBéarla, ach a dúirt go dtuigeann sé an ‘gist’ den rud a bhíonn á rá acu, agus is dócha gur focal scoir cuí é sin faoi Kíla, gurb eispéaras atá iontu nach féidir ach a dhul i gcion ort.

Bígí ag faire agus ag súil leis an gcéad SPARC eile, a thitfidh amach 7 Márta.

Gaelbreak ag teacht!

Sophie Osborne Eagarthóir Gaeilge

An ndearna tú cúrsa samhraidh sa Ghaeltacht riamh?

An raibh sé dúshlánach Gaeilge a labhairt ar feadh trí seachtain inti? An bhfuil tú ag iarraidh dúshláin Ghaelaigh eile? Imeacht ó Bhaile Átha Cliath go dtí an Ghaeltacht X, gan Bhéarla, gan airgead. An bhféadfá é a dhéanamh? Seo é an dúshlán atá romhaibh. I seimeastar a dó beidh dúshlán Gaelbreak ag tarlú. Ag tosú ar an 4ú Márta, is deis iontach í chun bualadh le gaeilgeoirí ar fud na tíre. Is casadh é seo ar an imeacht ‘Jailbreak’ a bhí á rith le ceithre bhliain anuas. An uair seo ní hamháin gur gá imeacht gan airgead ach caithfear imeacht gan ach Gaeilge a úsáid.

Bord na Gaeilge UCD www.ucd.ie/bnag Join us 2016-2017

LEARN IRISH- MAKE FRIENDS- HAVE FUN LANGUAGE COURSES @ 5 LEVELS European Certificate in Irish / Teastas Eorpach na Gaeilge

Bígí Linn: www.ucd.ie/bnag/ga/ www.collegetribune.ie

0830

Tech.

Death of 3D TV and Google Glass Holds Lessons for Virtual Reality Conor McGovern Tech Editor

C

ast your minds back to the year 2010, a time where the world looked a lot of different. Wikileaks, Spain winning the World Cup, Obama was still president, and 3D TVs were totted as the next wave in revolutionary technology. Fast forward seven years and the revolution is over with Sony, LG and Samsung confirming the discontinuation of 3D TVs. LG director of new product development Tim Alessi stated, ‘3D capability was never really universally embraced’.

Although it is astonishing to see the quick demise of 3D TVs, it is fair to say that from inception 3D TVs were more of a gimmick rather than a revolution which was always going to be fighting an uphill battle. Simply put 3D TVs was an idea with little adaptation capabilities compared to other tech e.g. mobile phones and laptops. This lack of adaptation is certainly one of the main reason for its quick death.

3D TVs debuted at a time where 3D was making strides in the movie industry with the success of David Cameron’s Avatar. The initial success prompted a rise in interest from electronic companies and by the turn of 2011, the idea of 3D TVs began to gather some reasonable traction with total shipments reaching 2.25 million, the number increased to 4.1 million units shipped come the end of 2012. However, from that point on interest

began to wane and numbers declined rapidly throughout 2013. There are indeed countless reasons as to why 3D TVs failed to attract consumers, most notably the inconvenience of having to wear 3D glasses and numerous accounts of motion sickness and nausea, not to mention that the whole idea lent more on a gimmick rather than a serious approach to revolutionise the TV industry.

Ultimately its failure to appease broadcasters due to lack of marketable content left 3D TVs without a foundation to stand on. ESPN, BBC, Sky Sports all pulled their exclusive 3D specific channels stating a ‘lack of appetite’ for 3D content. For now the idea of 3D TVs has been put away maybe never to return, in its absence TVs have move forward to new ideas stemming from curved screens, HDR and high resolution 4K displays. Even the boom in 3D movies has petered off. Although some are not sold on curved TVs you can’t dispute that these new creations deliver immediate benefits to the consumer, establishing a great quality without the inconvenience of extra glasses or nausea.

When it was announced that 3D TVs had been halted indefinitely tech experts were quick to compare its fall from grace to another gimmick, the Google Glass. In 2012 Google invented wearable glasses technology which was capable of taking photographs,

10 Premier Online Sites To Try Nick Some CV Tips From Mary Walton Tech Writer

28.02.2017

looking up maps and surfing the internet.

Three years later Google pulled the plug on the Google Glass due to lack of traction from the consumer market. The Google Glass was criticized for being too similar to smartphones without a unique difference, lack of a specific purpose and was embarrassing to wear. The last criticism was certainly apparent when discussing 3D TVs and not surprisingly it has popped up again with the recent popularity surge in Virtual Reality.

In fact, Virtual Reality could learn a lesson from 3D TVs with a lot of speculation as to whether VR is the way of the future or just another gimmick that will disappear over time. Certainly 3D TV and VR share a lot of similarities, like 3D TVs it requires the

consumer to purchase expensive peripherals.

Not to mention 3D TV required specific 3D content something that VR must be able to do in order to showcase how effective the technology really is.

However, there are some major differences, for one VR relies on a more immersive experience establishing an ‘it’s actually happening to me’ experience while 3D just focused on having things ‘jump out’ at you.

Secondly, one cannot forget that VR focuses around gaming and having the user interact with the content rather than sitting still, but this only can become effective if the gaming industry can create content that fully takes advantage of immersion something 3D TV could not.

s it time to get out into the job market? The IHowever, first thing you’re going to need is a good CV. it can be difficult to write one when

can resist.

5. AssignmentHelp - A resume with poor grammar will instantly be thrown out. If you’re worried about your grammar skills, check out a good guide on this site. It’ll answer all of your burning questions and keep your CV in the hands of those people who need to see it.

6. Resume Generator - Not sure what should go into your resume? No problem. Try using this tool to get an idea. You go through the process on this generator, inputting the information it asks for. When you’re done, you’ll have an excellent example of a resume that you can use right away.

7. Essayro - When writing a resume, you’ll find that you need to write a custom one every time you apply for a new job. Time is of the essence, and you may find you just don’t have the time to do that. This is where this writing service can help. You can give them your resume and the job description, and they’ll tweak into the resume you need.

8.v- This resume building site will help you write a resume from start to finish. It’ll even help you put together an excellent cover letter. It’s the best place to learn what goes into a resume, and in what order. You’ll soon get the hang of writing your own.

9. BoomEssays - Everyone needs a resume, but not everyone is a polished writer. If you struggle with creating engaging prose, you can call on this writing service. They’ll create the resume that show you off to potential employers.

10. Resume Genius - The resume building tools will only take 15 minutes for you to get a fully realised resume. Their templates are HR approved, so you can trust them to get you the interview for the job you want.

you don’t have any significant work history yet. Don’t fear though, these ten online tools will help you put together an excellent resume for any job you set your mind to.

But beware, while some sites can give great tips and hints, others are just looking to make money. Similar to cheap academic essay writing sites, you could end up with a useless jargon-based CV and down in your pocket. So look around for free options, or make use of the sites that offer free trials.

1. Resumention - If you’re really unsure as to how to start, try talking to these writers.

They’re certified professionals, and know just what makes a resume tick. They’ll take your details and assemble a winning resume just for you.

2. UK Writings - Never been shown how to write a resume? Then you can turn to these writers for help. They’re expert writers, and know how to arrange information to show it in the best possible light. All you have to do is send them your info and they’ll create the perfect resume for you. All you have to do then is apply for jobs with it.

3. Uptowork - This site offers resume templates that are incredibly helpful when you’re starting out. Pick one you like the look of, fill in the information required, and you’re all set.

4. Resume Builder - This resume building tool is the best place to start learning about what makes resumes tick. As you use it, you’ll see just what should go into one, and why.

You’ll also see what will make your resume stand out above all the others. Get started with it and you’ll have a resume that no one

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The Turbine A lway s S ati r ical - O c cas ional l y H u m ou rous

Mature Student Submits Essay on Floppy Disk

Student on Laptop Unaware Lecture Ended

Oisin Moore Turbine Writer

Laura Ray Turbine Writer

Callaghan, who is in his late sixties, said, ‘when I decided to come back to college to do a degree, I was concerned about being away from the classroom for so long, and how I would get on computer things.’

The student begrudgingly typed up his essay as per the requirements, following a series of drawn and out and generally obnoxious arguments with the tutor on the merits of ‘pen and paper’. However he was dismayed when his tutor refused to mark it, just because he had submitted it on a floppy disk.

The tutor reported, ‘what am I supposed to do with a floppy disk? Looking into arcane technologies was not in the position’s description. My stipend isn’t big enough for that. I’m paid about 50 cent to mark each essay, I wouldn't have time for this nonsense. However, Callaghan’s classmates were more sympathetic to his concern.

‘I think they should accept Joe’s essay,’ said one student. ‘I got to know him a bit when I worked with him on a group project, and he got his part of the project in on time. He told us some great anecdotes about the sixties and he also brought us egg sandwiches.’

Callaghan is currently seeking the administration to accept his floppy disk. While he has not reported how the effort is going, one student reported seeing him outside the administration building, carefully replacing the disk into his pocket alongside a handful of loose boiled sweets.

It has been reported that over twenty minutes after a geography module ended on Wednesday, second year Aaron Kelly was still sitting in the lecture hall mindlessly browsing the internet.

Throughout the fifty minute lecture, Kelly is reported to have only once looked up from his laptop, in order to avoid sneezing on the screen of his Macbook Pro. After taking his usual seat in the back of the room several minutes before the lecture began, he began his normal routine of flitting between Facebook, Twitter and ESPN while the professor held the lecture.

Kelly is reported to have not once made use of a word processor or other note taking application during the lecture. Nor did he use the internet for any other purpose than to see what his friends were up to.

Kelly became so immersed in his activities that he did not realise when the lecturer dismissed the class and his peers began to file out of the lecture hall. An expert has suggested that he did not notice because his laptop was on full brightness.

Another source reported that Kelly did not even realise as other students began to enter the class for their economics lecture.

Towards the end of the second lecture, Kelly is alleged to have texted a friend to complain about the ‘crazy long class’.

Campus Squirrel makes Eye Contact with Student Cian Higgins Turbine Writer According to a trusty source, this newspaper has been informed that a small grey squirrel on the campus was spotted making extensive eye contact with a student earlier this week.

The student in question, Mark Kendrick, third year mathematics, said the interaction began as he was exiting the science building.

He said that he was just about to look down at his phone when he noticed the squirrel staring at him from a nearby tree.

While Kendrick claims that he was gazing into the squirrel’s eyes for a strong ten seconds before the animal eventually hurried off, other students have refuted the claim.

A friend of Kendrick’s, Anna Lee, said that it was Kendricks, not the squirrel, that broke

away from the eye-contact.

When it was put to Kendrick that he had been stared out of it by a squirrel, he blushed and looked down at his shoes, urgently refuting the idea. The whole situation was described by onlookers as being ‘very sad’. An inquiry was later carried out to discover what became of the squirrel in question. While no clear insight was gained on the matter, several students said that they had not seen it. But as they were also blushing and looking at the ground, they were not convincing. So, basically, there are a lot more questions now about the whole thing. If you see the infamous grey squirrel on campus, stare it down like a man.

Sport.

Sacking of Claudio Ranieri a Bad Advert for Modern Football Conor Lynott Sports Writer

Eamon Dunphy aside, the common reaction to the sacking of Premier League winning manager Claudio Ranieri by Leicester City has been one of shock and revulsion. This is even worse than the respective sackings of David Moyes and Louis Van Gael. In both of these cases, there was an outcry about how the situation was handled. One of the main reasons being that news of the sacking had been leaked to the media hours before they were officially announced.

This is much worse. Its goes without saying how incredible Ranieri’s feat was he transformed Leicester from relegation strugglers to English Champions in the space of one season. More remarkable still is how miniscule the budget was in contrast to English powerhouses Manchester United and Manchester City. However, the fact that Ranieri was sacked a year after pulling off these amazing achievements shows utter disrespect 28.02.2017

to the Barclays Premier League.

It’s disrespectful due to the lack of gratitude and appreciation of the hard work that the management team had put into each game. If not for maintaining the work rate, fitness of team throughout that title winning season, for the tactical nuance of the management staff in developing schemes to overcome teams with far more resources than Ranieri’s board of management could provide.

Board sackings tend to fall into two categories.

Either poor use of extensive resources, Jose Mourinhio at Chelsea being a case to point, or a manager’s failure to improve on already struggling squad. Raneiri’s case was unlike either of these categories. Ranieri established an element of consistency to Leicester that had not been there in over one hundred years of the club’s existence. Claudio could not be accused of poor use of resources either, having shrewdly acquired players of the quality of Kante, who went on to star for France in their run to the Euro 2016 final.

Usually the very least a manager deserves for securing a title for a club is job security. That would be the case in any other job, let alone another sport. It is sad that normal practices of Human Resource Management has not been applied in quite no time. The slogan – ‘it is a business’ has clearly been used to conceal the

denial of human rights, the effects of which are on display in Ranieri’s farewell statement, ‘after the euphoria of last season and being crowned champions, all I dreamt of was staying with Leicester. Sadly this was not to be,’ Ranieri said. ‘The adventure was amazing and will live with me forever. My heartfelt thanks to everybody at the club, everybody who was part of what we achieved, but mostly to the supporters. You took me into your hearts from day one and loved me. I love you too’. He continued to say, ‘no-one can ever take away what we achieved together and I hope you think about it and smile every day the way I always will. It was a time of wonderfulness and happiness that I will never forget. It's been a pleasure and an honour to be a champion with all of you.’

True, Leicester have had their struggles – they are currently a point away from the relegation zone, having already been knocked out of the FA cup days ago. However, this is down to players not taking responsibility for their performances on the pitch. Those who approve of the sacking say that Ranieiri lost the dressing room. Quite frankly, Claudio Ranieiri owes Leicester City nothing, least of all to his former players. To have achieved the impossible, winning the Premier League with Leicester and proved it possible, flipping modern footballing history on its head one would think Ranieiri would have been politically unsackable. With run of the mill and mid-table managerial positions in the Premier League, one bad season, or faltering start can quickly wear the club’s ownerships patience. The transience of most managers positions is very much tied to immediate and week to week results. The huge sums of money swirling around the English League mean clubs don’t like to sink an entire season

and potential drop out of the top tier (losing lucrative TV rights revenue streams) just to keep faith with a losing manager. But Ranieiri most would say had earned the right, and then some to suffer a relegation and then be giving a crack at getting the side out of the Championship and back into the Premier League.

Additionally, the interim Leicester City manager, one of the few who can speak with authority about what happened within that Leicester squad, insists that his former boss did not lose the dressing room, saying, ‘there was a lot of frustration because of the results, but he had not lost the dressing room,’ Craig Shakespeare said. ‘A lot of the talk of unrest has been speculation. I've not had one problem with the players. I always feel sorry when people lose their jobs. My relationship with Claudio has been fine all along. I spoke to him last night and he thanked me for my support throughout. It was not brief and we exchanged views. A lot of what we said will stay private. Whether I think it's right or not is irrelevant,’ he added. ‘We all know in football people lose their jobs because of results - and the results haven't been good enough. He will get the utmost respect in terms of what he has achieved with this club.’

There is no doubt that this will leave a sour taste in football for some time yet. The callousness and brutality of the modern game for managers, and apparent impatience of clubs ownership showed its true colours with the Ranieiri sacking. But the fans, both in Leicester and all around the footballing world will remember what Claudio Ranieiri did at Leicester City.

p.35

College Tribune

Sport.

UCD Host Judo Intervarsities and Impress in the Tournament’s Medal Count Calvin Duffy

Sports Writer & Photographer

UCD played host to the annual Judo Intervarsities for the first time since 1999 the Saturday before last, with entrants from thirteen institutions around Ireland. The weigh-in for the event was held on Friday night, and the competition began at 10am the following morning, in Sports Centre.

While the Japanese terminology of judo can be off-putting, its drama can be appreciated by all, and the Sports Centre was busy with spectators and competitors on Saturday. 130 judo players, or judoka, took part in the tournament, with a wide variety of categories according to weight and belt. The largest number of entrants came from UCC, while UCD Judo was second with 22 participants, an impressive number considering the club’s relative youth; and the home club eventually placed second in www.collegetribune.ie

the medal table. Proceedings began with the team events, as the UCD A men’s team faced NUIG A, and the UCD B fought UCC A. Each team is made up of five judoka, and while UCD ‘A’ fought well, they were edged out, 3-2. UCD B meanwhile lost to the eventual gold medalists, but with good judo on display. In the women’s team event, the home competitors had more success, with UCD A and B winning silver and bronze respectively.

The most dramatic of the team events proved to be the mixed competition. The UCD team defeated UCC in a tense semi-final, with impressive performances on both sides, eventually pulling through 3-2. The result turned on a close match between Bran Lee from UCD and Tim Kelly of UCC, with the

former eventually bringing down his opponent with a powerful uchi mata.

The silver medal was guaranteed, but in the final the considerable skill and experience of the DCU team was displayed as they took the gold.

With the team events completed, the individual competitions began, first with the weight divisions, from -60kg to 100kg for the men, and - 48kg to +78kg for the women.

Followed by the belt divisions, from Novice to Upper Kyu. A few UCD competitors were injured from the team events and forced to withdraw.

Still, there were several successes. In the men’s -66kg, Sean Duffy took silver, while UCD captain Eddie McLoughlin won gold in the -73kg category, with an outstanding display of competition judo. Conor O’Donnell took bronze in the Middle Kyu. There was success also in the Novice category, for judoka with only a few months experience, as William Ikenna-Nwosu and Tiarnach O’Riada took silver and bronze, respectively.

The UCD women, meanwhile, were very successful, winning three gold, two silver and four bronze

overall. Cliona O’Brien took gold in the Novice -63kg event, while also securing bronze in the main -63kg competition. Ashley Mann won gold in the -78kg event, while Anna Espegard took advantage of a favourable draw to come first in the Lower Kyu event, also winning silver in the -63kg category. Sarah Plumenail took silver, demonstrating her skill and experience in the -57kg competition.

Jenny McCarthy won bronze in both Middle Kyu and -70kg events, while Aisling McGuire took bronze in the -52kg division.

Overall, it was a strong showing from the UCD Judo Club, especially given its size in relation to larger clubs such as UCC Judo, and considering its members were fully occupied with the organisation of the event. Equipment for the tournament, including a large number of mats - known as tatami in Japanese - were transported from the headquarters of the Irish Judo Association on Friday evening, with club members at work from 8am the following morning to prepare the hall. The competition proceeded

with success overall, however the International Judo Federation’s recent introduction of new rules changed the dynamic of many fights, so that proceedings ran on somewhat longer than anticipated.

Speaking at the awards dinner in the Spencer Hotel, vice-captain Josh Mathews noted how the final results reflected the diverse nature of the UCD club, with competitors of many backgrounds, fighting at all levels of experience. He also remarked on the considerable achievements of the club, considering its youth, having only been re-established in 2013. The efforts of Captain Eddie McLoughlin in organising such a successful intervarsities were applauded by all, and he was awarded the Charlie Hegarty Spirit of Judo Award for Best Judoka by the tournament referees, along with a commemorative judo gi by his fellow club members.

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