College Tribune Book Preview by Simon

VOLUMES

VOLUMES OF THE

College Tribune 1989 - 2008

1989 - 2008

ISSUE 6 / VOLUME 19

31 1 06

OCCUPIED STUDENTS PROTEST OVER GRANTS

S E M U L O V OF THE

e g e l l Co e n u b T ri 1989 - 2008

f if h a L r e t e P y b d e Edit y a r B r e if n n e J y b Research d r a W n o im S y b t Design & Layou bune, ri T e g e ll o C e th y b d e Publish ative Forum, lt su n o C t n e d tu S , 2 7 Box lin, 2008 b u D e g e ll o C y it rs e iv n U

Issue 2: No radicals in UCD

Issue 1: The f irst issue wades into the contraception and Capitation fee controversies.

34 The College Tribune

VOLUME 11

Issue 1: ...and consider vw

Issue 10: The Student Club bar was a mine of stories.

Issue 8: Julieann pulled out and her best friend Elva Shanahan replaced her and broke the record.

Issue 4: The protest was pulled but the point had been made.

Issue 4: Ian Walsh contributed these regular cartoons

Issue 4: Society events such as these coffee mornings give the university its buzz. v

VOLUME 11 Not having been associated with the paper at the start we had fallen into the positions of sports editor and design editor respectively by the end of the previous volume and its editor encouraged us to take over. As there were no other candidates we were appointed without the formalities of submitting a proposal or doing an interview. Peter had suffered

EDITORIAL through the long production weekends before but Richard was new to it and when told somewhere between 4 and 6 am on the day our ﬁrst issue went to press that he should write the editorial, Richard paused for a moment

before asking, “what’s an editorial”. This was the ﬁrst of 12 production weekends which saw us go without sleep for up to three days, except for when we dozed off at the computer, sustained by chip butties with extra mayo. For us the College Tribune was the local paper for a town the size of Limerick. We tried to avoid dry stories based

The College Tribune

on Students’ Union press releases with quotes from the same few spokesmen. Holding the union to account, while important, was less exciting than checking into the university’s administration. Our exclusive story on the college budget made national headlines. We were proud too of our campaign to get a full breakdown of how exam and deferral fees were spent.

Strong features were also important as was the human angle in stories. We sought news about the places relevant to students the lectures, clubs and societies, and, of course, the bar. Never taking ourselves too seriously, we always enjoyed showing the lighter side of student life. Peter Lahiff Richard Oakley

Issue 2: Our editorial page cartoons helped to illustrate the big stories of the day. Issue 5: Crime stories involved trying to get hold of the campus liaison Garda in Donnybrook.

Issue 11: The shenanigans of sports clubs often amused us.

Issue 2: Students would drop by and tell us what had just happened in their lecture.

52 Volume 15

The College Tribune

Issue 1: Images of the Twin Towers coming down were on front pages around the world for weeks after the event, and the College Tribune was no different. Like everyone else, 9/11 had a huge impact on students in UCD and issues related to the atrocity - from invasions to heightened security - were very emotive on campus.

College Tribune

Volume 19 EDITORIAL

CURRAN GETS IT WANG Class Rep poster boy revealed to be faked The Students’ Union poster advertising Class Rep positions was branded “stupid and totally unacceptable” after it was revealed that one of the photographs on it was faked. “Daniel Wang, Class Rep 2002/03” has been revealed to have never been a Class Rep, or even ever a student of UCD. St d

t ’ U i

JACK CANE Students’ Union Deputy President, Dave Curran, who asked was responsible forramifications the poster UCD.” When as to the legal campaign, commented that replied “we took of of using the photo, Curran “ifpictures we put up people wefor knew were formerly Class but a picture a few weeks around UCDReps, of a perthey werelives all girls. I tried toand getthousand in touch with forson who thousands of miles mer male Class Reps, but could findissue.” ones away, I don’t think that’s really anonly [legal] thatEnda were Duffy, runningLabour for the position again, and I Youth Chairperson, couldn’t extra branding publicity.”the use of the rejectedgive this them argument, Defending his decision to “dothat a Google Image picture as “sick” and claiming “what is sickSearch andthe come up is with Curran est about poster thethis factpicture”, they picked an asserted that and “we gave needed get the poster Asian picture him to a tokenistic name

asserted that we needed to get the poster done, it was late and we had a deadline.” The campaign attracted a record number of 178 Class Rep nominations. The decision to use this picture, of “Daniel Wang”, a man of Chinese extraction, was cited as “stupid and totally unacceptable” according to a Chinese student speaking to the College Tribune, who wishes to remain anonymous. The man whose image is used in the poster’s real name remains a mystery. Curran, commenting on the issue, claimed that “I don’t know who chose the name, the poster was a collaborative effort.” The anonymous Chinese student continued

Hospital’s Cup Condition Stable A dramatic search operation involving a Garda helicopter was used in the recovery of a 194-year-old rugby trophy believed to have been stolen by a UCD Student. The historic Hospitals’ Cup was won by the Mater Hospital on December 16th in Donnybrook and the team were celebrating in Hartigan’s of Leeson St the following day. Professor of Ophthalmology Colin O’Brien was taking the cup home after a day of festivity but when he “left his Taxi he was then mugged by l thi f d d d t

VINNIE O’DOWD a lone and made near thethief Phoenix Park. a speedy getway the taxi that had already Thein individual washetracked down followed thewas Professor a to source and the cup handed in” back Protold theO’Brien Collegeunder Tribune. fessor garda superviAs the taxi sped away, the Profession. sor the vehicle’s registratione A noted Professor of Ophthalmology, number was and unavailable is believed tofor have calleds O’Brien comment in the theft to the gardai who launched at time of going to print. Vice Captheirfor helicopter response. tain the team,inFrank O’Leary com- Simultaneously, member of not thee mented only that, a “the issue is Mater Hospital rugby team, who wase resolved.” still in the Leeson St. hostelry, re-y A UCD spokesperson could only i À d thMMS ithi hh td t P f O’B

ceived a MMS message with a photo of the trophy and the wordscould “Do only you O’Brien had want the cup?” by a member The thief is believed to be a memPresident for ber of the Men’s Boat Club in UCD. re is no disThe stolen cup was taken to the Boat for any inciClub headquarters in Islandbridge, y kind of theft ed about the A Professor of Ophthalmology, nvolved Mrs O’Brien was unavailable forblecomment to comat the time of going to print.ent.” Vice Capby competitain for the team, Frank O’Leary comcompetitions mented only that, “the issue is not petition has resolved.” Paul Storr of in 1812.only He A UCD spokesperson ycould Hartigans: Cup was stolen from UCD Professor on his way home mpire’s most À th t P f O’B i h d

194 year old rugby trophy called the hospital’s cup, worth over €100,000 was stolen by a UCD student and sparked a dramatic search operation involving the Garda helicopter.

Result unclear on new Student Centre 60% of students have voted in favour of the proposed new student centre. Despite this, it is not yet clear whether the referendum has been ofÀcially passed as nobody knows if the required amount of students turned up to vote. According to the Students’ Union constitution a referendum like this would need a 10% turnout in order for a quorum to be reached. 2,700 voters went to the polls. 1,204 students voted in favour of the new Student Centre while 793 voted against amending the constitution to accommodate the proposed new Student Centre. A total 80 votes were spoiled. According to Returning OfÀcer, Morgan Shelley, “To be a valid policy referendum, 10% of the membership of the Union must have voted. “Over the next week I will be Ànding out exactly how many members the Union has. If there are 20,770 mem-

A YAK: THERE’S LOADS OF THEM IN MONGOLIA

Witty captioning was a hallmark of Volume 19

CAITRIONA GAFFNEY on all cers of the thereferendum Union indeÀwill nitely. bers or ofÀ less, then be Otherwise it is just a once-off plebiscite, quorate.” which measures the theconstimemIn accordance withviews the of SU bers onthe a particular date.” is calculated tution, membership Karen O’Connell, 2nd Arts, set upofa mostly by reference to the number ‘No’ Campaign opposing the changes to students currently registered with the the Constitution. felt so strongly over University who are“Istudying for degrees the fact that therediplomas was no consultation and postgraduate recognised with which is why I made the by thestudents, NUI. effort give a voice to those who weren’t “Theto value of being quorate is that in favour of the new the referendum policyStudent would Centre.” be binding “Considering this new Student on all ofÀcers of the Union indeÀCentre nitely. will be Ànanced by astudents should Otherwise it is just once-offthey plebiscite, have ameasures lot more say in howoftheir which the views the money memis being bers on aspent.” particular date.” The ‘No’ side urged Karen O’Connell, 2ndstudents, Arts, set“Ifupyou a don’t know, vote no.” Athe slogan which ‘No’ Campaign opposing changes to proved successful in the Arts block, the Constitution. “I felt so strongly over where sidewas wonno byconsultation a clear mathe factthe that‘No’ there jority.students, which is why I made the with “Notodecision has to been made of yet effort give a voice those whoas weren’t because Morgan Shelley has to estabin favour of the new Student Centre.”

19 ISSUE 10 / VOLUM E

20.04.0 6

60% VOTE YES FOR A

Issue 10: Students vote in favour of a student centre that would increase the student levy

E IT H W EL EP H A N T SEE PAGE 3

Students “Have Started to Get Pissed Off”

Unrest Among Students Academics Unhappy Senior Clinicians Quit Hospital Struggles Brady Slammed The College Tribune has been alerted to a number of serious problems and unrest in the Veterinary Medicine faculty by academics, former clinicians and unhappy students. Serious concerns have been raised regarding the Animal Hospital’s output and its ability to attract patients to the hospital, leaving some final year students with near nothing to do. As a result of this, one academic, who is no longer employed by UCD, has hit out at the University claiming that: “The final year students are getting sold short. Every other student down there is getting sold short.” The former clinician went on to attack UCD’s President, stating “Hugh Brady thinks that everything in the world should make a profit. UCD should not be there to make profit it should be there to educate, and the Vet Faculty, they should be there to train clinicians.” There is also concern about the ability of the Vets SEE PAGE Hospital to attract cases.

The Vet Hospital, located behind the O’Reilly Hall, was built in 2002, at a reported cost of approximately €44 million when the Veterinary Faculty was moved from Ballsbridge to Belfield. The state of the art Hospital is the only one of its kind in Ireland. However, the Hospital’s move away from Ballsbridge coupled with the research intensive reward system used by UCD has led to unrest among current academics and prompted others to leave. Under the University’s reward scheme, promotion is contingent on research. As a result of this, clinicians in the Vet Hospital are being overlooked for promotion because they are too busy engaging in practical work to produce the adequate amount of research. In addition, the difficulty the Hospital has encountered in attracting significant case loads, particularly in large animal surgery, and the departure of senior and experienced clinicians has left “students short” according to one f d i

EOIN MACAODHA

g former academic. Another recently departed academic, Below are the issues raised by staff, Michael Mahoney, said, “If otherthe students and former staff, unless University is to continue to maintain wise stated, these people asked notits to Veterinary be named.Teaching Hospital as a centre of excellence within the context of a research intensive environment it Academics needs to actively acknowledge and support the outputs of veterinary A number of senior academicsclinistill cians.” working in the School of Agriculture, Food Science and Veterinary Medicine have stated that there are serious probStudents lems with morale, experience and the low volume of caseloads. The academnumberhere of final Vettostudents ic Aquoted has year asked remain have expressed their displeasure at the anonymous. current situation in thehighlighted hospital. is that The main concern final year,impetus students on ‘rotatheInCollege’s ontake research has tions’, where they to actively work in the been detrimental the Vet Hospital, Hospital final degree. with onetoward seniortheir source stating This “the is designed to give them major problem here is practical that youexpejust rience. can’t expect to maintain the same stanTheofSmall Animal Hospital is running dard teaching when you are expectat capacity” accordingTherefore, to Hospitalif ed“full to churn out research. Manager, Brettler. and commit you are John conscientious However, students haveyou expressed yourself to your students have no concern regarding the caseload in the chance of promotion.” L A i l H it l l i i th t

EDITORIAL

VETS HOSPITAL: CONCERNS HAVE BEEN RAISED REGARDING ITS OUTPUT

Issue 4: Inability to attract patients to new 44m Vet hospital left students with few cases to study and resulted in the loss of several academics.

College Tribune

Volume 19 2005 saw the Americanisation of academic life in UCD. Horizons, the modular programme was about to be introduced, and more and more funding was directed away from the humanities towards more proﬁtable areas like science. In some ways what active student involvement was left in UCD dissapated during this

EDITORIAL FOCUS ISSUE 8 / VOLUME 19

06 03 06

UCD

SPORTS

academic year. Socities Hayden began to see Romps a decline in membership, the StuHome dents’ Union elections, while interesting failed to capture the participation of the electorate and the Old Student Bar

was quieter than ever before. The continuing story of the year was disaffection among the academic community at the changes brought in by the new adminstration. With one anonymous survey of academic staff displaying just how low morale had become. During the year the Tribune concentrated on this malaise, highlighting

the lack of facilities in the School of Veterinary Science and the threat to introduce a modular system for second year students who had already signed up for the old system. There was a palpable feeling that the authorites were applying the old adage that UCD would be a ‘great place without the students’. The Tribune took on

a campaigning role during volume 17, perhaps to the detriment of balanced journalism! There were small victories with the college capitulating on forcing second years into a modular system. However, 2005 saw an irreversible trend with league tables and attracting investment the new priorities. Eoin Mac Aodha

Sabbatical Election Coverage

ISSUE 8 / VOLUME 19

INSIDE

IN DEPTH ANALYSIS OF UCD SPORT

06.03.06

ACT OF BOD

UCD

SPORTS

FOCUS

AN IRISH RUGBY LEGEND TALKS

SPORT’S FOCUS PAGE 4

‘Alas the Hayden Romps rot in UCD is Home terminal’ REVEALED:

Confidential academic survey

nt with the changes

ics reveal a high level of disenchantme Issue 8: Conf idential comments collected in a survey of academ being made by President Hugh Brady.

A conÀdential survey carried out by Professor Gerard Casey, Head of the School of Philosophy, has highlighted major concerns with morale, leadership and the restructuring of the college among academics. When contacted Professor Casey refused to comment on the survey itself but did admit that he had initiated it. The College Tribune was given the survey anonymously by a disgruntled academic. Former Head of the Politics Department Tom Garvin stated, “First of all it’s not a scientiÀc survey, it’s probably self selecting, people who are most disgruntled would be inclined to send in their reactions. “But there is a lot of unease, there is no doubt about that, even though a lot of it would not be expressed in as vitriolic way as some of the people in that survey. “I think there is too much leadership. Highly authoritarian leadership that’s highly remote for the lecturers and professors. “I hope you don’t mind me say-

EOIN MAC AODHA ing this, the lecturers and professors are the product. Not the students, not the president. People come here to listen to the lecturers and professors not the president or the registrar and I think they don’t quite realise that.” When questioned Registrar Philip Nolan stated; “My response to that is that an awful lot of issues in that survey ware actually things in terms of modularisation that we’ve actually formally and more extensive reviewed. “If you want to Ànd out what’s going on it’s much better to get people in and ask them, If 70% people are positive you get 70% positive and 30% negative. When you ask people for their views in an unstructured way you are more likely to get the ones who have a problem. “My difÀculty with that survey is that it is more likely to have been answered by CONTINUED people who had issues.”

16>

Sabbatical Election Coverage 6>

ADMIN BUILDING

Students 1 * Suits 0 (*After Extra Time)

NO new grading scale NO change in rules used to award honours NO horizons electives NO Christmas exams Issue 6: College row back on decision to force second years into a modularised f inal year.

Issue 2: A brawl broke out at the Fresher’s Ball, captured by intrepid music editor Ronan Dempsey

College back down on modularisation In an unprecedented u-turn, College Authorities have backed down and agreed not to rollout Modularisation and Semesterisation to include current second year Arts students. The decision came in the aftermath of a vigorous campaign encompassing the Students’ Union and second years and has been hailed as a massive victory for the students of UCD. S d ’ U i Ed i OfÀ J H

KAREN O’CONNELL

y Students’ Union Education OfÀcer, Jane Horholding of information.” ganWhile Jones, who instrumental in the would camgoing onwas to say that the decision paign, expressed her pleasure theatresult and mean “there isn’t radical changeatbut the same stated “It goes to show can do if they time it’s presented in awhat kindpeople of modularised way run concerted campaign the whole year. way. thatait’ll allow everyone to for register the same “I’d love somehow to go in advantages.” time in a ‘it’s a It’s simpler, that will be oneback of the wonderful scenario’ Th b life l b l and see hwhathwouldi have i

Issue 7: Crime wave envelops UCD. Muggings in Library, Drug busts on res. An armed robbery was the cherry on top

ES 21VOLUM OF THE

College Tribune

EDITORS THEY went in as impressionable youngsters and came out tired, a bit more cynical, and feeling considerably older. The past editors of the College Tribune have moved on to a variety of different locations and job situations. Here, they reﬂect on how their time with our humble, student newspaper aided their personal development.

Now

Eamon Dillon Editor, Volumes 1 & 2 What did the experience teach me? It taught me not to expect people to read something just because you printed it. It taught me not to expect thanks for doing the job you want to do. I also learned never to trust the word of mercurial publishing entrepreneurs. It taught me that the vast majority of people; students or otherwise were pretty much caught up with the prosaic details of life, like catching a bus, getting a degree or getting a ride (even the visiting US students.) Life-changing journalism was something not easily accomplished nor even noticed by most people. It taught me the value of patience, of good

1989 - 2008

friends and colleagues. It also taught me that with the power of the press comes a responsibility - that it is also something precious, but it can’t afford to be soft or fragile

opportunity to cover a variety of stories, such as the Moriarty and Mahon tribunals before moving into life at the desk. The experience I gained with the Tribune sent me on the way.

Eamon Dillon is now a crime reporter with the Sunday World

Roddy O’Sullivan is Deputy News Editor of the Irish Times

Michelle Thomas Editor, Volumes 3 & 4 The paper taught me the basics and principles of journalism, how to write, and it got me a job in the Sunday Tribune, which has been hugely inﬂuential in my subsequent career. It resulted in a lot of free drink in the likes of the student bar, free access to gigs, wine receptions and that sort, but the strongest and most lasting result has to be the friendships made from producing the College Tribune, friendships which are still intact. Michelle Thomas is the Communications Management Consultant of Michael Communications & Training.

Sarah Binchy Editor, Volume 5 It made me clearer on what journalism was actually for. You must produce something readable and rooted in your readers’ world, or you will not sell papers. You must be accurate and fair; if you are not, you will be hearing all about it pretty instantly, particularly if you are going out personally and selling the papers, as we did, and your irate subject is standing in front of you having bought a paper from you half an hour before. In

Now

particular, I learned that careless journalism can hurt people, and you must take responsibility for everything you write or publish. I was drawn to journalism for the sense of excitement of the world it would open up to me, and only very slowly, probably long after that year, did I begin to understand that a clear agenda to question authority and power might be an important part of a journalist’s job too. But the College Tribune was a good place to begin to learn these things. It gave me an early sense of achievement and possibility, an appetite for leading a team, and a very happy year. Sarah Binchy is now a producer with RTE Radio One.

Roddy O’Sullivan Editor, Volume 6 My involvement with student journalism in UCD gave me great opportunities, as I had pieces published in all the main daily newspapers during my time there. From that, I went on to an MA and into the Irish Times newsroom where I got an

Now

Emmet Oliver Editor, Volume 6 & 7 Despite the advent of blogging, social networks, podcasts and citizen journalism, there is surely no better preparation for a life in journalism than college newspapers. I can think of no more suitable an environment than a college newspaper to get acquainted with that strange language known as newspaperese. I can think of no more suitable an environment than a college newspaper for picking up the essential tools of the journalistic craft- intense curiousity, deep but healthy scepticism and a love of story telling. It also happens to be a great environment for making mistakes and learning from them. From the distance of an academic

e g e l Col e n u b T ri

ing 8 1989 -rs2th0e0paper has gone frreomd tobethe

yea delive Over those ardboard flats and y it over rs e iv n e is U onto c nt to press n d u se e b g ri st in T a e p e b g The Colle courier, to ependent printer by ublin’s ind D e g d e e ll c o u C rod et. wspaper, p the intern l student ne ay-to-day funding h editoria ste of eac yd ts’ ta n n a a e t d s u e tu o s, S iv h g it e re w r th ction ws, featu niversity o This colle s of the ne le p from the u aper m sa h n wit lled the p fi ig t re a th . n fe io li y Un social selected b f sport and ave been stigation o h in se w e e o h th h T t a 1989 e that year. s and show Founded in ne, the students hav themselve rs o it d and d e w e ro th of the as change s h e fe m Vincent B li lu e o g v e uced 21 ver does. much coll ep of since prod ways it ne to er every st e ft m a k so o in lo s, y en how storie paper. The ential mem riting the ss e w n m a o is fr g ed the This the process d headlines to takin ho attend w e n o y n n a for a captions tting the een 1989 graphs, ge rsity betw ut e o y iv n la u e the photo th g, doing . les for advertisin and 2008 ring the fi and prepa printing.

OF THE College Tribune 21 VOLUMES

S E M U L O V OF THE