Vol/ XXIII - Issue 2 - Berliner

THE UNIVERSITY OBSERVER

CONALL CAHILL P20

BILLY VAUGHAN P10

OCTOBER 11TH 2016 VOLUME XXIII ISSUE 2 UNIVERSITYOBSERVER.IE

AOIFE HARDESTY P14

OTWO P14

ROISIN GUYETT-NICHOLSON EDITOR THE cost of on campus accommodation is likely to see further increases next year of between 2-3%. Rates have already been increased by 40% over the previous four years. The reasons previously given for the increases were for the development of new accommodation and the maintenance of the current structures.

Speaking to the University Observer, UCD Students’ Union President Conor Viscardi noted that “there’s still a huge accumulative amount of money that students pay that has been progressively increased over the last, I think its three or four years.”

He explained that the union were not expecting a decrease in the near future but that they hoped “at the very least that its capped because that’s the way it is going to be, honestly in the next year.”

The average cost of on campus catered accommodation in 2013 was €776 per month. This year it has risen to €1,145. All residences have already seen a 7% increase this year.

The previous increases in costs were said to cover the costs of new developments, which saw the opening of the Ashfield complex over

the summer. This added over 350 new beds to campus.

A Residential Assistant speaking to the Observer, however, raised questions over how effective the spending had been: “If they took one Ashfield apartment and divided it into two apartments and made it like standard student living, you’d fit more students in as opposed to having luxury student living.”

The source, who did not wish to be named, did commend the quality of residences, yet went on to query the impact of the increases. When asked about why they thought costs had risen, the source explained “I don’t really know why to be honest… the services are the same.”

They went on to question the residence policy that maintains competitive prices with the local areas. This was something also noted by Viscardi who stated that “because of the prime real estate, the value of the real estate, located in D4, that has a huge implication on how much contractors charge for building the residences,” and that as a result “it has been argued, that’s why the residences have been so expensive to match local prices. That’s what we’ve been communi-

cated. I wouldn’t agree with that, I think that’s disappointing.”

A plan for 3,000 new beds has been outlined in the university’s strategic campus development plan released over the summer. The plans outline that there would be a significant growth in campus accommodation with numerous structures being built in the green areas between Merville, Belgrove and Roebuck residences. Each building is expected to be between 5-10 stories.

Viscardi also noted that while the campus development plan stretches over 10 years, the university is hoping to fast track their plans for accommodation. He attributed this to the desire “to focus on the construction of on campus accommodation in light of the accommodation crisis.”

The university has not yet submitted any planning applications regarding building more accommodation.

The funding of the new developments is expected to come from government investment and low interest loans. Building of the new accommodation is likely to be delayed until government funding is decided.

the funding crisis that has lead to the drop in rankings. The statement said that this was “the inevitable result of under investment” and that these drops will have long term effects.

Speaking to the Observer, UCDSU’s Education Officer Lexi Kilmartin agrees that the lack of funding for universities is a large factor in the university’s ranking drop. “We were constantly facing higher education funding cuts since the crash in 2008, it is a really big issue, particularly if we consider higher education a public good, which I think we should,” says Kilmartin.

However, she points out that “that the argument does not necessarily hold when you have got the likes of NUIG increasing in their ranking.”

Kilmartin went on to ask, “how can UCD, how can the Department of Education justify charging students fees for a University that is consistently dropping in rankings over the last few years?”

NUIG rose over 20 places in the last year, from 271 to 249 in the QS rankings. In fact, despite the overall reduction in public funding over the last few years, NUIG’s QS ranking has risen for five consecutive years. Similarly, the drop in rankings has not been quite as steep for TCD as it has been for UCD; QS rankings show that TCD has dropped 55 places since 2009, while UCD has dropped 85 places in the same period.

Kilmartin points out that factors such as UCD’s appeal to international students and staff to student ratios have contributed to UCD’s low ranking. “What is a major concern for the Union is that we were 47th in the world in 2013 for international students, we have now dropped to 231st.”

While University rankings may seem abstract, Kilmartin points out that how the university stands internationally makes an impact on student’s potential job prospects and on the value of a degree.

DAVID MONAGHAN OTWO P16

ALANNA O’SHEA NEWS EDITOR THE UCD Students’ Union has stated that it is very concerned about UCD’s recent drop in world university rankings and is willing to lobby university administration and the government on the issue if necessary.

This comes after UCD fell significantly in two recently released sets of world university rankings. The Times Higher Education World Rankings, released at the end of September, saw UCD fall out of the top 200 after being ranked 176th in 2015. In the QS rankings released at the beginning of September, UCD was ranked 176, down 22 spots from last year’s rankings. This continues the steep downward trend in rankings over the last few years.

The explanation for this drop in rankings has been placed on the large drop in public funding since the recession. Last month, Provost of Trinity Dr Patrick Prendergast and President of UCD Professor Andrew Deeks issued a joint statement calling on the Government to address

MARTIN HEALY OTWO P8

PHOTO NELL HENSEY

OCTOBER 11TH 2016 1

NEWS DANIEL BOLAND JOSEPHINE LEAHY HUGE INCREASE IN LEGAL COSTS TO IRISH UNIVERSITIES NEW figures have shown a spike in the cost of legal actions involving staff incurred by Irish universities, with University College Cork having spent €1.5 million over the past five years. This is nearly half of the €3.3 million total which has been spent by Irish universities on legal cases involving staff since 2011. Of this total amount, UCC spent €619,400 in 2014/15 alone, showing an upward trend in spending.

The figures were compiled by the Higher Educaton Authority in response to a question by Fine Gael TD Jim Daly in the Dáil. UCD takes third place among the Irish colleges, spending €453,755 over the last five years, €236,859 of which was spent last year alone. This represents a threefold increase in legal spending, which may be unsustainable if this trend continues in the future.

Most of these court cases occur over contract or promotional disputes. One such ongoing case involves UCC marketing lecturer Dr. Joan Buckley, who is suing the university following her failure to be considered for a professorial position.

Other high profile lawsuits include four female staff members at NUIG who this year sued the college on the grounds that they were passed up for promotion due to their gender.

ON Wednesday October 5th, gradireland held its annual career’s fair in the RDS for the fourteenth year in a row. Ahead of their fair, gradireland released research that graduates are more positive about their career prospects.

They surveyed 7,500 students, asking how they we feeling about their impending entry into the job market. After years of recession which made graduates much more likely to emigrate, the survey showed that students feel that they are entering into a different job market from a few years ago. While last year the survey showed that 32% of students said they planned to leave Ireland to get their first job, this year the figure was 17%.

Students were also more idealistic about their careers this year, with two-thirds of them saying they would accept a lower salary if they felt that an employer was a good match for them and that fulfillment in work was more important than a high salary.

Gradireland’s director, Mark Mitchell, said this survey made him confident about student turnout at their career’s fair.

“This year’s gradireland annual student survey shows that more and more students are

seeing their futures here in Ireland and they are a lot more optimistic about finding a job, so we’re expecting a huge number of students and graduates on the day,” said Mitchell.

The career’s fair was attended by over 8,000 students and included panels, talks and seminars, with the aim of providing graduates with the information they need to start establishing their careers. Employers such as Aer Lingus, Boston Scientific, Accenture, Intel, Lidl, Amazon, Diageo and Salesforce were onsite. The fair also aimed to give smaller startup businesses a chance to promote themselves, while also giving graduate students a wider variety of employment options.

Gradireland’s research showed that graduates optimism is not unfounded as employers are indeed looking to expand. Their survery showed 65% of companies are hiring more graduates this year because of an increase in business, up from 44% of companies last year.

Gradireland’s career fair is supported by the Union of Students Ireland (USI) as they encourage students to visit the event each year. For more information on the event visit gradireland’s website at www.gradireland.com.

THIRD-LEVEL MORE EFFICIENT WITH MORE WOMEN ON STAFF A TRINITY College study has found that Irish universities and institutes of technology with a larger number of female staff are more efficient.

The study was carried out by Trinity Business School Professor Brian Lucey, Dr Charles Larkin and Dr Qiantao Zhang. It was undertaken in order to examine how Irish colleges’ resources and management translates into effective teaching, research papers published and commercial opportunities.

This research comes at a time when gender inequality is a hot topic in Irish third-level institutions. At present, women make up 41% of academic university staff but hold only 19% of professorships. In UCD, women comprise 30% of senior academic staff. The worst gender divide is in NUIG, where 86% of professors are men.

Moves to address this inequality are to be made in the wake of a report by an expert group led by former EU Commissioner Máire Geoghegan Quinn. The Higher Education Authority (HEA) commissioned this report and has the ability to withhold funding from institutions which do not respond sufficiently to its proposals.

TRINITY COLLEGE LEFT OFF UNIVERSITY RANKINGS DUE TO ERROR TRINITY College Dublin was excluded from an influential global university league table for 201617 due to an “unintentional submission error”.

The Times Higher Education (THE) rankings table omitted Trinity College after they were notified that the college unintentionally submitted incorrect information which underestimated the level of research funding that they received.

The error had been spotted by TCD when colleges were made privately aware of their rankings before the league tables were released to the public. The college found their ranking to be unexpectedly low and found the error on reviewing possible reasons for this drop.

THE ranking editor Phil Batty stated that TCD was left off the list “due to an unintentional submission error on their part, which is likely to have given them a lower ranking than would otherwise be the case.” The college told RTÉ News that the same error was made in last year’s forms submitted to THE, which makes it likely that the college’s 2015 rank of 160th place was also incorrect.

TCD’s correct ranking is to be calculated later this year and published in the updated global rankings.

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AUSE ABDELHAQ PROFESSOR Bairbre Redmond, the former Deputy Registrar of UCD Teaching and Learning, has been appointed the inaugural Provost of the Universitas 21 (U21) programme.

Redmond’s experience with U21, a worldwide network of 25 research-intensive universities, dates back a number of years. She has served as UCD’s representative to the network since 2007 and since 2012, as the Chairperson of the organisation’s Educational Innovation projects.

As the first Provost of U21, Redmond hopes to engage students within the network on a more global scale. According to her, UCD already benefits greatly from being a member of the programme.

“UCD joined U21 in 2007, and since that time the university has been very engaged in the work of the network,” said Redmond.

“As well as education and research links U21 has given us important extra student exchange opportunities to places like the Universities of Melbourne, Queensland, Connecticut, Maryland, Hong Kong, British Columbia, South Wales and the National University of Singapore.”

Redmond begins her tenure as Provost of Universitas 21 on October 3rd, 2016. Her first major public appearance in the role will come at the 3rd annual Times Higher Education BRICS and Emerging Economies Universities Summit, held in Johannesburg at the end of next month, where she has been invited to speak on “the place of global networks in reimagining the future university”.

In the past, as well as serving as Deputy Registrar, Redmond has held positions including Dean of Social Science and Associate Professor of Higher Education. She formally left her role at UCD on September 30, 2016 – although she will be seconded into her new position with U21 by the university, meaning she will continue to work from the Belfield campus.

IAN MOORE THE Union of Students in Ireland (USI) have announced their plans for a large scale demonstration on Wednesday October 19th that they expect will attract in the region of 5,000 students. Despite remaining unaffiliated with the USI, UCD Students’ Union gave their support for the march and encouraged UCD students to be at the Garden of Remembrance at 1pm on Wednesday.

The USI is calling for the government and the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills “to make a historic long-term decision and invest in the publicly-funded third level education model as outlined in the Cassells report.”

The USI also added that an “incomecontingent loan scheme is not a viable solution to third level funding as a burden of €20,000+ debt upon graduation will deter people from applying to college.”

USI president Annie Hoey voiced her concern at the launch of the demonstration, “the status quo isn’t working. Third level education is unaffordable and our universities are slipping down on the QS World University Rankings. The loan scheme option put forward in the Cassells report is unsustainable. It will increase

emigration, saddle young people with a mortgage-modelled debt and widen the gap between the rich and the poor.”

Speaking to the University Observer, UCDSU president Conor Viscardi outlined that “we won’t simply be marching asking for more money.” He also mentioned that their view is backed up by research contained in their PreBudget Submission which uses “information from the Hunt and Cassells reports and how they fit into the overall funding of the HEI [Higher Education Institutions], showing how its sustainable to make this investment in higher education.”

The march comes in the week of the budget, which will be announced today. Explaining the timing, Viscardi stated: “that was the decision that USI made but I think the point behind this demonstration is from what I can understand it is to compel the government to make a decision in relation to the future of higher education funding.”

The UCDSU Pre-Budget Submission was released last Thursday and makes a number of recommendations primarily based on the aforementioned Hunt and Cassells reports.

Over the summer, the Expert Group on Future Funding for Higher Education recommended that the higher education system be given

additional funding of €600 million by 2021 and €1 billion by 2030. UCDSU are initially seeking €168 million increase in higher education funding adding that “increasing state contributions by €100 million would start a return to 2008 levels of investment but, by investing a further €68 million the household [student] contribution charge that so many struggle to pay would be reduced by €1000.”

Additionally, a return of the maintenance grant for post-graduate students is recommended, the absence of which can only be described as a barrier to using education as a “motor for social development.”

However, Viscardi did accept that the proposals had possibly been submitted too late to be considered. “In all honesty it probably is a bit late. I think the cusp of this matter is to show that opposed to just asking for money, showing how it actually fits into the overall picture and how it actually can be viable.”

UCDSU’s Pre-Budget Submission has been received and read by the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills, Minister Richard Bruton, Enda Kenny and leading members of the opposition and is available from the UCDSU website while the USI national demonstration takes place at the Garden of Remembrance at 1pm on October 19th.

NEWS & ANALYSIS RORY GEOGHEGAN

KERI HEATH UNIVERSITY College Dublin has announced that it will lead a new European training initiative to improve the lives of cancer patients. Cancer: Activating Technology for Connected Health (CATCH) programme seeks to advance research on improving the lives of cancer survivors. This research will focus on incorporating technology and connected health programmes.

Professor Brian Caulfield leads University College Dublin’s Connected Health Programme and is co-coordinator for the CATCH project.

“More and more as advances in the treatment of cancer are made, we see more and more people surviving cancer,” Caulfield said. “That’s a wonderful thing, but one of the problems associated with that is a lot of the times, the treatments associated that people have to undergo for cancer are very aggressive, and that can leave the person… physically very deconditioned.”

The programme will provide training and research opportunities for eight PhD students from across Europe, as they study ways to improve cancer survivors’ lives. The new €2.1 million innovative training program (INP), headed by UCD, partners six organizations from across three European companies.

CATCH also includes the Universidad de Deusto in Spain and the University of Southern Denmark. Spanish companies

Salumedia Techologías and Oncoavanze, as well as Irish healthcare provider Beacon Hospital, are also partners in the programme.

The student researchers will spend half their time in academic settings and half in industrial sites, with four completing their university work at UCD. “This CATCH programme is part of a wider… series of digital or connected health research programs that are going on here in UCD,” Caulfield said. “UCD would be… it’s fair to say, leading this research in Ireland and we’d be one of the leaders on a European level.”

The programme is funded by the European Union’s Horizon 2020 initiative. Each of the eight students is focused on short-term projects of incorporating digital supports into cancer rehabilitation. However, Caulfield said that the programme also hopes to create the leaders for the next generation of researchers in this area.

The CATCH project is part of a larger Connected Health European programme which UCD is holding. Projects similar to CATCH that focus on other health areas are already underway and soon to launch. Caulfield said that this sort of research has been significant in UCD since 2007. The CATCH programme is set to last for four years, with the hopes of continuing the program after the current eight PhD students graduate in three years.

MARTIN HEALY DEPUTY EDITOR AS part of UCDSU’s ‘Sex Out Loud’ consent campaign, the SU are set to hold “group discussion” consent workshops on Wednesday, October 12th.

The workshops will take place in the Quad Room in the old Student Centre. There will be two different periods on Wednesday, with the first session occurring from 12 to 1PM and the second taking place from 3 to 4PM. A second workshop is scheduled to take place on October 19th. The group discussions will be run in partnership between UCDSU and the Smart Consent scheme, which is funded largely

by NUI Galway. This is despite a UCDSU council mandate that all UCD’s schools would offer classes.

Consent classes were originally announced last spring by the SU, in the aftermath of the UCD 200 controversy. The classes were set to begin in September. Trinity College held their own consent workshop during TCD Fresher’s Week in September for students in the residence halls.

Although the UCDSU held pilot consent classes last April, the upcoming workshop asks for students to “give feedback on it as a pilot for next year” on its sign-up form.

To sign up and book a place for the consent workshop, visit ucdsu.ie/consent.

With the budget just around the corner, Alanna O’Shea discusses how the third-level sector could be affected.

THERE are high expectations for the Budget 2017. After years of austerity budgets and decreased public funding during the recession, the recent economic recovery meant that last year’s budget included much needed increase in public funding to many sectors, including childcare and pensions.

Third-level education was one sector that did not receive any increased investment in the previous budget. This was despite many years of decreased public spending on higher education, which lead to a series of increases in the student contribution rate and a 30% worsening in the staff-student ration. In the lead up to the release of the 2017 budget, it has often appeared that higher education may be of low priority for the second year in a row.

Speaking earlier this month at the first Leaders’ Questions of the 32nd Dáil, opposition leader Micheál Martin grilled the Taoiseach about the state of third level education in this country, pointing out that core expenditure for each university student is down by 22% since 2011. He also highlighted that this problem is not unique to university students: every sector of third level has been affected by years of austerity, as well as rising student numbers.

“Some institutes of technology are very close to trading insolvently and others are in dire financial straits and will need funding to keep them afloat,” said Martin.

Answering Mr. Martin’s question, Taoiseach Enda Kenny made it clear that advocates for education would not be getting all that they asked for in this budget, saying “this is one of a whole range of areas that now demand and require substantial funding in the forthcoming budget.

The money is not there to do that, nor can it be.”

Mr. Kenny said that there would be discussions among the ministers concerning short-term issues in third level education. It is clear that the Government is attempting to strike a delicate balance in this budget as the country emerges

COUNTER-TERROR MEASURES TARGET UNIVERSITY TEACHERS IN BANGLADESH A NEW set of counter-terror measures by Bangladesh’s Education Ministry have been targeted towards teachers in the country’s universities. The news comes after a July terror attack in the country’s capital, Dhaka, which killed 22 people.

The Islamic State’s news Agency, Amaq, claimed responsibility for the attack, posting photos of the terror suspects standing in front of an ISIS flag.

Of great concern to the Bangladesh government is that those who perpetrated the attack were drawn from well-educated Bangladeshi elite.

The new measures will require universities to do background checks on teachers and staff they wish to hire so as to prevent those known to be linked to ‘militant activities’ or ‘terrorist activities’ from radicalising students.

The University Grants Commission will be responsible for regulating the universities and monitoring their verification of teachers. A number of university professors in the country have been suspected of involvement in terror activity. However, this measure, like many other counter-terror measures around the world, may extend to preventing professors with differing ideologies to that of the university or government from being hired.

MPS LAUNCH ENQUIRY INTO BREXIT IMPACT ON HIGHER EDUCATION IN UK THE parliamentary Education Committee in the UK has launched an inquiry into the impact of Brexit for higher education. Its aim is to inform the public of Brexit’s impact on the educational sector and to influence the UK’s upcoming negotiations with the EU. The inquiry will explore the implications of Brexit for EU staff and students who want to study and work in the UK’s academic institutions.

Many universities across Britain have voiced their concerns regarding a multitude of issues surrounding the Brexit vote and the process by which the UK will leave the EU. A leading German academic body warned two weeks ago that, should the UK government not maintain the free movement of people with the EU, British higher education institutions risk losing as many as 15% of their staff.

It comes as evidence mounts that European researchers and lecturers are leaving or rejecting UK higher education posts because of Brexit fears.

The inquiry will not only examine EU students and staff looking to come to the UK, but will also report on the implications Brexit will have for UK residents looking to work or study in the EU.

AMERICAN UNIVERSITY OF AFGHANISTAN APPOINTS NEW PRESIDENT AFTER ATTACK

Taoiseach Enda Kenny

from a tough economic climate. As well as public spending, the upcoming budget will be expected to address issues such as the impact of Brexit and soaring house prices and rent increases.

However, while it often defends Ireland’s low corporate tax rate on the world stage, the government often takes for granted that this country’s highly employable graduates are also an important factor in this country’s resurgent economy. Ireland’s “knowledge economy”, which attracts foreign direct investment, is reliant on the knowledge supplied by the 51% of Irish young people age 25-30 who have a tertiary degree.

Recently, pressure on the government has come in the form of the Cassells Report, which was submitted to the Oireachtas Committee for Education and Skills this summer. The Cassells Report was a recommendation on strategy for funding third level education drawn up by an expert group. It recommended that a capital investment of €5.5 billion would be needed over

the next 15 years and additional annual funding of €600 million by 2021.

In their 2016 Election manifesto, Fine Gael promised more taxpayer support for higher education. The Manifesto stated that “just to stand still, the sector requires €100m of additional funding to provide for the growing number of students going on to higher level education and Fine Gael is committed to providing this out of exchequer resources.”

Yet it is unclear if in Budget 2017 the coalition government will follow through on this promise.

Though it is obvious that third-level institutions are suffering from a severe lack of funding, there appears to be little desire among the political parties to make any substantial changes.

Even Fianna Fáil, whose leader criticised the government position on fees and funding do not seem to actually have the political will to change their position. Ultimately this means financing third level education is still very precarious and unlikely to change in the next year.

THE American University of Afghanistan has appointed a new interim president, David Sedney, following the resignation of Mark English.

English stepped down on the 24th of September, just a month after the university was hit by the kidnapping of two of its professors as well as a suicide bombing and assault by Taliban militants on the campus.

The attack, which occurred on the 24th of August, left 16 people dead and 36 wounded. Amid continued concerns over security the appointment of Sedney is seen as a stabilising move due to his expertise in the field of security. Sedney is an independent analyst and commentator on national security and previously held the position of US Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense in Afghanistan, Pakistan and Central Asia between 2009 and 2013.

A US academic familiar with Afghanistan speaking to University World News said that: “The appointment [of Sedney] seems to suggest that to better protect staff and students, a good understanding of the situation on the ground and access to information networks that might help in locating the [kidnapped] professors, is required.”

Despite the appointment of Sedney, and assurances from the institution’s administration that the university will not close permanently, the American University of Afghanistan remains closed, with no date set for its reopening.

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INTERNATIONAL NEWS Amidst ongoing university fees protests in South Africa, Daniel Boland examines the situation in the Rainbow Nation.

PROTESTS over planned university fee increases by student activist groups in South Africa show no signs of coming to an end. The #FeesMustFall campaign, which ‘rebooted’ in mid-September, has seen some protests turn violent, with protesters clashing with police as well as college security guards.

Student activist groups say that the planned fee increase of up to 8% is unjust and particularly targets black students, who are more likely to come from poorer backgrounds.

Last year, following widespread student protests, a freeze on fee increases was put in place for 2016. Minister for Education Blade

Nzimande claims that in 2017 fee increases are needed to “maintain academic standards” and that systems are in place to ensure that those who cannot afford the increases will be looked after.

Mr. Nzimande has appealed for an end to the violence and held meetings with the South African Students Union (NUSAS). However, the SAUS do not have any real control over the protests and clashes continue.

Last week, three more protesters were arrested on a charge of inciting violence by throwing stones at security guards. This follows numerous previous arrests, including one incident where 32 students were arrested after a

law library was set alight.

Security forces have been accused of contributing to the ongoing violence with their heavy-handed response to the demonstrations.

The police have injured at least two with rubber bullets while breaking up protests at the University of Witwatersrand, while campus security guards have been filmed retaliating against violent protesters by throwing stones.

The authorities’ crackdown has led to an escalation of violence on both sides. Official instructions to the police are to act in an “uncompromising way” when dealing with protesters, with President Jacob Zuma of the ANC telling his ministers of an urgent need to bring the violence under control. The Universities of South Africa organisation has claimed that 600 million Rand or €38 million in damages to universities has occurred so far.

Universities have had different reactions to the protests. Many have closed temporarily.

The University of Pretoria extended their recess period until October 10th and the Universities of Fort Hare and Mpumalanga have shut down until at least October 12th. At Witswatersrand University a poll of over 20,000 students indicated 77% support for the resumption of classes despite the protests. To some, this confirms a view that an “angry minority” have disrupted the majority.

The right to protest is cherished in South Africa. This is unsurprising in a country where the black majority was denied the right to peaceful assembly for decades under apartheid.

But the violence present at many of the demonstrations has denied them legitimacy in the eyes of many in the government, including Education Minister Nzimande. This is of

concern to the majority who protest peacefully for a halt to fee increases.

The protests, as with most politics in South Africa, have racial undertones. As well as asserting that fee increases will hit poorer black

students harder, the #FeesMustFall movement is linked with others akin to the Black Lives Matter movement. The group also call for social justice on campuses, the removal of symbols of colonialism and oppression (such as statues of colonists) and the revision of educational curriculums to “greater include black thought and intellectuals”.

That this systematic inequality exists in South African universities is difficult to deny.

Black South Africans, in a country where they comprise 80% of the population, make up only around a quarter of students in the prestigious University of Cape Town.

However, the enduring racial inequality of post-apartheid South Africa has no easy fix. The government wants to continue

its programme of gradually tackling these issues through slow, meticulous reform and fiscal responsibility. Nevertheless, demonstrators demand more immediate solutions. Many of the younger generation of South Africans have an unfavourable view of the African National Congress (ANC), the party which has dominated politics in the Rainbow Nation since the fall of apartheid. They see it as having stagnated, partially as a result of having no serious contender in elections.

The upper echelons of the party leadership have rather different views to that of the youth membership. This has led to the curious case of the governing party’s youth wing having rejected the fee increase while the opposition’s youth league did not. This has already led to political turbulence, with the ANC Youth League being disbanded in the province of Eastern Cape after calling for the resignation of President Zuma.

The issue of student fee hikes will very possibly have further ramifications for both the ruling party and the country as a whole.

University of Cape Town upper campus

JULIA CANNEY ASHLEY PERRY A NEW catalyst trust will be developed for refugee youth to attend higher education institutions while seeking asylum. Through a new initiative for Universal Education, the Platform for Education in Emergency Responses (PEER) will be a web-based, mobile-friendly, wide-ranging database for refugee students. It aims to help students searching for scholarship opportunities, application guidelines, and important resources that will aid their transition into academia in their new home. Some of the many resources offered are translation services, connection to education advocacy groups, and advisory services.

Syrian born refugees are a top priority for PEER because of the staggering statistics on higher education pre and post the Syrian civil war. According to a report by the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR), only 1% of refugees have

4 OCTOBER 11TH 2016

access to higher education. This is compared with the 34% global standard. 1 in 4 Syrians between the ages of 18-24 were enrolled in universities prior to the war.

Over 150,000 Syrians with the credentials to earn a degree have been denied the chance to enter education. PEER seeks to compensate for the lack of humanitarian aid in the realm of education by partnering with the Institute of International Education (IIE) to waive or reduce tuition fees for Syrian students who enrol in full degrees.

The President and CEO of IIE, Allan Goodman, emphasises the imperative need for higher education resources for Syrian youth and warns that if the issue isn’t addressed there could be a “lost generation” of academics. This, states Goodman, may have grave effects on the country for decades.

“We must not let that happen. IIE’s new partnership with the Catalyst Trust to build the PEER clearinghouse is a tremendously valuable breakthrough in connecting displaced students with resources anywhere in the world.”

The Syrian civil war has caused shocked waves across the globe but through initiatives like PEER those who have been most affected may be given a second chance at accessing education.

ON September 28th, the United States Department of Education announced that the three-year federal student loan cohort default rate had dropped from 11.8% to 11.3%. This shows a continuation of the downward trend that has been occurring since fiscal year (FY) 2010.

In the United States, where 5.2 million people are currently recorded as possessing federal student loans, this means that borrowers are taking longer to default on their federal loans than in previous years.

While this may seem like an issue for individual borrowers, public and private universities in the United States with default rates of 30% or higher are at risk of losing access to federal student aid.

The default rate is calculated by examining the percentage of the 5.2 million borrowers who began repaying their loans on October 1st 2012, and who fell nine months behind by September 20th 2015. The default rates at both public and for-profit colleges posted lower percentages, while private nonprofit colleges slightly increased from 6.8% to 7.0%.

The U.S. Education Secretary, John B. King Jr., credited the Obama administration’s aggressive moves towards making university education in the United States more affordable, but agreed that, “even with progress, however, we know considerable work remains ahead.”

The Obama administration introduced the Student Aid Bill of Rights in 2015, which created new protections for student borrowers, including creating tools like the College Scorecard that helped to increase the transparency of university costs prior to enrolment.

The administration also pushed institutions with a default rate of 30% or higher to create a comprehensive plan on how they will reduce

that default rate, and required that the plan be presented to the Department of Education.

While all of these measures seem to point to a downward trend in default rates, the most recent figures leave out crucial points that can affect the default rate.

The Education Department has found that some institutions can postpone their borrowers’ defaulting by encouraging them to postpone payments using methods of deferment or forbearance. This allows the borrower to put off paying loans due to financial strife or continuing higher education. This “artificial manipulation,” as the Education Department calls it, could create serious problems in the future, as student loan debt runs the risk of spilling over into the greater economy of the United States.

Of the 41.5 million Americans who collectively owe $1.3 trillion in federal student loans, one in four is either delinquent or in default. While the default rate for loans has dropped, the total indebtedness of American borrowers has doubled since 2009.

COMMENT Ross Walsh examines the current attitude around students’ mental health.

THERE is a strange disassociation between how we, as a society, view our physical health and our mental health. It seems easy, in the absence of a bleeding wound or a bout of vomiting, to say there can’t be anything wrong here. “Sure you’re grand” is a phrase that sums up Irish attitude towards mental health up until the very recent past.

Luckily, things are changing for the better.

The work of numerous organisations such as Mental Health Ireland, Pieta House, and The Samaritans have highlighted that looking after your mental health is an important part of living a happy and fulfilling life.

In a fantastic example of how aware Irish people are of mental health, vast public outcry earlier this year influenced the current government to reverse an earlier decision to cut €12 million from the mental health budget.

Another instance would be the outrage provoked by recent revelations that some of the funds for mental health charity Console were misused by the founder of the charity, Paul Kelly. In light of this much greater appreciation for the role our mental health plays in our overall well-being, the question must be asked; is student mental health getting the attention it deserves?

For young people, mental health should be of the utmost concern. Mental Health Ireland states that around 1 in 4 Irish people will suffer from some form of depression at some point in their lives. More specifically to students, some reports indicate that 75% of all mental illnesses first occur between the ages of 15 and 25.

This should hardly come as a shock. From puberty to Leaving Certificate Exams and entering third-level education, to getting a degree and entering the workforce, this period is a time of tremendous change, stress, upheaval and pressure. Coupled with a cultural inheritance that replaces a therapist with a bottle of cheap

whiskey, young people are perhaps the most vulnerable to negative fluctuations in their mental health.

The consequences of mental ill health can be far reaching, and extremely dire. It can impact on a student’s academic performance, personal life, and physical health in a multitude of different ways. Physical effects range from issues with sleeping patterns all the way to an increased risk of heart disease, according to the American Centre for Disease Control. Another issue that is increasingly coming to light is what some commentators have called an “epidemic” of suicides. There was a time when coroners would record suspected suicides as “accidental” deaths, but as we slowly gain a more accurate view of

the scale of the problem, mental illness poses a threat not just to people’s health, but also their lives.

Given how deadly the problem can become, and how closely it ties into other areas of our health, less than 7% of the health budget being spent on mental health services is incredibly short-sighted on the part of the government.

Looking further though than just the state, what role can universities play in looking out for the mental health of their students? Most, if not all, third-level colleges offer counselling services to their students. Dublin Institute of Technology has seen over a thousand of their students seek out these services so far this year. This can be hailed as a sign of the aforementioned new wave of awareness surrounding mental health. Thus there must be commitment from every university to make

sure that resources keep up with the increasing demand.

The Union of Students in Ireland has said that the waiting list for counselling services in college can be up to six weeks. This is simply not

good enough. Many students, especially in first year, find themselves alone and isolated in a new city. When this is coupled with the pressures and stresses of writing essays and studying for exams, it produces an incredible amount of strain on the student’s mental health. This is a concern that

universities, including UCD, have an obligation to address for the good of the student body.

Both our government and university administration have failed to give the necessary impetus to ensuring students’ mental health is well looked after, and down the line the consequences of this lackadaisical attitude to the well-being of young people will continue to reverberate in our health service.

However, students themselves have shown remarkable willingness to confront these issues, as is evidenced by the popularity of the Please Talk campaign in UCD. There are also a multitude of independent organisations that can be contacted should a student feel that their mental health is suffering. At the end of the day, Irish students ought to know that mental health, just like physical health, is worth looking after.

Entrance to UCD Student Health and Counselling Service

Forget about STEM, Gavin Tracey discusses the merits of the arts degree. critical tools gained from an arts degree are invaluable. Perhaps even more important than this, is learning how to empathise. Learning to not let the everyday banality and drudgery of

UCD Newman Building: the home of UCD Arts students THE arts degree: belittled and mocked by many, reviled by some, and the butt of approximately 80% of university humour.

Arts student are no stranger to being on the receiving end of such jibes from friends and family. The old lines about “preparing for unemployment” and it being “a waste of time” get flung at arts students with such monotonous regularity, that, by now they have lost all impact. After the first few jabs, many learn that getting defensive is futile, learn to laugh, because as we all know, there are very few things more annoying than a self-righteous arts student.

In truth, an arts degree does hold value, and this serves as its long overdue defence.

However, the very fact that a defence needs to be written is a little sad. No one has ever had to defend their degree in science, but that is neither here nor there.

We have all heard that an education in the arts is not so much about learning things per se, but rather teaching one how to think. On the surface, the idea that one needs to be taught how to think is somewhat insulting, but it is true. The importance lies not in what we think, but how we choose to think about the world and those who inhabit it.

In a world so saturated with media, political parties spewing rhetoric left, right and centre, and where advertising and news are melding together in a most insidious way, the set of

life make you bitter. Learning to see the good in situations that sometimes can be so hard to see.

One of the many aspects of the arts degree that gets criticised the most -- the minimal hours compared to STEM subjects -- is actually one of its most important aspects. Most of the work must be accomplished in one’s own time. It is down to the student to read and criticise texts, to discipline themselves and to undertake numerous hours of independent study. This self-discipline and work ethic is vital to being successful in life, and the ability to independently study and figure things out for yourself can be applied to an endless amount of fields.

What is most puzzling about the stigma surrounding the arts degree is the question of exactly why do people care so much about something which they themselves see as trivial?

Why is there such intolerance to having a diversity of professions? As a brief thought experiment, imagine a world devoid of the arts.

No writers, journalists, musicians, translators, historians, political commentators, curators etc. While this is reductionist (a degree is not necessary to be many of these things), it goes to demonstrate the presence and importance of the arts in modern life.

After the recession, and with college fees being no small matter for many families, the

increasing trend in higher education is towards finding a career that will be profitable above all else. It is a luxury to be able to study arts, and this must be admitted before one begins to defend it. To have the ability to choose to study something you like, with financial concerns coming second, is a privilege very few enjoy.

It boils down, in simple terms, to choosing between trying to make a living out of what you love, versus just making a living. This is in no way to disparage those studying in other fields, if you have a passion for science or business, study it, make your living and find fulfilment in that. That is what life is about. Just don’t ridicule those who find meaning in the arts.

In the end, it boils down to that hackneyed and trite cliché we have all heard a thousand times, that the arts are not necessary for living, but they are what make life worth living. Many of us roll our eyes when we hear this, but like all clichés, it holds within it a capital T truth.

(For anyone left unconvinced, watch David Foster Wallace’s “This Is Water”). Wallace, when discussing the liberal arts, said that it is about learning how to fill your life with meaning, and not slip into the default setting of going through life bitter and angry. There is no hierarchy of knowledge, so there should be no such hierarchy of degrees.

No degree is inherently worthless, you get out of it as much as you put in. There will always be people who belittle an arts degree, such is life, but never should one consider it worthless.

OCTOBER 11TH 2016 5

COMMENT After it was announced that one in six students drop out of third level, Brendan Garrett looks at the institutional causes of this worrying trend.

WHEN it comes to education, the decisions we make regarding our subjects, courses and timetables tend to haunt us in both the years and Monday mornings that follow. Be it for our Leaving Cert subjects or our CAO choices, many of us will find ourselves groaning, and in some cases despairing, at the thought of continuing with our classes and courses.

To get a rough idea of just how many students are dropping-out one need only pop their head into a first year lecture in Theatre L after Christmas, or even look to your group of friends from home after first year.

The odds are that the rates will be a surprise. However with many students across the country leaving college before they finish their course, it is not uncommon.

Neither are the feelings of apathy, frustration and stress that come with the decision.

According to the Higher Education Authority roughly 6,500 students drop-out from third level education every year. That’s one in six, pretty steep and that is only an average figure. If we were to delve into specifics we would find that drop-out rates in level 6 and 7 courses spike to 30%. Similarly, one in three Computer Science students drop out from

their courses in Institutes of Technology, while Mechanical-Engineering in Galway-Mayo IT saw a 66% non-progression rate in 2014-2015.

While it is clearly a sizable issue, it is not always clear what is the cause. President of Dublin City University, Professor Brian MacCraith, has stated that he attributes it to the low standard of Leaving Certificate Maths results, with many university students relying on learning supports for mathematics.

When this is considered, it is apparent that a problem lies with many students progressing from secondary level without the knowledge required. A solid foundation is crucial to progress onto third level learning. If you are lacking the core information needed to understand what your course is actually about, how are you expected to be able to effectively continue?

Tracing this problem back to its root, fingers could be pointed at secondary schools. There’s a lack of information available to fifth and sixth year students regarding the reality of college. Open days exhibit just a sliver of university life, while online synopses of courses do not give enough insight into the content that is to be studied. Giving prospective students concepts and topics that were previously

unheard of in their lives is not an effective way to let them know what they are getting themselves into. All the while, teachers are liberally applying the pressure, coercing a choice out of students while limited facilities in schools offer a more narrow scope of life after school.

Both secondary schools and third-level institutions have their work cut out for them if these issues are to be resolved. To address the declining standards of aptitude in courses that involve maths, requirements for entry could be increased which

would give the student a greater understanding of the area they are entering. For example, needing two honours science passes rather than one for Engineering might be beneficial. This could deter those who are less scientifically-minded and ensure that those who achieve a place have the right skills to be able to keep up.

Another possible solution would be addressing the gaping hole in the knowledge of sixth year students regarding university life and learning.

One-on-one chat sessions with students could become a staple of open days, turning these glorified ‘mitch-days’ into something more

informative and memorable.

A version of this has been around in the form of Slingshot Academy since mid-2014. Founded

by Patrick Guiney, a UCD Arts graduate, the programme is open to students between 15 and 19 years old interested in following an education that will lead them to a career in the areas of STEM and entrepreneurship. While not all-encompassing in its selection of fields, Slingshot is still a start in the right direction.

Facilities that incorporate woodwork and metalwork could also be established in more schools throughout the country, thus offering students insight into the possibility of entering a trade rather than funnelling them into college.

Academia is not for everyone and the world is better, more balanced as a result. It is crucial to

emphasise to school kids that there is no one right option post-Leaving Cert.

It seems to be a case of “water, water everywhere” when it comes to education in Ireland. While there’s a plethora of options available to prospective students, these routes are not highlighted evenly.

There needs to be a shift from both sides of the fence that is the Leaving Cert, otherwise students will remain in the dark. Until there is change, students will continue to drop out.

UCD has a proud history of student activism. Helen Carroll looks at how this tradition is continuing with new generations.

STUDENTS are known for being loud and making a stand. We are not known for keeping quiet on any topics that we are passionate about. Its colourful history, particularly in regards to sexual liberation/ orientation, student fees and the right to choose is something to be proud of. A legacy has been left which should be continued.

For instance, a condom-dispensing machine was installed in the men’s bathrooms in Newman at a time when condoms could only be medically prescribed to married couples. Years later, UCD Students’ Union was brought to court for giving students the names and addresses of abortion clinics in England in the event that the information was needed.

In 1969, women protested the rule that female students could not wear trousers in the college with everyone wearing them and “storming the corridors”, thus ending the archaic rule. In more recent times, the student body were vocal in the lead up to the Marriage Equality referendum with campaigns to get students to sign up to register and to get out on the day.

This momentum of student activism has not slowed down, in fact it has gained even more traction. Student activism and protests are part and parcel of student life for many. UCD has a great history of getting students involved with campaigns for political and social change, shaping legislation and

6 OCTOBER 11TH 2016

shifting the opinions of politicians and the public.

So far this year, the major focus has been the Repeal the 8th Campaign. With a set of staged protests under their belts, including one on the UCD flyover and one at the LawSoc “Abortion debate”, this is one campaign that gets the masses active and involved.

The group UCD for Choice was set up earlier this year and its Facebook page currently stands at 928

members. The page posts multiple times daily, linking articles and discussions globally about abortion rights, thus keeping the conversation current and relevant. A vocal and candid group, they attend protests in solidarity with others all the while increasing awareness of their campaigns to other students.

At the moment, the UCD for Choice campaign is the largest and most prominent on campus with students organising hundreds of vocal supporters to attend marches, public meetings and discussions.

While only created this year, the group has gained a significant amount of support in recent weeks partly due to the flow of media coverage relating to the

issue.

UCDSU is also not silent on the issue. They committed in 2014 to support a position on abortion “upon request of the woman”, setting them firmly into the “pro-choice” side of the debate. They have indicated their support further and agreed to be seen as actively participating to Repeal the 8th Amendment. This clarification came some time after students voiced their concern that the SU was seemingly refusing to participate and declare a stance on the issue.

While this is only one example of students using their voices for change in their immediate community, it was certainly one that made a large impact. The SU are now some of the most vocal supporters of the campaign on campus. They have also voiced their views on matters such as contraception, marriage equality and abortion in the past.

But it doesn’t stop there. Several societies hold strong, contrasting stances on political and social topics, such as the Catholic Society’s “Pro-Life” stance on abortion, or the Feminist Book Club’s stance on gender parity. All stances can be discussed freely and openly. An environment as such this is necessary for student activism to thrive.

Students tend to veer politically towards centre to left-leaning ideologies. This is reflected in the campaigns they choose to support. In recent years a light

has been shone on topics such as sex, gender and contraception. Last year, UCD had a large campaign on sexual consent. A highlight was the hugely successful “slut walk” that involved men and women

walking across campus wearing revealing clothing, proving that clothing does not equal consent.

Student activism does not die down once off campus. Students are getting involved with the wider national community in numerous protests, such as those against austerity, water charges, abortion and student fees. After all, students want to get their voices heard, and they are willing to be loud to get their point across.

Student activism is something every student should consider at some point during their time in UCD. Getting up and getting your voice heard shows the power of both the individual and the collective, united under a common banner. We the student body are helping to sway public opinion. We could lead the way in changing how people vote. And ultimately, we could make a difference in the lives of students across the country.

COMMENT As hospitalisations for steroid escalate, Garrett Ó Cinnéide asks why the drug is on the rise and what damage is being caused.

WE’RE all familiar with gym culture. Pictures of workout schedules and tensed poses in front of mirrors fill our Instagram feeds. Tales of obscure and ridiculous diets are whispered around campus and the constant but subtly quiet chant of ‘Gains, Gains, Gains’ can be heard reverberating out from the walls of the sports centre. The health revolution is impossible to escape no matter where you look.

While this may seem like a wonderful advancement in human self-improvement, there are those who take it too far. In 2005, 185 people were hospitalised in Ireland due to anabolic steroid usage. Last year, this figure was 348, meaning the numbers have almost doubled.

According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse in the US, anabolic steroids are synthetic variations of the male sex hormone testosterone.

They serve legitimate purposes, such as treating hormonal issues and diseases that cause muscle loss, but are often misused by body builders and athletes. Some use them to increase muscle growth, to train harder and for longer and to shorten their recovery time. While this sounds like

the perfect recipe for getting into shape quickly, the effects these drugs can have on the body range from worrying to incredibly dangerous.

Steroids are usually consumed orally or injected into the muscles. These doses can be 10 to 100

times higher than those prescribed to treat medical conditions. Given the lack of regulation due to their illegality, it is near impossible to know what you are taking.

Of course, there are legitimate medical grounds for using anabolic steroids. They work miracles when serving their intended purpose. Any deviation from this and you’re treading on dangerous ground.

In the short term, there may be ‘roid rage’ which causes extreme mood swings and irritability. In the long term; kidney problems, liver damage, high blood pressure are all on the cards. Plus, it drastically increases risk of strokes and heart attacks.

On top of all this, men risk side effects such as shrinking testicles, decreased sperm count, baldness, development of breasts and increased risk of prostate cancer. For women, side effects include growth of facial hair, male-pattern baldness, changes in or stop in the menstrual cycle, enlarged clitoris and deepened voice.

If these problems were not distressing enough, in June 2015, the Guardian reported the rate of HIV infection among steroid users was 1.5%, as high as that for users of drugs such as heroin.

Indeed a bleak picture, but not one most would be surprised by. We may not fully understand the full extent of the damage steroids can do but most of us know that they are bad for us. This begs the question: why is usage on the rise?

It is no coincidence that the surge in steroid usage coincides with the growth of social media.

In a time of intense public scrutiny steroids may be seen as an easy fix for burgeoning insecurity. Steroids may seem like a way that people, men especially, can achieve the body image society demands.

Society has always had odd notions of masculinity. It’s nothing new for these notions to be associated with a person’s size and strength. Men have historically been raised to be tough, to be strong, to provide. Indeed

masculinity has changed slightly over the years, with men now being afforded more freedom to express themselves both emotionally and aesthetically. Still, the fact remains that many men feel the weight of demands to ‘man up’.

While body confidence has been a staple in public discourse in recent years, we rarely discuss it in relation to men. Men are not put under the same pressures as women but they are put under pressure nonetheless. The lack of an open dialogue is becoming fatal. Three-quarters of suicides are among men and this coupled with the rise in people being hospitalised due to steroid usage shows a real and urgent need for change.

There is also a distinct need for a change in gym

culture itself. Gyms should be put under more pressure to address these problems and educate members over the dangers of steroids. There is clearly a gap in awareness here and if it goes unaddressed the problems will only snowball.

However, going to the gym is not a bad thing to do.

Self-improvement should always be encouraged and a healthy lifestyle promoted. The problems arise predominantly from a lack of discourse around these issues. We must encourage men to discuss these things openly and not feel pressure to conform.

No matter what concept of masculinity you hold, suffering a plethora of side effects isn’t the best way of achieving it.

With the increasing use of steroid products, has gym culture gone too far?

As UCD slips in the world rankings, Ause Abdelhaq questions the effectiveness of the ranking system.

LIFE hands us a lot of choices. On a daily basis, a person is faced with thousands of decisions: when to wake, what to eat, where to park. The list goes on. For the most part, we decide in a split second.

We don’t weigh up the consequences of every action before deciding, the reason being that many decisions are inconsequential. They don’t affect the big picture. Sure, eating fruit instead of chocolate for lunch might make you feel better about yourself on any given day, yet, in the absence of fruit, you won’t refrain from eating. In reality, people don’t dwell on small decisions – but spend excessive time on the big ones.

Big decisions scare everyone, but more often than not, the younger a person is, the more likely that fear is to affect them. As a result, whenever it comes to making a choice which might have real, long-term consequences, we automatically search for a crutch. This is evident at every stage in life – we turn to our elders most of the time, but when we’re forced to make a decision ourselves, we often want someone to tell us what to do. This is never truer than when choosing which university to attend.

It’s a decision that can take months. Endless meetings with guidance counsellors, trips to informative seminars, pouring over prospectus after

prospectus, discussions and debates with parents that seem to last a lifetime. Choosing a third-level institution is stressful, difficult and truly important.

The reason so many young people struggle with the choice is simple: it’s the first time in life when they’re asked to make such a big decision knowing that the answer has life-changing significance.

In the midst of all this difficulty, people find salvation in objectivity; when you can’t trust your own opinion, a formula which provides the answer becomes a godsend. They reach a point where anything that seems like it’s somewhat scientific can be trusted. In this uncertainty, university ranking systems prosper and thrive. The appeal is clear to see: instead of trusting yourself and making a decision,

now essentially branded machines which spit out a certain type of student with a certain GPA on their degree or a certain type of research undertaken in order to maintain or better their standing.

The scramble of institutions to ensure that they rise in the rankings can often be at the detriment to the current student population - for example, a university might choose to open a new science research facility instead of investing in a 24-hour library.

This might lead to obvious dissatisfaction amongst those who attend the university, but dissatisfaction can’t be measured in an algorithm. Thus, the divide between institution and student is widened even further.

Those who are in favour of rankings would argue that a university’s position helps a potential employer in deciding who to hire – but that’s not always true. In fact, there is not one piece of evidence to

suggest that employers even care. Outside of the top twenty institutions, the majority of companies most likely would not being able to tell the difference.

There are hundreds of alternative factors that are taken into account: qualification, grades, interview, skills etc.

In reality, few care about university rankings to any level beyond mild interest. They exist in order to provide a respite for those who fear making decisions, they survive by taking advantage of that fear and they cause issues because they determine how resources are divided within our institutions.

We already live in a society which values brand name over consumer identity, but education is an area that has remained relatively untainted. Yet, with the rise in media coverage of university rankings over the last number of years, it seems that may be beginning to change.

you leave it up to the experts; people who undoubtedly know what it is that makes a great college and what that means for you.

However, as anyone who has ever attended a third-level institution can tell you, university is almost entirely an individual experience. If you don’t feel comfortable in an environment, there’s no ranking on earth that can make you believe that it’s the best place for you to be.

If we consider the importance of university rankings objectively, they appear irrelevant. There are at least five major “systems” which rank our tertiary institutions year on year, with seemingly arbitrary standards of value attached to each. So why is it that we afford them so much respect and consideration, not only when it comes to choosing which university to attend, but also when it comes to allocating resources within that institution?

The problem with the system is that the rankings form a disconnect between an institution and its students. Instead of nurturing a strong sense of community between their members, colleges are

OCTOBER 11TH 2016 7

BUSINESS With the aftermath of Brexit still reverberating around the EU, Kevin O’Leary examines the potential of an EU-wide army.

A MEETING two weeks ago of the European Union’s defence ministers in Slovakia led to the re-emergence of what has continued to be one of the most divisive issues for the organisation since its formation. EU leaders have long clashed over whether or not the union should have its own military to independently respond to international crises as well as conduct operations alongside NATO and UN forces, and this thorny subject reared its head once more at the Bratislava discussion table.

So what exactly was proposed? The Italian Defence Ministry suggested that a “European Multinational Force (EMF) would allow available member states to share forces, command and control” while acting in interests of the EU. The EMF would be a precursor to an EU army and would have a permanent base at EU headquarters.

Reaction to such a major expansion in EU operations has been rather muted. Any moves towards a coordinated military force between member states

are strongly rejected by the United Kingdom, with British Defense Secretary Michael Fallon warning it could “undermine” the role of NATO. Smaller states such as Ireland are also cold to the concept, with fears of an EU army being one of the reasons cited for Irish voter’s rejection of the Lisbon Treaty in 2008, as this may have compromised the government’s position of neutrality on matters of foreign policy. That treaty provides for something

called “Permanent Structured Co-operation” (PSC) in defence, which amounts to what would effectively be a permanent EU headquarters.

Decisions on PSC are made on a qualified majority vote basis, meaning there would be no national veto. The construction of an EU army without

unanimous support could cause serious damage to the EU’s relationship with the smaller and less military-orientated member states.

The idea of an EU army has however received renewed impetus with the Brexit vote, as the UK stood as the primary opponent to such plans. Closer defence ties are favoured by both France and Germany, in the wake of several terrorist attacks and continued conflict on the EU’s periphery. It is their belief that such an organisation would lend itself to strengthening internal security in these countries, with the Paris and Brussels attacks both involving the cross-border movement of terrorists.

A multi-state army is also supported by the EU’s eastern members such as Poland, Czech Republic and the Baltic nations, whose fear of Russian interference along their borders has been heightened by the continuing war in Ukraine. The crisis in Luhansk and Donetsk represents the first full-scale military conflict on the EU’s borders since the Balkan wars in the 1990s and has signified the resurgence of a bellicose foreign policy emanating from the Kremlin.

Poland’s powerful right-wing leader Jaroslaw Kaczynski has called for the EU to implement a confederation of nation states under a president in charge

Nordic Battle Group in Training of a powerful common military. While France and Germany aren’t calling for a measure this extensive, it does serve to showcase the numerous factors in support for a stronger unified military structure.

A major stumbling block, as one might expect, is centred on how exactly to pay for such a force. The main supporters of these plans, bar Germany, are not among Europe’s strongest performing economies at the moment. The Baltic states would have very little capital to invest in this initiative, while France and Italy are currently suffering through fiscal difficulties that necessitate expenditure reductions, not increases of the magnitude required for this project to get off the ground.

With the existence of NATO, which already serves to act as a bulwark against Russian aggression and contains the membership of all of the EU’s eastern member states, is there much need for an EU army? The countries in favour of an EU army are already protected by NATO’s Article 5 so it is unclear what tangible benefits there would be for the bloc as a whole.

Most of Europe would agree that increased cooperation on defence would be a positive development, but an EU army might just be a step too far.

In the final weeks of the presdiential campaign, Brían Donnelly examines the implications of a Trump or Clinton Presidency.

HILLARY Clinton and Donald Trump paint vastly different pictures of modern America. As unemployment sits at 4.9% and poverty continues to fall for the fourth consecutive year, Mr Trump deploys images of an America under siege from nefarious trade deals, and dishonest political practices.

The Republican presidential nominee promises to raise growth to 4% in order to combat the erosion of living standards facilitated by mainstream politicians. The Economist Group has labelled his agenda an “unrealistic… fantasy,” while a report by Moody’s Analytics suggested that his plans would reduce employment by 3.5 million jobs rather than deliver the 25 million jobs he has promised.

The Clinton campaign has attacked him for proposing to eliminate the estate tax, a property tax that affects roughly 0.2% of estates in the US, and increasing expenditure while simultaneously reducing the tax.

Mrs Clinton has pledged to increase spending by roughly $1.7 trillion over ten years, using the money to capitalise a federal infrastructure bank and pay for her ‘debt-free college’ proposal. Tax analysts have lamented her desire to further complicate the tax code, already running at over 73,900 pages.

American businesses reportedly take up to 175 hours each year to comply with current tax law, compared to 110 per year in Britain. Her taxation policy, including a new 4% rate of tax on incomes over $5m, nearly funds her entire expenditure plan, according to the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget, a think-tank.

However, either candidates’ ability to bring forth a budget, and enact other policy proposals, would be subject to the scrutiny of the Houses of Congress. Republicans have the advantage in retaining control of the House and in such an event, Clinton’s plans could be derailed.

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In Trump’s case, pundits and Republicans reluctantly supporting his presidential bid argue that a Republican-controlled Congress will be able to exercise restraint over him with regards to the more controversial ends of his plans. While Trump has moved towards reconciliation with Speaker of the House, Paul Ryan, by pledging to lower the top rate of income tax from 39.6% to 33%, a key part of Ryan’s “morally imperative” pro-growth tax plan, there are many obvious inconsistencies between the Republican Party Platform, launched at their Convention in Cleveland last July, and the policies espoused by Trump.

Republicans had conceded to Trump by including a commitment to building a wall along the Southern border of the United States. However, elsewhere in the Platform they recognise that the future prosperity of the US is linked to Mexico, and is contingent on their “continuing cooperation and... mutually shared interests”.

It also highlights the strong trade links the US enjoys with Mexico and Canada through the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), a trade deal from which Trump has threatened to pull out.

For Mexico, the US election campaign has underscored the need to broaden its export range; roughly 80% of Mexico’s exports go to the US. The President does not need Congressional approval to exit NAFTA. Trump has also pledged that there would be no Trans Pacific Partnership (TPP), an agreement between the U.S. and twelve Pacific Rim nations, under his presidency, and although he has not taken a strict position on the US-EU Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP), few see reason to believe he wouldn’t walk away from it.

Often regarded as the most powerful office in the world, there are few places that are untouched

by US influence, and Ireland is no exception. The latest trade data from July shows that the value of Irish exports to the U.S, at over €2,100m, is almost four times the value of the goods we import from our American partners.

Of Ireland’s total exports, 24% went to the U.S. Because of these strong trade relations, Ireland would stand to benefit greatly from TTIP, with the analysts estimating it could grow Irish GDP by

between 1.1-1.4%. However, these trade talks have encountered almost insurmountable opposition

within the EU, with German vice-chancellor Sigmar Gabriel signalling that the talks have failed but that “nobody is really admitting it.”

An extension from Ireland’s robust trade ties with the US has been the generally cordial relationships which officials from both nations have enjoyed.

However, many Irish leaders have openly criticised Mr Trump for inflammatory remarks, with Taoiseach Enda Kenny observing that American citizens have another option to choose in the presidential race

where a candidate spouts “racist and dangerous” comments.

Fianna Fáil leader Micheál Martin has said that Trump sets an “appalling example for how the free world should speak and articulate.” Leo Varadkar has branded Trump as a “sexist” and a “misogynist.” In the wake of these comments, Mr Trump allegedly cancelled a visit to Doonbeg, where he owns a golf course.

Global markets have remained jittery throughout the presidential campaign, demonstrating the reach of potential US policy changes. The Mexican Peso has fallen almost in line with Mr Trump’s rise in election polls, and as of September 20th, the Peso had lost 12% of its value against the dollar since the start of the year.

Before the presidential debate on September 26th, European and Asian shares fell as investors feared the turbulence of a Trump presidency.

Deutsche Bank, already maligned by a $14bn US fine, fell to record lows, while the dollar lost 0.56% against the yen. Indeed, the world is embracing itself for what will be a massive election day on the 8th of November.

GAEILGE Táimid i measc imram úr nua-aoiseach, ach níl pobal Baile Átha cliath i measc an fhéile á chéiliúradh, cén fáth?

NIAMH O’REGAN EAGARTHÓIR GAEILGE

Beidh fiche bliain caite ag TG4 i mbliana, tráthnóna Oíche Shamhna 1996, chraol an stáisiúin don chéad uair riamh. Ach in san scór bliain atá imithe ó shin, cén cruth atá ar an stáisiúin anois?

NIAMH O’REGAN EAGARTHÓIR GAEILGE

BLIAIN I ndiadh bliana tagann Léacht Uí Chadhain go Coláiste Ollscoile Baile Átha Cliath, agus bliain i ndiadh bliana bíonn tóir ar.

I mbliana, tharla an Léacht ar an 6ú Deireadh Fómhair agus labhair Joe Steve Ó Neachtáin le léachtlann sceitimíneach. Bhí fáilte mhór roimhe agus éagsúlacht sa lucht féachana idir foireann Scoil na Gaeilge, daltaí Gaeilge agus baill den phobail mhór. Ach cé go raibh slua mór ann, slua teoranta a bhí ann comh maith.

Ní raibh mórán daltaí ann nach daltaí Gaeilge iad cé go bhfuil pobal mórán daltaí i COBÁC nach ndéanann staidéar ar an nGaeilge.

Ceann de na conclúid a bhí ag Ó Neachtain ná go mhothaíonn sé “go bhfuil croí na tíre seo Gaelach go foil” agus is oiriúnaí an chonclúid mar ba é an léacht an chéad imeacht den fhéile Imram i mbliana. Féile litríochta

Gaeilge atá inti, a bhunaíodh i 2004 ag Liam Carson. Ceiliúrtar litríocht na Gaeilge atá sean bhunaithe, atá nuachruthaithe agus an nasc idir an dhá ceann. I mbliana i measc na n-imeachtaí tá Réaltneach, tionscadal in ómós do amhráin David Bowie agus Cluiche na Corónach; léitheoireacht drámatúil ó aistriúchán leabhair George R.R. Martin.

Déantar fógraíocht ar Léacht Uí Chadhain i bpasáistí Scoil na Gaeilge agus ar cláracha fógraí timpeall foirgnimh na hEalaíona, seoltar ríomhphost chuig na mic léinn a ndéanann staidéar ar an nGaeilge ach sin an méid. nuair a nach bhfreastalaíonn daoine ar léachtaí i bhfoirgnimh Newman nó nach glactar cupán tae sa seomra chaidreamh i B202, níl an deis acu buaileadh leis an eolais.

Ní ar Scoil na Gaeilge atá an locht áfach, agus is deacair a rá go bhfuil locht ar duine nó eagraíocht ar bith. Tá tuairimíocht áirithe ann go bhfuil a fhios ag pobal labhartha na Gaeilge san ollscoil go bhfuil a leithéid ar siúil, toisc mar pháirt den phobal iad agus mar sin níl gá fógraíochta ann. Tuairimíocht achrannach é seo. Níl aon chinnteacht ann go mbeadh duine go bhfuil suim acu i litríocht na Gaeilge mar pháirt de phobal labhartha na Gaeilge, ní fiú féidir chinntiú go mbeadh duine a labhraíonn Gaeilge mar pháirt den mhór phobal labhartha.

Cé nach bhfuil an Cumann Gaelach CÓBAC mar pháirt den fhéile agus go bhfuil a n-imeachtaí féin acu, b’fhéidir go mbeadh sé mar smaoineamh dóibh fógra beag do Léacht Uí Chadhain a chur lena ríomhphoist an bhliain seo chuig a mbaill, toisc gur bealach iontach iad an Cumann Gaelach mór phobal Gaeilge na hOllscoile a chur ar an eolais.

Tá an cuma ar an scéal go bhfuil easpa fógraíochta den fhéile timpeall na cathrach ar fad. Is iad Éigse Éireann, An Chomhairle Ealaíon agus Áras Scríbhneoirí na hÉireann agus Cathair Baile Átha Cliath roinnt de na hurraí atá ag an bhféile ach nuair a déantar cuardach ar Imram ar na suíomh níl tásc ná tuairisc do ach amháin ar suíomh Éigse Éireann. Níl tagairt do ar suíomhanna “Visit Dublin” (atá mar chuid de Fáilte Ireland) nó “Dublin Town” ach an oiread. Is deacair teanga a chur chun cinn agus a spreagadh sa réimse litríochta nuair a nach bhfuil fhios ag daoine faoi. Agus é ag labhairt leis an Irish Times i mí Meán Fómhair, labhair Liam Carson, stiúirthreoir IMRAM faoi saibhreas na nua

litríochta Gaeilge atá ann, agus í ar fáil ag féile IMRAM. Is cinnte go bhfuil an saibhreas ann, ach gan an fhocal a scaipeadh, is go moll a scaipfidh an litríocht muna bhfuil an lucht spéise teoranta dóibh siúd go bhfuil an eolas acu cheana féin. Má tá croí na tíre fós Gaelach, b’fhearr dúinn ár ndícheall a dhéanamh an croí a chosaint agus a neartú.

Fiafraíonn Síofra Ní Shluaghadháin an likelihood go bhfillfidh Leabhar Ceannanais abhaile lá éigin go luath, LE cúpla lá anuas, tá preas ráiteas tagtha amach as oifigí chomhairle cathrach Baile Átha Cliath, agus ó chomhairle contae Chill Dara, agus iad ag fiafraí de Choláiste na Trionóide an mbeadh aon seans ann go raibh siad tinn tuirse den aird uilig a baineann le Leabhar Cheanannais a bheith faoi sheilbh acu. Tagann an ráiteas seo tar éis cúpla mí de chainteanna, a tháinig i ndiadh iarracht an Leabhar a ghoid níos luaithe i mbliana.

Ní raibh aon trácht den iarracht seo sna meáin toisc nach raibh an Chomhairle Cathrach ró-shásta leo siúd a bhí fostaithe acu an leabhar a ghoid sa chéad dul síos. Níl aon ainmneacha luaite, ach tugtar le fios dúinn anseo sa Túr Uisce gurbh as tuaisceart na cathrach don duine seo, agus gur tugadh maithiúnas de shaghas éigin dóibh as ucht an jab a dhéanamh. Anois, tar éis orthu teip, caithfidh siad filleadh ar modhanna taidhleoireachta chun an Leabhar a fháil ar ais.

Níos mó ná míle bliain ó shin, shuí scríbhneoirí i mainistreach i gCill Dara, ag déanamh cóipeanna galánta den Bhíobla, agus iad ag déanamh ómós do Dhia. Inniu, tá cóip den chuid sin ina suí in Ollscoil na Trionóide, agus íocann na mílte turasóirí chun é a fheiceáil, agus iad, is dócha, ag déanamh ómós don chaipitleachas.

Nach mór an t-athrú atá tagtha ar an domhain?

Leis an bliain atá ann, tá mórchuid airde a tharraingt ar stair sa phobail, agus, i mo thuairimse, is gá súil a chaitheamh ar an saibhreas náisiúnta seo, agus an cheist a cur – cé ar leo a leithid d’iarsmaí mar seo? Chuir muid ceist ar roinnt daoine thart ar an campas anseo i gCOBÁC, agus, seachas le roinnt mic léinn eachtrannacha (20%), agus cúpla eile a bhí i mbun staideár ar an stair (10%), ní raibh mórchuid suime ag aon duine sa scéal. Dúirt 40% gur cheart iarracht níos fear an leabhar

DÉ gnáth smaoinítear ar TG4 mar an stáisiúin go bhfuil trí clár ar siúl aige; Ros na Rún, Aifric agus Spongebob as Gaeilge. Tá luach agus éagsúlacht ann, áfach, agus fás ollmhór tagtha ar ó tús an stáisiúin, nuair a bhí aidhm acu ach uair amháin de clársceideal Gaeilge i rith an lae don lá atá inniu ann.

I 2006 ba é spórt an seánra clár le líon na huaireanta craolta is mó agus tá an cuma ar an scéal gur mar sin atá fós. Craoltar cluichí peile na mban, cluichí rugbaí is mórán eile. Tá sé seo tábhachtach a dhóthain ar roinnt cúis. Ar an gcéad dul síos, coimeádtar téarmaíocht agus foclóir na spóirt in úsáid agus leathnaítear an saibhreas teanga a bhaineann leo. An taobh beagáinín diúltach ná, ní i gcónaí go bhfaireann daoine ar cluichí ar mhaithe leis an léiritheoir (cé go bíonn siad díreach comh paiseanta agus léitheoirí eile). An dara rud ná gur é TG4 an t-aon áit sa tír go féidir féachaint ar cluichí peile na mban gan freastal orthu, tá an scéal céanna i bhfeidhm le cluichí rugbaí an comórtas Rabo Pro12 (rud a bhí á lorg ag RTÉ) muna bhfuil sintiús spórt agat. Rud mhór faoi TG4 ná an craoladh a rinneadh le linn Corn Domhanda Rugbaí na mBan i 2014.

B’fhéidir gurbh í an rud is tábhachtaí faoi TG4 thar na blianta ná an fás atá tagtha ar

na cláracha do pháistí is do dhéagóirí óga. Tá cartúin cinnte (cuid dóibh athghuthaithe i nGaeilge agus roinnt déanta as Gaeilge d’aon ghnó), ach tá cláracha eile ar nós Is Eolaí Mé agus tóir mhaith orthu. Nuair a cloistear teanga go rialta, déantar an teanga níos furasta a fhoghlaim níos déanaí sa saol. Roinnt de na cláracha go ndeintear athghuthú orthu, ba cláracha iad a déanadh i mBreatnais ar dtús. Ábhar ar an stáisiúin a fhaigheann ard mholadh ná na cláracha faisnéise a dtáirgítear.

Cláracha faisnéise den scoth a bhíonn ann go minic ach is minic comh maith go mbíonn codanna móra den chlár trí Bhéarla, is amhlaidh go dtarlaíonn a leithéid nuair a nach labhraíonn an duine Gaeilge iad féin. É sin

ráite ní i gcónaí go dtarlaíonn sé, bíonn mórán saineolaithe ann agus Gaeilge maith acu.

De bharr na fotheidil a craoltar le gach clár as Gaeilge tá an stáisiúin sothuigthe do chách.

Deirtear go faireann mórán daoine nach é Béarla an chéad teanga atá acu ar an stáisiún ar chúis na fotheidil, de bharr go labhraítear ró-thapaidh as Béarla ar stáisiúin eile.

Is é an líon Béarla atá ar an gclár an fadhb is mó agus caithfear ceisteanna dáiríre a chur maidir le luach na huimhreacha nuair a cuirtear na cláracha Béarla san áireamh.

Le blianta anuas tá mór cláracha teilifíse ar a leithéid de Gossip Girl, Vampire Diaries agus faoi láthair; Friday Night Lights. De bharr de cuirtear fotheidil Béarla leis na cláracha

Gaeilge, an ceart fotheidil Gaeilge a chur leis na cláracha Gaeilge Dar le TG4 go bhfuil 650,000 breathnóir acu in aghaidh an lae, agus thart ar milliún ar laethanta móra ar nós Lá Nollaig. Ar nós gach aon stáisiúin teilifíse, le imeacht aimsire is gá do a bheith in iomaíocht le mórán sintiús éagsúil agus seirbhisí sruthú. Tá thart ar 2% de daonra lucht féachana na tíre ag TG4 in ainneoin seo, cé gurbh í an t-aon stáisiúin Gaelach agus nach bhfuil an comórtas ann do, nó go bhfuil meas ceart ag daoine ar na cláracha a craoltar ann, is líon suntasach é do stáisiúin comh beag.

Ní stáisiún mór í TG4 agus cé go féidir réimse an lucht féachana a leathnú le bunú TG4 player, de bharr an teanga níl cosúlacht ann go mbeadh aon dá gcláracha úr bhunaithe ag barr liosta na breathnóir. Ach é sin ráite, tá líon na breathnóir maith a dhóthain acu i gcomparáid le líon na Gaeilgeoirí sa tír. Cinnte tá an Cuma ar an scéal go bhfuil luach áirithe bainteach leis.

a goid, toisc nach raibh aon mhaitheas rudaí a fhágáil i gColáiste na Trionóide. Ní raibh trácht cloiste ag 40% eile faoin leabhar.* Ar nóta eile, nach mór an trua nach íocann turasóirí chun cuairt a glacadh chun bradaíl nua-aimsire a fheiceáil? Bheadh sé ina bhealach mhaith don Ollscoil airgid a gnóthú! *Admhaíonn an roinn staitistic anseo gur theip orthu sa mata. Tá siad ag glacadh le deontais chun táillí athdhéanamh a íoc. Seol teacs leis an bhfocail TEIP chugainn chun €240 a thabhairt dóibh inniu.

Ní féidir linn geallúint nach ceannófar vodca leis an t-airgid seo.

Leabhar Cheannanais

OCTOBER 11TH 2016 9

FEATURES With a wide variety of faiths catered to on campus, Billy Vaughan explores the often-ignored community.

IT is not difficult to get a sense that on campus these days, and indeed in wider Irish society generally, faith is in decline. Gone are the days when most in Irish society not only had faith, but let faith and religion guide them in their life choices.

Some would argue that this is a positive development. While an increasingly small segment of faithful is left, these are people who arguably are more passionate about their religious beliefs, and not simply blindly following the religious tradition handed down by their ancestors.

In today’s societal climate, there is much to tempt religious people away from their beliefs, and less social stigma attached to a lack of belief in a God. What is it that sustains the spirituality of UCD’s faithful, in an era defined by growing secularism?

Many from all sides of the belief-non-belief spectrum see the benefit of religion as giving something to believers that nothing else can. This can be things like a sense of community, a basis for morality, or a way to make sense of human existence. Scott Evans, Church of Ireland Chaplain to UCD, however, is careful about making such an assertion.

“I’m wary of saying that my faith gives me something that ‘nothing else can’ because that can sound like an arrogant certainty that I find incompatible with faith and belief. Instead, I’d say there are things my faith gives me that I find beautiful, inspiring and compelling.” Brian Finlay, of the UCD Christian Union says “we find a purpose as a result of our faith. You often find people looking for something bigger to live for, for us as believers in Christ, we find that in God.” Other groups on campus share the same viewpoint, that religion does give them something unique and personally fulfilling. Ruth Brennan, auditor of the Newman Society, says “my faith gives me peace in challenging situations as I know that God is looking after me with compassion, kindness and great patience.”

Hiba Mir, Media Officer of the Islamic Society (ISoc), says that religion makes her less fearful for the future during times of stress. “I find that for me it gives me peace. In this day and age where we’re surrounded by stress all the time, and constantly under pressure to get things done. It’s nice to think that it’s going to be okay in the end, that God will take care of it. Mentally it frees you. You are armed to face whatever comes your way.”

For many individuals who are religious, early

adulthood is a time to question their beliefs and fully consider what path they want to follow in the long term. Leaving their faith not only means a huge change in personal outlook, but also often involves disconnecting spiritually with the community they were brought up in. It is a decision that is rarely taken lightly. Many cultures recognise this, such as the Amish and Mennonite communities, which allow a period of “Rumspringa” (“Running Around”) between the ages of 16 and 21. During this period, they are allowed to experience other ways of life, and ultimately supposed to come to the conclusion of whether to stay in their community or to leave permanently.

Evans says that he has had his own moments of doubt. “Wrestling with my experiences of pain and, particularly, the pain of those I love has been the thing that has tempted me to turn away most.

What brought me back is realising that walking away from faith would not change, transform or remove that pain.” He mentions some advice that he often gives to students: “If you never doubt the existence of a good God then you either underestimate the pain that the world is experiencing or you don’t care.”

Leona McNulty, events officer of ISoc, says “I don’t think it ever goes to that extreme straight away, I think you would gradually see it coming, you’d see it in their lifestyle. Luckily I’ve been able to avoid that by surrounding myself with good people. You should always try and do more than what’s required of you, because if you stop doing above and beyond what’s required of you, you can

10 OCTOBER 11TH 2016

tell then that you need to increase your faith.”

One common misconception is that the various religious groups on campus exist in relative isolation, without much contact with other faith-based groups. The general consensus, however, is that this is most definitely not the case. “On moral issues, we often agree, and can work together” says Brennan. “On other aspects of faith, we can at least have dialogue on the unique ways we come to the task of worshipping God. Often those conversations lead to me understanding my faith more deeply, and having a greater appreciation of it.”

Evans says that this aspect is one of his favourite parts of the role of Chaplain. “Whether it’s working with chaplains from other denominations, talking to Christian students from across the faith

spectrum or members of other religious communities, I’m regularly confronted with how much I don’t know and how many things I haven’t fully understood or considered. It keeps me questioning, growing and learning.”

There is little doubt that those who are religious often live their lives very differently to those who are non-religious. But it is not the case that they are treated differently on campus, according to Mir. “I find that on campus, you’re not judged for your views or outlook on life. You don’t get that outside of university.”

Yara Alagha, PA to the General Secretary of ISoc, related her own experience of wearing a headscarf for the first time. “Before I started wearing a headscarf, it wasn’t visually evident that I was a Muslim. When I started wearing it, I got really paranoid and withdrew from everyone else, because that’s what I thought my friends wanted.

But from their perspective, when I started talking to them, they were so open minded.”

Some, such as Finlay, find that the multitude of different outlooks can be difficult in some ways and beneficial in others. “Campus can be difficult for students of our faith, because they are presented with so many different world views, which Christianity differs from and that can create a lot of tension in their minds. But in so many ways it’s great for students because they can come to the Christian Union and join with others of their faith and age, which can be so beneficial for their walk with Christ.”

Sadie Hood, Youth 2000 Facilitator of Newman Soc, finds that the moral outlook on campus is largely secular, which results in some tension. “Conversations sometimes become strained quickly when discussing a moral issue, because it becomes apparent that you are coming towards the

issue from opposite sides.”

Of course, university is also a time where much thought is given about what to move on to next in life. It is not a decision taken lightly by anyone, but does religion influence the life choices of those who believe in God? Brennan reflected the general consensus that faith would most definitely have a central role in any future plans for later in life. “My religious beliefs influence every decision that I make so of course they play the most central role in what I will do later in life. I would not be happy with myself unless I felt that I was following

the path that God wants for me”.

Others, such as Mir, would take a slightly different view, but nevertheless would not plan on straying from religious principles in the future. “I think influence would be a strong way of putting it. I think that it more guides you in which way you want to go in life.” McNulty says that she will make room for her faith in any future plans.

“I would base my life around my religion, not my religion around my life. I wouldn’t go into a job in the future if it isn’t compatible with my religion.”

Others, such as Evans, have already spent many years in a career serving their faith. “I’ve spent my adult life in faith-driven roles from setting up drop-in centres, starting youth groups, working with local churches, organising international

service trips, running school retreats and writing books about twenty-first century faith. My faith is actually the biggest factor in my career and life decisions and it’s the reason I ended up as the Church of Ireland chaplain to UCD.” UCD is an incredibly broad ecosystem, comprising and representing the countless different facets of the lives of its staff and students. There are groups for nearly every pastime, sport, political outlook, and culture. It is unique and notable, however, that one of its largest sub-groups, that of societies of faith and religion, are often one of the most overlooked.

With the recent advent of the Repeal the 8th marches, debates over safe spaces, and the rise of the far-right in Europe, campus is more awash with ideas and debate than ever. What religious societies fear most is not a decline in their numbers, but being “frozen out” of these wider live discussions on campus. A common plight amongst all these societies is their desire for engagement with others, and not simply in a dogmatic sense.

These groups are as philosophical as they are religious, and not only welcome, but thrive on all kinds of debate, discussion, and even a passing interest from others outside their sphere.

FEATURES Rory Geoghegan looks at the plight of the Rohingya people, often called “the worlds most persecuted minority.”

ON the 23rd of August, the government of Myanmar announced the establishment of a nine-member advisory commission. Chaired by former UN Secretary General Kofi Annan, the commission will address ongoing violence against the Rohingya ethnic minority in Rakhine state, located in the north-west of the country.

The announcement comes after the National League for Democracy (NLD), of which Nobel Laureate Aung San Suu Kyi is the leader, swept to electoral victory last November, ending nearly half a century of repressive military rule.

While it is welcoming that the government of Aung San Suu Kyi, who took power in March, have prioritised peace and national reconciliation, there are still major concerns regarding the Rohingya people. Reports of human rights violations by security forces in Rakhine State continue to emerge. These include accounts of unlawful killings, acts of torture,

arbitrary arrests and widespread extortion of the ethnic minority.

Despite recent efforts, many have been highly critical of Suu Kyi’s silence on the matter prior to the election last November. Penny Green, a law professor at the University of London and head of the International State Crime Initiative, has stated that “in a genocide, silence is complicity, and so it is with Aung San Suu Kyi.” When asked about Suu Kyi’s silence on the matter, Dr. Alexander Dukalskis, an assistant professor of the School of Politics and International Relations in UCD, said that: “recognizing or supporting the Rohingya is an unpopular move domestically in Myanmar.

There is a controversy about whether this group should even be called ‘Rohingya’. The NLD perceives that it has to be responsive to citizen preferences and, unfortunately for the Rohingya people, most such citizens are not sympathetic to the Rohingya cause.”

The Rohingya are a Muslim minority group, of around 1.33 million people, in the

predominantly Buddhist country of Myanmar, with most located in Rakhine state. While the population of Myanmar as a whole suffered under repressive military rule for the past 50 years, the Rohingya have been particularly singled out.

Only 40,000 of the 1.33 million Rohingya in Myanmar are citizens. The remaining 1.29 million are stateless due to the country’s 1982 Citizenship Law, which denies the Rohingya equal access to citizenship and the rights it entails. Indeed, under the previous military government of Myanmar, the Rohingya were not even considered to be a distinct ethnic minority.

Instead, they were referred to as “illegal immigrants” from Bangladesh who pose a threat to “national security”.

Many Rakhine Buddhists claim to feel threatened by the Muslim population and are intent on forcing the Rohingya out of what they consider to be their exclusive ancestral homeland. Dr. Dukalskis notes that the tensions between the local Buddhist population and the local Rohingya are the result of a “complicated history... that involves colonial borders, ethnicity, religion, statelessness and nationalism”.

While ethno-religious tensions between local Buddhists and Rohingya Muslims have persisted for generations, a notable increase in violence

the 2012 riots were ‘pre-planned’. Buses were organised to bring people in to participate in the riots and meals and refreshments were

provided for the rioters. This contradicted the government narrative that the riots were simply uncontrolled intercommunal clashes.

The Lowenstein Clinic at Yale University examined evidence obtained by both Al Jazeera’s Investigative Unit and Fortify Rights, a human rights NGO based in Myanmar, regarding government involvement in the violence against the Rohingya. The law clinic concluded that there was “strong evidence” of a genocide coordinated by the Myanmar government.

Following the riots, the military backed government of Myanmar intensified its system of control over the Rohingya people; a system designed to make daily life unbearable for the ethnic minority. They are denied the ability to travel, even for medical treatment, and the supply of food to the camps is extremely low. All

Rohingya, whether they live in camps or not, have to seek official permission to marry.

Many have been forced into unpaid labour to help government-run projects and Human Rights Watch reports that children as young as seven have been forced into free labour.

Hundreds of thousands of Rohingya have fled the country and many thousands have been forced onto boats, brought out to sea and left to die.

It is hoped that the newly formed commission will be able to begin solving the problem of violence against the Rohingya. However, its establishment is not popular and this may have an effect on the commission’s outcomes.

More than 1,000 Buddhists from Rakhine state protested the arrival of the commission’s chair, Kofi Annan, claiming that the former UN Secretary General is meddling in the country’s affairs.

Whether the commission can find solutions or not is a question which has come too late for the hundreds of thousands of Rohingya who have been subjected to extreme violence, torture, exile, human trafficking, rape and other forms of exploitation.

between the two groups occurred in 2012. In June and October of that year intercommunal violence between local Arakan Buddhists and Rohingya communities erupted in Rakhine state after an Arakan girl was brutally gang raped.

Nearly 200 people were killed in the riots, the vast majority of whom were Rohingya, with around 140,000 people being displaced and forced to live in internal refugee camps.

An independent report by the International State Crime Initiative (ISCI) concluded that

Rohingyan child

Fisayo Akinlude speaks to those who reach out to UCD’s alumni, as they work to form networks and partnerships that span cities, countries, and continents.

WHILE it may come as a surprise to many current students, UCD’s alumni are an active and involved part of the university during and outside the school year. UCD’s alumni database is the largest in Ireland and certainly no small thing in comparison to other universities. Official statistics say that 85% of alumni are located in Ireland with only 15% abroad. Considering the numbers of alumni who don’t register with the Alumni Network, in reality this figure could be anything up to 40%.

Nicole Black is head of UCD’s Alumni Relations Office, which is concentrating on growing links with alumni as much as possible.

Their objective is to enhance the student

experience and try to get them engaged from when they first enrol. In this way, relations and connections can continue after they leave.

However, that small group has managed to triple alumni engagement in the last year, to 180,000 addresses and 110,000 email contacts across 170 countries.

Sinead Corcoran, newly appointed Global

Relations Officer within the office, has been tasked with developing alumni engagement overseas. The traditional way of doing this was an alumnus relocating to France, for example, and subsequently getting in contact with the office to set up or engage with the local chapter. Sinead’s role is to do that using newer, streamlined processes and technology.

The new Alumni Network site integrates users’ LinkedIn profiles, allowing for more direct communication and volunteered information.

There are already over 2000 members and that figure is growing in number. In a similar vein, the office will also be launching its pilot Online Mentoring programme, which will connect alumni all over the world looking to volunteer or take advantage of professional career development advice. It is an attempt to support the in demand career mentoring beyond a student’s time at university.

The office also invests much time and resources into the annual alumni magazine, UCD Connections, which is sent to all alumni overseas.

Perhaps fitting, this year’s issue is titled “UCD Around the World” and is estimated to have reached 330,000 viewers across the globe. In this way, past students are kept up-to-date about activities and goings-on in Ireland and other UCD campuses around the world.

International chapters are involved with a variety of activities in conjunction with their alma mater. One of such activities is receiving

the President of the University in their various cities. In October, Professor Deeks will be going to Beijing and Shanghai where he will be received by local alumni chapter members such as Rory Sexton, head of Apple China, who will

then give talks about his career to date. The President will also be making his way across the Atlantic to the American chapters next February.

But it’s not all stiff formality. London-based Chapter head, David O’Reilly has organised social events for the UK alumni chapter. The Chapter often has regular informal meetups in London a few times a year and annual dinners in places like Kensington. O’Reilly also participated in an impressive reception and lecture for UCD alumni at the House of Lords in February earlier this year.

The Alumni experience is not exclusive to former undergrad students. Also based in London is Eoin Lyons, an MBA graduate. He speaks warmly of his continued contribution to the university as a way to give back. He has

participated in the online mentoring programme through Skype, the UCD Festival and has attended several award nights. He also helped arrange several speakers at alumni events in London and Ireland. Lyons cites his continued engagement with the university, especially on digital spaces as a “function of being away.” He has remained close friends with his graduating class, with whom he meets regularly.

The inaugural UCD Festival which took place in June this year called back over six-and-a-half thousand alumni back to the Belfield campus from over 30 countries around the world.

Though inspired by American Homecoming traditions, it was organised as a festival. The Alumni Relations office hopes next year’s will be bigger and better.

Beyond the festival, the UCD Alumni Awards are hosted every November in O’Reilly Hall.

Here, successful former students are recognised and awarded for their achievements across various fields of study.

The university’s continued relations with alumni around the world are, in truth, far more engaged and involved than one might have initially imagined. The involvement of the international alumni themselves is highly admirable as they continue to contribute to the learning experience of current students through mentoring programmes, fundraising hundreds of thousands and participation in the UCD Foundation, which works to create scholarships for students.

OCTOBER 11TH 2016 11

FEATURES With the US Presidential election finally nearing its completion, Gavin Tracey looks at the foreign policy ideas of both candidates.

AS John F. Kennedy once said: “domestic policy can only defeat us; foreign policy can kill us.” This quote is not far from the minds of many watching the current US presidential election unfold. After the exhaustingly long and bombastic primary elections, the Democrats and Republicans have their Presidential nominees, Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump respectively.

As the election draws near, and with the first debate already having taken place, the candidates are now elaborating and fleshing out the minutiae of their policies. Although American voters tend to vote for the domestic policy with which they agree, the foreign policy aspect is arguably the most important, certainly on a global scale, given the scope and size of the American military. The two candidates can be described, in extremely simple terms, as an experienced pragmatist in Clinton’s case, and an abrasive demagogue in Trump’s case.

Hillary Clinton’s biggest asset by far is her wealth of experience in foreign policy. As a first lady, secretary of state and a congresswoman, she is by far one of the most qualified people ever to run for the office. However, many have raised the question of her hawkishness, evidenced in her 2002 support of the Iraq war, of regime change in Libya, and of the 2009 Afghan surge. She has said in the past that she was a believer in “coercive diplomacy”, and even as far back as her time as First Lady she supported military action in Yugoslavia.

Dr. Jack Thompson, a senior researcher at the

Centre for Security Studies in Zurich, discussed her stance on previous issues and whether that would translate into a more interventionist White House. “I would not necessarily characterize

Clinton’s foreign policy views as hawkish,” he said, but he mentioned that Clinton does differ from Obama in that “she has had a tendency to favour interventions, up to and including the use of military force, more readily in places such as Libya and Syria.” However, to avoid previous mistakes made by Bush, he says that Clinton, much like Obama before her, will avoid major new interventions.

There are also many instances whereby she as

Secretary of State has negotiated some impressive deals and treaties. Perhaps most notably was the Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (START), which placed a limit of 1,550 nuclear warheads for both the USA and Russia, a significant reduction from the 6,000 limit in place before. She, far more so than Donald Trump, is incredibly adroit in her capability to deal with major foreign policy decisions.

Trump’s foreign policy is harder to analyse, purely

because he has given almost no specific policy details, preferring broad, sweeping soundbites. His notion of a border wall and ban on Muslims entering the USA have gathered much attention in the press, but what is arguably more alarming are the policies which he may actually have a possibility of implementing.

Ben Tonra, Professor of International Relations at the UCD School of Politics, spoke about the extent to what Donald Trump as Commander in-chief would be able to achieve. “Presidents are not free to act in any way that they wish but have considerable discretion to pursue their own path in foreign policy - far greater than their options in domestic policy where Congress and courts are central to policy process and implementation.”

What many find worrying is that Trump has talked repeatedly about lifting the US sanctions on Russia, and even going so far as to say he might not necessarily defend a NATO member from a Russian invasion. In fact, Trump harbours a strange admiration for Russian president Vladimir Putin, and it is perhaps indicative of how he views leadership, as Tonra puts it “he privileges personal relationships over principle and/or strategic interests”.

Trump’s total disregard of international law and norms is something that the political establishment find frightening. In the first presidential debate, he suggested that America should have taken all of Iraq’s oil in order to prevent ISIS from forming.

This statement displays a deep lack of knowledge about the formation of the most prevalent terrorist organisation in the world, about which he claims to have a “secret plan” to defeat.

Iraq is a touchy subject for Trump, who has repeatedly claimed that he did not support the war in Iraq, despite much evidence to the contrary. Most of Trump’s comments with regards to foreign policy can usually be traced back to one thing; an attempt to create a climate of fear and mistrust of the rest of the world. He is in effect, calling for a form of American isolationism.

The annual Women in Leadership Conference has already attracted some of Ireland’s top business elite, but as Keri Heath discovers, eyes are already on the year ahead.

LAST semester saw the beginnings of a unique event on UCD’s campus. Though the academic year has only begun, planning is already underway for next year’s Women in Leadership Conference. The event celebrates the role of women in the workforce and brings together successful individuals to discuss their experiences as, or working with, females.

Speakers and panellists talk about their careers and ambitions in a one-day event open to UCD students, staff and alumni, as well as the larger Dublin community.

Last February marked the first time this event was held. Eimear O’Flynn, a 2014 UCD graduate, and several of her friends developed the idea last year to have a conference that showcased women’s professional experiences.

The conference was run through the Societies Council with the help of UCD alumni. O’Flynn works as event organizer for the conference.

“The day is about networking, hearing from very successful women, and hopefully giving you the confidence to create your path and your career,” O’Flynn said. “If you want to get to the top, you can do it.”

“I guess the whole idea was to have an event that students could come to, men or women,” O’Flynn explained. “Just something that can empower women either when they’re just recent grads or they’re students making choices on their career development.”

Next year’s conference is scheduled for February 9th. The event lasts all day for ticket holders and features speakers, a luncheon and networking sessions. In addition, the conference will feature three different panel discussions: one

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on women in STEM, one on women in sports, and one on women in arts and media. “There’s a 30% club in Ireland,” O’Flynn said, “and

they’re basically trying to get 30% females on all boards of directors across Ireland. Ireland is still trying to break the glass ceiling.”

In addition to the alumni volunteers who work on the conference, some UCD students also help to run and organize the conference throughout the year. As of yet, Women in Leadership is not a UCD society, but is simply an event run by the Societies Council. “I think in terms of continuity with these things, it’s very hard to keep events such as this as a society,” O’Flynn said. “When it’s just a once a year event, it’s hard to make it a society with a full committee.”

O’Flynn stated that another problem with forming Women in Leadership into a society is the involvement of alumni with the event.

With so many located off campus, the ability to

coordinate becomes more difficult. Michael Foley was co-events coordinator last year and will continue to work with Women in Leadership this year. He said that transforming the organisation into a student society is not within the shortterm plans at the moment. “It’s very much kind of a single event,” Foley said. “I imagine that’s probably the way it would be for the time being.

I know there might be opportunity to grow that.

That would very much be up to whoever takes it on next.”

Last year, the conference featured 14 speakers such as Director of Operations for Microsoft, Fiona Carey, CEO of Keelings, Caroline Keeling, and CEO of UL Hospital Group, Colette Cowan.

This year, the Women in Leadership organizers hope to incorporate more panel discussions and interactive networking sessions for those at the conference.

About 100 students attended the Women in Leadership event last year, according to O’Flynn, as well as about 400 alumni and non-students. The conference is open to everyone – whether or

probably have a better quota.”

O’Flynn noted that increasing male attendance is also a goal for this year’s conference. Speakers for this year’s conference have yet to be confirmed but Women in Leadership is already advertising to generate interest for the event.

The speaker list will be announced later this semester in December, at which point student subsidised tickets will also go on sale through Eventbrite.

not they are associated with UCD. However, O’Flynn hopes that the subsidised tickets for students, which cost only €5, will encourage more student participation.

The student coordinators who are working with Women in Leadership this year also play a key role in encouraging younger audiences to attend the event. She noted that increasing student attendance, with students both from UCD and from other universities, was one of the organisation’s main goals this year. “I think the idea is we’ll just grow on last year, getting more students involved and getting more attention,” Foley said. “It looks like we’ve seen more student action, and in that regard by Former Irish President Mary Robinson at the World having more students involved, we’ll Economic Forum 2013

SCIENCE Asexuality Awareness Week is later on this month, so Aisling Brennan explores what asexuality means across many domains of life, including ourselves.

BEFORE we were complicated enough to enjoy the perks of multicellular forms, way back around 1.2 billion years ago, asexual reproduction was all we had. At least, that’s when some brave eukaryotic cell thought to jumble up their genes and thus recombination became a thing. In fact every sexually reproducing organism on the planet is descended from that one cell.

In the long and tumultuous history of evolution since then, asexual reproduction, and asexuality in general has taken on many forms and meanings.

From bacteria far and wide to our own human brothers and sisters, asexuality has come a long way.

Anyone who’s enjoyed the delights of Leaving or Junior Certificate Biology knows the drill when it comes to asexual reproduction: single-celled organism (think your garden variety bacteria, prokaryotes, even unicellular fungi) decides to heed the call of the natural order of things and reproduce. Only instead of putting some of its genes into separate egg baskets, it just duplicates all of its genetic material and splits itself down then middle, making a clone.

If you’re a prokaryote – a bacteria or other such unicellular organism lacking the joys of proper cell organelles – the method of choice is binary fission.

On the other hand if you’re baker’s yeast you’ll

probably prefer budding. That is growing a little ‘daughter’ cell that is still attached to the ‘mother’ for a time. Sort of like those of us who annoy our parents by refusing to move out. And if you want to be particularly gruesome and parasitic there’s endodyogeny, in which two daughter cells grow inside the mother cell... and then eat their way out before dividing. Lovely.

This is also how we, as multicellular organisms, grow steadily from miniscule fertilised egg to (nearly) fully-grown college students. Cells in our

bodies make more of themselves to mend and grow everything from our bones and brain to our often quite damaged liver. In fact, it’s when we start to look at the multicellular organisms that things start to get even more interesting.

Strawberries are a prime example. We know they have seeds, but on the sly they’ll send out runners – stalks that reach across a distance, bury themselves in the soil and spring up again as a genetically identical strawberry clone.

Sticking with plants and fungi, but also branching out into the realms of (the slightly more biologically relatable) animals, we have fragmentation.

Essentially fragmentation does what it says on the tin: a new organism can grow from a fragment of the original organism. This can mean developing a fragment of your very own that you can send off into the cold, cruel world to grow into a fully-fledged individual.

Or if you’re a lichen (a symbiotic fusion of plant and fungi) you might want to save future generations from having to find the fungi or plant that’s right for them and simply flake off a bit of both to get them started. Alternatively, it can be a bit weirder, like in some planarian worms. When they want to reproduce they simply lop off their tail end, and it goes on to grow into a responsible adult planarian worm that don’t need no gametes.

Speaking of strong independent individuals, we can also look at agamogenesis, which is (broadly) any form of reproduction that decides to do without a male gamete. This might seem strange to us, but it is surprisingly widespread. Occurring not only in plants but also a variety of insects and invertebrates, amphibians, sharks, reptiles, and even the rare bird. In animals this is called parthenogenesis, which directly translated back to its Greek roots means ‘virgin creation’.

Parthenogenesis occurs in a variety of forms throughout the insect group Hymenoptera (bees, ants, other colonial insects), and helps in the production of new queens, exclusively ‘male’ or ‘female’ communities and sterile worker populations. At least two species of goblin spider (family Oonopidae) are thought to reproduce parthenogenetically (though this is mostly through it occurring in lab environments) and this could help explain why no

males of these species have ever been found.

Unfortunately, being humans, we can have some difficulty relating or comparing ourselves to anything lacking a spinal column, so here’s some good old fashioned vertebrates to start hitting the asexuality message home.

Parthenogenesis has been observed to occur naturally in a variety of reptiles, including Komodo dragons, whiptail and rock lizards, geckos, boas, pythons, rattlesnakes and many more. Some, like whiptails, the brahminy blindsnake, mourning geckos, and others, are obligatory parthenogenetic (they don’t have a choice in the matter) and are thus unisexual.

Other asexual, and decidedly spine-possessing, animals include at least three species of shark, though it is a possibility in several others. The fact that they live way down where we can’t breathe tends to impact on how much we know about them.

One of the poster children for parthenogenesis in vertebrates is the New Mexico whiptail. Part of this is because during their extensive study, it was found that although the species is unisexual and can reproduce asexually, mating behaviours were still seen. One lizard would act as the dominant and mount the other, but the behaviour served no biological purpose in the life cycle.

Or did it? Eventually research showed that the behaviour was due to hormonal cycles, with lizards that had just laid eggs showing more

‘male like’ behaviour. The link between hormone levels and mounting meant that lizards who were allowed to display this behaviour (versus those kept in isolation, where they could still quite happily

reproduce) had a greater reproductive rate.

And that vertebral section brings us all the way from brave unicellular organisms to, you guessed it, us. Humans can’t reproduce asexually, but that doesn’t stop us from claiming the work ‘asexual’.

Asexuality in humans refers to the subset of the population that doesn’t, or rarely does, feel sexual attraction. Estimates tend to hover around 1% of the human population being asexual, but regardless of statistics it refers to a whole spectrum of identities and experiences, unique to our species.

So from the smallest of microorganisms, to the weird and wonderful spread of the multicellular kingdom, to human kind itself, asexuality is everywhere!

The all female Cnemidophorus neomexicanus whiptail species (centre) reproduces asexually by parthenogenesis

Danielle Crowley unearths some of science’s strangest episodes.

SCIENTISTS are a curious bunch. Their careers revolve around discovery and asking questions, but sometimes answering those questions can take us down strange, mad and occasionally dangerous roads. Here is a short account of some of the most bizarre experiments ever carried out in the name of science.

In 1954 Vladimir Demikhov unveiled his latest creation: a two headed dog. He did this by grafting the head, forelegs and shoulders of a puppy onto the neck of a German shepherd.

Both were independent of each other, the puppy head would eat and drink even though it received its nutrition from the adult dog.

Demikhov claimed that this experiment was to improve surgical techniques, such as organ transplants.

Another experiment that many find equally ghoulish was Dr. Il’ya Ivanov’s human-ape hybrid (a bit of a misnomer since humans are apes). The good doctor tried unsuccessfully to inseminate female chimpanzees with human sperm, and when that didn’t work he turned his attention to human females. Unfortunately (for him) the orangutan he obtained for this purpose died before he could test his theory. Amazingly, at least one woman willingly volunteered.

This creation was backed by the Soviet Union because they saw it as a way of proving religious fundamentalists wrong by showing the clear link between humans and non-human apes. Given the genetic similarities between our species, some scientists still wonder if it could be possible.

Have you ever wondered what an elephant on drugs would be like? Strangely enough Louis Jolyon West and Chester M. Pierce did. They

gave a captive Indian elephant called Tusko 297 milligrams of LSD, 3000 times the amount of a usual human dose.

At the time of the experiment (1962), LSD research was big. Doctors studying psychosis, self-awareness and alcoholism were interested, as were the CIA, who were considering it for military use. Male elephants often go into a state known as musth, a temporary state of madness. Since LSD caused temporary madness in humans, what would it do to an elephant?

Perhaps unsurprisingly, the experiment went horribly wrong when Tusko died of asphyxiation. But it didn’t stop there. In 1982, the experiment was repeated with two more

elephants and with the LSD being given to them gradually. This time the elephants survived none the worse for wear, neither having gone into musth or done anything too unusual.

Why good people do terrible things led to one of the most famous psychology experiments in history. Stanley Milgram wanted to see how far “normal” people would go when told to do something by an official in a white coat. An actor in a different room pretended to answer questions that were asked by test subject. When they got one wrong, the subject was to give them an electric shock, the voltage of which would steadily increase (the actor wasn’t really getting shocked at all). The actor also pretended that

they had a heart condition.

Chillingly, nearly two thirds of the subjects, even though they became distressed, continued to “shock” the actor, even when they heard

pre-recorded screams of pain coming from next door. They believed they were continually shocking someone with 450 volts of electricity, yet did not stop because a person in authority told them to.

A replicate of this experiment where a puppy was really being visibly shocked yielded similar results, with twenty out of twenty-six following the instructions of the person leading the study.

These experiments just go to show how far humans are willing to go in search of answers, and whether or not we find them, we tend to learn much about ourselves as a species along the way.

Elephants on Acid: elephants were tested by scientists for their reactions to LSD

OCTOBER 11TH 2016 13

SCIENCE After last issue’s article on immortality and ageing, Aoife Hardesty peers into the murky research surrounding death.

YOU ARE going to die. Apologies if you haven’t yet realised the inevitability of your demise, but there it is. It’s one of the hardest facts of life, that one day we will all die, as will our friends, families and all the people we love.

In Terry Pratchett’s Sourcery he points out that “Death [the Grim Reaper] isn’t cruel, merely terribly, terribly good at his job”, illustrating that death is an inevitable consequence of life, and indeed, comes to us all, irrespective of fairness.

But, like a child burying their pet goldfish, we sometimes ask: why? Why do living things die? The easy, quick and simple answer is we don’t know… yet.

In order to effectively answer such a philosophical question, we have to ask another, why do we live? Biologically, we live for reproduction. We live to pass on our genetic information to our offspring, to raise said offspring, and as grandparents, help raise our offspring’s offspring. This is how humans do it anyway, but the pattern varies amongst organisms.

Humans and elephants are similar, in that grandmothers hang around to help with the grandchildren when they are infertile, whilst flies and worms never even meet their progeny

and yet produce a great many more offspring than we do during their fertile days. Then you have creatures like octopuses, the females of which incubate their eggs for months. They end up starving themselves to take care of their eggs, gently oxygenating them until the eggs hatch, and the mother dies.

One notable creature is the Immortal Jellyfish. This jellyfish, having become sexually mature, and produced offspring, reverts back to childhood, to a sexually immature state, and repeats the whole process again. Whilst

theoretically this process can keep going on indefinitely, allowing the jellyfish to live forever, in reality due to other factors they might get to do it once, and probably die.

So, if life is all about reproduction, then could death be too? If we were to live for too long, there would be too many people and not enough resources for our offspring. And, biologically speaking, our offspring are the most important things.

There are two main theories behind aging which are themselves interconnected. One is that aging is the result of genetics and the other is that aging is the result of cell defects.

Some believe that aging is a result of a slow and steady build-up of defects in the body.

As we get older, our bodies are less capable of fighting off infections, repairing damage and inhibiting diseases. This leads to a number of ailments that are associated with old age. On top of this, as we age, we become less able to perfectly replace all the cells that make up our bodies. The older we get, the more mistakes start to creep into the replication process, and cells that kept us healthy start failing to do their jobs as well as before.

Others believe that the human body is just designed to only last a certain amount of time. Over the course of our lives, many things go wrong in our bodies, and for a lot of them the body fixes it almost straight away.

Sometimes though, things cannot be fixed and we accumulate all sorts of damage and defects. Some believe that it is just not worth it, biologically speaking, to continue trying to fix all this damage, so instead we are designed to wear out some time after we have fulfilled our use by reproducing.

One noteworthy researcher in the field of aging is Cynthia Kenyon. Kenyon is a geneticist who focuses on simple lifeforms such as nematodes. Kenyon and her team found that by changing one gene in Caenorhabditis elegans, a small roundworm, the worms lived up to 65% longer and remained healthy until the end of their lives. Kenyon hopes to translate that research into mammals

and perhaps eventually humans, and has started a pharmaceutical company, Elixir, to attempt to reach that goal.

Is a “fountain of youth” type drug or treatment a serious possibility? It could be, but first scientists have to unravel the great mystery of death. Is cheating death ethical? That’s an even bigger question, but Albus Dumbledore would probably encourage us to accept that life ends and that “to the wellorganised mind, death is but the next great adventure.”

In the aftermath of the recent Italian earthquake, George Merrin looks at what makes them tick.

ONE of the most deadly natural disasters that ever occurred was the 1556 Shaanxi Earthquake. 830,000 people died.

There has always been superstition about earthquakes as a way for humans to explain these seemingly unexplainable and unpreventable events. They are as random as the frequencies at which the earthquakes occur. The Norse explained earthquakes

as violent outbursts by Loki. The Greeks believed that earthquakes were caused when an angry Poseidon smashed his trident against the ground. Japanese people believed that a giant catfish, Namazu, caused earthquakes by thrashing about in the mud, trying to escape imprisonment.

We now know that earthquakes are due to movements of tectonic plates beneath our feet.

But even today as modern geology expands, seismologists still cannot predict with complete accuracy when an earthquake will occur.

Earthquakes are largely measured on the Richter scale. The Richter scale is a logarithmic scale, which means that an earthquake that measures 2 on the Richter scale is ten times stronger than a Level 1 and so on. The largest recorded earthquake occurred in Chile in 1960 and it measured a whopping

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9.5 on the Richter scale. This triggered Pacific wide tsunamis.

Tsunami comes from the Japanese word for harbour wave. Undersea tremors send shockwaves through the water, undetectable at sea, which rise into giant waves when they reach the coast. Japan, on average, experiences 1500 earthquakes each year. The difference with the 2011 one was that it triggered a tsunami.

Whenever a major natural disaster occurs, all of the nuclear reactors automatically shut down. However, one of the reactors at the Fukushima Power plant failed to correctly shut down, causing high levels of radiations to be emitted into the surrounding area. Traces of Radioactive Iodine was found in cities such as Tokyo, Gunma, Tochigi, Niigata, etc. The clean-up of the tsunami caused an estimated $235 billion. It is the most expensive natural disaster in history.

Recent reports indicate that global warming is going to cause more tectonic activity, leading to more volcanic and seismic activity. In his new book, Waking the Giant: How a changing climate triggers earthquakes, tsunamis, and volcanoes, Bill McGuire discusses how human induced climate change causes ice sheets to melt, reducing strain on tectonic plates and leading to an increase in these natural disasters. Theoretically, if more seismic activity occurs, more countries could be affected such as Greenland. If an earthquake was to occur there, it would cause glaciers to fall into the

ocean and cause massive tsunamis.

Human activity also can lead to earthquakes. Fracking is believed to cause earthquakes but this is disputed. As humans explore more than ever we need to take a step back and see what effects our activity can

Post-tsunami Aceh

STUDENT VOICES After the Emmys saw an increase in LGBTQ+ representation and winners, Sophie Carberry discusses how television is changing.

TO many, the annual Primetime Emmy Awards are an unremarkable event. Most awards shows are, for the most part, irrelevant to the lives of those outside of show business. They are usually nothing more than the same string of personalities, winning the same awards for roles that are marginally different from those they played the previous year. This year, however, challenged my lack of interest in such frivolities. Why? It’s simple: I finally saw myself in the winners.

LGBTQ+ representation on television seems like a minute detail in the campaign for equality. However, when you grow up in an area where being gay in real life is not an option, fictional depictions of LGBTQ+ identities become something of great solace.

I became comfortable with my identity as a result of such representation and I began to hope that others would see the positive impact the people behind these fictions had on many people in our community. I also hoped that these people would be recognised and awarded for what they were achieving.

If people wanted so badly for Leonardo di Caprio to win an Oscar for his hard work, why not the people that got many young LGBTQ+ folks through secondary school? In a world where adequate queer representation is already sorely lacking, it was hard to believe we would ever be granted the same recognition.

It is no surprise therefore, that reading the aptly titled headline ‘Queerest Emmys Ever’ the morning after the ceremony I found myself, like many others, feeling somewhat victorious. With all eyes centre-stage, those who had won had taken a pivotal opportunity to voice crucial messages. These messages

had been vocalised in the past, but had been drowned out in a sea of studio gagging-orders and excuses.

This time voices could be heard. Most notably, Jeffrey Tambor, who collected the award for Lead Actor in a Comedy for his role in Transparent, seized the moment to call on studios to stop favouring cisgender actors over transgender actors when hiring for transgender roles. He acknowledged the many gruelling years of fighting to have LGBTQ+ stories told in film and television, and the struggles of transgender actors losing out on roles in a cisgender-dominated industry, noting “this is much bigger than me.”

Jill Soloway, an openly queer comedian and

playwright, delivered her acceptance speech for Outstanding Directing in a Comedy Series, and it was nothing short of invigorating. In a mere minute, she flawlessly summed up the sheer power of fiction, stating that putting “women, people of colour, trans people,

[and] queer people” at the centre of these stories creates the potential to change not only the lives of individuals, but the world in its entirety.

Having seen how the treatment of queer representation in the media has the ability to make or break someone’s hope, Soloway’s appeal sent out a message that many of us had been longing for. It highlighted something of great weight, but which had been consistently taken apart by the ‘it’s just television’ argument. It finally began to feel like someone was listening.

Sarah Paulson dedicated a large chunk of the evening to declaring her love for her girlfriend, Holland Taylor, polishing off her acceptance speech with a shout-out to their relationship. Cue the hearts of many queer women fluttering in unison. This was a moment of triumph for those of us who had never considered seeing people like us on that stage a real possibility. Even as someone who is comfortable with my sexuality, I had not realised quite how relieving and validating it would be to watch someone be so casually and openly affectionate towards her girlfriend on national television.

Kate McKinnon, who accepted her award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series for Saturday Night Live, did not deliver quite as ground-breaking a message amidst her flurry of syllables and tears, but the magnitude of her achievement was not baseless. McKinnon is the first female and first openly lesbian cast member in the show’s history to win in this category. While she made no mention of this, there was still a considerable amount of validation to be felt from seeing someone, with whom you share

many experiences and hardships, accept something so highly esteemed.

I recall reading articles wherein she discussed the difficulties she had encountered while being closeted in high school, how she had cried when she came out, and in those I saw myself. As she thanked her writers and costars, thousands of young queer women who also saw that part of themselves in her were thanking her in a different regard. Seeing her on stage, award in hand, provided me with a possible insight into my future. It reinforced the overall message of the night: we don’t have to hide who we are in order to be successful.

and shops. A personal favourite is the weird and wonderful Olokuti, displaying a manic mix of books and clothes as well as a green garden out back where you can relax with a coffee before returning to urban life. The striking thing about this district is its segregation from ‘mainstream’ Barcelona. With its darker, narrow streets it seems more like little Havana than tourist hotspot. (It’s a widely accepted fact too, that the closer towards the mountains you wander, further from the sea-line, the cheaper the prices become.)

Barcelona really begins to flex her muscles when it comes to entertainment. Conventionally, you can choose to go to the popular spots - Las Ramblas and Passeig de Gracia are good for shopping. La Sagrada Familia, Barcelona Cathedral or Casa Mila covers some of the most mesmerising architecture you will ever bear witness to.

However, nightlife is surely the city’s party piece. With the exception of a few nightclubs in the centre, all of your needs will be catered for within a 10-minute walk along the Marine streets.

Purpose built squares are filled with bars for a more relaxed evening, while four of the city’s most famous clubs conveniently align beside one another on the beachfront, overlooked by the Barcelona Casino.

Keeping in tandem with the nation’s love of an evening walk, Barcelona is no exception when it comes to beautifully maintained parks and green spaces. Parc de la Ciutadella is a mainstay on this front, where modern locals love to practice anything and everything from African drumming to yoga on the lawns. Here you are surrounded by winding paths which all lead to the wonderful centrepiece inspired by the awe of Ancient Roman architecture - Cascada Monumental. Further north, Passeig de Sant Joan is an elongated stretch of park adored by cyclists, dog-lovers and runners alike, with each corner possessing a wonderful bar, bakery or traditional cafe.

Festivals in Barcelona come in waves. Unlike Ireland, where we find ourselves only ever saying

a “Happy Christmas/New Year/St Patrick’s Day,” here it seems as if each new week brings with it a new cause of celebration. Without doubt the highlights are Festes de la Merce, where huge

Sarah Paulson at the Emmys

CIAN D. HUTCHINSON

Crowds of tourists look down over Barcelona at sunset BARCELONA is a city of intense expression, a city whose love affair with over 15 million tourists each year holds obvious merit. The cosmopolitan capital of the Mediterranean pulls like a magnet on those who witness it. Its architecture, vibrancy, nightlife, climate and economy reside chiefly on a list of immeasurable positives. Civilizations from Romans to Gothics have left their mark on a city, which balances the antique with the modern in a poised and effortless manner.

Functionality - unlike many of her European counterparts - does not take precedence over expression and panache in Barcelona. Every building, avenue and park is creatively laid out, yet still encompassing practicality. Orientation is simple, due to the wonderful layout of direct streets carving their way through square planned buildings.

The most attractive districts are probably the Gotico and El Raval areas, however these do tend to be inundated with tourists, especially during the Summer and Autumn months. While these are

“must-sees”, the most authentic experience would be the Gracia district. Rolling downhill to crossover into the more popular areas, it boasts an unrivalled presence of artsy cafes, galleries, flea markets

pyro displays, concerts and special events take place in various streets and parks throughout the city during the weekend of September 23rd.

Among others include the wonderful Sant Jordi’s day, where traditionally couples give each other a rose and a book as an expression of love on April 23rd each year.

Tying in with this is probably the most striking attraction for a foreigner staying in Barcelona: the open nature and character of the people living here. While artistic and fashionable, they are inherently relaxed. Partying is hugely popular among young people, but they choose to do so at their own place, with many making the pilgrimage to the clubs at 1:30am after a few drawn out cocktails or a couple of beers on the beach.

The working day seems to come to a halt in every part of the city before 7pm. People here refuse to sacrifice their enjoyment of life and cultural pride, promoting their independence from the capital via literature and architecture.

Although one of the most economically powerful cities in Europe, snobbery is non-existent. Barcelona is warm, friendly and open, while living here, many simple yet valuable lessons can be taken via inspiration from the city itself or its wonderful inhabitants.

OCTOBER 11TH 2016 15

OPINION Bask in the musings of The Captain as she discusses life, universe and the SU. HELLO UCD students! Or, Universally Considered Douchebags, as the rest of the world knows us. It’s Week Five already, and you’re still in bed hitting the snooze button. One third of the semester has passed. Can you say that you know one third of each of your modules?

I don’t even know the module code or name of most of them. I label them as, ‘the one that attendance is taken,’ ‘that one with the semiattractive lecturer’, and ‘the one that I’m not sure if I’m supposed to be in.’ Anyways, enough with the academic nonsense, that’s not what you’re here for!

The societies have kicked off the year with some great events. Interestingly enough putting a bunch of self-serving, ego-driven students on a committee with a shared purpose actually works! The SU could learn from them.

My favourite event was the Biological Society’s Petting Zoo. It made me wonder about how the world would be a much better place if we replaced the SU and all student political groups with fluffy animals. It would make a lot more students happy. Also, even creatures of different species are probably much more in touch with what the everyday student actually needs.

But yes, please provide us with buskers, I feel like UCD should move towards being more like Grafton Street. Maybe we should get a Victoria Secret shop on campus next.

One of the debates held by Law Soc was “This House Believes Gay Bars Aren’t For Straights”.

I think this is a great idea. Here’s how I imagine it will be enforced. Every bouncer at the door should be equipped with a rainbow detector, scanning people on the way in. Kind of like a Geiger counter for measuring radiation, but instead for Gay-diation. Bisexuals should be interrogated at the door and forced to pick either men or women. Everyone knows bisexuals don’t actually exist and that there are only two genders, obviously. Some LGBTQ+ people are offended by everything, LGBexTtremists as I like to call them. How dare they ask what the ‘+’ in LGBTQ+ stands for. Everyone knows we are positively charged because we lost an electron!

While I’m on a roll of hurting people’s feelings, I’m going to talk about the SU’s mandate

to repeal the eighth amendment. Basically, back in 2013 the SU asked the students they represent to choose a stance on the eighth amendment. The majority of voters were in favour of repealing the eighth. The SU, guided by a democratic system, then had the absolute cheek to campaign for abortions in every flavour! Or, as a knowledgeable person would call it, protesting against Irish people having their human rights denied. What utter nonsense.

Of course then sprang up the ProLife student campaign for the SU to be fair and represent all the students. Most of these people felt democracy didn’t take their religious stance on the issue into account. Can you imagine that? Organisations that discriminate against minorities don’t actually like being minorities themselves, gas.

Holier-than-thou students are being persecuted by their Union. ‘PerSUcted’ if you will. Funnily enough, I don’t agree with their anti-SU stance.

Just this one time, shush, don’t tell the SU I agree with them on something. I mean if you want the SU to fight for student equality, I think that includes the human rights of students who are women, trans men and our non-binary pals who happen to have wombs. These people exist, and they matter. Personally, I think bodily autonomy and indiscriminate healthcare for real people is more important than the off chance that the SU might annoy your imaginary friend.

More importantly I think you’re wasting your time if you think the SU’s stance on something actually matters.

Although, I’m sure if abortion was legalised UCD would open a clinic. Only if they could find a way to fine you and make you pay some ridiculous fee. Then again, there would probably be a nine-month waiting list. It’s a good thing you still have that condom you got during Fresher’s week, three years ago.

Speaking of Freshers, how are you finding the Belfield Blues? Do you think about dropping out before, during and after every lecture? Don’t worry, I’m the same, and I’ve already made it through half my degree! Have you realised that you and your Peer Mentor group aren’t going to be best of friends forever? You knew things were getting weird when they mentioned becoming blood brothers. Has

someone from your course dropped out yet?

And if so, have they become a personal trainer or a MUA based on their Instagram? Have you come across your housemate who claims to have OCD? Yes, because not liking dirty dishes in the sink is the same as having a life changing psychiatric condition. How’s the crazy college love life you had envisaged? That’s right, the longest, most meaningful connection you have

had to date was with a four-hour loan book from the library.

College life may not have been what you thought it was going to be. But, hang in there, there are some fun parts! Although, if you don’t want your heart to be completely crushed, don’t visit the Grad Fair. There’s never a good time to realise that you are completely unemployable!

Jess “The Captain“ Quinn

After a month of living in Ireland for the first time, Claire Palzer talks about her experiences running around the streets of Dublin. found a twin room with a wonderful family on our third day in Dublin. This was after we had discussed whether we would have to return home if we couldn’t find a place to stay – yes, we were that desperate.

Together. That might be the perfect word to sum up my experiences so far. We had to figure out the bus system together, with its unreliable arrival times and its tendency to go on strike. We got lost on campus together more than once, but were always gently ushered out of off-limit places by staff members. And our little duo gave me the security to meet new people. I’m not overly shy, and I get on well with most people, but my room-

Students gathered in UCD Global Lounge TWENTY-SEVEN days in Ireland and I’m still surprised by rainbows (though I am no longer surprised at the random bouts of rain that precede them). By the time this piece is published, I will have been in Dublin for over a month, which is already one ninth of the time I’ll be spending here. So, what do I have to say about my first month here? What have I learned?

On my first day in Ireland I learned that Irish taxi drivers are eager conversationalists. On my second day I learned that finding accommodation off campus requires you to get over your phone call inhibitions. Quickly. On my third day I realized I needed a bike after paying €17 for bus fares.

But those are not the only things I have learned.

Let me start from the beginning.

16 OCTOBER 11TH 2016

First, a little something about who I am, so you know where I’m coming from. I’m a twenty-two year old Erasmus student studying English, psychology and philosophy with a teaching degree back in Austria (quite a mouthful, I know). My mother is from the USA, so I spent all of my childhood on the rainy (not sunny) beaches of northern California. I have known two countries very intimately, but I have also always had family around to support me when I’ve moved.

This time around, it was different. I didn’t have any family around and I didn’t have a permanent place to stay. What I did have though, was a girl who would soon become a very dear friend. The other girl was from Vienna. I had only met her twice before and we shared a room for the first few nights. Turns out, our rooming together was going to be permanent, since we

mate is simply gifted at talking to new people.

Within the first hour at the Global Lounge I had met ten new people (eight of whom I’ve not seen since). A month into my stay, I’ve already met and exchanged numbers with more people than in my previous 4 years at the University of Vienna.

That is something UCD is great at: providing opportunities to meet new people. From the Global Lounge to the societies, from sports clubs to nights out, UCD and its students are eager to make new students, and especially international students, feel welcome. Instead of carefully testing the waters of a new country, I jumped right in (or fell in, like at windsurfing last weekend).

A trip to Bray with a girl from the Netherlands, a trip to Howth with ESN, an open mic

night with Music Soc, a 4 floor party at Howl at the Moon. Classes that are challenging and interesting, new sports that wear me out and build me up. I’ve done so much within the first few weeks

that I feel like I’ve been in Ireland forever.

Staying that active, and open, has another great benefit: I don’t miss home that much. Sure, I talk to my parents every week, and my friends back home are still available on Whatsapp (three cheers for modern communication technologies!).

However I don’t feel like I need their constant support, because I’m already firmly rooted in my life here. If I need to work, I go to the library, if I need coffee I go to a coffee hour (there’s always one somewhere).

If I feel like doing something exciting, I’ve joined enough societies that there are at least three things going on each night. I bike through the streets of Dublin like I’ve been doing it for months (and rarely drive on the wrong side of the road), I casually order a pint (even though the prices still shock me) and I can even say hello in Irish. I don’t refer to fun as craic yet, but I sure that’s simply a matter of time, since I’ve definitely been having a lot of it since I got here.

Adjusting to life in Ireland, and student life at UCD has been unexpectedly easy. And I’m pretty sure that has to do mainly with the people I’ve met. I have yet to meet someone who wasn’t up for a chat or down for a drink, or both. My advice to anyone who’s feeling a bit lost: Remember, you aren’t alone. We can make this time memorable. Together.

EDITORIAL THE UNIVERSITY OBSERVER I RECENTLY received a leaflet from the prolife movement through my letter-box. The most interesting thing was that this was posted not hand delivered by a diligent volunteer.

This seems to be a clear division between the people arguing for and against repealing the 8th amendment.

What is becoming extremely clear is that it tends to be younger people that support the pro-choice movement while it is undoubtedly older and more religious people that tend to support retaining the amendment.

This also tends to mean that the anti-abortion lobby has a lot more money to pump into their campaign. Yet this doesn’t mean that it is the prevailing opinion in the country. A recently released Irish Times poll revealed that the majority of people were in favour of repealing the 8th amendment. However, 55% were in favour of limited abortion. Only 19% supported “UK style” abortion.

In our last issue, we included an interview with Ruth Coppinger about the efforts to repeal the 8th. During the interview she expressed her belief that if there was a referendum tomorrow on the 8th amendment it would be repealed.

However, given the numbers of people who still want restrictions on abortion, it seems unlikely that the amendment would be repealed right now. There needs to be more discussion and debate before that 55% will vote to outright repeal, with no idea of what will follow.

However, this is not only unfair but, as noted by the UN, it is inhumane. It is first and foremost a violation of a woman’s human rights. It is inconceivable that today women on this campus may fall pregnant yet not be afforded the choice that many other women across the world have.

These are women who are educated and independent. They are trusted to make the decision on which college they want to go to and what they want to do with the rest of their lives.

However, if that includes not having children in the case of an unwanted pregnancy, this state does not trust them with that choice.

It is hypocritical of the state and the establishment to expect women to choose so much about their future yet refuse them all the options that they may need.

As UCDSU campaigns, with a democratic mandate, to repeal the amendment there has been a group set up calling for “Fair Representation.” They claimed that all they want is that the union should represent the views of all students and take no political stances. However, this would include stances on lobbying the government regarding accommodation, mental health and fees.

Budget 2017, which was announced today, is unlikely to include much for students. The Cassells report has yet to be presented by an Oireachtas committee and for a minority government on such shaky ground, their main concerns will be focused on more general issues. Students

tend to only be noticed when times are good.

However, in order for students to be heard in the coming months and years, Students’ Unions will be vital. While the unions should give all students a chance to be heard, middle ground needs to be found where they can still adequately campaign for student issues. This cannot happen if the union is prevented from taking on any political stances.

Last week class reps were elected. Previously UCDSU and members of its staff have very deliberately stated that the only class representatives they were hoping for the year would be those who are pro-choice. While the majority of people on this campus, including most of the staff of this paper, would be in favour of repealing the 8th amendment, not all students in UCD agree. While it is a small minority, it is still there. These students should not be vilified or outlawed from the very Union that is set up to campaign for them.

A post on the UCD for choice Facebook page was removed after it was pointed out to the member of UCDSU staff that it could be akin to bullying. The post outlined that the union only want pro-choice students running for class reps.

Regardless of the views of each individual student on this campus, the union is obliged to help and campaign for their needs. This should be regardless of whether or not the members of staff personally agree or disagree with that student.

EDITOR Roisin Guyett-Nicholson DEPUTY EDITOR Martin Healy ART & DESIGN EDITOR Louise Flanagan CHIEF OF PHOTOGRAPHY Camille Lombard NEWS EDITOR Alanna O’Shea DEPUTY/INTERNATIONAL NEWS EDITOR Rory Geoghegan COMMENT EDITOR Julia O’Reilly FEATURES EDITOR Billy Vaughan EAGARTHÓIR GAEILGE Niamh O’Regan SCIENCE EDITOR Danielle Crowley CO-SPORTS EDITORS Conall Cahill & David Kent BUSINESS EDITOR Megan Fanning

AHOY PEASANTS! HAVE you read the SU handbook? No, really, have you?! Perhaps you are not aware of its existence, you silly thing. Perhaps you’ve heard of the spate of injuries caused by The Handbook Pope himself (social media impresario @LukeFitzHandbook) throwing The Holy Handbook itself at unsuspecting idlers?

Thankfully, I have avoided such incidents myself, thanks to my non-corporeal form. On certain days, if you time it just right, you can catch his Holiness praying to the massive handbook totem constructed outside the library SU shop. Perhaps ol’ @LukeFitzHandbook should stop trying to make fetch happen.

Best to overcome the oncoming chill of winter by constructing some kind of nifty parka out of handbook pages. No one will see the damage Centra chicken rolls have done to your figure now. As an added bonus, The Holy Handbook might actually be useful for a change.

Yes, dear readers, the semester is now in full swing. Deadlines are looming, the evenings are shortening, and students are dropping out – it’s the best time of the year. Why is that you ask? It is, of course, the time of year when the SU begins to move its weary bones, and gives your dearest compatriot Talley some cause of complaint.

Case in point: the upcoming consent workshops. “What consent workshops?” I can hear you muttering uncomfortably to yourself as you read This Rag. Talley assures thee, they exist. In what could become the Oxford English Dictionary definition of subtle, the SU have

In relation to the Quinn’s Bizzness column, published 20th September 2016 As an alumnus I was reading your paper in UCD the other day when I came across this article, about the current state of the LGBTQ+ society, and as a past member of the society, and student I was very concerened that somebody could write even in satire such a piece as the society has always been a welcoming place to all people and as much work had been done in years past to make it so. Society has not always as welcoming that we live in today, I was

very quietly announced the previously muchballyhooed consent workshops. Wait, hold on – my apologies, the “consent group discussions.”

The scheme will certainly help the consent issue, and not just simply create an echo chamber from which nothing emerges. I’m sure Michael O’AgScience will be the first one in the queue for a frank and reasonable discussion.

The workshop is the first part of the SU’s Totally Brand New™ ‘Sex Out Loud’ consent campaign. They certainly didn’t copy and paste 2014’s effort. How dare you call Coke and Barcardi’s gang unoriginal.

Despite last year’s hacks making a big fuss about consent classes, (Talley misses you O’Hurling – sleep well, sweet angel) it looks like it’s all yesterday’s news for the new lads.

Though to be fair to the SU (a phrase which slithers uncomfortably from this fine mouth), support from The Higher-Ups appears to have vanished into thin air. It appears Lord Commander of Darkness Deeks is happy enough to lounge on his throne of skulls, quietly drinking from his blood chalice, instead of concentrating on your pathetic, so-called ‘social issues’. Talley raises a glass in your honour, Our Lord.

And speaking of the so-called Higher-Ups, Talley has to wonder how a university spends so much time and effort publicising its Olympians and yet seems perfectly content to rip up their vital equipment. Ah yes, clearly this is Ireland’s global university for a reason. That being that its athletes have to travel around the world to practice.

Meanwhile, the rest of the colleges’ plebs (or students as you know them) are seen by the

mainly concerened that it would not only put off straight people from joining but those to whom the society may help and provide help during a time of questining their identity, or in need of a safe place, as has been its aim since it was set up.

Anonymous Computer Science, 2008-2012

university as cash-cows to be milked. Why would you expect to actually get good quality services and resources in return for that €3,000 (plus student centre levy) that you shell out every year?

With support drying up, I eagerly await the SU’s storming of Our Lord’s office, complete with Coke and Barcadi brandishing his favourite hurley, all while Lexi “Killjoy” Kilmartin cracks her knuckles menacingly in the background. It’s been too long since a good ol’ fashioned riot in Belfield.

We might not have to wait long for that riot, mind you, with all the fuss the pro-life folks have been kicking up. I say pro-life, but of course I mean the “UCD Students For Fair Representation” group, which is completely different. It’s about democracy, man.

Annoyed at the very concept of people having opinions, the group (who, Talley assumes, are the best fun at parties) should be delighted to be honoured with this month’s “Talleyrand Award for Complete Incomptence.” Congratulations! You beat the SU from retaining the award 42 months in a row!

Their crowning achievement? Having 750 people sign a petition, before having to start again because they did not collect enough information. Talley applauds thee; some truly hall of fame-levels of incompetency there. I can only assume that an SU task force is being assembled at this very moment, helmed by the indomitable Cian “Who is this guy?” Casey, in order to snatch next month’s award.

TALLEY OUT

Letters, corrections and clarifications pertaining articles published in this newspaper and online are welcome and encouraged.

Letters should be addressed to: The Editor, University Observer, UCD Student Centre, Belfield, Dublin 4.

BROADSHEET ONLINE EDITORS Ruth Murphy Eithne Dodd BROADSHEET CONTRIBUTORS Ause Abdelhaq Fisayo Akinlude Badger, The Daniel Boland Aisling Brennan Eamonn Butler Julia Canney Sophie Carberry Helen Carroll Brian Donnelly Brendan Garrett Aoife Hardesty Keri Heath Cian D. Hutchinson Josephine Leahy George Merrin Ian Moore Síofra Ní Shluagadháin Garrett O’Cinneide Kevin O’Leary Claire Palzer Ashley Perry Jess “The Captain” Quinn Talley Gavin Tracey Ross Walsh VISUAL CONTENT CONTRIBUTORS Nell Hensey Aisling McGuire Joanna O’Malley

SPECIAL THANKS Laura Harte Joanna O’Malley The New Fridge HAPPY BIRTHDAY Roisin Guyett-Nicholson Martin Healy

Correspondence may also be sent to editor@universityobserver.ie.

OCTOBER 11TH 2016 17

SPORT David Kent reports from the UCD Bowl as Collie O’Neill’s charges put one hand on the promotion play-off.

IT was a case of the Late Late Show in Belfield on Friday night as UCD put one hand on the First Division play-off thanks to a dramatic 93rd minute goal from Ryan Swan. A cracking encounter with Shelbourne looked to be heading for a 2-2 draw only for Swan to capitalize on a Maxi Kougon rebound.

Coming into a freezing cold night at the Bowl, the bookmakers were favouring the home side.

The Students had just come off the back of a record breaking 8-1 victory against Waterford the previous week and had been turned over just four times in 13 games at their D4 home.

A dire couple of weeks, however, prior to that had seen a seven-point gap to Cobh Ramblers in the race for the play-offs bridged to just one heading into Friday. The Cork side had an easier run in on paper, so UCD needed to avoid defeat against a Shelbourne team with nothing to play for. After a turbulent week for Shels, fans were vocal at the game about the proposed move to Dalymount.

UCD started the stronger, with Cathal Brady causing Michael Kelly a few problems. Daire Doyle saw his low drive skim wide with two minutes gone. It was a warning shot.

With 10 gone, an almighty goalmouth scramble saw UCD denied on three occasions, twice

by Jack Brady who inexplicably palmed it backwards from Greg Sloggett’s shot. If not for the feet of Reece McEnteer, the Students would have gone ahead. There wasn’t much in response, Adam Evans shooting from the 18-yard line but the ball ended up going out for a throw.

But the breakthrough came with just under 20 minutes gone. Daire O’Connor was given far too much space in midfield, and his shot was too fierce for Brady to handle. Georgie Kelly made no mistake from six yards for his sixth of the season.

The 19-year-old was nervous and his dillydallying on a loose ball almost gifted UCD a second but Gary O’Neill was unable to get his effort on target.

McEnteer was starting to do damage by running at UCD’s right wing, his ball across inches away from the foot of Jamie Doyle.

They were rewarded on the half hour mark.

Dylan Kavanagh’s high ball in wasn’t dealt with. It fell to the feet of Evans and he blasted home from just inside the box, the shot flying in with the aid of a deflection.

This seemed to wake up the Tolka side as they had a penalty claim waved away three minutes later. Jamie Doyle was clipped by Tomas Boyle but referee David Keeler adjudged the striker to have dived, much to the chagrin of the sizeable Shelbourne support.

Collie O’Neill was forced to withdraw O’Connor just before half time due to a foot injury. The Students almost had a second when Kelly and Waters combined, the latter’s stinging drive beaten away impressively by Brady. The game opened up as McLelland went close before Evans responded up the other end. The sides would go in level at half time.

Two minutes into the second half though and UCD were back ahead. A corner was whipped in by Waters, Brady got caught in no-man’s land and Liam Scales tapped home at the far post.

Shels were level within five minutes. Great work on the left wing by McEnteer caused Kouogun bother and Dylan Kavanagh slammed home from 12 yards in space. They should have gone ahead moments later when Doyle broke free in space but a shocking second touch let

Kouogun back in to clear. Doyle again tested Niall Corbet as Heary’s side started to press.

Sloggett headed straight at Brady from a free header before Carl Walshe brought a superb low save out of Corbet. From the resultant corner Jack Tuite should have given the away side the lead, but could only flick wide from inside the six-yard box.

The game was free flowing with scrambles aplenty. With twenty minutes left Kelly, Brady and Sloggett were all denied by different Shelbourne players on the line.

O’Neill responded by bringing on Ryan Swan and switching to 3-4-3. James English was sprung from the Shels bench and he tested Corbet after beating the offside trap. It was the Reds that dominated the final ten minutes of the game forcing Corbet into save after save.

But in the final minute of added time, the Students stole it. A long ball into the box wasn’t dealt with by the Shels defence and after Maxi Kouogun’s effort was blocked, the ball fell perfectly into Swans path and he drilled it in from six yards.

The result leaves UCD one point ahead of Cobh going into the final weekend. While Cobh are away to Athlone, The Students can decide their own fate with a massive game away to fellow play-off hopefuls Drogheda on Saturday night.

Final Score: UCD-3 Shelbourne-2

A motor, a kite and some wind – what could possibly go wrong? David Kent speaks to UCD Kite-Wake.

WITH the weather starting to turn a bit rougher, you would be forgiven for thinking that that would dishearten a lot of UCD’s sports clubs. For UCD Kite-Wake, it’s exactly what they need. The combination of wakeboarding (‘’being pulled by an electric cable and basically hanging onto a rope for dear life’’ according to club member Ivan O’Keeffe) and kitesurfing (‘’you hang onto a para kite instead, so it’s the wind that drags you along. A lot of speed!’’) require some blustery conditions.

Being one of UCD’s younger sports clubs at just 11 years old, UCD Kite-Wake only started coming into prominence two years ago. Blanca Lenoci is on the current committee and explains: “Two years ago things were going pretty downhill. We had a small group of friends come together and said ‘hey let’s save the club’. We just introduced wakeboarding to it last year.”

Kite-Wake is one of nine different waterbased clubs in UCD but the growth in popularity has been sizable: “Kitesurfing is the fastest growing water sport in the world at the moment. It’s not that big in Ireland yet but around the Mediterranean it’s the number one water sport,” O’Keeffe points out. Ents officer Conor Burns also notes that membership for the club has doubled with numbers now touching close to 150.

The club is proud of that statistic, as it now means they can increase their training times.

“We train weekly at Wakedock, which is a wakeboarding park at the Grand Canal. So we’re there on Friday afternoons but there was such a big demand for it this year that we’re trying to set up a second session on Wednesday,” Lenoci says.

Initially you would imagine that both wakeboarding and kitesurfing would require a bit of

experience, but the club insist that this is not the case. “A lot of us even on the committee are just learning how to kitesurf!’’ says Lenoci.

With all equipment provided by the club, anyone who wishes to join would only need a towel - and a spare change of warm clothes.

Despite the two weekly training sessions, Aaron Coleman notes that this is a club that works hard, but plays hard too: “it’s the same as any other club, we still have the social nights.

We had a night out with UCD Snowsports last week which was very successful. There’s a great social scene and good interactions with the other clubs.”

On the competitive side while there hasn’t been too much success for the club, the growth in membership has led to hope for Coleman for the year ahead: ‘’Last year everyone went up to Queen’s in Belfast and it was just great to get all the wakeboarding communities together.

We weren’t as big a club last year so hopefully with the double membership this year we’ll get a massive group going.” Lenoci agrees saying “our main focus competition wise is Celt Wake.

It’s a competition between Irish universities with Scottish and Welsh universities. This year it’ll be held in either Dublin or in Ballyhass in Cork. That’s always a big event each year.’’

As always, there’s a more light-hearted clash with the old enemy: ‘’we’re planning a friendlier colours competition with Trinity which we do every year. That’ll be organized at Wakedock.”

Like the majority of the sports clubs in UCD, Kite-Wake costs €15 to join for the year. With no previous experience required, it is literally to all levels, from freshers to mature students.

Trips are run throughout the year to a number of great spots on Ireland’s scenic coast. The first of these occurs on the 14th of October in

Louisburgh, Co. Mayo. ‘’Usually that would cost 20 or 30 euro if you weren’t a member of the club but if you sign up it’ll only cost you a tenner for the two days of kitesurfing’’ says Burns.

So whether you fancy flying with a kite or ‘snowboarding behind a boat’, the UCD KiteWake club will fit you in. You can contact them at kite@ucd.ie, or message them on their various social media channels (UCD Kite Wake on Facebook, UCD Kite on Twitter with Instagram and Snapchat too). Alternatively, head down to a training session every Friday evening.

Kite in flight on Killiney beach

18 OCTOBER 11TH 2016

UCD:

Corbet, Langtry (Swan 73’), Scales, Kouogun, Boyle, Sloggett, Brady, O’Neill, Kelly (Byrne 88’), O’Connor (McClelland 37’), Waters

Shelbourne:

Brady, Shannon, Tuite, McEnteer, Kelly, Walshe (English 75’), D Doyle, Kavanagh, Boyne, J.Doyle, Evans

SPORT Following the conclusion of an historic GAA year, Eamonn Butler sifts through the cards, goals and picks out his top five moments.

(1) Death knell of hurling rang too early?

First, to hurling. It was a year dominated by talk, discussion and general whinging about the chronic spectacle which our beloved field game had become due to the infamous sweeper system. This thorn in the side of hurling people had come to be viewed by many pundits as a plague the game. And to be frank, we can see their point.

The death knell for hurling was rung loud and clear throughout the country as every fan slumped in disappointment following two one-sided provincial finals. Tipperary, as if channelling the country’s venomous hatred of the sweeper, laid waste to the Waterford system with a masterclass in penetrative attacking.

Similar dismay was felt after the second-half demolition of Galway by hurling’s other heavyweight, Kilkenny.

Just as the end of hurling as we know it was prophesised, the Championship burst to life in a frenzy of close contests, manic intensity and high drama. The semi-final and replay between Waterford and Kilkenny served up two ferocious contests as the Deise threw caution to the wind. On the other side, the white-knuckle tension in the meeting of Tipp and the Tribesmen didn’t disappoint, as if it ever did.

Then, perfectly symbolised by the virtuoso individual display of one Seamus Callanan, we got the final for the viewer. The battle of the traditionalists. The Ali v. Foreman, but with timber. It is clear now that rumours of hurling’s death have been greatly exaggerated.

(2) We saw enough diving at the Olympics, thanks.

Last year we witnessed the uproar over a certain Tyrone footballer’s diving antics in championship football. The fallout and condemnation was so severe, parallels were even drawn by

some to the Premier League. The diving plague reared its ugly head once more this year when Aidan O’Shea expertly simulated being fouled against Fermanagh in July.

Now the purist in the stand could be heard from far and near lambasting the dishonesty of such a reprehensible act (sure, nothing like that ever happened back in the day, don’t you know). This, of course, is the same man who preaches of how Mayo must be more like Dublin and Kerry, and do whatever it takes to win. The question remains as to whether this particular Olympic sport has permeated the GAA. Two game-changing incidents in successive years is not cause for panic, but once every four years at the Olympics is as much diving as us Gaels can handle.

(3) In a championship ruled by Goliaths, David shines the brightest.

An unavoidable characteristic of every sport is domination. Schumacher in Formula 1, the ‘Big Three’ in hurling, New Zealand in rugby union and so on. Sometimes the fans cry out for a fresh face; a new challenger to knock the old favourite off their pedestal.

Leicester City, in their run to the Premier League title, invigorated a competition which

long threatened to become stale. Gaelic football, too, is dominated by the old masters, Kerry and Dublin. While the refreshing challenge of the Tipperary footballers came up short of reaching the pinnacle, it is no less admirable for it.

Prospects looked bleak as a county attempt-

ing to reach its first semi-final in 80 years, weakened by a raft of big-name departures such as Colin O’Riordan, Seamus Kennedy and Steven O’Brien. The doubters were sent packing after victories over much-favoured rivals Cork, Derry and Galway. The media and GAA faithful were awed by their bravery and passion and lauded their swashbuckling style of play. Here’s hoping for 2017 that another David challenges Goliath and we can once again dare to dream.

(4) A Lesson in Respect

Admittedly, as followers of hurling and football teams, we all get caught up in the want and need to win. After all, this is what we are in the game for. However, when tension is at fever pitch, followers can sometimes forget that respect and sportsmanship come first.

After Pauric Mahony (who had a tremendous season) dropped his free agonisingly short, it was easy for fans to be absorbed with personal disappointment or elation. For a man who fought his way back from a crippling injury to be the one to so closely lose out was heartbreaking. And while the victorious supporters streamed onto the field, and the Deise faithful headed for the gates, a young Kilkenny fan decided to console the distraught Mahony.

A great lesson in respect and sportsmanship and an image for the ages. We should all take note.

end, only an epic finish from maestro Cillian O’Connor could salvage a second bite at the Dubs.

An unprecedented two own goals dragged ominous thoughts back into the Mayo heads and while they significantly outplayed and outfought the Dubs for long stretches, you felt their chance was gone. Bitterly unlucky with that early double concession, the eighty thousand onlookers packed into Croker could almost catch a glimpse of the ancient green and red curse. But they lived to fight another day, which begged the question: would the curse prevail or could the Mayo men cast off the shackles of history?

Alas, the western force sit yet again the wrong side of a one point defeat after an All-Ireland Final. Can you point to the increased physicality of the Dublin side in the replay? Sure. Or Dub supremo Jim Gavin’s genius in springing Cormac Costello off the bench for the closing stages? Of course. It is with a heavy heart though that the wide consensus agreed the game turned on a tragic mistake, as the curse guided the ball out of Robbie Hennelly’s hands and onto the clinical foot of Diarmuid Connolly.

(5) All cursed on the Western front?

A Hex-cellent display by Mayo in the 2016 drawn All-Ireland Senior Football Final, but they just couldn’t get over the line. In the

OCTOBER 11TH 2016 19

SPORT The UCD athletics track has been out of comission since November 2011. Conall Cahill investigates why this is, and what memories of the track still remain.

THE story of the UCD athletics track is not a new one. Bringing the tale of the digging up by UCD of the track five years ago and the presence, in its place, of a stony car park (beside the Belfield Bike Shop) is not a novel concept.

With each passing year and each new wave of students that come into the university the memory of the track fades among the UCD populous. Yet its legacy still lingers in the countless casual, club and elite athletes for whom the track possesses such fond memories. It would be a disservice not to attempt to maintain discussion surrounding the topic of the track and its noted absence from the athletics scene.

It was the 22nd November, 2011 and all seemed to be ticking along smoothly for the UCD Athletics Club. That evening, the club’s sprinters were due to meet up at the track to put in a session, while the next morning the hammer throwers were booked in to use the facility. But suddenly, unexpectedly, diggers would move onto the track early in the morning and begin the process of tearing it up. At the time, speaking to Dave Hooper of Dublin City FM, UCD AC Captain Richard Owens outlined what had happened: “I was called into a meeting yesterday morning at eleven. I was sworn to secrecy. Every student in UCD was sent an email at half eleven and from then on signs went up (at the track), fences went up, and we thought, ‘This is the start of the campaign to save it’…but at seven this morning they started to tear it up. To be given twenty-one hours notice, we just feel so let down. We’re just shocked. We’re all speechless.

We just don’t know what to do.”

The reason for the tearing up of the UCD track was communicated to UCD students by the Vice-President for Students, Martin Butler: “The UCD running track has reached the end of its operational life and unfortunately has had to be closed due to health and safety concerns.

Our advisors have reported that as the surface is badly worn and becomes slippery when wet, it should be closed to all users. Works to redress this situation have already commenced and we hope to be able to provide an alternative facility on campus in the future, subject to funding becoming available.”

An insurance report into the track had also labelled it “dangerous”, and UCD Director of Sport Brian Mullins told the Observer that it had been the subject of a number of legal claims as a result of accidents on the track. Nevertheless, the reaction to the closing of the track was

one of shock and outrage from the local athletics community and the college’s athletics club.

Athletes like David Gillick and Sonia O’Sullivan voiced their displeasure at the closing of the track and a “Save The Track” campaign was commenced by UCD AC, garnering over 3000 signatures.

James Nolan – who competed for Ireland at the Sydney Olympics while a UCD student and currently coaches the UCD AC distance runners

– admits that, at the time, the track’s closing was a massive blow. Nolan trained at the college on a scholarship under the stewardship of the late Noel Carroll, the UCD coach at Nolan’s time and a much loved figure in the Irish athletics scene: “I know he (Carroll) would have been, if he was alive at the time, he would have been devastated. The club was devastated. It was very difficult. At the time it was a real positive group of guys knocking around, we were starting to win titles. The week before we had won the road relay title for the first time in fifteen years and as things were starting to build it was just a kick at the wrong time, unfortunately.”

Nolan expresses a fondness for the old track that stems out of “summer mornings with Noel Carroll, myself, Dave Matthews (fellow Olympian), Nigel Brunton (now a lecturer in the School of Agriculture), Antoine Burke (World Junior silver medallist)... there was a great group of us there and just meeting down there on a Saturday morning in the summertime.”

“What I liked about it personally was that you’d walk down on a Saturday morning and at some stage there’d be one hundred to two hundred people training there, all different levels (of ability). And it was a really helpful, positive environment… Dundrum South Dublin, UCD, Blackrock… all the different athletics clubs used to congregate there on a Saturday morning.”

Nolan does specify that an athletics track would help create more “team cohesion” within the club - as a meeting point of sorts, a “home for athletics.” However, he points out that three UCD athletes – Ciara Everard, Ciara Mageean and Mark English – represented Ireland at the Olympic Games in Rio this summer.

He also highlights the creation of the muchused trail around the UCD campus that is used (as well as Deer Park and the hill beside it) by

the university’s distance runners for training.

That, as well as the recently developed sports centre in UCD and the college’s extensive Ad Astra sports scholarship programme, is something that Nolan is keen to emphasise. He stresses that UCD remains “a wonderful place for athletics” and that the athletics club “hasn’t struggled” in the absence of the track. Nolan continues to say that he is hopeful that at some stage in the future, UCD will have its own track once again, under the stewardship of UCD Campus Development project co-ordinator Dominic O’Keeffe.

At the time of printing, O’Keefe had not yet responded to requests for comment. However, according to UCD Director of Sport Brian Mullins, the building of an athletics track is unlikely to happen in the near future. Mullins acknowledged that due to the same financial limits that existed five years ago (the cost of developing the track was quoted to be €1.6 million), there is unlikely to be an athletics track built in UCD at any stage over the coming years. This is despite the stated proposal within the UCD Campus Development plan, available for perusal on the UCD website, that “the athletics track be relocated to the western side of the Campus in the vicinity of the Sports Centre.”

One of the “short-term objectives” listed under the plan for the years 2005-2010 is that a track would be built “adjacent to the Sports Centre to replace the existing track adjacent to Belfield House which has reached the end of its useful life”. This would perhaps suggest that the removal of the track and plans for the replacement of the facility on campus had been in the pipeline long before 2011.

Nevertheless Mullins made it clear that with

athletics being a “minority sport” – less popular than soccer or GAA, for example – and with the track low down on the list of priorities regarding development projects on campus, it will be a while before we see UCD singlets gracing a Belfield track once more. It should be highlighted, however, that UCD has paid for its athletes to travel to the athletics track at Irishtown in order to train in the absence of a track on campus – something UCD AC were keen to express gratitude for.

At the time of the track’s destruction, a working group including former 5000m World Champion and now Senator Eamonn Coghlan, was established by UCD in order to try to address the issues and concerns raised by the track’s destruction.

The Observer understands that this ‘task force’ has only met twice, and not since 2013.

Mullins puts the group’s disintegration down to a realisation of the futility of any conclusions given the financial restrictions on any potential future development of a new track.

It is clear that the track at Belfield was precious to many. It was the site of friendships, rivalries, healthy competition and sporting greatness. It was where, perhaps most famously, Coghlan, Marcus O’Sullivan, Frank O’Mara and Ray Flynn set the world record for the four by one mile relay in 1985. It carried for years the sound of laughter, cheering, footsteps and the heavy breathing of athletes in the prime of their careers. In the wake of its closure, their echoes were drowned out by the belligerent roar of machinery – and now, perhaps even worse, the ceaseless daytime hum of car engines and the roaring evening silence of a vacuous wasteland that was once so great.

The remains of the UCD athletics track

A round-up of the sporting activities throughout UCD this month.

UCD Boat: UCD Boat Club held its annual Learn to Row Day on the 1st and 2nd October 2016 in Islandbridge.

Freshers had the opportunity to practise their technique on the rowing machines and in the fixed ‘bank tub’ before getting out in a boat for their first experience of rowing on the water.

The club’s more experienced athletes joined the new recruits in the boats to ensure that the session ran smoothly.

Rowing sessions on the water in Islandbridge will now continue for Freshers every weekend and they will train midweek in UCD Sports Centre.

20 OCTOBER 11TH 2016

UCD Sailing: Ad Astra athlete and last year’s captain Ryan Glynn was on the crew for the helm Johnny Swan. Representing IRC Class 2, Glynn finished in fifth place at the ISA AllIreland Senior Sailing Championships.

UCD Rugby:

After just one win from the first four games, UCD sit ninth in the Ulster Bank All Ireland League. On Saturday evening, St. Mary’s College were victorious on their trip to Belfield after a tight 19-13 win.

UCD Basketball: Following last week’s win over reigning champions UCC Demons, UCD Marian remain top of the Men’s Super League top after winning 74-67 away against Belfast Star on Saturday evening. Marian retain their perfect start with three wins from three.

UCD Ladies Hockey: The UCD La-

dies Hockey team had a superb 4-2 win over Railway Union HC. Goals from Sorcha Clarke, Lena Tice and a brace from Emma Russell has the ladies third after three games.

UCD GAA:

After Dublin’s victory in the All Ireland final, Davey Byrne, Paul Mannion, Michael Fitzsimons, Cian O’Callaghan, Con O’Callaghan, Brian Fenton, Cian O’Sullivan and Michael Savage all picked up Celtic Crosses. Fenton was named the Sunday Game Player of the Year with Fitzsimons being awarded Man of the Match.