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Ciarán Sweeney p18
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Cian Carton News Editor UCD Students’ Union (UCDSU) is set to propose a range of changes to its constitution, and will put a constitutional referendum to students later this semester. The current constitution was introduced by former President, Pat de Brun, during the 2011/2012 academic year. The biggest proposed change will be the return Campaigns and Communications Officer (C&C) position to the Union. Before the role was abolished, Paddy Guiney served as the last C&C Officer, during the 2012/2013 year. The position includes organising campus and national-based campaigns. Feargal Hynes, UCDSU President, is hopeful that students will engage with the proposals and vote in the referendum. He said he understood that having a constitutional referendum is not the most “sellable” thing, in light of past turnouts. However, he believes that the return of the C&C Officer will encourage students to vote. Currently, UCDSU’s part-time Convenors share the role amongst themselves. Originally, UCDSU had hoped that there would be greater accountability if its roles were spread
birds standing on the frozen lake on the first day of term
UCDSU Proposes Constitutional Reform out amongst Convenors. Hynes said that “the part-time officers haven’t been able to supplement the role of the C&C Officer,” and feels that the role would be better placed to achieve one of UCDSU’s main aims, that of greater engagement with the student body. Alongside the President, there will be four officers; Welfare, Education, Graduate Education, and Campaigns and Communications. As part of structural changes, C&C would also absorb responsibilities from other Officers. Equality will fall under the C&C position, along with the Campaigns Forum. C&C would also take over as chair of the ENTS forum, and become the official spokesperson for ENTS, a link which UCDSU has been lacking. The Graduate Officer will deal with all matters pertaining to graduate students, including graduate welfare and education issues. The ENTS Manager is set to be renamed the Entertainment and Events Manager, in recognition of the logistical role they play in organising events. It will continue as a professional role. Also making a return will be the non-binding referendum, known as a “preferendum.” Hynes sees it as a
way to gauge the student population’s opinions on “contentious” issues, without having to be tied to the result. There will also be a provision for online voting, which Hynes feels may attract some opposition. Preferendums could be held online, at no great expense. Under the new constitution, there will be a clear distinction between a binding and non-binding referendum. As part of the reform, Convenor wages will also be abolished. These wages are costing UCDSU approximately €20,000 per year. Part-time Convenors are paid for their work, up to a maximum of ten hours per week at the current minimum wage of €8.65 per hour. Hynes stressed that they are only paid for what they are elected to do. Convenors are entitled to be paid one hour of wages for attending Executive Council. The savings will be used to finance the wage of the new C&C Officer, who will be paid around €400 per week, the same as the other Sabbatical Officers. This reform proposal has seen support from some Convenors. Conor Rock, Arts Convenor, said that the C&C Officer will take the pressure off the Convenors,
allowing “more free time for student engagement.” He said that the idea of Convenor pay is “not a bad one, but it is certainly not a necessity.” Éanna Ó Braonáin, Irish Language Convenor, said that Convenors were consulted about the move. He said that being paid for their work helped them as they “didn’t have to worry about working as much outside the Union.” For him, removing the Convenor pay is a logical move, as the Convenors will have a lessened workload. Hynes said that the original decision to remove the C&C position was mainly a financial decision, coming at a time when the Union was struggling with financial issues. He said that he was concerned the SU did not “question everything,” something he noticed after first taking up his role as President, saying they have “often did things because they’ve done it that way.” The Board of Directors conducted a review into staffing structure, finding that wage levels in UCDSU were more than 10% higher than any other Students’ Union in Ireland. Instances of role duplication were also discovered. A sub-committee of the Board reviewed the report, which was attended
by an external, professional HR consultant. The Board then decided that the current system of staffing structures was unsustainable, and made a decision in consideration of the debt level facing UCDSU, which resulted in the termination of the position of UCDSU General Manager, held by Philip Mudge. Hynes defended the decision saying that they “don’t want to get to a stage that we’re not achieving the core aims of the Students’ Union just to be … popular, or just to make the easy decisions. It was about taking the tough choices now for the benefit of the long-term.” UCDSU will be hosting public consultation meeting over the proposed constitutional changes on Tuesday 20th and Wednesday 21st January, at 1pm in the Red Room, in the New Student Centre. Brian Mahon, UCDSU Research and Communications Assistant, explained that this would involve laying out the proposed changes to those in attendance, and expects them to be agreeable with students. However, he did say that UCDSU would take another look at certain proposals if they faced large opposition.
Student Capital Fund Oversubscribed
Exam Timetable may be Altered for Referendum
lucy ryan - Staff Reporter
cian carton - News Editor
The Student Consultative Forum has confirmed its Student Capital Fund (SCF) was oversubscribed for the first time in its history. The SCF provides yearly funding for capital projects, and is based upon an application process, which is not restricted to recognised clubs and societies. In total, the cumulative costs of grant applications made this year was €86,960. This was more than double the €41,000 available to applicants. The funding scheme originated in 1990, when the Student Bar was making substantial profits, some of which was put into a student capital fund. Paddy O’Flynn, Director of the Student Consultative Forum, which administers the SCF, said that the bar became intertwined with UCD Students’ Union (UCDSU). The closure of the bar marked the end of finance for the fund. It has been able to survive up to the present based on its reserves and it being undersubscribed each year. O’Flynn affirmed that “funding has been stable for the past five to six years and it hasn’t been reduced.” He acknowledged that the “funds given out nowadays from the SCF are quite
small compared” to previous years. The SCF gave out £1,279, 718.11 in capital funding between 1993 and 2002. Almost £1 million of this went towards the construction of the Old Student Centre and renovations to the Student Club. In contrast, it awarded just under €100,000 in funding between 2010 to 2013. The SCF grant history suggests it is the sports clubs that are the primary beneficiaries, as very few of the societies are in the market for capital funds. The standard procedure for the allocation of the grant is overseen by the Executive Committee, which considers the applications, while the final decisions on applications are made at the general meeting. Payments are then made through the Bursar’s Office. This year’s general meeting, held on the 18th December 2014, raised concerns over the application process. It was chaired by Dominic Martella, External Communications and Media Relations Manager for UCD. Normally, individual applicants would each make a written application in advance, and then make a presentation which the assembly would approve or reject. It
is alleged that applicants were told just before the meeting whether they had been successful, before they had been given a chance to present their cases, resulting in it only being attended by representatives who were in line to receive funding. O’Flynn confirmed that “the Chairman put the set of decisions to a single vote without any application.” Several applicants received the full amount they requested. Some received partial funding, while others were completely rejected. The American Football Club received money for uniforms, while the Sub Aqua Club received money for safety equipment. The University Observer was awarded funding of €2,325 for web and branding development. Eric Lucking, senior Treasurer of the UCD Sub-Aqua Club, commented on his club’s dealings with the fund. “We applied for €11,901.19 in our capital grant application from which we received €5,500. This money will go along way in helping us get to the highest safety standard that we constantly strive for at the club.”
UCD Students’ Union (UCDSU) and UCD Registry are set to engage in discussions over the possibility of altering the exam timetable for Semester 2, if the government decides to hold the Marriage Equality referendum during the exam period. Feargal Hynes, UCDSU President, said he met with the Registrar to confer over the referendum. Dominic Martella, External Communications and Media Relations Manager for UCD, confirmed that UCDSU had raised the issue with Registry and that “discussions will ensue.” There are concerns that if the referendum were to be held on a date that clashes with UCD exams, it would make it difficult for many students to cast votes in their home constituencies. National media has reported that the government had provisional chosen early May to hold two referendums, including the one on marriage equality. Currently, the Semester 2 exams are set to take place between the 5th to the 16th May. This has led to calls for the timetable to be changed, if necessary. The Semester 2 exam timetable is set
january 20th 2015 Volume XXI issue 5 universityobserver.ie
to be released on the 30th March. Apprehension over student voters is not just confined to UCD, with several other universities set to host exam periods during May. The Union of Students in Ireland (USI) has been advocating for the referendum to be held in April. In her Presidential blog on 17th December 2014, Laura Harmon, USI President, said it would be an “act of folly” on behalf of the government if it decided to hold the vote after the 1st of May. UCDSU has been calling for a “YES” vote in the marriage equality referendum, and recently participated in a voter registration drive with the UCD LGBTQ+ Society. Commenting on the willingness of voters to support the proposal, Hynes said the the “issue at the moment isn’t with the students, it’s with the older generations.” The marriage equality referendum is set to be held on the same day as a second referendum on the presidential age requirement. Currently, an Irish citizen must be at least 35 years old to stand for the presidency. Voters will have a chance to reduce this requirement down to 21 years of age.
Poetry and Fiction Submissions of poetry and fiction from UCD students
Sarah Burke-Vaughan and tadgh Dolan otwo p14 & p15
Steven yeun an interview with the walking dead star
shane hannon Otwo P16
dublin pop up
Cúán Greene talks pop up restaurants and irish food david corscadden Otwo P6
young fathers
An interview with mercury prize winner alloysious massaquoi Seán hayes otwo p20 January 20th 2015