Bringing us together
Students Union
Making it Your Union
The Union is about its members, what they need and the services, campaigns and events they want. I will make sure people know what’s going on and how they can get involved as well as including student ideas and feedback where possible.
• I want ideas directly from students, and will use polls and social media to gauge student opinion wherever possible. I will do a comprehensive survey of all students in the middle of each semester, so we know what students want and how we can improve what we're doing and how we're doing it.
• I will hold public meetings where any student can come and ask questions and discuss the Union, giving us ideas on how we can work better. I will also hold focus groups on particular issues to help get feedback.
• I will work with the entertainments officer to use online surveys to see what acts/events students want in their Union
• Hold Office Hours All Over Campus
It's important that as President I'm approachable to all Maynooth SU
members. I will get out of the SU building and meet students in the Arts
Block, St Pats, as well as the science and engineering buildings and
wherever else students want to meet me.
• Weekly Newsletter
People need one place to show them what's happening on campus. The Union
will produce an A4 news bulletin detailing all clubs and society events
as well as Union events and ents. This would be a one stop shop for
everything students nee d to know for the week.
• Advertise Events On Time
There is no point in having an event if people don't know about it. I
will make sure every Union event is advertised on time and promoted
properly.
• Website
The Union's website isn't working. I will make sure we have a functional
and up-to-date website
• Facebook
I will make sure that clubs and societies’ events are advertised on the
Union Facebook page, and also use it to keep students up to date on
what's happening in your Union.
Make Ents Work
I will support the ents officer with whatever ideas they have, but here are some of my ideas which could improve Ents.
• Bring Back Monday Nights
We need a lot of different events like fancy dress nights, late food in
the bar, different bands/DJs. Monday in the Union is already the
cheapest night in Maynooth, let's make it the best night as well!
• Battle Of The Bands
There are a lot of great student bands on campus, let's support them! I
will make sure bands know Battle of the Bands is happening, promote it
and make it a huge event.
• More Club And Society Events
Recently, there have been great crowds in the Union for clubs/socs
events. I will let clubs/socs be creative with what they want to run and
give them whatever support they need.
National Campaigns
• Protecting Free Education
I believe that third level education is something the state should
provide its citizens free of charge. It means that it's something which
everyone regardless of circumstances can access. The current system
isn't perfect, and there's room for improvement. Our education system is
under threat, either from the return of fees, or a graduate tax which
will encourage emigration. I've attended and helped organize a lot of
marches and campaigns in the past and have the experience to lead them
in the future. But marches aren't enough. We need someone to lead the
Union in lobbying TDs, in getting students to tell their TDs that they
are voters and register to vote. We don’t know what the next government
will do, but whatever happens I'll fight for equal access to education.
I'll make sure Maynooth SU members are involved in local and national
campaigns.
• Defend The BTEA and Disability funding The current level of support for mature students and students with disabilities isn't good enough. We need to campaign to protect this funding and get more financial support for these students so they can enjoy the same level of access to education as everyone else.
• Student Support Bill And Grants
The student support bill has passed which means the 2011 grants will
come from a centralised body. We need to lobby TDs to make sure that
this works smoothly. We also need to fight to protect the current level
of the grant and lobby for it to be increased.
• Irish Language
I'm not a fluent Irish speaker, but I will work with the Irish Officer
to help promote the language around campus. I will work on bilingual
posters for Union events. I also support continuation of Irish at
Leaving Cert, and will campaign on this issue pending approval from
Union Council
• Internship Rights
We should campaign for more transparency in internships. They should be
advertised and they should be paid. This would ensure everyone could
have the same career opportunities.
• USI
Maynooth SU joined the Union of Students in Ireland last year, and we
have been very active members. I will continue working closely with USI
on issues of concern for our members and make sure we get the maximum
value for our money.
Local campaigns
• “Your Future” Week
If the new constitution passes, the education brief will be the
responsibility of the president. I will run a campaign on further study
options, J1s, years out, and volunteering in conjunction with the
Careers Office and any interested societies on campus.
• Belief Week
I will run a Belief Week in which students can share their different
faiths in a positive way. This will be held in conjunction with the
chaplaincy and other religious and humanist groups.
• Peer Mentoring
The buddy system for first years the Academic Advisory Office
set up was a great idea, but it needs more promotion. We also need a
buddy system for Class Reps where a group of them would be assigned to a
member of the SU Executive. This would help get Union Council working.
• Making Mental Health A Priority
I will work with the Welfare Officer and the Mental Health Society on
mental health campaigns.
• Green Union
This year I set up a Green Working Group in the Union. I will keep
working on making the campus greener and more sustainable, and make sure
that Green Week happens.
• Get Union Council Working
Union Council is something most students don’t want to be involved with.
This needs to be changed. We should have a lot more Class Reps, and I
hope to make this happen. I will work with the Executive to run a
massive Class Rep recruitment campaign at the start of the year. We need
better Class Rep training, we need mentoring for new Class Reps and we
need to give them hoodies so they can feel a part of something and
people will know who their class rep is. We should encourage Class Reps
to organise class nights out in the Union as well.
• Women In The Union
Currently there are two women and nine men on the Executive of the
Union. We need to get more women involved at all levels of politics and
the Union is where it starts. I will run a series of talks by women in
politics to encourage this as well as organizing mentoring for women who
are new to the Union
• Public Transport
I will do a survey of students' public transport needs and lobby for any
additional services that are needed.
• Maynooth Community Council
I will work with Maynooth Community Council to maintain good community
relations and get students involved in the community.
• Quarterly Budgets
Last years Union Budget isn't published yet. This is something we need
to change; we need to get into the habit of informing union members of
where their money is going. We need quarterly budgets.
• Equality
I strongly believe in equality and the right of every student to fully
participate in college and student life. I will make sure the Welfare
officer has the support needed to run campaigns and make every student
part of the Union. It’s important that students with disabilities,
mature students, LGBTQ students, international students and students of
all genders have the same opportunities. It’s about making the Union and
University farer for all.
• SPCM
I will work with the St Pat’s Rep/Theology Faculty Rep to make sure SPCM
students are involved in the Union and hold clinics for SPCM students.
• First
• Years and Post-Grads.
I will make sure the first year orientation is comprehensive. I will
make sure that it includes lots of information about Union Council, how
to become a Class Rep, Clubs and Societies and the mentoring program. I
will work with the first year rep to help make first years part of the
Union. I will make sure postgrads are a part of the Union and will work
with the post-grad rep to make sure the Union runs events and campaigns
of interest to post-grads.