Stephen Sheil has just been elected the Joint Programme Convenor. The position was raised as motion by AHSS Convenor, Alice McPhearson.
•••
The nominations for the Education Committee have been put forward. Hiram Moylan was first to speak, followed by Gillian Daly.
•••
Voting is underway for first year Education Committee rep. Speeches for the second year rep are currently in progress.
•••
The third year Education Committee reps have just delivered their speeches to the crowd in a bid for votes. The nominees are Annie O’ Gorman, Sarah Collar and Megan O’ Dea.
•••
Trinity News’ very own Cathal Kavanagh has been nominated for fourth year Education Committee rep but has decided to pull out of the race last minute.
•••
Sabbatical Officer reports are next to be read out. President Kieran McNulty is first to read his report. He highlights the importance of student spaces within the college campus including a student centre. Trinity is currently the only college in Ireland without a dedicated student space.
McNulty is discussing his work with class reps during Class Rep Training, as well as the Lobby Group which was set up in July and he also touched upon the Strategic Plan which was brought in two years ago. The plan will reach its halfway mark this Christmas.
Kieran finally highlighted that water fountains will soon be a common sight in the BLU libraries.
•••
Education Officer Dale Whelehan was next to read his report. He is outlining the manifesto points which he has completed or that are currently in progress. Whelehan also pointed out that he has a considerable amount of case work at the moment.
•••
Aoibhinn Loughlin is speaking her plans for the coming weeks including Movember, a campaign to raise awareness for men’s mental health as well as the Peer Support programme which was a point found on her manifesto. Loughlin is speaking about Body & Soul Week which is the first welfare-related week of the year. She is also outlining which committees that she sits on.
Loughlin is introducing a new drugs campaign. One of which focuses on safe marijuana use.
The nap room in the parlour in Goldsmith Hall is “in process” according to Loughlin. She also mentioned the opening of the new gender neutral bathrooms in the Arts Block.
A few questions were posed to Loughlin; one being about the “awful state” of the Hamilton toilets and the other about the supposed “single umbrella” which is in use for smokers outside the library. McNulty piped up, answering that they are looking at different options with regards to the designated smoking area outside the library and that the delay is due to large cost of said umbrella.
•••
Glen Byrne, Communciations and Marketing Officer has now begun explaining his role in the SU. He is highlighting the role of Communications Committee which deal with programmes such as the Job Portal which is set to go live very soon.
Byrne mentioned that the expected sales of the Ents events during Freshers’ Week exceeded expectations. He also spoke about the Trinity exclusive deals, referenced the Mongolian Barbeque and Dublin Barista School deal which offered special discounted rates for Trinity students.
The marketing strategy of the SU Café was touched upon as well as the Strategic Plan and mentioned the Commercial-End Strategy Group which Byrne and McNulty are currently working on.
•••
Padraic Rowley, the Entertainment Officer was the final sabbat to discuss his ongoing work. The event app as promised in his manifesto last February was brought up, and Rowley explained that it will be available in the MyDay app very soon.
Rowley also mentioned the Powerscourt event for the Bondax gig which was supposed to take place in the high-end venue Thursday last. The deal fell through and the gig took place in The Button Factory in the end. Some money was refunded to ticket buyers as a result.
Upcoming events touched upon by Rowley included an intervarsity event for February 3rd and 4th next year.
He finished his report by relaying the success of Freshers’ Week, remarking upon the large profit made despite the lowering of the ticket pricing.
A single question was posed to Padraic by Junior Freshman Film Studies Class Rep Hiram Moylan concerning the availability of gender neutral bathrooms at Ents events to which Rowley responded that he had brought it up with all venues and hopes to build upon it throughout the year.
•••
The first discussion topic was brought forward by Education Officer Dale Whelehan which concerned Erasmus and the problems which arise with those who are looking to go on Erasmus in their second or third year of study as an undergraduate. Several issues were brought to light by the class reps which included the lack of information evenings and the absence of support from faculties and schools.
•••
Something about a University Times article.
•••
Arnie Sasnauskas has been elected as the first year Education Committee rep.
•••
McNulty has begun to speak about the second discussion item of student spaces, as proposed by Education Officer, Dale Whelehan. He has highlighted the difficulty of pushing the college to accept the lack of student space as a pressing problem. A student representative from James’ spoke about being kicked out of classes during lunchtimes despite their being no student space to eat their lunch. The space before the Hamilton library was brought up as a possible option for additional seating in the East End of college. The Bank of Ireland innovation hub was also a back and forth issue regarding its usability in terms of a student space.
•••
Sally Ann McCarthy has been elected as the Second Year Education Committee rep.
•••
The third and final discussion item regarding the Trinity Education Project, as proposed by Whelehan, is now underway. Main points in the project include fixed timetables, internships and other employment opportunities as a part of undergraduate degrees, changes in assessment, enhanced learning and technology and a new BLU library learning space.
•••
The motions have now begun; the first being proposed by President McNulty about building a student centre. The motion has just been passed by an overwhelming majority.
•••
Sarah Collar has been elected the Third Year Education Committee rep.
•••
The second motion, proposed again by McNulty, is on the Lobby Group that they will be fully supported by the student body in bringing their issues to the national government.
•••
The third motion, regarding polling hours during elections, is going to a vote to be amended as proposed by LGBT Rights Officer, Sean O’Carroll, that the past and present Electoral Commission members have the right to take these polling hours prior to it being open to Union Forum members and then to Class Reps. The amendment was not passed.
•••
Rowley spoke on behalf of the fourth motion “that SU Ents events should be accessible to all students”. The motion was passed.
•••
The fifth motion concerns a motion that Padraic passed and now wishes to amend. Everyone is very confused but the motion passes nonetheless.
•••
Padraic takes the stage once more for the sixth motion proposing that Trinity ball should feature artist installations by trinity students. A dedicated position would be added to help. Motion is passed.
•••
A motion for the SU to adopt a mandate of decriminalisation of drugs for personal use is proposed by Robert Keogh, Chair of the TCDSU Drug Policy Reform Lobby Group. The motion is based on the Portuguese model. The motion was passed by a large majority.
•••
The next motion is on the Class Representative talk, proposed by EMS Convenor, Niall Cooke. It mandates that the Education Officer and Faculty Convenors will organise such a talk each year prior to the deadline for class rep elections. The motion was passed.
•••
The final motion mandates that Finn Murphy be added as a Trustee of the SU. Members of the board of Trustees include public figures such a Ivana Bacik. McNulty is speaking on behalf of Finn Murphy and is validating his place on the board. A question has been brought forward as to whether there is a definite time to be set for those sitting on the board.
•••
The winner of the maidens speaker was awarded to Hiram Moylan, who ran earlier in Council for first rep Education Committee representative.
•••
A single piece of any other business was brought up by LGBT Rights Officer, Sean O’ Carroll, who asked if Council were supportive in the SU supported TENI (Transgender Equality Network Ireland). All were in favour of this.
•••
The lecture hall is now empty due to the news circulating that free alcoholic beverages are available to those at the Pav as a reward of them enduring the many hours of thrilling SU business.
•••
