The elections for the role of Part Time Officers for the year 2017/2018 took place tonight at the Council of Trinity College Dublin Students’ Union (TCDSU).
The elected Chair of Council was Gillian Kiely in an uncontested race. Kiely, a Junior Sophister English and Spanish student, was a class rep last year, and a member of Electoral Commision.
The LGBT Rights Officer chosen was Noah O’Brien, a Junior Sophister English and French student. Noah served a treasurer of Q Soc, and argues this puts him in a position to work closely with the society. He helped co-ordinate rainbow week, and was involved with the Irish Trans Students’ Alliance. Finally he cites working with the Transgender Equality Network Ireland as experience in his manifesto.
The Sports Officer elected was Aengus Officer. He spoke of his eagerness to involve all students in sports, saying: “I’d like to bring in some sport in off-campus locations.”
The Access Officer for next year is Sociology and Social Studies student Megan Atkinson. Atkinson was a TAP ambassador and was Education lobby group with TCDSU.
Stephen Sheil, a Senior Freshman Political Science and Geography student, was elected Citizenship Officer. He has been involved with the SU for three years and is Current Joint Course Program Convenor. He has served two terms as a class rep Speaking at the council, Sheil said: “I’d like to make Trinity a University of sanctuary.”
Laura Beston was elected Officer for Students with Disabilities. She is co-founder of the charity Disability and and a member of the Halls Welfare team. She spoke of the importance of empowering students with disabilities in Trinity.
Niamh Carruthers was elected as Volunteering Forum Co-Ordinator in an uncontested race. She is a Spanish and Sociology Student and was on the VDP Executive Committee as Vice President for Fundraising, was Director of Jailbreak and was on VDP Charity Ball Committee.
Carly Bailey was elected as the Union’s next Mature Student Officer, after running in an uncontested. The Law and Political Science student has served as this year’s Student Parents’ Officer, and is the deputy chair-elect of TCDSU’s Lobby Group.
Aghogho Atiyota was elected Ethnic Minorities Officer. Speaking at council, he opened by saying: “I am way too big for my boots” Talking of the work he brought in secondary school, the Pharmacy student hopes to assist the ethnic minorities within Trinity as he has with students in the past “I’m a First Year, and I’m going to bring new ideas to the Student Union.”
Casey O’Callaghan was elected to the position of Student Parents’ Officer. She spoke of hopes to assign tutors that are parents themselves for students with parents.
Áine Palmer was elected to the position of Gender Equality Officer. Palmer is the current head of DUGES, and led the TCD Strike4Repeal campaign earlier this term. She spoke of sex positivity classes, and the value of the consent workshops, which she hopes to continue.
Elected International Students Officer was Luiza Maddamoezo in an uncontested race. For the past two years. She has been working as a Global Room Student Ambassador, and has had training in active listening and in dealing with students in distress .She has previously helped with the international student orientation during Freshers’ Week.
Two positions were available for Communications Commmittee Member. Elected were Sean O’Carroll, who was previously LGBT Rights officer. He has also served as Publicity Officer of Q Soc and was on the Welfare Committee last year. Also elected was Paraic McLean, a Junior Sophister Drama and Theatre student, who was this year’s PRO for Ents and has been involved in the publicity campaigns for multiple productions for DU Players and the Samuel Beckett theatre.
Simon Benson was elected Environmental Officer. Benson is a Junior Sophister Botany student, who has worked with Nu ethical in the past.
James Cotter was elected to the post of Oifigeach na Gaeilge. The Economics and German student was resident in the Scéim in his first and second year, and is the current Technical Officer of the Cumann Gaelach. Speaking via a pre-recorded video, he promised, among other things, to increase the amount of publications as Gaeilge.
Leah Keogh was elected to be the next Secretary to Council and Chair of the Oversight Commission, beating Loic Delorme.
Colm O’ Halloran was elected unopposed to the position of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences (AHSS) Faculty Convenor. He served as Deputy AHSS Convenor, is current undergraduate studies rep and was chair of council last year.
Paul Shanahan was elected Engineering Maths and Science Convenor.
Ronán Doherty was elected unopposed to the position of Health Sciences Convenor. Doherty was a Class representative of Junior Freshman Medicine. This is also his second year as a class rep, having done a year in Science before coming to Trinity.
Sally-Anne McCarthy was unopposed in the election for the Undergraduate Studies Committee Representative.
Aisling Grace, Rory O’Sullivan and Cathal Kavanagh contributed to this piece.
