Scandalcentral's Blog

SU elections- a total waste of time? March 2, 2010

So it’s that time of year again and I for one am not happy. Walking through campus these days is worse than shopping on Christmas Eve. Leaflet and flyers lie everywhere- the place has never been so dirty looking. Our Erasmus students must be in absolute shock that we allow our college to get destroyed by this rubbish! (sorry about the pun) Bed sheets lie in tatters hanging off our great tree, along with all the other trees we have on campus. If one was too try to cross from the Library to the Boole, well give yourself 20 minutes at least. Today 2 canvassers actually followed me, even when I said I wasn’t interested at all, they continued to pester me until I was cornered. At this stage my impatient was growing at a rapid rate, so I attempted to just get away- so I more or less ran! (Which was far easier said then done at the vicious obstacles that lay in the way- tables, teabags, care-bears, the towel guy etc.

Of course this massive inconvenience must come at some benefit to the student body you ask? But does it really? I voted today, for each position, continuing my preferences for the relevant candidates. But can any of them deliver what they promise? I mean one campaign has promised to bring a credit union to UCC- A credit union you ask? Yes, a credit union- in the current climate!! Sources tell me that one of the Banks around UCC plans to move away this summer, I wonder why any other financial institution would dream of setting up here. I mean students are not know for saving a lot. Other camps have promised things like a change to the constitution to provide more full-time positions for the union. But isn’t this at a cost? Can we even afford that? Furthermore this has to be ratified by the student body- at a greater expense. Many candidates have promised jobs(In itself ridiculous), but more have focused on providing more resources to help students find jobs, be ready for interviews etc These are ideas that are not off the wall that may really help the student body as a whole. Overall, I’m highly cynical of our whole students union. I mean honestly how valuable are they to the students. The issues top of most students priorities involves University Fee’s and getting value for money from our capitation fees. For myself I also add to that list- a proper eating facility in UCC. Kylemore doesn’t do the job for me! Price wise it’s fair, but what about quality or choice? What about opening hours? You can’t get a cup of tea anywhere on campus after 4pm on a Saturday- is that fair? I also believe we need to re-examine our library. Way too often there is just one book in our library to do a full class, can we not examine a way of providing digital copies? What about opening hours? Can we not have the main part of our library open til 11 during the week? Is that unreasonable? What ever candidate is elected this week as president, he has a very tough job in persuading me that he is worth his money.