UCC Students Union Election 2015 George Gill Presidential Candidate Manifesto 1
Contents: Executive Summary 3 About Me 3 Presidency 4 Deputy and Campaigns Officer 4 Education Officer 4 Communications and Commercial Officer 4 Welfare 5 Entertainments Officer and RaG Week 5 Creation of UCC SU Lottery 5 Job Index 6 Research Centre 6 Strengthen Student Council and Involvement 7 Heater and Retractable Canopies outside the Fishbowl 7 Lockers on Main Campus 7 Free Bus Service from Cork City on student nights 8 GAA Project 8 Irish Language 9 Nurses and Brookfield 9 Parking 9 Closing Statement 10 2
Executive Summary: In this manifesto I will outline my new ideas for the Students Union and why I believe I am the right person to represent the students of UCC. I am in my fourth year of Bsc Government and over the last four years I have experienced all the highs and lows of college life. This experience along with my third year work placement where I gained valuable experience helping people with housing issues, health issues, and Personal financial issues, as well as working with national and local representatives and with various state agencies and institutions will help me in the role of UCC Students Union President if given the chance. This manifesto will cover my ideas for making UCC a healthier, happier and safer place for students, staff, and residents alike. I will not be able to cover all issues that affect students here, however feel free to contact me to discuss a particular issue. About Me: Name: George Gill Hometown: Skibbereen, West Cork Age: 23 (Just about!!) Course/ Year: Bsc Government/ Fourth From a very young age the idea of community has been important to me. I believe we are not individual students struggling through university, but members of the community that is University College Cork. My vision for the Students Union is that it will become more like a community, one in which has higher involvement and engagement from all students of UCC. Where we depend on each other, benefit from each other, and help each other. 3
Presidency: For me I have always believed we are only as strong as our weakest link, and I lead by empowering and facilitating those around me. If elected I view my role as a facilitator to all UCC students so they can fulfil their goals here at UCC. Anyone that knows me can say how hard working I am and I will go above and beyond for every student at UCC. My experience working with national and local representatives will serve me well as I will be a strong representative for the students of UCC within the college and out in the wider area of Cork and Munster. Deputy President and Campaigns Officer: I was very impressed with the work done by the current Deputy, Dick Murphy, and if I get elected I will continue, campaigning with new energy and ideas for the rights of UCC students and students in general with the next Deputy President. Education Officer: Semesterisation was a massive change for every student in UCC this year. I would like to congratulate Joe Kennedy on his work and success in improving the library opening hours. I am a strong believer in that UCC students deserve a 24 hour library, if elected I will work hard with the Education Officer to achieve this goal. Communications and Commercial Officer: The greatest challenge in communications is having a campus in which you can get Wi-Fi access in every UCC building to a good standard, this is not the case at the moment and I look forward if elected to work with the Comms Officer to find away to improve this issue. I have many ideas that can make the Students Union stronger commercially, which I will outline later. 4
Welfare Officer: The standout officer for me this year, was Cian Power our Welfare Officer, he engaged and tackled issues that are affecting every student in some shape or form with real passion. I wish him the best in the USI elections. The challenges that face young people and students however are still here to be tackled and if elected, I will drive on from the work that has already been done this year, with the new Welfare Officer. Entertainments Officer and RaG Week: This year s Rag week was great fun and the energy could be felt from all over campus. Well done to Paidi Brady for a great week. The aim for RaG Week is to raise as much money for charity as possible. The best way to do this is to keep quality of events up while keeping costs down. The idea of having buckets outside The Rock every Wednesday night, worked a treat. I have more ideas that can raise large sums of money for minimal cost. If elected on March 10 th I would love to work on these ideas with the incoming Entertainments Officer. So what am I going to do? Creation of UCC SU Lottery: This is a very simple idea but yet is a great way for the Students Union to gain vital funds. These types of lotteries work wonders for fund raising for many clubs and organisations all over the country. The way it works: Tickets will be sold weekly from shops, Pubs, Restaurants on and near campus and possibly at society events. The jackpot is given to a lucky student, after a draw takes place, which will take place in participating venues on a rotational basis. The money that is raised from the weeks lottery goes straight back into the Students Union. 5
This money can be used to support clubs and societies. It also can be used to subsidise printing and copying, and make other things on campus cheaper and so much more. If elected I will work had with the Comms and Ents Officers to make sure this is a fun and finically beneficial to the Students Union each week. The SU lottery is also a great way for staff and alumni to give back to the university, as yearly tickets could also be purchased. There is also opportunity here to raise money for RaG Week as a percentage of the money raised every week can go towards the RaG Week fund. Job Index: The job index idea was the idea that most impressed me about President Stanton s manifesto last year. I feel finance is a real issue for students and a part-time job would be a great benefit to students without affecting their studies too much. If elected I will look to go further, deeper and longer into Cork City and surrounding areas to create new contacts with businesses that could potentially employ UCC students. Research Centre: For many students across the university research is an important part of their course work. Research is also the driving force behind academia. I would work with the Education Officer to look for space to be made in the library for a research centre and help service. This service would provide information on SPSS, datasets and general research information for students. Another issue students have is to get respondents to questionnaires and surveys. I am sure we have all deleted emails with the subject being Short Survey. This research centre would allow students to hand in surveys to be filled out, by students 6
looking for information on good examples of research questions and techniques. Strengthen Student Council and Involvement: For me the Student Council is one of the most interesting and exciting parts of college life. It gives the students the opportunity to make real change and to have their voices heard. However, when speaking to many students across campus, they are unfamiliar as to what a class reps does or what the Student Council is. If elected I will work with the Education and Comms Officers to promote the Student Council not just to first years coming into the college but all students. Furthermore to this I will run two clinics per week on a rotational basis in each of the four colleges and invite students to come talk with me about issues that are important to them. Ideally these clinics would run on Monday and Friday mornings to insure the issue can be dealt with as quickly as possible. Heaters and Retractable Canopies outside the Fishbowl: This is another idea that is simple but would improve students experience on campus. Many students I spoke to talked about being cold and wet while queuing for the fishbowl in the winter months. Others had to postpone ticket sales or charity fundraisers due to the harsh rain and cold. If elected I will work with the college to install heaters outside the fishbowl along with retractable canopies to keep the fish bowlers warm and dry. Another issue was distractions outside the windows of the fishbowl. If elected I will look into tinted windows or blinds to be installed during busy weeks on campus. Lockers on Main Campus: For many students that live a good walking distance from college it is a problem for them if they go to the gym in the morning or plan to go in the evening to find a safe place to put their gear bags during the day to save them carrying around their bags all day. If 7
elected I will work with the college to make sure there is an appropriate amount of locker space for students to store their gear bags and work with the Comms Officer to make sure students are aware of this service. Free Bus Service from Cork City on Student Nights: In the four years I have been in college, too many of my fellow students lives have been lost, for me these deaths could have been prevented. We are all aware of how dangerous walking home on a nights out can be, from muggings and assaults, to damage of residents property. For me something has to be done. If elected Students Union President, I will work with the Welfare, Comms and Ents Officers, along with local bus and hackney services, pubs and clubs in Cork City and the RSA to insure UCC students make it home safe each and every night. We could look for this bus service to be sponsored by pubs and clubs in the Cork City or from funds raised from the SU lottery. GAA Project: For many UCC students from around Munster and further afield it can be a real time consuming and financial pressure to travel home mid-week to train with their local club. Not only this but many clubs rent pitches half way to accommodate players travelling which can be a massive financial burden for small rural clubs. If elected I will work with the UCC GAA Club and the UCC GAA Development Officer to organise a training or match for students from all GAA clubs that would like to take part. Obviously there will be times that clubs will need their players to travel home for training, but I feel this idea could help clubs and players financially at the early parts of the season, as well as develop player s skills, and allow them meet new people. It will also give the college teams management a chance to look at players they may not have otherwise seen. If this is successful with the GAA Club I could see no reason why this could be delivered by all clubs in UCC. 8
Irish Language: For me the Irish language is the gateway to our culture, and for so many including myself that gateway is closed. If elected I will work with the Irish Officer (Oifigeach na Gaeilge) and Comms Officer to promote the Irish language on campus. On from this I will work with shops, pubs, clubs, and restaurants on and off campus to create an incentive for students to speak the Irish language. This idea is that the Students Union would create a phrase of the week as gaeilge and students that use this phrase in participating shops, pubs, clubs, and restaurants get a discount on their purchase. This will hopefully create a culture of living and speaking the Irish language on a daily basis. Nurses and Brookfield: When speaking with UCC student nurses, I get the feeling they feel they have been forgotten about. From my own mother being a former nurse to living with a number of nurses, I see that although they love their career and degree, there is a massive financial issue that needs to be addressed. If elected I will work with UCC, USI, and INMO to look for an increase in travel expenses and work towards free or subsidised lunch while UCC student nurses are on placement. Funds raised from the SU lottery could also be used here. For years there has been issues with microwaves and Brookfield if elected I will lobby that a common room with fully working kitchen appliances are put on top priority in the new extension of the complex being completed. I will also work with the Ents Officer to have a full timetable of events at Brookfield during RaG Week. Parking: Parking or lack of parking is a real problem for many students that commute to college. If elected I will lobby Cork City Council for to see if any area of land could be opened up for parking for 9
UCC students. I will also work with management of UCC Park and Ride and look to improve the timetable. Closing Statement: Thank you for taking the time to read my manifesto, if you would like to talk to me on any of my ideas or on any other issue please feel free to contact me on 111460322@umail.ucc.ie I would like to wish my fellow candidates the best of luck over the coming weeks. Please vote George Gill No.1 for UCC SU President. Many Thanks, George George Gill for President GILLSGANG GILLSGANG George Gill 4 Pres 10