ucd improvements

panda100

ok i know il be laughed at for starting this thread but want to get real views form you real ucd'ers (obviously this is excluding you mr nice guy who we all know at this stage is a 12 year old messing around on daddys computer)

Anywho i wanted to know if there was anything you could change or improve on these 7 topics in UCD what would you liked to see changed and why?
health services, counseling services, crèche services, campus safety, crisis pregnancies, financial hardship, substance abuse and issues of equality.

(and yes sangre we all know your improvements on campus security would be to throw out all the northsiders :rolleyes: but id like serious answers plese)

Mr.Nice Guy

panda100 wrote:

ok i know il be laughed at for starting this thread but want to get real views form you real ucd'ers (obviously this is excluding you mr nice guy who we all know at this stage is a 12 year old messing around on daddys computer)

WTF? LOL! OMG! ROFL! Why r you dissin' me gurl? :eek:

panda100 wrote:

Anywho i wanted to know if there was anything you could change or improve on these 7 topics in UCD what would you liked to see changed and why?
health services, counseling services, crèche services, campus safety, crisis pregnancies, financial hardship, substance abuse and issues of equality.

Crisis pregancies definitely. They were hopeless when I went in there and explained to them that I was pregnant. Gave me this BS about it being biologically impossible, I've simply put on weight, blah blah blah. Fools. Well, we'll see when I take that pregnancy test...

Riamfada

Mr.Nice Guy wrote:

. They were hopeless when I went in there and explained to them that I was pregnant.

you went without me? I thought that was somthing we were going to do together

Red Alert

health services Never used it.

counseling services - did the SU ever get a councellor again after the big row fungus and the then counsellor had?

crèche services - i've no children i'm aware of. isn't there some managerial issues in the creche at the minute?

campus safety - lighting in campus at night is atrocious. big huge floodlamps are not the answer - they can create a false sense of security by making big shadows. (take it from my stage lighting experience: a highly focused beam will play strange tricks with the eye with its shadows) we need ALL pathways to be lit at a moderate level at night, together with bright floodlighting around buildings, road interchanges, sports centre (which is actually alright) and particularly the two bars and busstop. the 'red phones' should be replaced with LUAS style emergency help points (less chance of failure) and these should be also provided in vulnerable areas outside. CCTV system needs to be overhauled - maybe also a web-based public CCTV viewer to reassure everyone that the CCTV works.

crisis pregnancies - incapable of becoming pregnant so can't help here

financial hardship - there isn't a lot of information aside from going to see your student adviser (although most these guys are sound as a bell - i've met colleen blaney, john calannan and moss garde). library fines are also no longer benefitting the SHF, why not?

substance abuse - not sure what could/should be done here. not sure that an on-campus AA/NA is the right answer. possibly should be an 'addiction counsellor'?

issues of equality - no offence to the girls here, but maybe the so-called 'womens officer' position in the SU should be changed to being an 'equality officer'.

hope that helps you panda

Vorsprung

panda100 wrote:

ok i know il be laughed at for starting this thread but want to get real views form you real ucd'ers (obviously this is excluding you mr nice guy who we all know at this stage is a 12 year old messing around on daddys computer)

Anywho i wanted to know if there was anything you could change or improve on these 7 topics in UCD what would you liked to see changed and why?
health services, counseling services, crèche services, campus safety, crisis pregnancies, financial hardship, substance abuse and issues of equality.

Whoa Elisa you haven't been elected yet!!

I'm in the incredibly forunate position of not having been in a situation that has required me to avail of the services offered by the Welfare Officer.

Anyway, from what little I know about the topics you mentioned, I do know they're a pretty big waiting list to see a doctor in the Health Centre, it'd be good if they got that sorted. And what's the story with the counselling service, did they get anyone to fill that postition?

And I'm trying really hard to state the obvious, but hours in Outlying Faculties is a must, they started something in ET before Xmas, but it was just before exams wasn't really paying attention.

If I think of more I'll be sure to post it.

PaulDoh

Substance abuse is a major problem but I doubt there's much the college could do about it - as said before by someone else. I don't know enough on anything to have an opinion really. So...
Ok, I know that it's a little off topic but what's the cost of seeing that doctor? Is it discounted, or free, or what? It'd be good to know.

Mr.Nice Guy

Grimes wrote:

you went without me? I thought that was somthing we were going to do together

Pat Paterson went with me. He gets me!!!

panda100

PaulDoh wrote:

Ok, I know that it's a little off topic but what's the cost of seeing that doctor? Is it discounted, or free, or what? It'd be good to know.

G.P services are free to all students. However there are charges for some services such as:
Emergency Contraception: €10
Pregnancy Testing: €10
Cervical Smear Testing: €10
Employment Medicals: €10
Travel Vaccinations: €10
Eye Testing: €10

mng-how could you do this to me?and with grimes?i could forgive you after the whole waltons thing-but this is just one step to far!we're over!

psilocin

Emergency Contraception: €10
Pregnancy Testing: €10
Cervical Smear Testing: €10
Employment Medicals: €10
Travel Vaccinations: €10
Eye Testing: €10

The look on her face: Priceless

LovelyHurling

Not sure if it comes under welfare or what, but I think there should be a mentoring system in place where older students are paired up with freshers the vet college has something on this lines where you go out with your assigned fifth year in september, get sloshed together and be friends for life. simple really. It could make the first few weeks a lot easier for some people though

Pythia

panda100 wrote:

ok i know il be laughed at for starting this thread but want to get real views form you real ucd'ers (obviously this is excluding you mr nice guy who we all know at this stage is a 12 year old messing around on daddys computer)

Anywho i wanted to know if there was anything you could change or improve on these 7 topics in UCD what would you liked to see changed and why?
health services, counseling services, crèche services, campus safety, crisis pregnancies, financial hardship, substance abuse and issues of equality.

(and yes sangre we all know your improvements on campus security would be to throw out all the northsiders :rolleyes: but id like serious answers plese)

I think it's all fine, really.
But yeah, scrap the Women's Officer. Waste of time. An insult tbh.
This for the election campaign? Cos you should probably say that in that case.

panda100

Pythia wrote:

I think it's all fine, really.
But yeah, scrap the Women's Officer. Waste of time. An insult tbh.
This for the election campaign? Cos you should probably say that in that case.

Nah was just wonderin

Vainglory

Just wondering?

I'm not trying to start a fight or be agressive at all here, because there's nothing wrong with asking your friends or people you socialise with about ideas for your manifesto (we all do it), but I don't really buy it that you aren't planning to use replies you get on this thread as manifesto items.

As I said, there's nothing wrong with it, I'm just surprised you're denying it.

arbeitsscheuer

Vainglory wrote:

Just wondering?

I'm not trying to start a fight or be agressive at all here, because there's nothing wrong with asking your friends or people you socialise with about ideas for your manifesto (we all do it), but I don't really buy it that you aren't planning to use replies you get on this thread as manifesto items.

As I said, there's nothing wrong with it, I'm just surprised you're denying it.

Concur.

There's no way you would've asked with such specific reference to areas of UCD that you mentioned without already given serious thought to the issue. Nobody who was just idly "wonderin" would make the time to compile that list.

Plus, especially on the UCD board, saying "serious answers plese [sic]" is a pretty dead givaway that you want to use this stuff somewhere important.

Just my 2 cents, like.

Waltons

panda100 wrote:

mng-how could you do this to me?and with grimes?i could forgive you after the whole waltons thing-but this is just one step to far!we're over!

Yeah, I'm just irresistible, so you can't really blame him there :v:

GusherING

panda, does your pro-choice stance not pose some problems for you? I'm fairly neutral on the matter myself, but won't some people will find that hard to stomach if your going for welfare? Also, who's your competiton?:)

hullaballoo

health services--pretty good afaik, ex used it a lot and thought it was great, but I'm never sick so I've never been

counselling services--Never used it, but I'd say it's pretty bad if other government counselling services are anything to go by

crèche services--Never been to the crèche. Bit too old when I started college for that. I can say that I was impressed when I heard that the service was available

campus safety--Non-existent really, there are only ever a few security men around at night, and they tend to stick to the concourse which is bugger-all use. Need to have people covering the routes that lead to exits etc.

crisis pregnancies--No first-hand experience.

financial hardship--pretty good afaik

substance abuse--not as big an issue as I thought it would be before I came to college. Some people will do drugs irrespective of what anyone tells them, so I don't know what can be done

issues of equality--No problem with the standards in place, but then, I wouldn't, I'm a man.

Incidentally panda, it might not be a bad idea to think outside the box a bit here ie instead of looking at the areas where the students' union has already placed policies, you should look at what areas are as yet uncharted on the union corridor.

Good Luck with the campaign.

Chinafoot

GusherING wrote:

panda, does your pro-choice stance not pose some problems for you? I'm fairly neutral on the matter myself, but won't some people will find that hard to stomach if your going for welfare? Also, who's your competiton?:)

Uhm....can I just ask how exactly being pro-choice would pose problems in terms of going for a welfare position?

Personally I would much rather have somebody in Welfare who is more open to all options than someone who would be anti-abortion. Oh and just for the record....pro-choice does not equal pro-abortion.

Back on-topic:

I've never actually used the health services myself but I have heard that there is a massive waiting list for the counselling services. I think that would definitely be an area that would need improving.

humbert

I've a feeling that GusherING wasn't implying that her stance was pro-choice rather her stance with respect to pro-choice but I could be wrong.
On topic I agree with Red Alert, better lighting is needed, other than that I've no complaints.

Chinafoot

humbert wrote:

I've a feeling that GusherING wasn't implying that her stance was pro-choice rather her stance with respect to pro-choice but I could be wrong.
On topic I agree with Red Alert, better lighting is needed, other than that I've no complaints.

Ah i understand now. You kids and your "in-jokes" and your "code"

Well I'd still most definitely prefer a pro-choice welfare officer. *shrug*

rainbow kirby

peachypants wrote:

Well I'd still most definitely prefer a pro-choice welfare officer. *shrug*

Me too... if I was in a crisis pregnancy situation (heaven forbid!) and I went to the welfare officer, I'd like to know that all my options would be considered equally, abortion included.

Mr.Nice Guy

rainbow kirby wrote:

Me too... if I was in a crisis pregnancy situation (heaven forbid!) and I went to the welfare officer, I'd like to know that all my options would be considered equally, abortion included.

Would that be legal?

Chinafoot

Mr.Nice Guy wrote:

Would that be legal?

Well I don't see how there could be any massive problems with it tbh. You can discuss the option of abortion with your GP afaik. You're merely seeing all the avenues open to you and discussing it with what should be a neutral third party.
Besides the abortion itself wouldnt be carried out in this country so I dont see how it is illegal.

Vorsprung

What does it matter if a candidate is pro-choice or pro-life? The range of options available to an individual remain the same, if the Welfare Officer does present all options because of personal beliefs, he/she is failing that individual. And shouldn't be there in the 1st place I reckon. My 2c.

ozt9vdujny3srf

'Nuff of this attacking users in opening posts plz thx.

If you want to start a flame war, that's how to do it.

Chinafoot

While I don't think anyone was actually attacking panda, we should probably get back on topic.

So is there any truth in the rumour that theres a waiting list of weeks to see the counsellor? I understand that UCD is a massive college but surely theres enough money in the place to up the number of counsellors if necessary?

Sangre

peachypants wrote:

Besides the abortion itself wouldnt be carried out in this country so I dont see how it is illegal.

Heh. You made a law funny.

Chinafoot

Sangre wrote:

Heh. You made a law funny.

I'm glad you found it amusing.

Like to get back on topic now? Thanks.

rain on

peachypants wrote:

While I don't think anyone was actually attacking panda, we should probably get back on topic.

So is there any truth in the rumour that theres a waiting list of weeks to see the counsellor? I understand that UCD is a massive college but surely theres enough money in the place to up the number of counsellors if necessary?

two years ago, I was 'fast-tracked' by the doctor through the counselling system, so I 'only' had a wait of four weeks to see one. i subsequently saw him for one hour a fortnight, which IMO is not nearly enough. it was made clear to me that I wasn't going to get any more than 6-8 counselling sessions out of it. if i remember correctly, there were three counsellors and one psychiatrist for the entire student population. i felt very let down by the whole thing. seems like it was hideously underfunded at the time, don't know if it's improved since.

Chinafoot

rain on: thats an absolute disgrace. Its such a joke that a college with so many students would have such a crap counselling service.

panda100

Vainglory wrote:

Just wondering?

I'm not trying to start a fight or be agressive at all here, because there's nothing wrong with asking your friends or people you socialise with about ideas for your manifesto (we all do it), but I don't really buy it that you aren't planning to use replies you get on this thread as manifesto items.

As I said, there's nothing wrong with it, I'm just surprised you're denying it.

Sorry actually when i wrote my 'nah just wondering' i was meant to put a little smily face beside it to show that yes i was sorta asking to see what peoples views are? Sorry truckle and peachy if this is not allowed here but i just wanted to get views from different people other than my own mates,am gonna do a survey type thingy next week in the arts block but didnt see any problem in using this just to garner a general view. Soz if i caused any offence in this-panda apologises.
To be honest i cant see myself going for it anyways as there is a huge hate campaign going against me at the mo from people who have picked up wrong ideas about me from various internet forums.I'm kinda squishy and not really able to take all this stuff people are saying about me:(