Can I remove myself from UCDSU?

pigeonbutler

Red Alert wrote:

Class Reps: HappyCrackHead hit the proverbial nail on his head; there are many class reps floating around doing very little and it's not entirely their own fault. I'm nearly inclined to believe the incoming first years are a bit more SU-aware than we were, as there's a particularly active class rep in Engineering (Jennifer Murphy). Every class rep should have a class rep e-mail address like 1stengrep@su.ucd.ie, and their details should be available through the SU website or UCD Connect (for privacy) or the like. Attendance at council should be made de-facto mandatory and a set enforced number of days attendance should be made.

In theory class reps who miss two consecutive meetings of Council without sending apologies (this would mostly comprise all those that never showed up or only did so once) are to be struck off, leaving a vacancy. Unfortunately the constitution provides for up to three different people to take roll call (Returning Officer if present, Chair, Vice-Chair if chair is absent) so we end up with the Union secretary not being able to get hold of the full attendance register (something singingstranger has gotten quite exasperated about).

*** Just had an idea though...... maybe the Union should publish the attendance register for all continuing student class reps next september in first issue of UO and Tribune. It might be interesting to the voters.

But to get back to the main topic of the thread:

The Universities act provides for the existence of "Students Unions or other bodies representative of Students as recognised by Governing Authority" The reason for this is that the Student Union is entitled to nominate 3 people to sit on Governing Authority (highest body of the University, effectively the Universities "cabinet"). The key to this is that the law requires Universities to consult with students and include students in their decision-making. This must be done on a representative basis so therefore for conveniences sake the University insist that all students be members of the Union. I know that analogies with Industrial Relations are bad since we are consumers rather than employees, but this effectively means that UCD is a "closed shop" whose students are automatically Union members when they choose to register.

To clarify the point about Gov Authority.... the students Union is required to be "representative of students" to be recognised. If people began leaving the Union it would not be a body "representative of students" so the college would not be entitled to offer it places on Gov Authority. And thus (undergraduate) students would not be entiteled to any representation at the highest levels.

Source: 1997 Universities Act, http://www.irishstatutebook.ie/ZZA24Y1997.html

Stabshauptmann

pretty*monster wrote:

[I spent] an afternoon in Quinn trying to talk commerce students into protesting, and generally running around, missing classes to do thankless, boring grunt work.

ROLF. I can just imagine that. You are such a nice person, such an idealist. Here in the quinn school we're vaguely aware that there are other schools but thats about it. I didnt know about the modularisation protest till I read it here on boards. Secondly, modularisation is part and parcel of the quinn school, its great, we love it, and cant understand what people are protesting about. But funniest of all, think about it, Commerce students, MANAGEMENT, we study how to deal with unions, not exactly to the fore of student activism.

You have my sympathy for the warm reception we undoubtably gave you.

*Yes I am aware of generalisations, as it happens I plan to be come more involved in the union myself next year.

The_Minister

Where can you find info about running? Or do I have to join one of the political parties?
More imporantly when will the allocation of class reps be completed and made public? I wanna know what I'm running for.

pigeonbutler

As a member of FF on campus I'd say that (contrary to popular opinion) we keep our activities quite seperate to the Union. Individuals certainly talk to other individuals about it and we have a lot of members involved in the union but that's because people who join political parties are those who see getting elected is the way to get things done.

If you're looking for info on running, basically just wait until september. Knowing Deputy Dave there'll be posters all over the place inviting nominations, it'll be all over the website too. Most class rep elections aren't too contentious. Depends who you're up against. Even if it is an incumbent the class might often think he/she has done nothing!

singingstranger

Firespinner wrote:

Where can you find info about running? Or do I have to join one of the political parties?
More imporantly when will the allocation of class reps be completed and made public? I wanna know what I'm running for.

If you want to run, then wait until the Constituencies are sorted out (in practice this will be Morgan Shelley sitting down with Dave Curran and/or Exec to assign them - this will be done before the start of term). Then snip a form out of next year's Fresher's Guide, get ten signatures and drop it into the general office. Then you'll be running for the constituency that will have been assigned to your class (which will have been assigned at that stage).

Also, I'm not the only non-elected type who hung around and did stuff this year. Carol-Anne Rushe was beaten in a 1st Arts election by Conor Dixon among others (the exact identities elude me), but was as involved in helping out this year as much, if not far more, than some other reps, and eventually won the Women's Officer job. Whether you agree with the job or not, it's just an excellent case example of people staying involved and doing good work.

Scraggs

At the risk of going further off-topic...Can anybody tell me if the class reps next yr are definately gonna be by class eg, Irish, Arch, Psych etc. or in the Groups A,B,C etc. ?
I would be interested in running but I know I havent a hope in hell of getting anywhere if its still in the groups!

The_Minister

Can you put your name down for more than one constituency? I presume not.

singingstranger

Scraggs wrote:

At the risk of going further off-topic...Can anybody tell me if the class reps next yr are definately gonna be by class eg, Irish, Arch, Psych etc. or in the Groups A,B,C etc. ?
I would be interested in running but I know I havent a hope in hell of getting anywhere if its still in the groups!

As far as is practicable, I'm going to damn well ensure it's as close to class as possible. Before the March amendments, the Constitution had a certain number prescribed for each Arts year and it was just plain awkward. If Morgan comes to Exec for approval of new ones or suggestions, I'd imagine it'll be by class as far as is practicable - when we were putting together the non-voted-on Constitution in Exec, it was pretty much agreed by everyone on Exec that the best way would be to have a Rep for each class (as far as is practicable - if classes are too small, then group 1st Welsh with 2nd Welsh instead of 1st Irish, if you get what I mean). The idea for it was that it's far more likely that people in 2nd Welsh would be able to get hold of people in 1st Welsh, rather than having the Arts setup as it is right now where it's literally impossible to address all of your constituents.

Firespinner wrote:

Can you put your name down for more than one constituency? I presume not.

Nope. You'll only be eligible for one anyway.

beanyb

singingstranger wrote:

Nope. You'll only be eligible for one anyway.

As an arts student would I not be eligible for two? As in one for each of the classes I'm in since each class has a separate rep?

Edit: Ok now I'm confused... I just checked out the SU page to find out who the History class rep is cos I had no idea, and it turns out that the Group B and Group D Reps are the same people... Is that because nobody ran in Group B? Or what?

singingstranger

beanyb wrote:

As an arts student would I not be eligible for two? As in one for each of the classes I'm in since each class has a separate rep?

Well, I was speaking directly to Firespinner knowing that he's not in Arts, but Arts itself (as is) is a special case but afaik you can only declare for one constituency anyway.
The group thing you're on about is an anomoly that should hopefully be gotten rid of next year when there are reps per subject (and hopefully, per year, within that) rather than grouping subjects together.

singingstranger

beanyb wrote:

Edit: Ok now I'm confused... I just checked out the SU page to find out who the History class rep is cos I had no idea, and it turns out that the Group B and Group D Reps are the same people... Is that because nobody ran in Group B? Or what?

That sounds like a clerical error to me... what year are you in? Let me know and I'll check my own records...

Pythia

Kaptain Redeye wrote:

Here in the quinn school we're vaguely aware that there are other schools but thats about it.

Eh? Speak for yourself!

singingstranger

Too right! *has to help co-ordinate a hundred class reps from all over the shop*

The_Minister

singingstranger wrote:

Well, I was speaking directly to Firespinner knowing that he's not in Arts.

I am in Arts.

singingstranger

Firespinner wrote:

I am in Arts.

D'oh. Anyway, same thing applies - you'll probably be only eligible after their next reform to run in one anyway, and there could be a constitutional provision saying you can only declare for one anyway.

The_Minister

singingstranger wrote:

D'oh. Anyway, same thing applies - you'll probably be only eligible after their next reform to run in one anyway, and there could be a constitutional provision saying you can only declare for one anyway.

Is there anyway to find out who is running for what - before the deadline? I want to know who I am competing against. Is there a ron vote?

singingstranger

There's no RON vote, but you can only find out who else is running from the grapevine really, unless the people in the Union General Office are nice to you and tell you, which they're not obliged to.

beanyb

2nd year history and politics so that's group B and D apparently!

singingstranger

Funny, my secretary list has Amy Cahill for group B (I think Joe Mulreen is supposed to be in there too) and Ian O'Mara and Geraldine Brennan for group D...

pretty*monster

singingstranger wrote:

Funny, my secretary list has Amy Cahill for group B (I think Joe Mulreen is supposed to be in there too) and Ian O'Mara and Geraldine Brennan for group D...

Yeah, that's who how it's meant to be. 'Tis a mistake on the website.

Jonny Arson

Firespinner wrote:

Is there anyway to find out who is running for what - before the deadline? I want to know who I am competing against. Is there a ron vote?

If you do run for rep surely concentrating on your own policies and not other candidates would be the best approach?

Class rep elections aren't usually in the massive poster campaign leagues like Sabbat elections, if someone does launch a poster campaign for a class rep I think it would be needless. I *think* most elections are done by all of the candidates standing up infont of their group or class and talking about what they'll do, all the class parties yada yada (inevitably broken), however I can't remember any election for my group this year so I dunno if this has changed.

Like many of you I would consider running for a class rep next year but the political nature of the Union turns off. Shame.

pretty*monster

Zane from MTV2 wrote:

Like many of you I would consider running for a class rep next year but the political nature of the Union turns off. Shame.

Man is by nature a political animal.

singingstranger

pretty*monster wrote:

Man is by nature a political animal.

Or wo-man, don't forget wo-man...

*tumbleweed*
Wow. I didn't think it could die, but I actually KILLED that joke.

The_Minister

Zane from MTV2 wrote:

If you do run for rep surely concentrating on your own policies and not other candidates would be the best approach?

I'd prefer to run unopposed:D

pretty*monster

Firespinner wrote:

I'd prefer to run unopposed:D

We'll wouldn't we all.

Contested elections are better for democracy. And we've all been lead to believe that democracy is good.

The_Minister

pretty*monster wrote:

We'll wouldn't we all.

Contested elections are better for democracy. And we've all been lead to believe that democracy is good.

In the broad sense yes but I think democracy would withstand a UCDSU election:rolleyes:


Winston Churchill: - "The best argument against democracy is a five minute chat with the average voter"


I think that says it all.