Refreshers Day 2007

Het-Field

Last Year it was quite a success. Are the Union planning on running it again ? If they arent, I believe it would be worthwile thinking about it

cast_iron

Was it a Union run event?

If it's the day that you could re-join Sports Clubs, it was organised by the AUC and the Union had nothing to do with it (remember, it was useful).

I wasn't aware there was a similar day for Societies.

Pythia

Think it's on again this year for societies.

Stabshauptmann

For anyone who doesnt know what refreshers day was:

Last year it was a one day event.

• It was in the astra hall
• It gave people an opportunity to join both sports clubs and societies, who were both in the same hall at the same time
• It was not an SU initiative. The student consultative forum has been very quick to adapt to semesterisation.

It has been proposed to make it a week long event. Personally I dont think there is that much interest in joining societies in the latter half of the year.
A)Because ppl are no longer as niave as they were in freshers week
B)Because they've joined societies during the last semester by comming to events with friends
C)They realise there are few perks to membership. How often are you asked for membership cards at events?

Blush_01

Plus, it puts massive pressure on small societies to run a week-long campaign again for very little reward. Larger societies with larger committees can share the burden of having two people at a stall for refresher's week much more easily than a small society of 4, 6, 8 or so committee members. It's not totally pointless, but it does result in a lot of work with little or nothing to show for it for the majority of clubs and societies.

Frankly, considering the cost of running the week: finding a place to hold it - booking out Astra for a week is nigh on impossible so another marquee would potentially have to be the solution, with the costs of erecting and dismantling it (and with even worse weather at this time of the year than autumn and the damage the weather caused then... I wouldn't be in favour of sitting there for a week!); hiring people to do security; societies now having short notice to get sponsored gimmicks together to entice people to join etc. I can't see how much profit would be made in terms of membership considering the loss in time, effort and money when the time could be better spent organising some fantastic events and having, for example, a RAG week. But then again, that's just my 2c.

Besides Het-Field, you're not even in UCD anymore.

dajaffa

Blush_01 wrote:

Besides Het-Field, you're not even in UCD anymore.

True, though he is now chair of one of those political yokes.

Last year it was just a day in the Astra Hall, no real need for anything longer imo. There won't be THAT many people gagging to join this semester.

Kaptain Redeye wrote:

* It was not an SU initiative. The student consultative forum has been very quick to adapt to semesterisation.

Was it not? I know it was in James' Carroll manifesto way back when, I was under the impression that there was some Union involvement.

Stabshauptmann

Not being involved in any of the decisions making processes around it I cant categorically state anything; but I was left with the impression that it wasnt a union initiative. But I couldnt imagine the union not getting involved.

Unless Im mistaken (and Im new to hackland) James was involved in societies before running for pres so he would have been in the know as to what was being planned/discussed.

Im gonna stick in the disclaimed that most of the threads on this board about the societies and sports clubs have proven to contain misinformation and I couldnt pick James out of a lineout, so maybe it was an idea of his, and his alone, for all I know

cast_iron

Kaptain Redeye wrote:

Not being involved in any of the decisions making processes around it I cant categorically state anything; but I was left with the impression that it wasnt a union initiative.

When it was first run 2 years ago, and Societies were not present. It was held in Hall C in the Sports Centre for a couple of hours in the afternoon. It was low key, and really run as a trial.

Last year, seemingly it was run for both Clubs and Societies (I didn't make it).
Both years were seen as successes.

Perhaps it was on some manifestos, but it was originally organised and ran by the AUC.

ElCapitano

Re Freshers Day / Week is an absolute waste of time.

As mentioned before, theres no real benefit to joining any of the large societies if you havent done so already.

Anyone who really wants to join can do so at most society events.

I mean most people join during Freshers Week to get the concession cards and the goodie bags.

Must say, the C&E bag was packed this year and the concessions are really good. Think about 11 in total!

Het-Field

Blush_01 wrote:

Plus, it puts massive pressure on small societies to run a week-long campaign again for very little reward. Larger societies with larger committees can share the burden of having two people at a stall for refresher's week much more easily than a small society of 4, 6, 8 or so committee members. It's not totally pointless, but it does result in a lot of work with little or nothing to show for it for the majority of clubs and societies.

Frankly, considering the cost of running the week: finding a place to hold it - booking out Astra for a week is nigh on impossible so another marquee would potentially have to be the solution, with the costs of erecting and dismantling it (and with even worse weather at this time of the year than autumn and the damage the weather caused then... I wouldn't be in favour of sitting there for a week!); hiring people to do security; societies now having short notice to get sponsored gimmicks together to entice people to join etc. I can't see how much profit would be made in terms of membership considering the loss in time, effort and money when the time could be better spent organising some fantastic events and having, for example, a RAG week. But then again, that's just my 2c.

Besides Het-Field, you're not even in UCD anymore.

With all due respect im now running the YPD'S in ucd so im just interested to know if I should start getting my **** together

Stabshauptmann

cast_iron wrote:

When it was first run 2 years ago, and Societies were not present. It was held in Hall C in the Sports Centre for a couple of hours in the afternoon. It was low key, and really run as a trial.

Last year, seemingly it was run for both Clubs and Societies (I didn't make it).
Both years were seen as successes.

Perhaps it was on some manifestos, but it was originally organised and ran by the AUC.

Thanks for the info. I knew it wasnt an SU initiative. After all how can James claim it to be his idea if it happened before he was Pres?!

But if James brought some input into the second year to make it better/bigger etc fair play.

Though I would disagree with you cast_iron on it being successful. I dont think any societiy got more than 20 new members, many got none, and many more didnt bother setting up a stand.

cast_iron

Kaptain Redeye wrote:

Though I would disagree with you cast_iron on it being successful. I dont think any societiy got more than 20 new members, many got none, and many more didnt bother setting up a stand.

I suppose 20 odd members probably isn't much from a Soc's point of view.
But for the Sports Clubs, 20 members equates to €100 to €200 depending on the membership fee. Not bad for a days work, I would say.

Perhaps James had something to do with bringing Societies to the event last year, but I really don't know.