SU imploding?

sceptre

rmacm wrote: »

The whole idea of a CMS is to remove the need to be familiar with PHP/<whatever scripting language you prefer> unless you intend on hacking the CMS (as you probably know already).

Oh I do, that's the problem.

You mind if I ask what CMS is behind the site at the moment?

Subdreamer. It's awful, really awful. I'd much rather do the whole thing in php but that's not an option with people who aren't me needing to update the site in the future. I'm looking at different solutions (joomla looks nice, and it's free) but there's a time issue there on my side. This thread probably isn't the place but if you're up for finding me something workable, drop me an email or something. Not compulsory and all that.

Editing pdf files with a hex editor and I thought I had it bad having to write software corrections for telephone exchanges in assembly.

Oh, I think we'd know who'd win the 'better at editing code' discussion here and it wouldn't be me:) Still, nice of you to say.

sceptre

Oh yeah, and the SU isn't imploding. I mean, for the love of...

Peteee wrote: »

At least if it implodes, it will only hurt the people inside! :pac:

There we go, Peteee speaks truly. Now I don't mean to be rude, but I'm back to work.

rmacm

sceptre wrote: »

This thread probably isn't the place but if you're up for finding me something workable, drop me an email or something. Not compulsory and all that.

/me lights cigarette....email sent (I assume you're still using the gmail address that I have for you).

bluedolphin

sceptre wrote: »

Oh yeah, and the SU isn't imploding. I mean, for the love of...

I didn't say it was. Hence the question mark!

sceptre wrote:

Now I don't mean to be rude, but I'm back to work.

Does Seamus need a huggy-wuggy? I believe I may be overusing this line to you lately...you can get your own back next year

sceptre

The one thing that is puzzling me (and at least one of the remaining officers) is that virtually all the comments both here and on the 'official' SU boards seem to ignore the ongoing well-being of students. No-one's asked the question about where students will go now if they have issues with accommodation, contraception or a large number of issues.

The answer, before someone else rushes in after I've posted this and asks the question, is that for the interim period before we get a new officer elected in a by-election the PSA President Emma Murphy will be dealing with any issues relating to Financial Aid (subject to approval from her exec), any problems with grants will be dealt with by Education officer Alan Higgins and the counselling and chaplaincy services are of course appraised of the situation and will be helping out. And all remaining officers are willing to help any students in any way they can, as they always have been (for some reason a lot of the mature students and part-time students have often made a bee-line to my door (or to Emma's) and of course they're as welcome as they have ever been).

The gap of course occurs where any students need to talk about contraception or more personal issues. At 32, I'm relatively sure that no-one can walk into my office and tell me anything I haven't already heard, given that most of my friends tend to use me as an amateur counsellor or confession guru anyway but the fact remains that as a person of the male persuasion, girls tend to be less happy talking to males than females about many personal matters. If there is anyone out there in such a situation, we are there, we are available and if we can be of any help we're all more than happy to be so and to do so. Where the counselling service needs to be contacted, they're at 061-202327 or their reception is on floor CM in the main building.



As an aside, who said NUIG's SIN paper was better than An Focal? I get it in the post and with all due respect to the current editor (who was appointed rather than being elected), it isn't. Seriously. It's a little bigger but then again so is the 'Oxford Student' which puts bad opinion pieces on page 3 and passes them of as news (like the Sunday Independent, that tawdry little rag of a paper a million people read every Sunday). The last copy of the OS I have put a story about a guy eating twenty Big Macs as headline news. Might be a case of faraway hills being green (when i was living in Mallow you'd swear from the locals that the Charleville girls were the hottest on the planet and vice versa) but we had a group down from other colleges over the weekend and the crowd from NUUIG and TCD were very complimentary to our own rag compared to their own college papers.

Personally I like the UCC Express. Another editor appointed for ability and with a wealth of experience (UL is one of only two colleges in the country to have an elected editor rather than an appointed one) but the Express really is a nice paper. Layout for the Trinity News & UCD Observer tends to be nicer but of course like the Express they've got a ton of money pumped into them, we're self-funding.

bluedolphin wrote: »

Does Seamus need a huggy-wuggy? I believe I may be overusing this line to you lately...you can get your own back next year

IIRC there's a rule on my board about who gets to give me a huggy-wuggy:)

liam24

Have to agree with septre, it seems that some students posting for this topic are more interested in their power crazed ambitions for student politics, than for the concern of students. I mean to start with a title of 'SU imploding?' is a bit sensationalist.

bluedolphin

liam24 wrote: »

Have to agree with septre, it seems that some students posting for this topic are more interested in their power crazed ambitions for student politics, than for the concern of students. I mean to start with a title of 'SU imploding?' is a bit sensationalist.

In my concern for 'power-crazed ambitions for student politics' it is, ultimately, a concern for students seeing as the sole purpose and raison d'etre of the SU is to represent and to assist students. Deducing from the fact that I hold a concern for the state of the Union, it is clear that it is for student welfare that I fear.

I apologise if this was not made more obvious in my original post, but I thought that most people recognised that the foundation of the SU is built upon its student members and when it is in trouble then it is a concern for all students.

The recognition of an elected sabbatical officer has serious implications for the Union and its political consequences do have a resonating effect on students. For example, in the eyes of the University this may lead them to believe that the Union is failing and decrease their funding, which in turn would force cutbacks on services provided to students. Secondly, it may also decrease the standing of the Union amongst the general student population and any organisation is only as good as its membership.

Thus by discussing the political fallout from this it is only, essentially, student well-being that is at stake. It is obvious to anyone that the loss of the Welfare Officer will have very immediate consequences for students, but the everyday workload can be (and will be) spread amongst the interim Officer (to be elected) and other Executive officers (namely, the other sabbats).

The political outcomes of the resignation, however, have more longer term effects on the Union as a whole - which, like it or not, includes all members aka students at UL.

cooperguy

Bluedolphin you really are getting a hard time over the title of the thread arnt you!!

bluedolphin

cooperguy wrote: »

Bluedolphin you really are getting a hard time over the title of the thread arnt you!!

I reckon that'll be the least of my troubles over the coming year...

cooperguy

True. Ill have graduated though so I hope you intend to keep the SU website updated with the An Focals so I can keep track of your progress:D

bluedolphin

cooperguy wrote: »

True. Ill have graduated though so I hope you intend to keep the SU website updated with the An Focals so I can keep track of your progress:D

:eek: But of course!!