UCD - Improved Service

Stabshauptmann

This is my 4th year dealing with UCD and I strongly believe that the service [sic] has improved dramatically over the past two years. I think a lot of it seems to be linked to Martin Butler the current VP for students (I personally find him far more approachable than Mary Clayton - who in my opinion was like a school teacher).

There seems to be more responsibility taken for mistakes, and timeliness this year for results and timetables this year is better than I've ever seen it before.

UCD's still far from perfect, but I think some things are definitely improving.

Now if something could be done about the deteriorating student life/atmosphere...

Pride Fighter

Kaptain Redeye wrote: »

This is my 4th year dealing with UCD and I strongly believe that the service [sic] has improved dramatically over the past two years. I think a lot of it seems to be linked to Martin Butler the current VP for students (I personally find him far more approachable than Mary Clayton - who in my opinion was like a school teacher).

There seems to be more responsibility taken for mistakes, and timeliness this year for results and timetables this year is better than I've ever seen it before.

UCD's still far from perfect, but I think some things are definitely improving.

Now if something could be done about the deteriorating student life/atmosphere...

It wont happen until they cut down on the workload of students. It has really increased since modularisation.

Stabshauptmann

I dont think modularisation is the problem, its always been that way in the Quinn school and theres not been any negative effect on the social side of college from it. The only way it does cause a problem is for ppl who want to get involved in running societies, clubs or the SU. but that can be overcome (I ran a society in my final year).

It does take some getting used to and patterns need to change but the problems as I see it are lack of unique student events and the college attitude to alcohol, gambling etc.

Pride Fighter

Kaptain Redeye wrote: »

I dont think modularisation is the problem, its always been that way in the Quinn school and theres not been any negative effect on the social side of college from it. The only way it does cause a problem is for ppl who want to get involved in running societies, clubs or the SU. but that can be overcome (I ran a society in my final year).

It does take some getting used to and patterns need to change but the problems as I see it are lack of unique student events and the college attitude to alcohol, gambling etc.

A casino in UCD is a great idea.

Cannibal Ox

Pride Fighter wrote:

It wont happen until they cut down on the workload of students. It has really increased since modularisation.

From what I've heard about my courses its going to go the other way. More continuous assessment, less focus on exams. I know last year someone was throwing around the idea of all 3 years of arts counting towards your degree, don't think it went any further then an idea though but that kind of mentality isn't going to improve student life.

Red Alert

I think Martin Butler is actually excellent compared to Mary Clayton. She wasn't bad either, although it is down to her that the college alcohol policy is draconian as it is.

Ernie Ball

Pride Fighter wrote: »

It wont happen until they cut down on the workload of students. It has really increased since modularisation.

Workloads at UCD are a joke compared to more serious universities.

Stepherunie

Red Alert wrote: »

I think Martin Butler is actually excellent compared to Mary Clayton. She wasn't bad either, although it is down to her that the college alcohol policy is draconian as it is.

I find some of Martin Butlers plans idiotic and lacking complete and utter forthright thought.

In particular his ideas for the health centre were appaulling and for someone who is in the business school he didn't seem to have much of a grasp of the rudimentary principles of maths or money.

Riamfada

He is right, workloads are a joke compared to other European Universities. For example one lad in my class does 4500 words per essay. Any less and his University at home will not accept them even though the course he is doing here in UCD reccomends 2500 as the max wordcount.

As far as student life goes, i believe it is the responsiblity of the societies and clubs to adapt to modularisation and the challenges it presents. For example academic societies being more academic based rather than just organising pissups for students.

Stabshauptmann

Stepherunie wrote: »

I find some of Martin Butlers plans idiotic and lacking complete and utter forthright thought.

In particular his ideas for the health centre were appaulling and for someone who is in the business school he didn't seem to have much of a grasp of the rudimentary principles of maths or money.

Can you elabourate please/

Steve.Pseudonym

Pride Fighter wrote: »

It wont happen until they cut down on the workload of students. It has really increased since modularisation.

I don't think it's the workload, I think it's the fact that it's so spread out. To be honest I'd prefer if all the essays were due at the same time rather than being staggered, I also prefer exams to essays. I prefer a short sharp shock to this drawn out malarkey.

Breezer

Grimes wrote: »

He is right, workloads are a joke compared to other European Universities. For example one lad in my class does 4500 words per essay. Any less and his University at home will not accept them even though the course he is doing here in UCD reccomends 2500 as the max wordcount.

What subject is this? Sometimes being succinct is an skill in itself. No one likes speeches that go on forever.

Riamfada

Well i have a particular course thats 80% 1500 final year essay. Not that im complaining ..........

Red Alert

The reason for poor service in the university is that a lot of the admin staff are pathologically lazy and do not like students.

Ernie Ball

Red Alert wrote: »

The reason for poor service in the university is that a lot of the students are pathologically lazy and do not like staff.

Corrected that for you.

Stabshauptmann

Red Alert wrote: »

The reason for poor service in the university is that a lot of the admin staff are pathologically lazy and do not like students.

I dont think the admin staff to be lazy, but I do think a lot of the senior ones look down on students. Ive had great dealings with young people in admin who've gone above and beyond what i would expect from them; but at the same time had experiences with the more senior crowd that was like pulling teeth.

Thats what I like about Butler, he sees it as a supplied - customer relationship rather than Teacher - school child.

Stepherunie

Butler seemed to believe that it was right to make us pay for health care without increasing what UCD contributed in the slightest, forcing foreign students to pay higher costs because there insurance would cover it and that they would only match what we would pay, directly doubling the money for the health centre.

This would lead to exactly a double in staff and according to him a double in consultations, so effectively the staff would be just as overworked in the new system and as under funded, with there just being more staff in this situation rather than realistically adding resources and staff that could be more effectively managed.


Now, most staff are great, I've had a fair few problems this week with an injury I got and the staff have been amazing in helping me and have offered many times is there anything else at all they could do for me.

I've said this many times about many points, but to me UCD is about equality, that's why Newman founded the Catholic University of Ireland, which was to become UCD. He wanted equality for students in terms of education and yet, without question, and this isn't just UCDs fault, some students seem more equal than others.

Stabshauptmann

Stepherunie wrote: »

Butler seemed to believe that it was right to make us pay for health care without increasing what UCD contributed in the slightest

Ive been out of campus, but wasnt the suggestion that there be a nominal fee for seeing the doctor, something like €5.
The logic being that it was reasonable, affordable and would increase funding?

forcing foreign students to pay higher costs because there insurance would cover it

What do you mean, nobody at present pays anything?

and that they would only match what we would pay, directly doubling the money for the health centre.

Who do you mean by we.

Im sorry but Im not following you at all.

This would lead to exactly a double in staff and according to him a double in consultations

Makes sense

so effectively the staff would be just as overworked in the new system and as under funded, with there just being more staff in this situation rather than realistically adding resources and staff that could be more effectively managed.

You are making no sense.
Problem -> not enough staff so meet students needs
Suggestion -> Double staff, allow UCD to double the service provided
Problem -> Staff are overworked. Does not compute.

I've said this many times about many points, but to me UCD is about equality, that's why Newman founded the Catholic University of Ireland, which was to become UCD. He wanted equality for students in terms of education and yet, without question, and this isn't just UCDs fault, some students seem more equal than others.

UCD is a comunity of students but that community isnt insulated ENTIRELY from the real world

Stepherunie

20e per visit was suggested, not 5e.

All students in UCD are entitled to free health care in the student health centre. The only exceptions to this are the travel clinic and possible cervical smears (that i'm not 100% sure on, I do know they will only do it on over 25s). Dr. Butler was proposing that foreign students would have to pay as they would be reimbursed by the insurance companies, but I don't see why they should, when many of them are full students in UCD, especially those who are here studying medicine and veterinary medicine etc.

Doubling the number of consultations is fine, but when you take into account how bad waiting lists are now and how over worked the staff are, yes it would reduce waiting lists but the quality of service would not be benefitted, I mean there would be no way that STI testing could be brought on campus in this way, the counselling waiting list is at present 6 weeks, this shouldn't be the case, even doubling the staff couldn't completely get rid of this. THis is not to take away from the staff in the health centre, they do the best they can with what they have.


And by we I meant students.


Yes UCD is not completely insullated from the real world. But why should we accept the poor health service because it's just like the real world.

I work in the health service, I've seen what it's like, I've seen what chronic shortages of staff has done to it. Why do we want that in UCD?

Why should some students be forced to pay for a service that other students get free. Hell why don't we make any student with health insurance pay for health care in UCD, because I mean, if they can afford health insurance, then then can obviously pay for healthcare.

This is the point I made to Dr. Butler, he was singling out one group of people for higher charges purely because of who they were. This not how a system should work. We've seen how two tiered health care has worked in the real world. Why the hell should we have such a bad system here.