How could the college save money?

banquo

There's a bit of a debate going on on Facebook about fees, etc, and discussion has (sort of) moved on to the wise spending of money.

So: where do you think the college could save moolah? Ever saw something (a gold statue of John Hughes, perhaps) and think ''What an absolute was of cash!''? What do you think has been money spent on crap?

I'll throw mine in: hosting the email service (sorry, my mistake, ''webmail'') when Google will do it for free. We all keep our name.surname@nuim.ie usernames, all that changes is the interface of you inbox from NUIM Webmail to GMail.

Facebook group is here.

It's free. FREE! Also, PACR are losing money on those top-up print cards. Best just replace the student card, library printing card and PACR printing card with a single 'one-card-for-everything'. Saves money all over the board.

If they made the printers in the libary automatically delete stuff from their memory after printing then printing there would be way faster and more reliable, and fewer students would do their printing at home or in the town. Mo business means mo money.

So what ideas do other people have? OpenOffice to replace the MS Office licence? Aldi computers? Imitation gruel?

Michellenman

banquo wrote: »

If they made the printers in the libary automatically delete stuff from their memory after printing then printing there would be way faster and more reliable, and fewer students would do their printing at home or in the town. Mo business means mo money.

I was just thinking this today! It would make things so much easier.

Also, they should make mouses for the Arts block 'Bebo' computers non-removable. There's two of em missing at the mo.

PrivateEye

The email idea is common sense, have you contacted 'The Man' with your idea? I'd love to hear the colleges reasoning behind not making the switch.

Sweetcorn01

Not a way to save money now, and not a lot of money in the greater scheme of things, but I always thought those flat screen tvs around the arts block were totally unnecessary. Really don't need fancy tvs to display websites, or nothing, or the latest windows error someone has...

Perhaps turning central heating down a couple of degrees? Sounds simple, but right across campus it could make a difference to bills. Might help stop a lot of ppl getting sick aswell cause I find it's the difference in indoor & outdoor temperature that messes me up in winter. Some rooms are too hot.

+1 to banquo's suggestions also

banquo

Those stupid TVs! God how I hate them.

Smarter: instead of displaying the nonsense they do now, how about making them display what pcs are free in what buildings? Like those electronic parking spaces signs you see.



Yeah, dem tings.

Ostrom

Pales in comparison to the amount of money floating around the salaries of senior admin staff. We have many, many 'departments' (not traditional academic departments) that dont do much, appoint dual-position lecturers/administrators, and incur obscene running costs. I hope some of this becomes public over the coming months, along with the internal dealings that secure promotions.

banquo wrote: »

It's free. FREE! Also, PACR are losing money on those top-up print cards. Best just replace the student card, library printing card and PACR printing card with a single 'one-card-for-everything'. Saves money all over the board.

We had these in WIT and they are the best invention in the world. You topped up, and swiped one card for every printer, every shop, the library, bookshop, bar, restaurant, and got 10% off for your troubles. Also the vending machines, which incurred an added perk...

Our 'room' (the civil engineers took over one of the CAD rooms every year) was above the atrium, close to a downstairs vending machine, which for some reason went offline for half an hour every second monday. I feel a little guilty looking back, but we were poor and hungry. We must have cleared sackfulls of stuff out of the place....

banquo wrote: »

Imitation gruel?

Mmm...Krustybrand

Also I would like to see canteen toast return.

But seriously, the above is some shameful Clay Davis sheeeeeeet

Effluo

The way they judge when to have the heating on is a complete joke!

I remember one day it was actually scorchingly sunshiny and guess what???

Yes the radiators were also scorching!


I think there should definitely be more of a "green" inititive around the college, we're students and we should be showing the way forward for the rest of the country the way forward to being more energy efficient and lets not forget the real cost benefits to this too!

Also the open office suite is a no brainer! ffs even the civil service have caught on to it :O the bleedin civil service have started a cost effective inititive before the colleges? :O :O


Something which i know some people won't like but is a very very good option is if we allow and facilitate advertising on campus. Let some business/companies get their sames on a few buildings or walks. Even an odd billboard here and there wouldn't be too bad and even now could generate a serious amount of revenue!!

The "Pint o' Fosters" S.U.?
If i was the S.U. pressie i'd definitely go out and seek sponsorship. They could add so much to the budget of facilities and groups have better nights in the S.U. and so forth

Spend the money on something we actually care about or get enjoyment from!! ya kno?

banquo

Effluo wrote: »

Also the open office suite is a no brainer! ffs even the civil service have caught on to it :O the bleedin civil service have started a cost effective inititive before the colleges? :O :O

:O indeed!

Ostrom

Funny story on the heating thing...

Last winter it was roasting in our office - it was so hot that you couldn't sit in it without opening every window and leaving it for half an hour. I'm not exaggerating, it was impossible to breathe. It felt almost like a sauna, and the contrast between outside cold air and inside warm air burned. Some people couldn't use the room - ever.

On complaining to buildings that we couldn't turn the heating off - there were no manual controls in the rooms - we were told that it was policy to leave the heating on, across the whole building, all throughout the winter. I get in about 8 in the winter months, it is never off. I would love to know how much it costs.

Also paper... departments spend stupid money on paper each year - assignments, course outlines, handouts could all be done paper free.

banquo

Aye, so much crap is given out on paper that's totally unnecessary.

Join the Google Apps movement! http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=109353934689

Ostrom

banquo wrote: »

Aye, so much crap is given out on paper that's totally unnecessary.

Join the Google Apps movement! http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=109353934689

How would that work without incurring more costs via. moodle/admissions? Your email account controls your library subscriptions access and module admin. via moodle, doesn't it?

Is it simply a matter of changing face - would they be able to integrate the other elements also?

banquo

It's a simple interface change. It would mean that Google did all the hosting/backup/support, which they have an impeccable reputation for - how often do we see threads here saying webmail/moodle down?

The student id/pass is a straightforward MD5 hash, and really not that secure. If someone wanted to log in as you then they could. But security isn't really an issue.

Login to all these things would be exactly the same. Alumni and SU accounts are already on google apps.

Also, as anyone with a GMail account will tell you, it rocks. Am I right, GMail users?

Awooga

I think that if one was allowed to print the likes of lectures/ important info / how-to-survive- 2nd- psych pamphlets (campus only) info within lets say a 3km radius of the library ,it would free up valuable space for everyone. also online submission of course work is WAY over due... come on, we bothered to do the damn thing ,why are you making me do an extra 40 mins of needlessly healthy exercise (including the three stair journey to the summit of Mt.John Hume ) . Yuck ,just yuck. It would also spare all the needless paper wastage.

Ostrom

I would hope so, but you have no idea how iron-fisted computer servies are.

It took two months for me to get admin access to my own computer to installl refworks. If only we had a pro-active union...

How are this years crop looking?

jane says

efla wrote: »

I would hope so, but you have no idea how iron-fisted computer services are.

This is the key for a lot of the stuff here.

banquo

I hear they're total boxhuggers. Might be wrong. Hope so.

Any tips?

banquo

Oisin Nolan has started a facebook cause for Google Apps for NUIM.

http://apps.facebook.com/causes/336090/11454325?m=fae548d7

Common sense would be to join tbh.

peanuthead

I am the queen of saving money, I notice ways around spending all the time!!! I've never attended Maynooth before, but will be heading there in September to do a Postgrad in Education. So I will no doubt be shortly full of tips!!

peanuthead

Actually... as I said I've never been near the place so forgive me if this has either already been said, or is already in place, but a few of them modern 'jukebox' style thingys that I've seen recently installed in some late nite restaurants in town may be a good idea.

One in pool room, one in on-campus bar (is there one??) a few of them scattered around would make a fair bit of cash to be honest. I once watched how much abrakebabra on westmoreland st made in the space of an hour there one sat night.

Ostrom

banquo wrote: »

I hear they're total boxhuggers. Might be wrong. Hope so.

Any tips?

Nothing really, had to go through our department head to get it. They wont deal with individual requests. Bribary? Arson?

banquo

A massive petition put together during Fresher's week?

Seriously, we get 1,000 and send it with a letter. CC to the Prez. Gives them the chance to look like the good guys whose idea it was all along. More likely to take it on then imo...

Ostrom

banquo wrote: »

A massive petition put together during Fresher's week?

Seriously, we get 1,000 and send it with a letter. CC to the Prez. Gives them the chance to look like the good guys whose idea it was all along. More likely to take it on then imo...

I hope so, good luck.

They tend to be very insular about policy decisions though

banquo

So I've heard.

Anyone know anyone who works there who we could all take out to the pub and convince?

Sweetcorn01

Im probably gonna get absolutely slated for this but...

if they charged for parking it would both ease the traffic/parking problems around campus, and bring in some money.

I've said this with the people in mind who drive from local housing estates that are within walking distance, or who could easily use public transport....for everyone else it would be a nightmare so...prob not an option.


How about a jumble sale :P

Nision

peanuthead wrote: »

Actually... as I said I've never been near the place so forgive me if this has either already been said, or is already in place, but a few of them modern 'jukebox' style thingys that I've seen recently installed in some late nite restaurants in town may be a good idea.

One in pool room, one in on-campus bar (is there one??) a few of them scattered around would make a fair bit of cash to be honest. I once watched how much abrakebabra on westmoreland st made in the space of an hour there one sat night.

I hate to rain on this particular parade but Gambling machines on campus? Will that really help students?

Beau

Nision wrote: »

I hate to rain on this particular parade but Gambling machines on campus? Will that really help students?

Ha! Where did you get that from? A Jukebox is a machine where you put money in and it plays your selected song. There is one in the SU.

Nision

My mistake, i read that wrong!
I thought when he Style thingys ad suggested putting one i the SU he meant slot machines, yeah there are already a few machines i the SU but id imagine the revenue from then goes to the company that owns the lease on the bar itself.

banquo

There are no subliminal messages in this post.

Nision wrote: »

id imagine the revenue from then goes to the company that owns the lease on the bar itself.

Sad but true.*google apps* It's just like those phone credit machines you see in shops - they're a completely seperate business, nothing to do with the college except that it happens to be on their property. No monies
*google apps*

banquo

Not a way to save money, but a general improvement idea. Just putting it out there.

Every so often you meet someone who passed all their modules except one. They get 36% in some module that for some reason won't let you pass by comp and you have to take a whole year to do it again. This always seemed like a painfully stupid waste of time to me.

I know that other colleges allows students to tack this module onto their next year. IE Someone who failed a module in first year could take it with their second year modules. There are timetable problems there obviously, but they would just get the assignments and exam date. Also access to the Moodle page.

Now, I don't mean for people who failed everything, or even a few things. There could be a cap of, say, two modules at the most that you could carry into the next year. This was you're not lowering the bar, and the student saves time and money.

Would this work for NUIM? Thoughts?

Michellenman

It is ridiculous that they don't offer it to be honest. Especially for students going from 1st to 2nd year. Just one module can stop you progressing and end up costing you a crap load of money. Loads of other colleges allow you to do, can't see a reason for it not to available in NUI Maynooth.

banquo

Shall we take it to a Union Council vote when it starts up?