Arts Soc and B&L fined 5000 euros

pljudge321

Anyone else see the headlines in the observer, Richard Butler and the Societies Council have handed down a 5000 euro fine over the Virgin Ball posters to be split between the two societies. The money is going into the student welfare fund.

Its good to see the college taking this sort of action, sometimes walking down the concourse is a bit like walking through a sleazy nightclub.

Story here: http://www.universityobserver.ie/2009/10/13/bl-and-artssoc-fined-e5000-over-offensive-posters/

Mr.Nice Guy

The reaction to this is way out of proportion, and that's coming from someone who is not a fan of either society.

In a statement sent to The University Observer, Butler elaborated on the reasons for the size of the fine imposed “The Committee considered that the message conveyed by the poster was insidious and dangerous, and that it constituted a deliberate act of emotional manipulation designed to prey on the fears and worries of students.”

If anyone is emotionally manipulated by a poster advertising a 'Virgin Ball' then they ought to leave college and give up on life tbh.

WeeBushy

Yeah, as much as like like to see these societies being boned it was way over the top.

The posters were fine, people seriously need to relax.

Fad

Way out of proportion, but I still think it was very poor show on their part to put up those posters/run the event in the first place..........

mloc

Absolutely outrageous behaviour by the Societies Council. Where are the clear and distinct guidelines that should be in place? Typical inverted sexism from a progressively more unhelpful, socially conservative and reactionary bunch of pseudopolitical students playing committee.

Jev/N

The funny thing is that both of the auditors of the societies are, for once, not lads!

dyl10

I have no sexual organs.
The very concept of the Virgin ball offended me.

pljudge321

I did think 5000 was a bit much, wonder what this means for the future of these two societies for this year at least?

After three years I am kinda sick of seeing the same stylised old posters for the same old events, how come so few of the societies actually run like a proper old style society instead of a drinks promo organiser for the clubs?

Raphael

Er.. most do. The big X&Y socs are a vocal minority. The majority of societies (i.e. the small and medium socs) are nothing like that.

errlloyd

Lol thats a complete joke. I assume posters are expensive enough so once you ad in that loss of revenue. And the loss of revenue based on the less effective advertising, and the fine of 5000 those societies got ****ed, royally.

Can someone clarify was it simply the name of the event, i.e the Virgin Ball?

El Siglo

B&L and Arts Soc - tossers. I think this was an appropriate decision and personally I don't care if they had dead naked people on the damn poster, but here's my reasons why I'm in favour of the penalties:

1)Campaign aimed mainly at 1st years (easier to part with cash than the rest of us);
2) 1st years are more impressionable, regardless of what you think, 1st years are absolutely retarded in these situations;
3) Posters playing on the immaturity of such a group in order to have a "buy-in" by them;
4) Any money going to the SWF is money well spent, regardless of what you might think but helping some young person young person get through college is a worthwhile investment unlike this stupid 'piss-up'.

Hence the big F off fine, I don't feel sorry for either of these societies, it's hard enough going through college without being made feel like an arse for not having a bird or a fella. If these societies want act like arse-holes then that's fine, go ahead make my day, but there was no need for these posters.

shanegj

errlloyd wrote: »

Can someone clarify was it simply the name of the event, i.e the Virgin Ball?

they claim it wasn't so much the name of the event but the event itself and also that the posters were offensive too.

i do think they should be fined but not that much.

samsamson

I think they deserve to be fined.

In fairness, they're huge societies, and while they obviously have expenses they also get more money than any of the smaller societies. Topping up the SWF instead of letting them paste immature posters all over the place suits me fine.

Edit: Spelling mistakes.

pljudge321

Raphael wrote: »

Er.. most do. The big X&Y socs are a vocal minority. The majority of societies (i.e. the small and medium socs) are nothing like that.

Sorry, I was referring to the big societies which do most of th postering, didn't mean to offend the good work game soc, sci fi, maths soc et al do.

dajaffa

Have to say though I thought they deserved to be fined, I think €5000 is excessive, particularly in a year where sponsorship is way down for all societies. The posters were terrible, but in fairness they were all taken down the day they were put up and some consideration should have been given to that.

Chucky the tree

It's €2,500 each which really isn't that bad.

Gaeldor68

Well apparently I'm an impressional first year? and yet I don't even remember what the poster was. Does anyone have a copy or picture that they could stick up so I could see? or at least descibe it for me. I want to know what I can do to get me a €5,000 fine or worse.

Breezer

Gaeldor68 wrote: »

Well apparently I'm an impressional first year? and yet I don't even remember what the poster was. Does anyone have a copy or picture that they could stick up so I could see? or at least descibe it for me. I want to know what I can do to get me a €5,000 fine or worse.

+1 I'm curious. I didn't see them either and I'd love to know what was so offensive.

dyl10

Fatman Scoop allegedly cost Ents €6,000 and about 50 people took enjoyment from that.
This cost Arts Soc and B&L €2,500 each and hundreds of people will enjoy laughing at them.

Handsome Bob

Finally, now hopefully I won't have to read about one more society auditor smugly declaring his or her delight at the "free publicity" they've gotten from their controversial posters being taken down.

insert-gear

Was it just me that missed the poster? What was on it? Ridiculous fine.

mloc

In typical Irish fashion there are no clear guidelines on these things, it pretty much up to King Richard to hold court and hand out fines wherever he sees fit.

Does the Council have publicly viewable minutes? If not, why not?

The Agogo

I wonder what would have happened if the Observer had published the images... a massive fine for merely playing with the public's curiosity?

convert

I thought that guidelines had been laid down regarding posters? Or was that just to do with 'postering' - i.e. where posters could be put up?

And I think that they deserve to be fined. In fairness, €2,500 to those societies isn't all that much, considering the huge sponsorship they take in and the grant they get from the college.

RandomName2

Does this mean that the Engineers Screw Ball will be banned for promoting dangerous activity which might seriously damage student welfare (it's got screw in the title!)

The morality police are having a great time in UCD...

no mention of alcohol, sex, political activism, gambling, drugs... and the campus essentially closes at 10pm

Am I missing something here?

Is this a university?

Oh sorry- it's playschool.

That explains everything :pac:.

RandomName2

insert-gear wrote: »

Was it just me that missed the poster? What was on it? Ridiculous fine.

The title 'Virgin Ball' was part of the problem

The other was the fact that it had the tag line
'Lose your V plates' (like learner driver plates - for virgins)

I.e. it seemed to promote sex.

Hence 5,000 euro fine.

choppy

el siglo, your ''B&L and Arts Soc - tossers'' IS OFFENSIVE. how ironic. being an arts soc committe member id appreciate a retraction of that.
the reason its an unfair fine is
1) the poster was up for all of 2/3 hours max. basically no one saw it. we didnt put the event on. it was changed to a rave!
2) there is no legal precedent for this fine. it was a number plucked put of mid air. the 'intercourse' poster from law soc that week, was only fined 250 euro and that [poster (featuring a sexual image) wasnt taken down at all. there seems to be different rules for everyone.
3) nothing was set out intenionally, that is the most ridiculous staement i think any of us has ever heard. it, 'lose your v plates', was just mant to be a catchy slogan!! if people are stupid enough to be pressured into anything because of that well..i fear what they'll do in some social situations.
a lot of people here i believe dont have a clue about whats going on at all so unless you actually know what you're talking about...well you get the point.
if u knew anything about it, this a huge amount of money that we really can't afford.

dyl10

choppy wrote: »

el siglo, your ''B&L and Arts Soc - tossers'' IS OFFENSIVE. how ironic. being an arts soc committe member id appreciate a retraction of that.

Your society's attempt to pressure people into buying tickets, by so blatantly preying on the insecurities of their most sensitive attribute is at the very least, offensive.

33% God

RandomName2 wrote: »

The title 'Virgin Ball' was part of the problem

The other was the fact that it had the tag line
'Lose your V plates' (like learner driver plates - for virgins)

I.e. it seemed to promote sex.

Hence 5,000 euro fine.

It seems I have been transported back to the 1950s when sex was new and evil.

Breezer

33% God wrote: »

It seems I have been transported back to the 1950s when sex was new and evil.

Quick! Somebody get Gay Byrne to explain how it all works!

choppy

dyl1o, do u honestly think we have our committee meeting or whatever and go ah ye, well this week we're going to intentionally set out to make people feel insecure enough to buy our tickets? thats ignorant and naiive. and we do nothing of the sort. the whole idea from my pov is that it was a virgin ball as in for first years who ahd never been to a ucd event. just like our orientation tempatation for those who may not have been around in orientation week. it was for the first week of college.
I have no problem with people thinking we're tossers. feel free. yet i dont come on here and say exactly what I think of you? id love to come on here and bring out the slags but guess what, there's no need for it. in relation to whatever their name was that said it, grow up. I respect your opinion, i just think you're not looking at the whole side of it. we took it down. nobody had the chance to be offended. honestly how many ppl saw it? eff all.. we'd, now just speaking from my position in this, gladly pay a fairer fine to the tune of what lawsoc paid, a 5000 euro fine was a stupid amount. the main point, since apparently no one can accept we didnt set out intenionally to harm the college community or whatever is that its too much money for a society such as ourselves.
people enjoy themselves at these events we run and we intend to and will put them on for as long as we can as will the other society's despite what u think and that i think is the sweetest thing of all because we want to give people a good time!