watch out!

princess_calico

bob bobbing wrote: »

Self-righteous students......... do yourselves a favour and do something about these yobs around Maynooth.

You act all concerned but where is the student spirit!!

Online moaning ain't gonna make you any safer.

I seriously have to agree with bob bobbing!

You all give out about the SU, but what have you done? In case you forgot, the SU is run for students BY students. Tell us what you want us to do! Don't b*tch about it on an online forum. If you want to contact any of us, you can through the NUIMSU website, or else call into our offices. Myself (1st yr rep) Donnacha (post grad rep) and Eoin (communications & developments officer) are having a meeting today (even though it is our week off.....) so we can do something about this.
If you don't bring it to our attention, how are we meant to know that you want something done about it! There is only so much we can do! I'm working on my psychic, mind-reading skills but they're not working yet.

So before you start giving out about us, approach us and tell us what you want! We are all nice people, really!:)

rcaz

bob bobbing wrote: »

Self-righteous students......... do yourselves a favour and do something about these yobs around Maynooth.

You act all concerned but where is the student spirit!!

Online moaning ain't gonna make you any safer.

Edit; Nevermind

Tom Dunne

El Pr0n wrote: »

So what are your ideas?

Probably along the lines of

• lurk around Boards.ie to see who is having trouble
• contact a load of people, chances are some will bite, write it up with added spice (see LeixlipRed's post)
• when they don't bite, appear on thread to stir it up
• repeat

bob bobbing - your antics have not gone unnoticed.

LoLth

On one hand, at least bob bobbing is trying to talk to posters and not just lifting quotes from online fora and reprintign them as an "anonymous eye witness" , has happened before when P45.net started a fake story about irish backpackers going missing in Australia.

On the other, bob, please contribute to the community before trying to extract benefit. also, why do you not use your work address in the PM? @eircom.net doesnt inspire the greatest of confidence. Freelance? Invest in a domain name and a basic hosting plan, it adds an air of professionalism. I also think posting "self righteous students... get off your arse" (paraphrased) is possibly the wrong way to make a good impression on a forum populated by students only some of whom are actually self righteous I could easily say "lazy journalist. trawling an online forum isnt going to win you fame and respect among your peers. where's your journalistic spirit? go to maynooth and talk to the student body in person. Investigate and gather your sources."

What Princess calico says is right though. The SU are there to help. they are students, just like you but a bit freakier in their pseudo-political ambitions.... Debate on a forum is all well and good and can be very useful to compare opinions and formulate objectives etc but online is just that, online. it will have no effect in the real world (thats the space around your monitor) if you dont actually act on it. Please dont put down any organisations (SU, College etc) on any matters until you know for certain that your attempts to talk to them are being ignored.

r3nu4l

LoLth wrote: »

ahem... either 94/95 or 95/96 cant really remember....ahem.... and I'm not old! I'm just wiser than i look....honest....

I was an undergrad at that time in 'St Patrick's College Maynooth' as it was then, before it became Maynooth College and eventually NUI Maynooth

LoLth wrote: »

funnily enough it was never really an end of the night thing, it was usually about half way through before you got plastered. Myself and a few others used to gather near the entrance to the SU, introduce ourselves to security and then have a pint or two. once the lady was home safely you came back all happy that the job was done and got plastered and then went looking for a young lady to escort home....

Were you in one of the martial arts clubs? I remember a load of the lads from the clubs acted as 'bodyguards' walking girls home from the SU on bar-ex nights. Totally out of the goodness of their hearts of course, not because they wanted to get off with any of them...

So far as I remember a couple of girls had been raped by some scumbag and that's what prompted it all. Sad to hear all of this going on in Maynooth, the University is such a friendly place and the town used to be nice, haven't been back there in about 4 years.

Ostrom

LeixlipRed wrote: »

The Herald are reknowned for this sort of rubbish. They regularly print stories about the League of Ireland and the supposed "hooligan" (non-existant I might add) problem with message board posts taken verbatim from source. Shocking lack of integrity. But what do you expect?

Dont know if many noticed, I think it may have been deleted since.

One of the (supposed) red top hacks posted a re-reg 'thank you' in AH for the easy research sources. Better be careful unless we get a repeat O' Doherty

Check out Nick Davies hack watch on the guardian website

JBoyle4eva

Won't say who, but a male friend of mine was mugged last week on the very road I live on (Newtown Rd, the first right after Bond Bridge and it's on the way to Cluain Aiobhean and Rathcoffey village). Luckily, he stood in front of an approaching car and the mugger went off.

But I'm kinda worried to walk home at night, as I usually do walk alone if I've been out.

Ostrom

Could be time for some pikes and a sack of doorknobs

princess_calico

Today, Eoin (comm & dev officer), Donnacha (postgrad rep) and myself (1st yr rep) had a chat about the giving out on boards.ie...

We have drafted up an email that is going to get sent out to the student body next week about the attacks. For the information of anyone that is giving out about the SU not doing anything, I presume you didn't hear that the week after study week is devoted entirely to safety- mind, body and safe home.

There will be various different events running all week along the lines of those themes. If anyone had looked into it, they would have known that the SU is doing a lot of work focusing on the "Safe Home" campaign- rape alarms and torches for everyone!

I honestly urge anyone that has a problem to come and talk to us. We reeeeally are nice people and we are there for YOU as a student. We were voted to represent the student body and that is what we plan to do. Unlike the three sabbatical officers (president, vice president, comm & dev) the rest of us are all students still in the college. We have the same pressures that you do, with college, assignments, readings, and on top of that we also want to do our best to represent you.

If you go to the SU website (which is currently in the process of being renovated) you can find our contact details, or else, pop into the office. There is ALWAYS someone there. The sabbaticals are there all day, and one of the rest of us is usually in the exec office. We all have our own hours if you want to drop in for a chat or to talk about something more serious. Sometimes we are even there when we don't have to be!

So please, the next time you want to give out about us, or the work we are doing (or the work that we are not doing, that you think we should be doing! We are only human after all and might not have thought of it!) instead of giving out about us online, please tell us what we should be doing better...

Also, if you want to tell us that we're doing an ok job, that would also be appreciated!

Well that's my rant over.....:D:D:D:D:D

LoLth

though to be fair, if no-one posted online then they wouldnt know that others felt the same way or they might have thought "well, someone else will say something". at least by having it posted here it brings it inadvertantly (meh, second best is better than nothing) to your attention and gives you an opportunity to respond if you feel like it but yes, going to the SU directly should always be the first course of action... then come here and tell us what they said!

princess_calico

LoLth wrote: »

though to be fair, if no-one posted online then they wouldnt know that others felt the same way or they might have thought "well, someone else will say something". at least by having it posted here it brings it inadvertantly (meh, second best is better than nothing) to your attention and gives you an opportunity to respond if you feel like it but yes, going to the SU directly should always be the first course of action... then come here and tell us what they said!

in a weird way what u said makes sense... even though it shouldn't..... but at least give us a chance!

banquo

I agree with Princess_Calico that this year's SU are a fine bunch of people. And a campaign is a good idea.

However. I'm little involved in the SU this year, and would count everyone I've met as a friend. But friends are honest with each other.

It's not that hard to put on the front page of the website - Nuimsu or nuim.ie - ''Attention: attacks in [area] in recent days. Students urged to be on their guard and to not walk home alone''. If a bunch of lads are bashing people over the heads on their way home, and you know about it but ignore the opportunity to tell me about it, then a fat load of good you are to me in your office!

''Help, I've been stabbed!''
''No worries, there's a Neighbourhood Watch meeting next week''
''Ah right, sound. Cheers!''

princess_calico wrote:

You all give out about the SU, but what have you done? In case you forgot, the SU is run for students BY students. Tell us what you want us to do! Don't b*tch about it on an online forum.

It's a good point! In my own personal defence:D, I ran for VP Comms last year and lost. There's a lot of room for people to get involved. But I do think that it's important to discuss these things here. Seriously, would you have had that meeting today to talk about this had people here not been bitchin' about it?

princess_calico

It's not that hard to put on the front page of the website - Nuimsu or nuim.ie - ''Attention: attacks in [area] in recent days. Students urged to be on their guard and to not walk home alone''. If a bunch of lads are bashing people over the heads on their way home, and you know about it but ignore the opportunity to tell me about it, then a fat load of good you are to me in your office!

But that's the thing! We ARE doing something about it! next week is entirely devoted to safety and promoting the safe home thing.

The reason nothing has been done this week is that no one is around. We cannot send emails from any of our email addresses because it has to go through the president and on to someone else to send it. Most of the exec, like most students are busy studying this week. We want to do our best but the reason there were only three of us at the emergency meeting today was that everyone else is at home.

We're not ignoring the opportunity to tell you about it, WE ARE DEVOTING A FULL WEEK TO IT!

banquo

Okay, okay! I'll give you that! Was this not planned at the start of the year like all other campaigns though? I'm just saying, a but of news on the front page of the website would have been sufficient. But it's bigger than that: it's obvious that when something like this comes along we can't rely on any official body to get the warning to us quickly. Thank God for boards!

PS check your facebook messages

funky penguin

I can see where Princess C is coming from. Its incredibly annoying to see people belittle the work you believe in from behind their computer. (I would however, like to point out that this was not really done on this thread).

All I can really say is, welcome to politics and bureaucracy.....:(

But you seem very enthusiastic, and that goes along way in college politics.

What I will say is this: Don't fall into the trap of thinking internet forums don't produce anything but opinionated drivel.

Look at the communities this website has set up, big and small (from the drama, to our own little clique). If ONE person is more cautious on their walk home because of this thread, all the better!

Good luck in your SU career, I'm sure we'll be seeing a lot of you! Its always great to have enthusiastic people like you and Rob on campus.

banquo

If I've learned one thing on this forum, it's this: Funky is usually right.

funky penguin

Oh banquo you sultry minx.

allandanyways

funky penguin wrote: »

If ONE person is more cautious on their walk home because of this thread, all the better!

I am anyway. I'm a bit dopey and wouldn't think anything of walking up to the bus stop from the library at 10oc (I'm an independent woman and all that) in the pitch black but I wouldn't have heard about all this unless it was for this thread. I've made a conscious effort to either go home earlier when there's more people about or get my boyfriend/mates/people I know staying late aswell to walk up with me, just to be on the safe side.

Seriously can't believe this is happening in Maynooth though. Obviously nowhere is crime free but you just never think that you're gonna get mugged in Maynooth of all places, where you know so many people to see and all that. Hope they catch whoever's doing it ASAP.

Princess calico, any chance you could have a word with security about the lack of lighting on campus? When the evenings are getting dark at 5pm now and the path up by education house isn't lit at all and you have to walk up onto the path beside the road, it's a bit nervewracking because a) There's hardly any cars on that road after 10oc and b) I know a 17y.o who was grabbed by a passing car whilst she was walking along a path bordering a main road like the one we have, so I'm always nervous walking along there on my own in the dark.

banquo

I've heard that the college, at security's own behest, are making a lot of changes. Short on specifics though.

Xxhaylsxx

For some strange reason i feel totally safe walking home to moyglare which is prob totally the wrong attitude to have! So im being careful.

banquo

Across the field to the shortcut to moyglare abbey = home safe!

Xxhaylsxx

I dont use the shortcut i live in moyglare village

banquo

LeixlipRed wrote: »

They've treathened to bring back Comic Sans too!! Monsters!!"

Monsters indeed.

~me~

i just wanna point out that most people on here werent giving out purely about the lack of e-mails or contact from the SU, i think it was the fact they found out on here and not through the SU, when it seems the college had heard about it and not done something about it themselves.
they couldnt have told the SU to do anything about it cause they didnt know in the first place and thats why they're angry, not that nothing has been done now. that doesnt make sense on the screen but it does in my head!

also, a safety week isnt the same thing as warning people about a specific threat. we're used to hearing 'walk safely, blah blah blah' but if we're told 'theres a group of people actually attcking students' i think people are more likely to listen. i dont mean that in a negative way, and i know its not the only thing ye are doing, but im just saying a general safety week is not the same as a specific warning against a specific threat, if that makes sense?

that came accross as a rant- it really wasnt!

on a side note its great that ye are looking after us on your study week so thanks!

bob bobbing

To all,

Apologies if you thought my advances were unprofessional. I'm a long term member of boards and a Kildare man and I shared your concern. I didn't want to demonise NUI or maynooth.

I strongly dismiss the claims made against our "rag". We're not a tabloid, and i would only pursue a story if I was approached by a worried student or member of faculty.

If you feel that the SU is the best means of making things safer then best of luck and no hard feelings.

I'll leave you to it (integrity intact)

Ostrom

bob bobbing wrote: »

To all,

Apologies if you thought my advances were unprofessional. I'm a long term member of boards and a Kildare man and I shared your concern. I didn't want to demonise NUI or maynooth.

I strongly dismiss the claims made against our "rag". We're not a tabloid, and i would only pursue a story if I was approached by a worried student or member of faculty.

If you feel that the SU is the best means of making things safer then best of luck and no hard feelings.

I'll leave you to it (integrity intact)

The reason many boards users are sceptical of journalists stems from a long history of quote-pilfering and 'research' under the guise of interested users. You are very much in the minority (and I'm sure the proportion of journalists inclined to conduct 'research' on an internet forum, such as those who have done so before, are hardly representative of the overall community) and your response is appreciated.

General question to the board - how visible are these attacks or groups? I walk home late many nights of the week, have lived all over the area the past six years and have yet to see any aggressive or threatening behaviour (I took both the canal route and the greenfield short cut up until last year).

Has anyone directly been threatened?

banquo

A few people, but it's all through the grapevine. Don't fancy counting on chinese whispers for personal safety tbh.

Seem to have died away, also.

LeixlipRed

bob bobbing wrote: »

I strongly dismiss the claims made against our "rag". We're not a tabloid, and i would only pursue a story if I was approached by a worried student or member of faculty.

Who do you think your audience is here? Your paper is absolutely a tabloid and you indulge in absolute gutter journalism that you hide behind a different layout and nicer typeset than traditional red tops.

bob bobbing wrote: »

I'll leave you to it (integrity intact)

I feel sorry for you if you believe that is true.

LeixlipRed

I felt like popping onto the Herald website to have a look see thinking Brian Lenihan's comments about public sector pay might be your top story seeing as your paper claims to represent the working classes in dublin. The top stories in order are

-No pressure on Boyzone insists Louis Walsh
-Win tickets to some rugby game
-Dannii Minogue stripped for playboy to clear debts

And most hilariously in the next paragraph under the sub heading "City News" is this story

-I was addicted to Crystal Meth says tennis superstar Andre Aggasi

Which City is that news related to? LOL

banquo

Though I don't like jumping up and down on people who are just doing their job, there are some things that need to be cleared up:

bob bobbing wrote: »

I'm a long term member of boards.

Join date: September 2009. My hole, sir.
[/quote]

bob bobbing wrote: »

We're not a tabloid

Yes, you are. There's nothing wrong with being a tabloid - tabloid and broadsheets serve different purposes, the market needs both - but at least own up to it. You use a sans serif font for the title. The double-storey lowercase 'a', plain 'l', and the shape of the uppercase 'G' suggest Franklin Gothic, which puts it in the same stylistic catagorey as The Sun, etc.

No lies, please.

Effluo

I was suprised and disappointed by calico's offence to the comments people made about the SU.

All that was said was "The college should warn people about the bad areas, tell them the attacks that have gone on and black spot the places where the crimes/assaults have occurred"

How can you not see the good in that we're talking about it? This is something which the students that you represent believe should have been done.

IMO The SU and College bodies should monitor this forum as it is the only general chat college forum that's alive.
It's very wrong to criticise us because we were "Bitchin about it on an online forum" and you don't need to "work on your psychic skills" because everyone on this forum(which are the people the SU are supposed to represent) think that more should have been done and has a clear opinion on what needs to be done! (all ye need to do is write a friggin email)

While my Inbox is still lacking a "Warning about Assaults", it still has one of how some students have been unruly!!!

That is a fact and another fact is that "masherella88" and boards.ie to this date, have done more than the SU to reach students telling them about the dangers of certain areas(over 2.5k views) and that attacks are happening on a regular basis around maynooth! Which is not a good thing for the College and their representatives.

~me~

Effluo, i envy your ability to put your thoughts into words!
you hit the nail on the head!

Effluo

~me~ wrote: »

Effluo, i envy your ability to put your thoughts into words!
you hit the nail on the head!

That got me a C in the Leaving Cert lol

Cheers anyway

funky penguin

As a side note, I always start singing the theme tune to "Beadles About" when I see this thread's title.

LoLth

just a slight moderation note: this thread is for discussing the attacks etc lets try to get back on track please

if that topic has been exhausted then let the thread float away happily.

thanks

LoLth

K4t

LoLth wrote: »

just a slight moderation note: this thread is for discussing the attacks etc lets try to get back on track please

if that topic has been exhausted then let the thread float away happily.

thanks

LoLth

I don't think it will be exhausted until the attacks stop!

banquo

Will someone please think of the children?

terribletim

princess_calico wrote: »

Today, Eoin (comm & dev officer), Donnacha (postgrad rep) and myself (1st yr rep) had a chat about the giving out on boards.ie...

We have drafted up an email that is going to get sent out to the student body next week about the attacks. For the information of anyone that is giving out about the SU not doing anything, I presume you didn't hear that the week after study week is devoted entirely to safety- mind, body and safe home.

There will be various different events running all week along the lines of those themes. If anyone had looked into it, they would have known that the SU is doing a lot of work focusing on the "Safe Home" campaign- rape alarms and torches for everyone!

I honestly urge anyone that has a problem to come and talk to us. We reeeeally are nice people and we are there for YOU as a student. We were voted to represent the student body and that is what we plan to do. Unlike the three sabbatical officers (president, vice president, comm & dev) the rest of us are all students still in the college. We have the same pressures that you do, with college, assignments, readings, and on top of that we also want to do our best to represent you.

If you go to the SU website (which is currently in the process of being renovated) you can find our contact details, or else, pop into the office. There is ALWAYS someone there. The sabbaticals are there all day, and one of the rest of us is usually in the exec office. We all have our own hours if you want to drop in for a chat or to talk about something more serious. Sometimes we are even there when we don't have to be!

So please, the next time you want to give out about us, or the work we are doing (or the work that we are not doing, that you think we should be doing! We are only human after all and might not have thought of it!) instead of giving out about us online, please tell us what we should be doing better...

Also, if you want to tell us that we're doing an ok job, that would also be appreciated!

Well that's my rant over.....:D:D:D:D:D

Christ, what suggestions have you put forth to the committee to deal with the on going... blah blah blah.

Seriously, what are you going to do? Give everyone florescent orange vests to wear when they walk home?

It's obvious who the problem is and where they come from and we need a wall. Over in Galway the SU managed to get free math tutors up and running, all you have to do is build a bloody wall.

Get going on that wall.

K4t

terribletim wrote: »

It's obvious who the problem is and where they come from and we need a wall. Over in Galway the SU managed to get free math tutors up and running, all you have to do is build a bloody wall.

Get going on that wall.

Ya wha?

LeixlipRed

I support the wall too. Wall in the scoundrels!! Wall in the scoundrels!! *chants and boogeys around bedroom*

TouchingVirus

terribletim wrote: »

Christ, what suggestions have you put forth to the committee to deal with the on going... blah blah blah.

Seriously, what are you going to do? Give everyone florescent orange vests to wear when they walk home?

It's obvious who the problem is and where they come from and we need a wall. Over in Galway the SU managed to get free math tutors up and running, all you have to do is build a bloody wall.

Get going on that wall.

What. The. F?

*coming closer to the topic*

An issue was raised, albeit indirectly, but the SU noticed it. I mean you got the votes based on your ability, but now you're on here complaining that boardsies were "bitching" about inaction and what you basically said was "Shut up, unless you've got a plan" which is the wrong attitude altogether - a problem without a suggested solution is still a problem. And the SU exec were rather fond of spamming the **** out of my inbox with events news not so long ago so I'm sure a little phonecall to the gardai to confirm these attacks are happening and composing mail to the allstudents list won't tax anybody too much.


*and to the topic...*

I heard about JBoyle4Eva's friend's incident myself only last night - shocked! In my time in Maynooth I'd heard about avoiding the canal and Old Greenfield but screwdrivers and stabbings is a bit much. The only time I actually saw any proper badness (aside from Bar fights ) was out at Maxol on the Straffan Road, a group of scummers had decided to have a fight behind the screen of the carwash - about 10 of them watching their friend beat the holy moly out of some other normal-looking guy. Horrible to watch the f*cking babarians go at it, so I called the Gards and they were down in less than a minute

masherella88

at last! SU sent out an email today!

so let's all calm down now!

it's the people that are mugging and attacking our friends and students of NUIM that we should be against, not the SU or each other. so let's all be lovely to each other now

mickstupp

Ah, I just read the mail. I didn't initially realise there was anything there about the subject. I understand now that proposed parking plans (for one thing) are more important than student safety.

princess_calico wrote: »

We ARE doing something about it! next week is entirely devoted to safety and promoting the safe home thing.

We're not ignoring the opportunity to tell you about it, WE ARE DEVOTING A FULL WEEK TO IT!

I missed this. Maybe it's because I'm blind (the most likely option), maybe it's because I spend all my time in the arts block, JH and the library, maybe all the stuff was in the student's union which I never get to. Maybe the safety guys were hidden between two of the volunteer groups, or possibly behind some posters courtesy of those really deeply annoying poster sellers.* Maybe there's no more attacks and the entire problem has been dealt with, which might explain why the subject of student safety doesn't rate its own mail, let alone a position higher than who's got a parking space. I really hope the whole safety week thing wasn't summed up with those little stay safe pages at the civil marriage for everyone petition (an excellent cause by the way, I tried to get as many classmates as possible to sign, but you guys are too nice, you should shout out loud a few times).

Please tell me I'm completely wrong all over the place and being a total idiot-hole, and that I missed all the good stuff and thought stupidly that that pathetic email was the extent of the warning / advice regarding safety. Please. What am I missing? This really can't be the case, surely? Is it next week is the safety week? I thought it was this week after the message from last week saying next week meaning this week just gone. I would like to be completely wrong, please tell me I'm wrong.

Am I going to the wrong place if I type in www.nuimsu.com? That place doesn't look like it's been updated in yonks. A great many yonks.



*(I mean it's not as if there's a problem finding somewhere to sit or anything, why can't they sell that stuff in the SU?)

windo

To clarify,

what went on last week was a keep safe week dealing with mental and physical health and keeping safe. each of these topics had a seperate day, with keeping safe day being on Thursday. In direct response to the attacks and possibly to the comments on this forum (as I don't see it written anywhere here about how any of you have called into the union offices) there were sef defence classes given , in the middle of the day so as to suit commuters aswell, complety free of charge. They were advertised by the promo team as well as being advertised on facebook (a medium your time may be better served paying attention to than boards.ie) and out of a potential 7000 + worried students crying out for help in keeping safe a total of ZERO students turned up.

What Maynooth is experiencing is a crime problem. It has gone beyond student driven anti social behaviour. The gardai would be far more instrumental in trying to remedy the situation. You seem far more keen on bitching amongst yourselves about the situation and what you believe to be the Students' Union's lack of response and not actually trying to do anything about it. If you feel you have a constructive comment to make, or you want to air your grievances why not go directly to the Union and try to sort things out? Do you think you can be cyber heroes? I personally cannot see how this thread has done anything to help the past or future victims of attack or assault.

I am not under the impression that my comments here, no matter how sensible they are (what with them proposing that if you think the Union is the root of the problem, go to them Union reps and speak to them about it), will make any difference to a set of cyber junkies set on whinging about a problem until someone else shows the initiative and solves it. If you want to complain about the union, and you are actually students, it is your own apathy and lack of effort you are commenting on. If it is the union reps you have an issue with (as I believe it is) go talk to them. By nature they are reps, meaning a representative. They will do what you want them to, that is what they were elected for. Disappointingly enough they do not seem to be psychic yet, so you may antually have to log off, leave your house and go see them. If you attend college it shouldn't be that big a deal, especially when you all seem so passionate about student welbeing. They work in the Students' Union, and can be found there everyday from 9.30 til 5 I believe.

Another theory is that you just want another thing to complain about? I'm sure if ye are in college ye must be of at least average intelligence, and understand how representation works. If you actually wanted this situation resolved, I'm sure you all knew this was not the appropriate medium to do it in. . .

. . .fond of having something to complain about maybe?????

obviously this comment is not aimed at everyone on this forum, what with there being quite a few actually constructive comments made, but if those at whom this is actually aimed could take note and act accordingly that would be wonderful

hypersquirrel

windo wrote: »

To clarify,

what went on last week was a keep safe week dealing with mental and physical health and keeping safe. each of these topics had a seperate day, with keeping safe day being on Thursday. In direct response to the attacks and possibly to the comments on this forum (as I don't see it written anywhere here about how any of you have called into the union offices) there were sef defence classes given , in the middle of the day so as to suit commuters aswell, complety free of charge. They were advertised by the promo team as well as being advertised on facebook (a medium your time may be better served paying attention to than boards.ie) and out of a potential 7000 + worried students crying out for help in keeping safe a total of ZERO students turned up.

What Maynooth is experiencing is a crime problem. It has gone beyond student driven anti social behaviour. The gardai would be far more instrumental in trying to remedy the situation. You seem far more keen on bitching amongst yourselves about the situation and what you believe to be the Students' Union's lack of response and not actually trying to do anything about it. If you feel you have a constructive comment to make, or you want to air your grievances why not go directly to the Union and try to sort things out? Do you think you can be cyber heroes? I personally cannot see how this thread has done anything to help the past or future victims of attack or assault.

I am not under the impression that my comments here, no matter how sensible they are (what with them proposing that if you think the Union is the root of the problem, go to them Union reps and speak to them about it), will make any difference to a set of cyber junkies set on whinging about a problem until someone else shows the initiative and solves it. If you want to complain about the union, and you are actually students, it is your own apathy and lack of effort you are commenting on. If it is the union reps you have an issue with (as I believe it is) go talk to them. By nature they are reps, meaning a representative. They will do what you want them to, that is what they were elected for. Disappointingly enough they do not seem to be psychic yet, so you may antually have to log off, leave your house and go see them. If you attend college it shouldn't be that big a deal, especially when you all seem so passionate about student welbeing. They work in the Students' Union, and can be found there everyday from 9.30 til 5 I believe.

Another theory is that you just want another thing to complain about? I'm sure if ye are in college ye must be of at least average intelligence, and understand how representation works. If you actually wanted this situation resolved, I'm sure you all knew this was not the appropriate medium to do it in. . .

. . .fond of having something to complain about maybe?????

obviously this comment is not aimed at everyone on this forum, what with there being quite a few actually constructive comments made, but if those at whom this is actually aimed could take note and act accordingly that would be wonderful

Well now I have to say I have never had any problem with union reps but if you are a union rep then I now do. Putting a smilie at the end of the post does not make it any less derogatory and generally incorrect.

I find it hilarious that you call the people on boards "a bunch of cyber junkies" and then tell them all that they should have been on facebook to get the safety messages.

No students showed up to self defence. Did it even factor that maybe your promo team is not enough to get the message across. I am a postgraduate student and as with many other postgrads (and I'm sure many undergraduates as well) we are not on campus every day and when we do come in we come in to do our work and most likely will not stumble across the SU promotions teams. I never heard anything about self defence classes and you are saying that that is my fault because when I'm in college I'm actually doing my work rather than sitting on facebook or hunting down promos? And then there is the matter of students who have all their lectures in the evenings like I did last year. They wouldn't bump into the promos either.

You are saying that this thread has done nothing to protect students and stop the crime. I would put it to you that were it not for this thread I would never have heard of this and would not be taking the precautions I now am. This thread has done more for me than the union's dedicated week. I congratulate the "cyber hereos" on boards.

What really puzzles me is how you give out to the students for not going to the union with their concerns and in the same breath turn around and say "the Gardai would be far more instrumental in trying to remedy the situation". Sorry but I don't think anybody here is expecting the SU to go out and try and catch these people, all we want is a little warning.

I have a lot of time for the union and I understand the strains and limits that they have to cope with but to assume that facebook is enough to get the message spread to the entire student population is woeful.

Harpie

I for one, knew only vaguely that a 'Safety Week' was taking place, and only because I saw it mentioned on here. I'm also a postgrad who is never near the SU or the Arts block, which appear to be the only places that any kind of activity takes place.

The only reason I knew about the recent spate of attacks was because of this thread also. I'm sure Windo's point that any concerns should have been directed immediately to the SU reps would hold some ground if they weren't delivered in such a patronising manner. The SU however, should make it their business to liaise with local Gardaí on matters such as this on a REGULAR BASIS, not just when incidents occur. As such, the SU should be the first to know, and actually IMPART INFORMATION to the student body, rather than letting things spread by word of mouth.

In summation, the SU needs be more active in itself, rather than relying on students for information on such important matters. And also, windo is a patronising git.

/rant. For now.

windo

The negative comments about cyber junkies who just bitch and complain throughout were aimed at exactly that - cyber junkies who bitch and complain. It was aimed at those who have not been using this forum in the manner in which you seem to be using it - as a warning. Instead they seem to see it as a medium through which they can complain without being contradicted about a union in which they are members yet have done nothing physically to contribute to the general student welbeing that they seem to care so much about. Yes there are many people on this forum who do seem to care, and I make no effort to take away from that. The issue I have is with people who use this medium to effectively blame an institution in which they have the potential to be very active members in but aren't for a crime problem that the same union are running campaigns and classes so as to make the student body aware of the problems that they may face.
I am not a member of the su executive, nor would I want to be when no matter what efforts they make off their own bat (since all of Maynooth's forward thinkers seem to be keeping their ideas on boards) no one recognises their efforts. If all of their work was done online, those who were less computer competant would be left out - do they deserve to be victimised? if their stuff was all done in the evenings to accomodate late night studiers then daytime students would be left out - do they deserve to be victimised? Just because your timetable did not allow for your participation in s.u. run events does not mean that they were not run. Boards.ie is not a recognised N.U.I.M. medium for communication. If the s.u. exec were meant to look to every non recognised N.U.I.M. medium for scraps of good ideas and ample amounts of complaints how much do you think would get done? If you have a problem and want it sorted go to the source. If you want to contact the union reps but you aren't in during the day I'm sure they have emails and quite probably phone numbers.

~me~

windo, your post has probably put off anybody that was going to call into the SU, because i know after reading it I for one thought 'how patronising and insulting was that'. If you're a rep yourself that was highly disappointing. and the fact you joined boards purely for that post instead of doing something constructive like you're telling us to do- speaks for itself tbh.

people were giving out about the medium through which they found out- i.e. it was your job to tell us if you knew about it, we dont expect the SU to resolve the issue, just make us aware- which i think is a reasonable request. which wasnt met.
I sent a text around telling my friends to be aware and to tell others too. not one of them knew about it prior to that text.

as for the safety week, i kept an eye out for any promos etc. on campus and did not see one thing about a safety week or safety classes on campus. i did not get a safety pack or whatever it was the other girl said there would be.

I understand the need to urge srtudents to keep in contact with the SU but doing it by calling them cyber junkies is not the way to go! and on that note- i dont use facebook- i do however know that most of my friends in college use boards so i dont think a rep from the SU saying 'you should have checked facebook' is fair either.

people werent giving out about the SU, they were just commenting on the lack of warning from them and the college.

if we werent told on boards then we would not have been able to notify the SU about anything in the first place- we wouldnt have known about the attacks, thats why people were disappointed, that if they hadnt've been told on here who knows when they would have been.

there was no need to be so derogatory in your post and i think by doing so you've done the opposite to what you set out to do.
also, you're telling us to come in and talk to the SU- now its all common knowledge, surely you dont need us all going into you and telling you about the attacks????
to use your own phrase- "ye must be of at least average intelligence" and be able to figure out what needs to be done with regards to the issue, you dont need every member of boards going in to tell you there needs to be some awareness.

apologies for the rant, i think the SU on the whole do a great job, i just found your post to be rude and in no way more productive than any of the others- especially after preaching the art of 'representation'. :mad:

hypersquirrel

windo wrote: »

If all of their work was done online, those who were less computer competant would be left out - do they deserve to be victimised? if their stuff was all done in the evenings to accomodate late night studiers then daytime students would be left out - do they deserve to be victimised? Just because your timetable did not allow for your participation in s.u. run events does not mean that they were not run. Boards.ie is not a recognised N.U.I.M. medium for communication. If the s.u. exec were meant to look to every non recognised N.U.I.M. medium for scraps of good ideas and ample amounts of complaints how much do you think would get done? If you have a problem and want it sorted go to the source. If you want to contact the union reps but you aren't in during the day I'm sure they have emails and quite probably phone numbers.

I'm sorry but where on earth did I say they should just accomodate evening students or that everything should be done online. In fact that is the opposite of what I was saying. However they should have them around later on AS WELL. I'm sure there are union people that are still around in the evenings and could do that. Seeing as you are so keen on the idea of victimisation. Why should evening students be victimised? The SU should represent all students regardless of their timetable.

I also never said that the SU should go looking at every non recognised NUIM medium. You however are telling people they should be looking at facebook. Sorry but I didn't realise facebook was a union website.

I'm sorry but you are being incredibly hypocritical.

windo

firstly, I'll reiterate the point that I am in no way associated with the union, I'm just a student who actually has his eyes open when around the college. It also leaves me complety free to comment in whatever manner I want on this website since I, like 99% of the people on this site, are not reps.

Yes it was derogatory, but you have said next to nothing good about the union. A union you are members of and therefore have as much of an obligation as everyone else has to participate. If you want something done, do it or say it to a rep through a recognised manner.

Facebook was mentioned as an example of a non college medium that they use, boards is not. If you want to make people aware through boards.ie then go ahead, I'm sure you'll do a great job, but if you want to affect actual change on a large scale then go to the union and discuss a feasable manner through which you can all do it.

No where did anybody say that they should accomodate evening students or every other student online. Just because you didn't see anything done last week doesn't mean it didn't happen is the point im making. If you want to do something to affect a specific group then go talk to the union reps about how to do this.

Yes I did just sign up to comment on this forum, why - because no-one seems to have actually thought about going out and doing something about this problem that everyone is so fired up about. The union is your medium, not boards, use the union instead of criticising.

May i also point out that these attacks affected real people. While some may have found it useful to know where exactly they happened, when they happened, who was involved etc. there are gardai investigations going on, there are real people who are still trying to deal with what has just happened to them and there are residents who live in these areas. A certain amount of sensitivity needs to be used when dealing with this topic. If the union had said person X was assaulted in X manner on X street at X time can you think how the people involved, the people living in those areas - not to mention the gardai would react to that information being let out? Do you think they would be so free with information afterwards?