UCC students - encouraged to get drunk?

PhatPiggins

samf wrote: »

Ok well apologies if you werent blaming the SU, though you did say mention the gorbys flyering being part of the problem. I fully admit this is a problem but its one we're aware of and are trying to do our best to counter, through meeting the university (currently making the alcohol policy more strict in fact), and setting up alcohol altenative events. Rebecca im sure would love to join this debate but the poor girl is up to her eyes at the moment running Finance month but she is also conscious of the problem and will be holding an alcohol awareness campaign soon as I already mentioned.

And yes its true you shouldnt have to put up with people knocking your bins and banging on the library window (actually this was mentioned at a recent SU meeting and we willl be taking action to stop drunk people from the old bar doing this) and getting sick on your front door, but this seriously is a huge social problem and its about changing peoples attitude, and thats something we're trying to achieve. As I said any sugegstions would be great but at the moment please appreciate we're doing the best we can.

Could I suggest that you contact UCC security to see if they'd consider having someone outside the Old bar at closing directing people off campus via the barrier gates on College road. That way they wont be able to cross campus and pass the library. Remove the possibilty of temptation and all that. If not maybe they could just have someone walking around the Boole entrance at closing time?

Its the flashing that bugs me more then the banging. Though we did have two girls flashing after a trad concert last year

deisedude

Eliot Rosewater wrote: »

BACK ON TOPIC, I would like to apologize to you desisedude because clearly I didnt make my point well enough and I will now try and do so, especially as you seem to be willing to actually engage in productive discussion (which I appreciate).

Basically, what PhatPiggins said. When promoting class partys and SU parties, cheap drink (especially of the concentrated kind) seems to be the center piece. I have received a few emails about parties in the Bailey and nearly all of them have mentioned jelly shots. This, in my opinion, is promoting drunkenness because shots are primarily used as a vehicle to get drunk. This promotes a certain culture.

Now Im very liberal and I believe people should be allowed get as wasted as they want. Freedom to be yourself, etc. However theres a difference between being passive and indirectly/directly promoting something. And by accepting money of off Gorbys etal, the SU Events wing becomes effectively a promotion for getting drunk. What do you think? I realize youve never been promoted but from my own anecdotal evidence it appears everything eventually boils down to "cheap shots."

No apology necessary. I would like to make clear the distinction between events a class rep organises and an event the SU organises. The SU isnt responsible for babysitting over what a class rep organises. If you are uncomfortable with what the emails say then maybe you should talk to the class rep about it, after all the point of their job is to liase with the students about their concerns.

To answer your question, Samf has said there is no mention of alcohol on the flyers (I'll take his word for it because i just chuck them in the nearest bin!). You can go to Gorbys and drink minerals or even tapwater for the night if you so wish. The SU is perfectly entitled to take Gorbys money once they ensure Gorbys advertise responsibly which they do.

Hypothetically speaking if the SU received money from a fast food outlet like McDonalds and all the flyers handed out in college made no reference to cheap greasy food would the SU then be castigated for promoting an unhealthy lifestyle? Personally i don't think such a scenario would be seen to be as big an issue.

thebigcheese22

Eliot Rosewater wrote: »

Apparently not. I have contributed here (UCC forum) twice, first time to argue that printing fees were justified[/QUOTE]

No you didn't. I agree that printing fees are justified. You just disagreed with the method I proposed, which is obviously easier for students - basically, the semantics. Also you believed that the cutbacks aren't affecting students but they obviously are.

On this thread an aggressive post that didnt really argue anything but just seemed to be a method by which the poster could flex his borderline abuse was thanked by no less than five people:

Hardly eloquent. Yet seemingly this is the kind of post 5 people think to be worthy of a thanks. That is why I think minority-opinion bashing is a culture here. I think its a terrible attitude for anyone to have.

Wow taking quotes out of context, well done! If you read the whole post you will see what arguments I was making. Quoting selective bits doesn't do anyone any favours (especially yourself)

BACK ON TOPIC,

Good stuff!!!

Charlie 22

Nova_era wrote: »

The chaplaincy is one of, if not the only, group who don't feel the need to cap off every meeting with a round of jagermeisters.

I think this statement is the root of the op's objections fine if you feel that the student population is out of control with drinking etc. BUT please do not feel you have to change the world or force your beliefs on others.

You might like a bible in one hand and a sword in the other approach but I'd prefer a pint in both hands if I'm not doing harm to anyone else where is the problem? By the way not all of the student population drinks themselves silly i have a few drinks, i go out, i have fun without falling all over the place or starting fights. Tarring everyone with the same brush is not a sound basis for an argument so please don't judge so fast

liberal

Nova_era wrote: »

This is something which has annoyed me since, quite literally, day one of college.

On our first induction day, we were informed about some stupid protest march, which we were ensured would culminate in a "piss-up anyway!".

The UCC Students Union may as well be major shareholders in Gorbys nightclub, and the Bailey etc, as they direct students to spend their Monday evenings/grants/mommy + daddy money in these places. Gorbys, and on their behalf many societies/clubs promote €2 shots of vodka. Since when do people sit down and sip a shot of vodka? They don't. The key emphasis here is to get as drunk as possible.

I'm not in UCC to drink. I'm bloody there to get an education. Yeah sure, social life is an important part of University life, but surely promoting various "nights out" a week is going against the grain of University life? Aren't students meant to be broke? Shouldn't the SU actually for once give some thought to the students who actually are struggling their way through college, and can't afford to spend money getting drunk and going to fast food outlets on random weeknights?

The fact that now a student has actually gone missing has woken me up to post this thread; I'm ****ing sick of this emphasis on drinking which seems to plague my university. I'm surprised that such a tragedy has taken so long to occur, as with the amount of people who fall out of Gorbys and other nightclubs each night drunk, encouraged by college life, we're lucky it's not a regular occurance.

Is anyone else irked by the emphasis placed on drinking in UCC? Is UCC really that dull, that getting drunk needs to be given such precidence?

I'm in the process of drafting an official complaint to the NUI, as this idiocy, predominantly fostered by our respective student unions, is bringing down our universities.

I strongly agree with you, I helped with the DJ society last year when we tried to organise a Thursday night in a different club (not gorbys) the SU made it very hard for us, we promoted music not drinking and the venue was not selling cheap vodka

Im in 4th year now, in 1-3rd year I drank like a fish, did poorly in exams/practicals, scraped by in everything, now this year im not drinking much and im kicking ass at college

It's not just the Universities though, the Vintners Federation are a bad bunch and are very influencial in the Dáil, sure it was them that got the offies closed at 10! Bar owners are intrinsically greedy people it's in there nature, it's feast for famine, when there feasting they take customers for all they can get

For more information on the Vinters Association do some research and see if your local TD's family own a pub

blow69

You may or may not know that UCC has an alcohol policy which is enforced, and disallows any mention of alcohol in any form on campus.

Really? So what would happen if students were "caught" talking about where they were last night and how much they had to drink.

You may notice flyers for gorbys given out on campus have no mention of drink prices, no posters for any SU event, club or society night have no mention of alcohol or even pictures of drink because its simply not allowed.

So the people handing out the flyers saying "2Euro vodkas in Gorbys tonight lads" is allowed? And so what if the prices aren't on the flyers. People aren't stupid. It's well known how cheap it is.


I'd like to state that I do enjoy going out. Thoroughly. I really love going out with a group of friends having a good few drinks(sometimes a lot:D) and having a great time. I just don't get some people's mentality when they think it's great to go out and get absolutely ****faced and cause trouble and carnage. Btw this part has nothing to do with the college. I was just referring to the part about the Irish culture thing.

And I don't think the SU's union is at fault at all. It's the whole college in general e.g the free alcohol at certain events.

Also whenever a class party is organised, where do they go? Drinking. Now I know this is what the majority of people want to do, but could they not go bowling or something 1 out every 4 times. Or what about paintballing during the day. A lot of fun to be had there.

And I really hope that missing student is found. I don't know if alcohol is a factor but it's tragic if it is and it unfortunately will not change people's perspective about sensible alcohol consumption. And didn't another person drown trying to junp on to some lifeboat in the river after a night out a couple of months back.

brazilicious

(with respect to the OP and all in agreement with them as i do see your point.)

fair enough its a big part of the culture here,

but,

nobody is putting pressure on us to drink.

nobody is holding us down pouring wally's hut down our necks.

the SU arent knocking on our doors with bottles of tesco's finest or working dog.

the university isnt offering an ultimatum - "get pissed or get out...."!

if you want to, do, if you don't, don't.

don't accept the fliars, you're only wasting paper anyway by doing this.

maybe instead of complaining about it here one could address a class rep and say " hey, maybe we could go paintballing/ice-skating/knitting/whatever or something"

just a thought....:cool:

samf

Really? So what would happen if students were "caught" talking about where they were last night and how much they had to drink.

Well clearly people are allowed to talk about alcohol if they want, im just saying that you're not allowed to promote an event through alcohol as an inscentive, apologies if that wasnt clear.

And yes I agree class parties shouldnt be so alcohol focused, when I addressed the class reps on day one i gave them a list of pub alternatives and im constantly giving them information on paintballing, go karting and other venues that can make some fun days out.

PhatPiggins

samf wrote: »

Well clearly people are allowed to talk about alcohol if they want, im just saying that you're not allowed to promote an event through alcohol as an inscentive, apologies if that wasnt clear.

And yes I agree class parties shouldnt be so alcohol focused, when I addressed the class reps on day one i gave them a list of pub alternatives and im constantly giving them information on paintballing, go karting and other venues that can make some fun days out.

How about we paint ball the feckers who bang on the Quad room windows.

I really have had enough of them.

samf

In relation to that the SU president has written to the head of security in UCC to organise measures to stop that (whether its barriers in front of the windows or a security guard on partol) so I'll let you know when I hear an update.

PhatPiggins

samf wrote: »

In relation to that the SU president has written to the head of security in UCC to organise measures to stop that (whether its barriers in front of the windows or a security guard on partol) so I'll let you know when I hear an update.

Much obliged my good man.

Myerz

Nova_era wrote: »

This is something which has annoyed me since, quite literally, day one of college.

On our first induction day, we were informed about some stupid protest march, which we were ensured would culminate in a "piss-up anyway!".

The UCC Students Union may as well be major shareholders in Gorbys nightclub, and the Bailey etc, as they direct students to spend their Monday evenings/grants/mommy + daddy money in these places. Gorbys, and on their behalf many societies/clubs promote €2 shots of vodka. Since when do people sit down and sip a shot of vodka? They don't. The key emphasis here is to get as drunk as possible.

I'm not in UCC to drink. I'm bloody there to get an education. Yeah sure, social life is an important part of University life, but surely promoting various "nights out" a week is going against the grain of University life? Aren't students meant to be broke? Shouldn't the SU actually for once give some thought to the students who actually are struggling their way through college, and can't afford to spend money getting drunk and going to fast food outlets on random weeknights?

The fact that now a student has actually gone missing has woken me up to post this thread; I'm ****ing sick of this emphasis on drinking which seems to plague my university. I'm surprised that such a tragedy has taken so long to occur, as with the amount of people who fall out of Gorbys and other nightclubs each night drunk, encouraged by college life, we're lucky it's not a regular occurance.

Is anyone else irked by the emphasis placed on drinking in UCC? Is UCC really that dull, that getting drunk needs to be given such precidence?

I'm in the process of drafting an official complaint to the NUI, as this idiocy, predominantly fostered by our respective student unions, is bringing down our universities.

Well, looks like someone from the students union made you cry.

Nova_era

Myerz wrote: »

Well, looks like someone from the students union made you cry.

How did you know?!

life_is_music

The SU directly promote Gorbys - Gorby's are allowed flyer on campus and put up posters.

The SU make their money by taking €x per head for everybody who goes into Gorbys Mon, Tues and Thurs. It makes absolutely no difference to the SU if 800 people go into gorbys and drink tap water all night (probably safer hitting the vodka this week though). The SU forbid pubs/clubs from advertising alcohol on campus and the SU don't benefit in any way from people consuming more on a night out. The bar profits go to the club.

I think peoples problem is with Gorbys having cheap drink prices to promote their club.

Someone mentioned the Bailey giving out free Jelly shots - I challenge you to get drunk on jelly shots!! The Bailey charge €4 for vodka... twice that of Gorbys on a Tuesday. A responsible price for a bar tender to charge.


Class reps/socs mention alcohol when they advertise parties... Of course they do!!! That's what the majority of students want. I personally would rather a night of clubbing then a coffee morning. Why do you think 95% of all class parties go to a pub and a club? The majority of students love going out drinking!

Sam has made class reps aware of the non-alcohol related events available to their classes... It's the class reps choice. The rep will generally choose based on what their class want!