Student's Union Gen. Meeting

entropic

That is a pity alright, though I do believe a better effort could have been made in bringing the meeting to people's attention. Not everyone follows you on Facebook or Twitter nor do they frequent the SU that often, a big poster campaign at least a week before the meeting would have more people there. An email the week before then again on Monday to remind people.

Students would get over the complaints and you would have gotten yourselves a quorate meeting, take note of the near continual failure to reach quorum anyone thinking of running for Commuinications Officer

ergonomics

entropic wrote: »

That is a pity alright, though I do believe a better effort could have been made in bringing the meeting to people's attention. Not everyone follows you on Facebook or Twitter nor do they frequent the SU that often, a big poster campaign at least a week before the meeting would have more people there. An email the week before then again on Monday to remind people.

As I said at the meeting yesterday, you'll all get an email sometime this week about the UGM probably. I sent it on Tuesday but for some reason it never delivered to ye. This often happens and I'm going to be contacting ITD about it. We put up posters all over college, but they inevitably got covered up or taken down by people. Two recent surveys have found that students nearly unanimously said that posters are not effective as they just walk by them.

There are 1,700 fans on Facebook so, while we know not everyone follows us there, there was more than enough people to get quorum. We also put it on ulsu.ie and the student portal. We texted a lot of people on the morning, emailed people, went out and handed out fliers, continously put it on Facebook and so on.

Posters first went up for the UGM in Week 1 and it was in An Focal from Week 1.

Basically, what I'm trying to say is that if there was a medium for letting people know about the UGM it was utilised.

Now to step out of my Union role for a minute: I think one of the main reasons quorum wasn't reached was because the Union didn't use any tricks to get people in. There was no free stuff or gigs on afterwards. They simply gave students the benefit of the doubt and hoped that they would care enough to attend, and apparently they don't. That's just my opinion though.

entropic

ergonomics wrote: »

As I said at the meeting yesterday, you'll all get an email sometime this week about the UGM probably. I sent it on Tuesday but for some reason it never delivered to ye. This often happens and I'm going to be contacting ITD about it. We put up posters all over college, but they inevitably got covered up or taken down by people. Two recent surveys have found that students nearly unanimously said that posters are not effective as they just walk by them.

That is a dissapointment on the side of ITD, but on the posters that is just not true. Many posters are just inefftivly laid out with bland layouts that are seen on 90% of the posters put up on campus. It is possible to make one that will catch the eyes of students. And they are easily the best way to get the info accross. During the time leading up to the general meetings the SU should just take over the notice boards with A3-A2 sized posters as it is more important than what else would be there, a quick word with buildings and I am sure they will leave them alone.

ergonomics wrote: »

There are 1,700 fans on Facebook so, while we know not everyone follows us there, there was more than enough people to get quorum. We also put it on ulsu.ie and the student portal. We texted a lot of people on the morning, emailed people, went out and handed out fliers, continously put it on Facebook and so on.

1,700 fans is alot but how many of them will not attend because they feel you have lost touch with them. The Agenda reads like a Friday lecture at 5pm, some proper items for discussion would be nice instead of one that only a minority(not saying it shouldnt be discussed) care about. How about adding in a discussion about requesting accoutns from the college to see why the prices of everything is going up, or one on the continually talked about a late night alcholic free venue with speakers etc.. I must run to a lecture but I have other opinions on this and shall divulge later.

pervertedcoffee

entropic wrote: »

1,700 fans is alot but how many of them will not attend because they feel you have lost touch with them. The Agenda reads like a Friday lecture at 5pm, some proper items for discussion would be nice instead of one that only a minority(not saying it shouldnt be discussed) care about. How about adding in a discussion about requesting accoutns from the college to see why the prices of everything is going up, or one on the continually talked about a late night alcholic free venue with speakers etc.. I must run to a lecture but I have other opinions on this and shall divulge later.

In fairness - the Officer reports were quick and painless; I think the welfare officer had the right idea by later posting his slides in full on the web, so that's one issue students had resolved.

As for disscusing things students care about - the SU can't read our minds, they've done their best and listened when we've spoken but the point of A.O.B. is for students to bring things that they care about to the UGM and that there is enough students there (i.e. quorum) so that immediate and effective action can be taken. You want it to change, you have to do something about it.

entropic

pervertedcoffee wrote: »

In fairness - the Officer reports were quick and painless; I think the welfare officer had the right idea by later posting his slides in full on the web, so that's one issue students had resolved.

As for disscusing things students care about - the SU can't read our minds, they've done their best and listened when we've spoken but the point of A.O.B. is for students to bring things that they care about to the UGM and that there is enough students there (i.e. quorum) so that immediate and effective action can be taken. You want it to change, you have to do something about it.

I have tried and like so many others failed. The discussion about the presidents house was ridiculous. Unless I missed something the only arguing about anything in An Focal should have been why was the front page just AGM info, the only ad was a half page one that showed the agenda. I may be wrong but the biggest news item for the Union had to have been the meeting not the Presidents house issue that was resolved hours after it came to light that the minister didn't know anything.
Then the talk of gimmicks, I commend the current sabats for showing some integrity and trying to get students in on the merit of the event alone. Nobody wants to go back to trying to get a quorum by going to the stables at lunch time and counting all those eating or socialising as attendees of the meeting. Maybe an act afterwards might be something but it shouldn't overshadow the core event.

pervertedcoffee

entropic wrote: »

吾 have tried and like so 多any others failed. The discussion about the presidents 家ouse was ridiculous. Unless 吾 missed something the 只nly arguing about anything 中n An Focal should have been why was the front 頁age just AGM info, the 只nly ad was a 半alf 頁age 一ne that showed the agenda. 吾 may be wrong but the biggest news 箇tem for the Union had to have been the 会eeting 勿ot the Presidents 家ouse issue that was resolved hours after it came to light that the minister didn't 知now anything.
Then the talk 之f gimmicks, 吾 commend the 流urrent sabats for showing some integrity and trying to get students 中n on the 効erit 之f the event alone. Nobody wants to 碁o 裏ack to trying to get a quorum by 行oing to the stables at lunch 時ime and counting 皆ll those eating or socialising as attendees 之f the 会eeting. Maybe an act afterwards might be something but it shouldn't overshadow the 奥ore event.

I assume you meant that to read why wasn't the front page just AGM info? Which is a fair point actually.

As for the discussion on the president's house I also think that was a ridiculous argument and the chair person did try and curtail it but I suppose if that's what students want to discuss we can't stop them, or else the point of it all would be lost. however I do think that student should have been more considerate of their fellow student's time and not dragged up a topic that had been touched on already.

I agree that I would prefer if their were no gimmiks involved and we could rely on student's interest in their university but as has become so apparent - we simply can't and if anything is ever to change for the better we need to use every trick in the book.

billy the squid

Was also a little miffed that I got a text message about this meeting. I don't recall giving my number to the SU for advertising purposes. I might have given it to them to contact me on a different matter, but telling me about meetings was definately not why I gave them my number.

schuman_stalker

maybe the lack of people at the ugm was down to a lack of campaigns throughout the year.... i wonder who is responsible for that....

SarahBeep!

schuman_stalker wrote: »

maybe the lack of people at the ugm was down to a lack of campaigns throughout the year.... i wonder who is responsible for that....

I think the failures of that office/person deserves it's own thread...:mad: