Vote Ben Honan for UCC Welfare Officer!

Benhonan · 08-03-2009 05:44PM #1

Right lads my name is Ben Honan, final year law student here in UCC and I'm running for welfare officer in the upcoming SU elections.

I'll try not to bore you and so I'm going to give you links to explain more about myself.

Bebo - ben4welfare.bebo.com

facebook - https://login.facebook.com/login.php?login_attempt=1

email - ben4welfare@gmail.com

This should get you all started on what I intend to do if elected and why I believe I am the best candidate for the job. So next Tuesday and Wednesday vote Ben for Welfare!

Benhonan · 08-03-2009 05:46PM

https://login.facebook.com/login.php?login_attempt=1

keane2097 · 08-03-2009 07:15PM

What's in it for us?

bleg · 08-03-2009 07:55PM

can't be arsed clicking the links, post the relevant info here.

also, you lost me at "...final year law student"

zzzzz

Benhonan · 08-03-2009 08:31PM

So you said I've lost you already but you still want me to post relevant info? Make up your mind!

What's in it for you is a genuine ordinary guy holding a position of authority in the SU who represents the student body. Oh and all the free condoms you can eat.

keane2097 · 08-03-2009 08:53PM

Benhonan wrote: »

So you said I've lost you already but you still want me to post relevant info? Make up your mind!

What's in it for you is a genuine ordinary guy holding a position of authority in the SU who represents the student body. Oh and all the free condoms you can eat.

You should really just post proper info here rather than setting up an account, making one post and trying to get people to follow your links off-site.

If you're looking to get boards.ie members to vote for you because you made a post on the website you could go to a bit more trouble. This way it just looks lazy - one post on the forum with a link to your bebo? Not really inspiring me to find the polling booth tbh...

Carraigrock · 08-03-2009 10:07PM

No, sorry....

I'm pledging my allegiance to Rebecca Murphy for welfare officer...

maybe you could run for something else????

Samurai · 08-03-2009 10:11PM

as someone who attended the hustings i thought ben was the better candidate, rebecca came across as too insincere, ben just seemed like a normal down to earth chap

+1 vote!

Bright Smile · 09-03-2009 01:48AM

keane2097 wrote: »

If you're looking to get boards.ie members to vote for you because you made a post on the website you could go to a bit more trouble. This way it just looks lazy - one post on the forum with a link to your bebo? Not really inspiring me to find the polling booth tbh...

This is the UCC forum. Just because the candidate has not posted before doesnt mean he cannot now, even if it is just for this purpose. As a student at UCC it should be anyone's prerogative to post without getting slated for no particular reason.People should address the candidate's merits, not at whether he/she is a boardsie.

I was also at the hustings. The other candidate came across as competent, but I agree that there was alot more sincerity in this candidates demeanour and words.

Benhonan · 09-03-2009 02:42AM

Thanks Bright Smile. Look I'm not jumping on a bandwagon or trying to pass myself off as a frequent user at all. All I'm doing is publicising what I'm doing and what I'm about, the rest is entirely up to you, the electorate. I don't see why there should be any trial period before I gain credibility.

keane2097 · 09-03-2009 09:30AM

Benhonan wrote: »

Thanks Bright Smile. Look I'm not jumping on a bandwagon or trying to pass myself off as a frequent user at all. All I'm doing is publicising what I'm doing and what I'm about, the rest is entirely up to you, the electorate. I don't see why there should be any trial period before I gain credibility.

All I want is for you to tell us why you want us to vote for you.

Are you hoping people will just walk past a polling booth and see your name and go "oh he was on Boards the last day" and just toss you a vote? Cos that's what it seems like since you haven't bothered to tell us anything about yourself here besides the fact that you're a "genuine ordinary guy".

D-Generate · 09-03-2009 09:44AM

A candidate should be batting home their manifesto all the time, not sending us searching for it or relying on us to use facebook to read it. Heck, even the facebook link he gave to us only gets us to a login page. It smacks of unprofessional and laziness.
I wasn't at the hustings and have no prior knowledge or allegiance to either candidate but of the two who have had interaction on boards.ie only one of them seems to be dedicating time to their campaign. It wouldn't have killed you to even copy and paste just the main points of your plan but in not doing so you have alienated myself, bleg and keane2097 right from the beginning.
Of those who have posted, only the ones who have seen you speak at the hustings have given you approval. Maybe copy and paste some of your plan in here and you might sway the rest of the opinions.

keane2097 · 09-03-2009 09:49AM

Benhonan wrote: »

I don't see why there should be any trial period before I gain credibility.

By the way, it should be trivially obvious to anyone with a brain that the longer you're on the site the more credibility you're likely to get from its users. I have no idea whether you're really Ben Honan or not, how could I? Should I just believe you at face value?

What if a Martin_rosney account turns up later and starts posting child porn images - should I give that just as much "credibility"?

bleg · 09-03-2009 04:40PM

Benhonan wrote: »

Thanks Bright Smile. Look I'm not jumping on a bandwagon or trying to pass myself off as a frequent user at all. All I'm doing is publicising what I'm doing and what I'm about, the rest is entirely up to you, the electorate. I don't see why there should be any trial period before I gain credibility.

i was only taking the piss, don't take yourself so seriously. sorry if i hurt your poor auld feelings:P

Benhonan · 09-03-2009 04:43PM

Alright chill out. Fair point I haven't enough up and I messed up the links. Still there's no need to go the conspiracy theory root like easy on the child porn in fairness that's blowing things a little bit out of proportion there's no need for it. Right rather than post my whole manifesto here's a link to it

http://www.ucc.ie/en/SIN/su.ucc.ie/elections/manifestos/Manifestoin2009for0910/DocumentFile,70615,en.pdf

That's it written out longhand.

In brief I'll be focusing on what I see as the main problems which the welfare officer, physical health, mental health the fight against fees and what I see as being the more legal aspect to the job, accommodation and the grants system.

Physical health
- support for the clubs referendum proposal
- a full farmers market similar to the English market on campus weekly to sell affordable vegetables adn meat sourced locally
- a training programme made in conjunction with the PE department highlighting the health benefits of exercise particularly with regard to study to be circulated around college.

Mental Health
- Close working with the PASS programme to ensure a smooth progression to the new system which will be implemented next year
- Meeting regularly with these PASS volunteers to facilitate a better overall approach to their dealings with the incoming first years
- meeting the niteline volunteers regularly and sitting on any committee meetings they may have

Accommodation
- having studied the law surrounding this area, I think that I would be well qualified to help students who may have problems here. I would work with FLAC and the law faculty to set up a seminar for all college students early in the year to explain to students the contract law surrounding their accommodation arrangements.

Common Room
- I would use this excellent facility more, as I feel not enough people are aware of its potential. I would host movie nights at the weekends for students who are staying in Cork for the weekend and wish to socialise.

Right that's a very small taster of what I plan to do. I appreciate all constructive criticism I receive here, but I'd prefer not to have to deal with any outright negativity. Thanks a lot for feedback and feel free to contact me if you have any suggestions or queries.

Benhonan · 09-03-2009 04:49PM

I know ya were Bleg wasn't referring to you in the comment Keane just seems to be awfully aggressive for someone who's interested in the election of the welfare officer is all

Ni.Chofaigh · 09-03-2009 05:32PM

im really liking the idea of the on-campus market.

consider yourself voted for.:)

keane2097 · 09-03-2009 06:18PM

Benhonan wrote: »

Fair point I haven't enough up and I messed up the links. Still there's no need to go the conspiracy theory root like easy on the child porn in fairness that's blowing things a little bit out of proportion there's no need for it.

It's just an analogy, don't be so precious.

Benhonan wrote: »

.

a full farmers market similar to the English market on campus weekly to sell affordable vegetables adn meat sourced locally

This is an excellent idea imo. Have you done much research into the actual practicalities behind getting it done? I'd assume these markets would be fairly regulated in terms of health & safety - what are the chances of this idea really coming to fruition (pardon the pun)?

keane2097 · 09-03-2009 06:19PM

Benhonan wrote: »

I know ya were Bleg wasn't referring to you in the comment Keane just seems to be awfully aggressive for someone who's interested in the election of the welfare officer is all

Aggressive? :eek:

Benhonan · 09-03-2009 06:36PM

Yup I looked into it alright, they have a thriving one in UL and it'd be a real asset to UCC. You're right there's a lot to it like, it'd have to be a staff-student venture, but from the feedback I've been getting about it I'd say it'd be very attainable. Break up the monopoly a little bit too which is always welcome. The majority of the student body gets all it's food from one of the corner shops dotted around and it'd mean a lot to have this facility.

OK sorry aggressive was an exaggeration just wasn't ready for that engineer testosterone

keane2097 · 09-03-2009 06:51PM

Benhonan wrote: »

Yup I looked into it alright, they have a thriving one in UL and it'd be a real asset to UCC. You're right there's a lot to it like, it'd have to be a staff-student venture, but from the feedback I've been getting about it I'd say it'd be very attainable. Break up the monopoly a little bit too which is always welcome. The majority of the student body gets all it's food from one of the corner shops dotted around and it'd mean a lot to have this facility.

What are the steps you'll have to go through to get this up and running? Who has to sanction the health and safety of it and things like that? Is it something you could realistically get going in the next year?

Benhonan wrote: »

OK sorry aggressive was an exaggeration just wasn't ready for that engineer testosterone

I thought you were friends with Johnny Crowley :eek:

Benhonan · 09-03-2009 07:06PM

Well it shouldn't be hard to find producers willing to put up stalls, there's a huge captive market there in college and it would be financially very viable. I haven't looked too much into the technicalities of it yet I've a load to do, but realistically it should be possible. Small scale ones pop up from time to time generally run by the envirosoc so the health and safety issue shouldn't be unassailable, even if it is on a bigger scale. Realistically if elected I will be working on it throughout the summer and would expect it to be up and running early next year.

And yes, but Johnny for all his qualities is not a masculine man

keane2097 · 09-03-2009 07:54PM

Benhonan wrote: »

Well it shouldn't be hard to find producers willing to put up stalls, there's a huge captive market there in college and it would be financially very viable. I haven't looked too much into the technicalities of it yet I've a load to do, but realistically it should be possible. Small scale ones pop up from time to time generally run by the envirosoc so the health and safety issue shouldn't be unassailable, even if it is on a bigger scale. Realistically if elected I will be working on it throughout the summer and would expect it to be up and running early next year.

Cool, it's a nice idea - hope it works out.

Benhonan wrote: »

And yes, but Johnny for all his qualities is not a masculine man

His testosterone is just misguided imo.

Samurai · 10-03-2009 10:06PM

Cheers for the drumsticks!

keane2097 · 31-05-2009 02:11AM

Ninja bump here to point out that in spite of my earlier misgivings it turns out that Ben is a top class guy - I'm glad he didn't win in the election cos I hate the thought of people getting the benefits of his services after I've left college!

Vote Ben Honan for UCC Welfare Officer!

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