The NUI Galway Students’ Union Council has voted in favour of replacing Rag Week in exchange for five concessions agreed to by the university. An overwhelming majority of 107 class representatives voted in favour of accepting the proposal while only 7 voted against.
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| Dun na Coirbhe during Galway College Week 2010... Pic Google images |
On Monday, 17 October a special meeting of the Students’ Union Council was called to vote on the proposal. A heated debate ensued when a motion to gain a seat for the Students’ Union President on the University Management Team as part of the Rag Week Proposal was put to the council. Paul O’Donnell, class representative for second year philosophy students, brought forward this motion after doing some research after the last Student’s Union Council meeting on Monday, 3 October:
“UMT is the most important body for day to day running of the university... Until two years ago it didn’t even share minutes with any of the students... It is an important decision making body which students have very little transparency let alone influence over.”
For the past two years, the Students’ Union has attempted to get a student seat on the UMT and has been rejected both times. At the meeting, some argued that a student seat on the UMT should be tied in with the whole Rag Week Proposal.
Students’ Union President, Emmet Connolly said that getting a seat on the UMT as part of the Rag Week deal would simply not be possible. The Rag Week proposal was agreed between the UMT and the Students’ Union. The UMT membership is controlled by Udaras. Udaras had no part in the Rag Week Proposal. According to Connolly:
“The deal is not between the people who can give us the seat and ourselves, it is between the UMT and ourselves... It is muddying the waters because they [the university] have already said no to this clearly.”
Despite some claims that a seat on the UMT would make the €60,000 donated to the SAF a “drop in the water”, class representatives voted against tying the deal onto the Rag Week Proposal by 92 votes to 17 votes. 5 votes were spoiled. It has been agreed to pursue the UMT seat in a different way. One class representative seemed to sum up the feelings of the majority of the council by saying:
“Chose your battles. This is about €60,000 that will keep people in college.”
After the council, Paul O’Donnell confirmed that nobody wished to lose the €60,000 for the SAF but instead hoped that they might get the five concessions and the UMT seat:
“There was a little bit of a debate about risking the €60,000, nobody would want to risk the €60,000 not being added to the SAF this year. That wasn’t what this motion was about... It was just a hope that we might get this [UMT seat] on top of everything else.”
Speaking after the Rag Week proposal was passed the SU President said that he was happy with the outcome and that although it was difficult for everyone to end Rag Week it shows students can act responsibly:
“I am happy with the result... This was definitely a tough decision. It pulls at the heart strings. But the vote here shows that students are more mature than people give them credit for. It shows that students are concerned about the reputation of themselves, or their college and it shows that they have concern for their community here in Galway.”
Many students are claiming that Rag Week will be held anyway with or without the support of the Students’ Union. However, the University’s Discipline Code is currently being updated to include punishments for students caught trying to recreate a de facto Rag Week via social media or other means.
There was some confusion at the meeting about who originally outlined the five concessions which will now be granted in exchange for the abolition of Rag Week. These were proposed by the Students’ Union and not the university. The proposal included the university adding an extra €60,000 to the Student Assistance Fund from the 2011-2012 academic year onwards. This money will be index linked to protect it against inflation. It also provided for an abolition of the €2 charge for club members using the Kingfisher gym. This concession should be in place by January 2012. Other measures included ring fencing the free Health Unit in the university, described by Connolly as “the most used and most loved service here in the college”, support for a one day festival to be held next semester and the provision of several SU notice board in main locations across the campus. Connolly said that it was a good outcome:
“There was a lot of tension in the air but that’s a sign of a good meeting so I’m happy with the outcome...We have a decision now and although it was a bit messy, like childbirth we have a miracle at the end.”
Published on the Front Page of SIN, NUI Galway's Student Newspaper, 24 Oct 2011.
“Chose your battles. This is about €60,000 that will keep people in college.”
After the council, Paul O’Donnell confirmed that nobody wished to lose the €60,000 for the SAF but instead hoped that they might get the five concessions and the UMT seat:
“There was a little bit of a debate about risking the €60,000, nobody would want to risk the €60,000 not being added to the SAF this year. That wasn’t what this motion was about... It was just a hope that we might get this [UMT seat] on top of everything else.”
Speaking after the Rag Week proposal was passed the SU President said that he was happy with the outcome and that although it was difficult for everyone to end Rag Week it shows students can act responsibly:
“I am happy with the result... This was definitely a tough decision. It pulls at the heart strings. But the vote here shows that students are more mature than people give them credit for. It shows that students are concerned about the reputation of themselves, or their college and it shows that they have concern for their community here in Galway.”
Many students are claiming that Rag Week will be held anyway with or without the support of the Students’ Union. However, the University’s Discipline Code is currently being updated to include punishments for students caught trying to recreate a de facto Rag Week via social media or other means.
There was some confusion at the meeting about who originally outlined the five concessions which will now be granted in exchange for the abolition of Rag Week. These were proposed by the Students’ Union and not the university. The proposal included the university adding an extra €60,000 to the Student Assistance Fund from the 2011-2012 academic year onwards. This money will be index linked to protect it against inflation. It also provided for an abolition of the €2 charge for club members using the Kingfisher gym. This concession should be in place by January 2012. Other measures included ring fencing the free Health Unit in the university, described by Connolly as “the most used and most loved service here in the college”, support for a one day festival to be held next semester and the provision of several SU notice board in main locations across the campus. Connolly said that it was a good outcome:
“There was a lot of tension in the air but that’s a sign of a good meeting so I’m happy with the outcome...We have a decision now and although it was a bit messy, like childbirth we have a miracle at the end.”
Published on the Front Page of SIN, NUI Galway's Student Newspaper, 24 Oct 2011.
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