Class Rep Elections Underway | Audrey Ellard Walsh
Class Rep Elections are continuing this week and will conclude on Friday the 12th of October.
1st and 2nd year class rep elections have already taken place in-class and elections for other years and Post-Graduates are being held campus all this week. Polling stations will be located outside the library from 10am-4pm Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday with stands in the Brookfield Health Sciences and Western gateway Buildings on Wednesday from 9am-2pm and 2pm-6pm respectively.
Students’ Union Education Officer PJ O’Brien explains the role of a Class Rep: “Academic Class Reps are expected to be the voice of the class that they were elected to represent. They bring any issues that their class have to Council Clinic's and then to Student Council. They liaise with their lecturers on any problems that their class may have. In the case of Entertainments Reps, they are required to look after any of the social needs of the class like holding class parties, organising trips away for bonding purposes and they also work with the academic rep on the matter of organising class hoodies.”
He states that: “Students should expect their class rep to represent their class on any issues that they may have, whether that's an issue with a lecturer, course content, an examination problem or if it is something outside the class room, but still effects them somehow. The academic rep has to be the class’s voice, and they are expected to represent the entire class’s views on an issue. Students should be able to contact their class rep and expect a reply from the person who they elected to represent them.”
Class Rep training will take place on October 17th. Details of the event are still being finalised, but those who attend can be sure to learn lots from the experience with talks/workshops on campaigning, public speaking, dealing with college authorities and how they can be an effective class rep.
Students’ Council Chair, Susan O’Sullivan encourages students to run for Class Rep and to engage with the Students’ Union. “Every student is welcome to attend Council, you don’t have to be a Class Rep and your opinion matters. It’s a great place to come and speak on motions that interest you and keep up to date with what’s happening in UCC and the Students Union. You can come and ask your SU officers about what they have been getting up to and keep items that are important to you high on their agenda.”
“This year we are working towards changing the face of Student Council, rebranding is under way, a newly formed Council Working Group will be working hard throughout the year and some great socials afterwards are on the horizon.”