#UCCVotes - Candidate Profiles
UCC students will flock to the polls tomorrow and on Wednesday to decide who should be on your students' union for the year ahead. There are 33 candidates overall, but do you really know who's who? Not sure who to vote for? Wondering what candidates stand for, and what sets them apart? We asked every candidate a series of questions to help you to answer all of those questions.And don't forget, if you don't like any of the candidates for the job, you can also vote for RON - Re-open Nominations. If RON wins then the election would open up for candidates again.Editor's Note: We contacted all candidates through their official campaign Facebook pages, but not all candidates were able to respond in time for publication. We will update these as we can. Editor@UCCExpress.ie
President
Seámus Breathnach
Seámus Breathnach is studying Irish & English, and has worked as a class rep, as an OCM of An Chuallacht, and as a member of the UCC Ents crew. Seámus would like to give the sabbatical officers the absolute authority over their areas, as well as campaigning to repeal the 8th amendment, to improve the SUSI grant & financial situation for students, and plans for several student-welfare services, such as an improved Niteline, a pride week for UCC, and better STI checks.What made you choose to run for this position?:I chose to run for this position because I feel like the Union could do with a change of tone in the way that it's run - less exclusive, more inclusive, open, transparent. I believe that the Union should emphasize the independence of the Officers more than it has in the past.If you had to choose one point from your manifesto as your main priority/goal, what would it be?:My number on priority is transparency - I don't want a single student to wonder what exactly it is the Union are up to. Outside of that, I'd like to have a big focus on Campaigns and Welfare for the coming year.What do you feel sets you apart from the other candidates for your position?:What sets me apart from the others? I'd say experience, enthusiasm, and the willingness to empower the other Sabbats, as I've previously mentioned. I've led teams of up to thirteen members in the past, I believe that we can really make a change, and I am willing to adapt to the needs of the wider student body.(Manifesto)
Tommy Cahill
Tommy Cahill has experience working with charities and NGOs, and is looking to improve welfare support around campus. He stated at the hustings his wish to improve mental health campaigns and introduce education around cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) around UCC, as well as improve work placements for medicine students.If you had to choose one point from your manifesto as your main priority/goal, what would it be?:My main priority is to ensure the library opening hours are maintained and even expanded in the coming year. I think this expansion should include the Brookfield Health Sciences library and that the laptop loan scheme should be extended there.What do you feel sets you apart from the other candidates for your position?:I feel my personable nature is what sets me apart from the other candidates. I have made many friends from many different backgrounds during my time at UCC, and I feel I have the work ethic and knowledge to work on behalf of the whole student body. I also feel that any student would find me very approachable and I would do my upmost on their behalf.(Manifesto)
Eoin Collopy
Eoin Collopy is a third-year commerce student, and is the current Vice-Chairperson of the Commerce Society (CommSoc). He would like to have the SU be more politically involved, active, and campaigning openly for student’s issues. He would also like to see improvements in communication between UCC SU and the Union of Students in Ireland (USI).What made you choose to run for this position?:I have been interested in politics all my life, and have been particularly interested in student politics this year as I would know the current SU officers quite well. I decided to run because I felt that the SU needs new direction in terms of representing students and lobbying decision makers, and should be much more than just an ents company. I think that SU events are now of a very high standard, but that the role of representing students on all sorts of issues such as those of unfair placement, accommodation, welfare, fees and grants has been somewhat neglected and must be returned to.If you had to choose one point from your manifesto as your main priority/goal, what would it be?I believe that students need to feel more represented. Recently pharmacy students were informed that they will no longer being paid on placement. These students were not spoken up for inside or outside of UCC. I believe that issues like this should and could have gone all the way to the Dáil. The SU should be driving that.What do you feel sets you apart from the other candidates for your position?My insight and knowledge of how the SU works means that I can hit the ground running. Last year I worked at Docklands Festival, for example. From the huge preparation that was put into the event, to the actual logistics on the day, I was present first hand. I also feel that I will be very comfortable in dealing with committee work, having previously sat on a board of directors of a Limited Company. Dealing with academics would not daunt me on any level, and I would have no fear in representing students whatever that may require, to these people who may be more than twice my age.(Manifesto)
Thomas Conway
Thomas Conway, a politics student, wants to see work done on academic issues, like better exam timetabling, mandatory Panopto streaming, and work placements for all courses. He plans to introduce more ents-related events, improve the Old Bar, and operate an “open door” policy.What made you choose to run for this position?:What made me choose to run for this position? I have always felt very passionate about getting involved in the Students' Union, I feel I can make a huge impact in various areas, in particular, housing and parking. I also feel I would be a great president due to my leadership skills along with teamwork and companionship. For that reason, I think I would be the man for the job.If you had to choose one point from your manifesto as your main priority/goal, what would it be?:I would most certainly have to choose the Old Bar scheme, ‘in with the old, out with the new’. I feel the Old Bar is a wasted space at the moment that can provide entertainment for all students in UCC, whether they involve alcoholic events or non-alcoholic events.If you had to choose one point from your manifesto as your main priority/goal, what would it be?:I am the only candidate that has completed work placement, has been in the workforce and the only one that actually has experience in regards to lobbying the government and college where policy affects our student body directly. If elected, I would bring these skills to the Students' Union to help benefit the student body.(Manifesto)
Alan Hayes
Alan Hayes has a lot of history in advocacy and organisation, being a QUERCUS scholarship receiver and having co-founded the charity Teachtán. On mental health, Hayes wants to link counselling services and Niteline together to increase accessibility, introducing a ‘housing officer’ to create an objective ranking system on all registered accommodation. He would like bring in a major RAG week act and introduce diverse class party deals, such as bubble soccer, go-karting, paintballing, etc.What made you choose to run for this position?:I decided to run for this position because I believe I share similar personality traits of a student president. I have management and fundraising skills. I also have a strong vision for the college’s future. I am confident that the changes will have a positive impact because everything I do, I do for our current and future students. Lastly, I respect the role of a president. I am aware of the responsibility that comes with this position and the positives and negatives.If you had to choose one point from your manifesto as your main priority/goal, what would it be?:I have worked as both volunteer and secretary for Niteline. I have seen the lack of supports students receive when it comes to mental health services. I am focused on setting up a drop-in support system, something UCC has never seen before. I am a firm believer that the walls surrounding depression need to be torn down and talking to someone is the solution. This system will be completely confidential and will aim to have a waiting list of no longer than 24 hours.What do you feel sets you apart from the other candidates for your position?:I am co-founder and director of the Thomas Hayes trust. We provide free counselling services to families affected by suicide and people contemplating suicide through Teac Tom. I have first-hand experience of setting up and running an effective organisation. This experience sets me apart from the other candidates as I am aware of policies and legislation. I have priceless experience ranging from being on the Late Late show, Ireland AM to public speaking nationally and internationally. I have budgeting experience and crisis management also.(Manifesto)
Deputy President & Campaigns
Kelly Coyle
Kelly Coyle is the current UCC SU Welfare Officer and wants to see her work continue. If elected, she would like to campaign on all welfare issues, including mental health and accommodation, better lighting and accessibility, and would also like to improve sustainability and single-use plastics in UCC. She would like to create polling systems for online engagement and a ‘campaigns crew’ to give students the opportunity to campaign.What made you choose to run for this position?:Shortly after I was elected Welfare Officer, I was told that you can either be campaigns focused or casework focused, but you won’t have time to balance both. I quickly learned that you simply must be casework focused, as it leaves little to no time for doing anything else. It is because of this that I am now running for the position of Deputy President and Campaigns Officer, so I can give my time, experience and dedication to campaigning for the students of UCC. There are also a number of campaigns that I started to work on this year that I would like to continue. Change takes time, and change in UCC takes longer, but I would like to ensure that this change happens.If you had to choose one point from your manifesto as your main priority/goal, what would it be?:My manifesto is quite extensive and lists a broad range of areas that I would like to work on, but if I was to pick one area that would be my main goal it would have to be getting the Bystander Intervention Module as a mandatory 5 credits for all incoming first years next year. This module is a fantastic initiative for tackling issues around consent, domestic violence, alcohol and drug use and much more.What do you feel sets you apart from the other candidates for your position?:There are 2 main points that set me apart from the other candidate. Firstly, I have seen the student issues first hand this year so I am in the best possible position to campaign and fight for those issues and secondly, nobody knows the union as well as I do, it can often take time to settle into a role in the union but from this year I will hit the ground running to ensure time is spent effectively.(Manifesto)
Liam Meighan
Liam Meighan would like to be a new pair of eyes for the students' union, and ensure inclusivity for all students, overlooking no student, club, society, or campus. He describes his aims as progressive for the student body as a whole. He would like to improve counselling services, increase accommodation availability and introduce compulsory consent classes for students.What made you choose to run for this position?: I decided to run for the position of Deputy President & Campaigns Officer because I want to help the students of UCC, and I feel that if elected I will be able to. I realise that some people may feel like I am a “last minute” candidate, however my decision to run was not last minute. I wanted to be 100% certain that I would be the best option for UCC. I believe that the years I’ve been in college, and the connections I’ve made can only benefit the UCC community as a whole. I feel that the Students' Union needs a fresh perspective, and I can be the person to deliver that.If you had to choose one point from your manifesto as your main priority/goal, what would it be?:One point from manifesto that I would like to highlight is that of mental health. From my own personal experience with the UCC Counselling Service, I know not only what a great service it is, but also how amazing it could be. Given the proper funding and resources, waiting times would be cut, and the number of students benefiting from the service would increase. I know that, if elected, I will be able to provide the means for this to be achieved!What do you feel sets you apart from the other candidates for your position?:I feel what sets me apart from Kelly is that I can enter the Students' Union with a fresh pair of eyes. I have heard the concerns of the student body over the past year, and I know what is achievable. I know that the ideas I have can be achieved, and that what I have said I will set out to do can be accomplished.(Manifesto)
Education Officer
Aaron Frahill
Aaron Frahill is the current SU Council Chair, and has been involved with the SU since his first year studying Arts. Frahill wants to increase resources and advertising for the UCC Grinds Service, introduce disability-friendly standards for notes and resources across the board, and improve placement quality for all students.What made you choose to run for this position?:As I said in my speech [at the hustings], I decided to get involved with the Students’ Union when the very first assignment result I got was a number with no context, explanation, or anything - just a number! I ran for class rep because I wasn’t satisfied with that, and I lobbied my department to offer us feedback, which they did! Then I went on to become Arts Rep on the SU after that, and Council Chair this year - and now I want to run for Education Officer because I think from my perspective, the change and help I want to bring, and can bring, to students is in the position of Education.If you had to choose one point from your manifesto as your main priority/goal, what would it be?:It’s a bit hard to cut down an 18 page manifesto to one point being honest, but if I had to look at the thing that would help the most students in the university it would be resolving placement issues. Every college has their own unique issue in this area; where some in CACSSS have an optional placement module which is primarily run by a lecturer outside of the country, leaving students to really do everything themselves, you could have the likes of students in clinical therapies, who have unpaid placement but extremely large travel/living costs which is totally unfair. Also within the point of placement it links into the issues pharmacy students are having where they have had paid placement removed from their course as part of the integrated masters they have, which simply isn’t good enough on a national level, and I want to use a lot of time, if elected, to put pressure locally in the UCC School of Pharmacy, alongside the current student APPEL class reps, and nationally with the USI (Union of Students in Ireland).What do you feel sets you apart from the other candidates for your position?:I think it’s definitely having spent two years already on the UCC Students’ Union Executive, as well as a year on the UCC Societies Executive, it’s given me a huge amount of experience and understanding of what needs to be done, how it can be done, and what is feasible and unfeasible. Every year we get promised the same things no matter what position people run for, so I totally believe that the things I’m running for can be achieved and I have plans on how to each achieve each point on my manifesto.(Manifesto)
Alice O’Brien
Alice O’Brien has been involved with the Law Society, German Society, and has worked with the Ents Crew. She wants to improve library hours, facilities and roll out better study services for satellite campuses. In her manifesto she outlines plans to improve class rep training and make exam repeats and carrying modules easier and more accessible to students. She also wants to increase recording of lectures, and increase work placements across the board, particularly for pharmacy students.What made you choose to run for this position?:In my first year I was elected first year representative for the law society and I thoroughly enjoyed it, and in my second year I was elected Education Officer [of the Law Soc]. This role truly exposed me to the workings or the academic mechanisms in UCC. The experience of communicating with different lecturers and external bodies was one I found really engaging, and I found it so comforting, and in a way it was a great responsibility to know that I was part of the bridge of change between faculty and my peers. This year I was on the Ents Crew, and this exposed me to the workings of the Union. The SU has the power to listen to students and influence so many things on campus, and really just impact a student's college experience in such a positive way. From Ents to Education and Welfare, I think each denomination of the Union is equally important to manifesting an epic college experience, and an excellent Officer realises this.From enjoying time on various committees in UCC, I know I would enjoy this teamwork aspect. I would immerse myself in all workings of the union. I think this is evident from my inclusion of a Student Wellbeing section in my manifesto, which many Education Candidates don't usually include. When researching the role, and even from my own college experience, the mechanism for when students have to repeat or defer an exam is daunting and complicated. For a student in crisis this makes things only more intimidating. I think this should change. To me, a fundamental part of an Education Officer's role is to take care of the academic policies so they are as straightforward and manageable as possible, that way a student's welfare can be made paramount. I would work hard to have this responsibility of change.If you chose one main priority/goal from manifesto, what would it be?:Consent Classes. I full heartedly believe academic education is not the only one we receive at university, nor is it the only one that matters. This year Bystander Intervention classes were implemented across certain schools in the college. However, from meeting with Femsoc, LGBT Soc and students who took the module, it seems consent was missing from the narrative being taught. To me this seems insufficient. Bystander intervention is vital so we know what to do to intervene when a bad thing is happening, however consent Education is paramount so potential victims and perpetrators know boundaries. Consent prevents bad things from happening at all. It needs to be included in the classes taught. These classes need to be campus wide and mandatory. It is not a crisis we as a college can ignore any longer. We need to educate ourselves and protect our fellow students.What do you feel sets you apart from the other candidates for your position?:I believe I am personable and approachable. These are paramount characteristics to creating an Officer who connects with students, is easy to talk to and ultimately is in a position to make changes the the student body needs. I have gained incomparable experience for the role from being on various society executive committees, being involved with SU entertainments, being class rep and also [Law Society's] Education Officer. The knowledge I gained from these roles has given me the passion and determination to make change in this college. My admission that our primary education isn't always academic is one that few prior Education Officers have acknowledged. My informed inclusion of consent classes, substance education, mental wellbeing sets me apart from other candidates. It makes me a fair candidate and would make me a fair Education Officer.(Manifesto)
Welfare
Niamh Connery
Niamh Connery is a final year Social Science student. She wants to tackle drug education and harm reduction, consent, and tenancy rights. She would like to see better accessibility across campuses and in the new Student Hub, and wishes to expand upon existing mental health supports as well as creating support specifically for LGBT+ students.What made you choose to run for the position?:I chose to run for the position of Welfare Officer as I would like to have a positive impact on the welfare of students. I would like to help with issues experienced by students and ensure everyone has a safe and enjoyable time in college. I believe that passing on information and knowledge I’ve garnered during my degree would benefit the students of UCC. I have always been a person that cares about the welfare of people. I hope to pursue a Masters in Social Work, so this role would give me practical experience that is relevant to the career path I would like to follow.If you had to choose one point from your manifesto as your main priority/goal, what would it be?:That is quite a tough question, as they all bear great importance, however harm reduction strategies would be a significant goal to tackle. I would like to confront substance use in an honest way, rather than approaching it through abstinence strategies. It’s vital to educate students to ensure they remain as safe and responsible as possible. I would also like to stress the importance of casework, which involves meeting students on a one to one basis to help them with any issues they face. One of my main goals would be to ensure students feel comfortable coming to the office so I can offer assistance in the best way possible.What do you feel sets you apart from the other candidates for your position?:I am graduating with a BSocSc in Social Science this year, and believe I have gained invaluable knowledge that will allow me to greatly improve student welfare here in UCC. Social Science was the best choice for me as it allowed me to focus on the topical issues in society, which matter to me personally and allowed me to gain a greater insight into these issues. Not only have I gained significant knowledge in issues that we as students face, but I have also gained a layered understanding of problems on psychological, economical and policy levels. Doing Social Science has given me the skills to tackle areas we need to improve on as a society. More importantly I feel I now have the knowledge and experience to put in place practical solutions to the many issues currently facing students.(Manifesto)
Martina Hanley
Martina Hanley is an active participant in UCC’s Equestrian and Trampolining societies. She has worked as a welfare officer on societies before and on UCC’s Welfare crew, and wishes to bring her experience to the role. She would like to see welfare officers on all societies and clubs, and introduce an online booking system to make it easier to make appointments with the SU.What made you choose to run for this position?: Running for welfare has always been on my mind but I wanted to wait until I had the experience and maturity to do the job justice. I joined my first clubs, Trampoline and Equestrian, in second year. Through getting involved in both committees in these clubs, I became very interested in student issues and interactions, and decided I wanted to take on more of a role in the student community. I am the current welfare officer of the UCC trampoline club and I feel this has given me the initiative to run for welfare officer of the SU.If you had to choose one point from your manifesto as your main priority/goal,what would it be?: The main goal of my year as welfare officer would be to break down the stigma around mental health in UCC. I will expand both Mental Health weeks, encouraging all clubs and societies to get involved to a greater extent. I would also increase the focus on Body Positivity Week, as I believe this is an extremely important week that is often overlooked by many, in a world where there is increasing pressure on young people to conform to unrealistic standards.The Mental Health weeks would be divided into different aspects on different days to help reduce stigma and create awareness for the different aspects of mental health. Categories such as anxiety, schizophrenia, Bipolar Disorder, Borderline Personality Disorder (which are often developed at 17/18 years old, when students are entering college) are all aspects that should not be overlooked, as mental health is not just about depression.What do you feel sets you apart from the other candidates for your position?: I have the experience and the drive. Through my role as welfare officer of the Trampoline club and being a part of the welfare crew I have gained invaluable experience as well as a taste for the job. I love to be involved, I tackle issues head on. I feel I have many unique ideas to bring to the table that are very achievable and I will work extremely hard to ensure all my goals are meet.(Manifesto)
John McCarthy
John McCarthy is a UCC graduate who has been studying Mental Health in the Community for the past year. He wants to improve services on campus, but also advocate for better education and management at the secondary level. He wants to see a university-wide study conducted on mental health in third-level education, plus increased education around various welfare issues.What made you choose to run for this position?:The reason i had chosen to run for welfare last year and this year stems back to my own and my families dealings with mental ill health. Depression nearly cost me my undergraduate degree. The summer of my final year my mother had told us she had been diagnosed with cancer, so I left work to take care of her. This not only built our relationship, but it taught me how to be there fully for someone, to help them just to get through the day. It's something I will hold with me for the rest of my life. Last year I felt maybe my time had gone, but my friends pushed me and I never looked back. This year i took part in a level 6 course in mental health and the community. I wanted to try one more time, as this is something i have major passion in but to also broaden my knowledge.If you had to choose one point from your manifesto as your main priority/goal, what would it be?:Being honest it's very hard to pick one singular point as welfare is almost everything. I do feel the likes of my tenants rights booklet, and skills and interview workshops would be majorly beneficial to a high percentage of UCC students. However the UCC mental health report could lead to a direct increase in funding for counselling services in third level. Doing a report solely for UCC and rolling it out through departments will not only have a strong number of participants it would lead to a substantial ground to lobby for funding. I also plan for USI to roll this out to other colleges. By the end of the year if we had 10+ colleges with figures it would attract massive media attention and make it very hard for the government not to increase funding.What do you feel sets you apart from the other candidates for your position?:I believe my age and experience sets me apart. I think a lot of students including postgrads can relate to my experiences. From working 28 hrs a week during my postgrad, to failed years, paying back €7.5k loans and my battles with mental ill health. When it comes to drug and alcohol harm reduction, I'm not coming from a student view, I will be using my experiences as a store manager in the main student off-license. I believe sitting down with heads I'd have a stronger argument for change because i'm not a younger student. Whoever is voted in will be trained in the same way. Therefore we need to look at the individuals. There I believe I am the strongest candidate.(Manifesto)
Thomas McCarthy
Thomas McCarthy would like to improve niteline and counselling on campus, but also has plans for advocating physical health, wanting to create a ‘gym buddy’ system and fair for classes at the Mardyke. He would also like to introduce stress relief and welfare classes.What made you choose to run for this position?:I've wanted to run for this position since first year of college, I am passionate about making a positive change and having a positive impact on the students of UCC.If you had to choose one point from your manifesto as your main priority/goal, what would it be?:One of the most important points to me is raising awareness of and hopefully subsidising the drug PrEP. Pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) is an HIV prevention strategy where HIV-negative individuals take anti-HIV medications before coming into contact with HIV to reduce their risk of becoming infected. The medications work to prevent HIV from establishing infection inside the body. PrEP has been shown to reduce risk of HIV infection through sex for gay and bisexual men, transgender women, and heterosexual men and women, as well as among people who inject drugs.What do you feel sets you apart from the other candidates for your position?:My experience in organising events and being involved in different societies in UCC, also I feel like I have new and fresh ideas to bring to the table.(Manifesto)
Commercial & Communications Officer
Matt Finnerty
Matt Finnerty is a final year BComm international final year student. He wants to create connections with local Cork business and see start-up stalls in UCC. He’d also like to see more funding for the UCC radio station. He would like to create more job and placement opportunities for all students, and introduce a ‘petition’ system to allow students to bring issues to the Students' Union.What made you choose to run for this position?:I've always had an interest in running for the SU and to be honest I didn't really understand the role of Comms Officer until last year. As soon as I found out what the job entailed I knew that was the role I wanted to go for. I'm studying Commerce so I've always been interested in business. I love how the Comms Officer is responsible for communications between the SU and the students and between businesses outside of UCC. The responsibility is widespread, and I feel it would allow me to engage in a number of different areas.If you had to choose one point from your manifesto as your main priority/goal, what would it be?:Although the commercial side of things is very important in the running of the SU, I feel as though the communication between students and the SU is the most important element of my manifesto, and the part I hope to put at the top of my priorities if I am elected.I hope to run a "Get to know your Union Campaign" so students know exactly what the role of each elected officer is and how they can help them in anyway they may need throughout the year. I also hope to make use of UCC 98.3fm and bi-weekly podcasts to keep the students up to date and informed of the running of the SU, and to allow them to voice their own opinions.What do you feel sets you apart from the other candidates for your position?:I feel the blend between my business background and my love of meeting new people is essential for this position. I also have a lot of experience promoting businesses through social media which I feel would really help me in keeping students informed. I also really enjoyed designing the graphics for my campaign so I would look forward to this aspect of the job if I am lucky enough to be elected.”(Manifesto)
Faye Murphy
Faye Murphy is the current Irish Officer for the SU, and studies French and Irish. She wants to re-define the role of Comms Officer, introducing reports and binding officers to their manifestos as well as she can. She’d also like to introduce a ‘Comms crew’, a group of students to co-ordinate sponsorship.What made you choose to run for this position?:I have been heavily involved in the SU this year through my work as Irish Officer, and I believe I have a lot more to offer as a full-time officer. I am also extremely passionate about student interests and concerns, and it is this which has motivated and has given me the incentive to contest this position.If you had to choose one point from your manifesto as your main priority/goal, what would it be?:That’s a tough one. I guess the issue I am most passionate about is making sure the SU is accessible and transparent for students. To this end, my points on student engagement are my main priority, which include the introduction of regular campus clinics, manifesto progress reports as well as online platforms for students to voice their opinions, questions and concerns. I feel it is my experience and professionalism that sets me apart.What do you feel sets you apart from the other candidates for your position?:I have been involved in the SU this past year and have held various positions of leadership and responsibility during my time here in UCC. I have worked in a professional capacity during my time as an intern in the European Parliament and this experience is something I can carry forward to the Students’ Union. I want to represent students and be the medium through which their voices can be heard and I believe I have the necessary and pivotal communication skills with which to do this.(Manifesto)
Amy Poland
Amy Poland is a film student with a background in production, advertising and graphic design. She was also the CACSSS (Arts) Rep on the Students' Union this year. She wants to improve transparency and communication of the Union and form a student group to create advertisement for the union, and more openly document the workings of the SU.What made you choose to run for this position?:I chose to run for this position for a few core reasons. The first being my own observation of the role while I was working with the SU as the current College Rep for Arts, and that was that there seemed to be a huge disconnect between students and the SU - especially in regard to engagement and actually knowing what's happening on campus. The second reason is my experience and skills that I feel would bring something new to the role, such as making engaging online content and creating more of an on-campus presence.If you had to choose one point from your manifesto as your main priority/goal, what would it be?:To mirror what I said with the first question, student engagement is my main goal. The only reason that the SU is there is for the students, and if we aren't there to support and inform them - then what is the point? I'd like to support students with their own events, showcase what UCC stands for by broadcasting any marches or strikes that we participate in, and make sure that students know that the SU is there for them and can be approached at any time.What do you feel sets you apart from the other candidates for your position?:Due to my background as a Film and Screen Media student, and my involvement as past PRO and current Vice-Chairperson/Secretary of the Film Society, I feel that I can bring a new way of broadcasting the SU to both UCC students and other educational bodies. I can create professional videos and graphic designs, and I also know how to compose and generate content for public consumption.(Manifesto)
Ents Officer
Ronan Carey
Ronan Carey is the current UCCSU SEFS Rep, and plans to bring Oktoberfest to UCC, expand upon RAG week, and extend collection times for RAG week to bring in more money. He would like to extend opening times for the bars on campus and introduce daytime-event support.What made you choose to run for this position?:I always knew I wanted to run for this position, at my orientation talk the Ents Officer at the time started talking about her role in the students’ union and in the university, and by time she finished talking I knew I wanted to be Ents Officer someday. I joined Ents Crew on my first day of college, and over the last two years I’ve relished my time working with the Students’ Union and I know I have a lot more to offer.If you had to choose one point from your manifesto as your main priority/goal, what would it be?:My manifesto is quite ambitious but also achievable. The most important thing for me is to ensure that I make events accessible and run events that all students want to go to. I don’t want to be elected as Ents Officer and only run events for certain demographics, that’s not what I’m being elected to do. I want to ensure every UCC student gets to experience the college experience that they deserve.What do you feel sets you apart from the other candidates for your position?:The thing that I feel sets me apart from the other candidates is my experience and my passion. This last year I was elected the College Rep for Science, Engineering and Food Science, I’ve been a member of the Ents Crew for the last two years, member of the Welfare Crew this year, I have done a lot of work with Student Community Support and I am the current Entertainments Officer for UCC Engineering Society. I always knew I would run for this position, but I never wanted to ask for anyone to vote for me unless I was sure I was ready, and I know I am ready now.(Manifesto)
David Cronin
David Cronin wants to build upon the success of Docklands and pull in more acts from the student body, planning to involve the DJ society and others in the acts, and introduce monthly SU “themed” events. He’d also like to introduce a ‘RAGcovery week’ that focuses on healthy eating.What made you choose to run for this position?:What made you go for the position of Entertainments Officer? I have always loved the entertainment industry and the general craic from a young age. At 16 years of age I set up my own event management company, specialising in teenage discos all around Cork city. I managed every aspect of the business myself, from social media to liaising with companies and acts alike. I still to this day successfully manage the company all by myself. It was from there that my love for providing top quality entertainment flourished. I feel with my experience in this industry I could really raise the bar of entertainment in UCC. Having the opportunity to do this as a full time job truly excited me. I have some unique ideas for UCC which haven’t been done before.If you had to choose one point from your manifesto as your main priority/goal, what would it be?:My main goal? I’d love to get UCC more involved in the city, I feel this can be done in numerous ways. As outlined in my manifesto it is my aim to create a RaGcovery week aimed at healthy eating and minding our mental health. I would love to get local cork food businesses on board to showcase our local produce and encourage healthy eating amongst students. Not only that, with the new €500,000 partnership with the Cork Opera House I think the students' union are perfectly positioned to leverage this opportunity and hold monthly student nights. We could showcase our own talent while also bringing over an international act. UCC is a 5 minute walk from the heart of Cork city, I see no reason as to why we shouldn’t be more involved with the real capital!What do you feel sets you apart from the other candidates for your position?:How am I different? I feel with my experience in this industry is what truly differs me. Having set up my own company at the age of 16 and co-organising the Comm Ball I know what it takes to run an event properly. Not only that, I feel my ideas are unique and a lot of which haven’t been mentioned before. I have the drive and ambition to follow through on anything I promise. With my experience and my ideas I feel I would be a perfect candidate for Entertainments Officer of the Students' Union 2018/19.(Manifesto)
Irish Officer
Edel Burton
Edel Burton is a Pharmacy student and “Not your typical Gaeilgóir.” She’d like to bring more Irish in small parts, to notice boards and english-based conversation, hoping to bring the language to all, and not just native speakers.What made you choose to run for this position?:Gaeilge has been lárnach in my life since I was 5 years old, and continues to be to this day. After attending a Gaelscoil for primary school and then continuing to foster my love for the language in secondary school, through debating, drama and establishing a Club Gaeilge, this passion remained in me through to third level. Although I don’t study Irish, I participate in multiple events organised by An Chuallacht, and am very up to date on Gaeilge related happenings in UCC. Running for this role for me came about primarily when I did Gaeilge 24 last year. The mixture of people in pharmacy and other courses we share classes with, not even realising that event was happening, the fact that people, even foghlaimeoirí, made an effort to speak to me As Gaeilge, and that I discovered there was a thriving community of Gaeilgeoirí in ár measc in the science courses and further afield. Thus, running for this position was motivated by my aim to make the language accessible to all. That those who have cúpla focal are as encouraged to speak it as those who are fluent. Also that we are all immersed in the teanga, it is not just restricted to those who learn it everyday, those who have the confidence to speak it, or those who can make it to ciorcalcomhrá. I truly admire and commend the work that Irish related groups in UCC do to promote the language, but believe it needs to be more of a collective move, involved as many of the student body as possible, and I believe I can be the candidate to make that a reality.If you had to choose one point from your manifesto as your main priority/goal, what would it be?The very essence of my manifesto is based around normalising Irish. Making the language appear like an every day concept, not something scary or stigmatised. I think as a result, bringing bands like Seo Linn to campus to prove through relatable means that Gaolainn is beo, vibrant and still very relevant. Not to dedicate only one week of the year to Irish but instead have very regular events, like this, or bringing in modern Gaeilgeoirí like Eoghan McDermott to speak to us; if he could manage to convince Ed Sheeran to sing as Gaeilge, surely he can appeal to our student body, to see the language as the thriving and lyrical body she is. This principal would most definitely be my priority; making Gaeilge, appealing, accessible and available – omnipresent even. Having Irish translations on all UCC documents, society posters, an online survey on the status of Irish, will remind us all that the language is always there, and ready to be spoken, written and utilised. In essence, tásíbeoagustásíann I gcónaí.What do you feel sets you apart from the other candidates for your position?All of the candidates running for Oifigeach na Gaeilge have a deep grá for Irish, can speak the language fluently and wish the best for her future. However, as I do not study Irish here in UCC, I believe it gives me an advantage in some senses. I still listen to Colásite Lurgan, still speak my cúpla focal as much as possible, and tune into Bliainna Gaeilge updates gachlá. However, simultaneously, I am more exposed to the non-Irish student’s views on Irish, the Joe Soap view if you will. I am not seeing through the rose tinted glasses of a Gaeilge student, and although I wish to believe the best of the language and activism, I also wish to address concerns, campus wide. In terms then of experience, I have a strong working relationship with external Irish organisations, and have spoken on Raidió na Gaeltachta a few times. I believe I have the experience, approachability and motivation to ensure UCC is le Gaeilge, go deo.(Manifesto)
Megan Duggan
Megan Duggan is a first-year arts student. She’d like to establish more Irish-speaking spaces within UCC campuses, and would also like to see Irish more present at events, planning a gaeilge-based ceilí on campus to fill the need for both Irish-speaking and non-alcoholic events.What made you choose to run for this position?I ran for this position because I feel like there could be more done to promote our national language than is being done. Officers that held the position previously have made changes to benefit us in the long run, but I feel like we can do more. I chose to run because I felt I would be able to help to promote the Irish language a lot more. If elected, I’ve a lot of fresh ideas, some of which are small and easily incorporated into life on campus, such as placing Irish above English signs in order to incorporate the language on a small scale, and to make it visible around the college every day. With this being Bliain na Gaeilge, I felt like it was the perfect time to run because I could use the year to incorporate more Irish into the campus.If you had to choose one point from your manifesto as your main priority/goal, what would it be?The one main point that I want to focus on is the Irish common room in the orb, as I feel like it’s a space that we need to utilise more and something that needs to be incorporated into every satellite campus, not just main campus. I would like to turn it into an open welcoming space that would enable people to be with their friends to have a cuppa or a chat as Gaeilge and be surrounded by people all doing the same thing. It could be a new way for people to make friends and to improve the Gaeilge that they already have while others could use it to learn cúpla focal that they could then use in their own conversations.What do you feel sets you apart from the other candidates for your position? I think what sets me apart from the other two candidates is that I have a real passion for our national language and a desire to do well in the job. I want UCC to be a place where are still close to the Irish language and their culture. I have no fear in fighting for what I believe in and I believe that we can do more for our language on campus. I am persistent and feel that this will stand to me when fighting for more to be done to improve Irish on campus and satellite campuses. I feel like all three of us would bring something unique to the table but I’m looking to do more than that. I am looking to make a change in how we view our national language in UCC.(Manifesto)
Antoin O Dullaing
Antoin O Dullaing is a graduate in Irish, and is set to do his masters in Irish language. He has been involved in many Irish-speaking events on campus and within Cork city, including DJing on UCC 98.3fm radio in Irish. He would like to improve the Irish-speaking common room and put more resources and advertising towards existing Irish language resources.What made you choose this position?Well, I have been studying Irish here in UCC for the past 3 years. I've always had a suim inár dteanga but with the help of lecturers, teagascóirí, An Chuallacht, UCC 98.3FM and trips to the Gaeltacht, UCC really managed to escalate my suim to a grá. I would also like to spreag the same grá i ndaoine, and I believe, the goals that I have set out could do just that.If you had to choose one point from your manifesto as your main goal, what would it be?My main goal as Oifigeach na Gaeilge would be to designate a room somewhere on campus just to cainteoirí na Gaeilge. Not just Gaeilgeoirí or foghlaimeoirí but people who only have just the aul cúpla focal as well. It would be like a common but the only language spoken within would be Gaeilge. No pressure, no embaressment, just people coming together to speak Irish.What do you feel sets you apart from other candidates?I believe what sets me apart from the other candidates is the ongoing work I have been doing for the Irish Language already prior to running for the campaign. I have been a member of An Chuallacht for 3 years now, I am on the commitee this year, I host my own radio show on UCC 98.3FM (as Gaeilge) and I am also the class rep for final year Irish.(Manifesto)
Equality Officer
Katie Browne O'Neill
Katie Browne O’Neill is a first year arts student, a committee member of the LGBT Society, and a class rep. They are an active advocate for equality and social justice, wanting to see improvements for all marginalised students. They wish to see a better system for dealing with specified harassment and bullying.What made you choose this position?Since coming to UCC, getting involved as a class rep and in student council, as well as with societies such as LGBT+ Soc & Fem Soc and getting involved with the activism they do, it's really invigorated me to get more involved in making change at a university level. I feel the role of Equality Officer is a really valuable position in that it serves as a link directly between students and the university, and it's where I'd like to focus that energy!If you had to choose one point from your manifesto as your main goal, what would it be?As far as I'm concerned the role of Equality Officer is to represent and vocalise the voices of students, and in order to do that, the Equality Officer, as well as those as part of the Equality Working Group, need to be present, visible and working together with students, for those reasons VISIBILITY is a key priority for me.What do you feel sets you apart from other candidates?Being able to check yourself and being open to admitting you may be wrong is very important. Stepping back to amplify the voices of others and learn from those who have lived experience of certain issues is extremely important. It's something I constantly make an effort to practice and deeply important for a position such as this.(Manifesto)
Maeve Richardson
Maeve Richardson is a government student and an active member of the LGBT society. She would like to increase the visibility of the Equality Officer and Equality Working Group, creating ‘Know your rights’ campaigns for both tenants and in the workplace. She would like to improve accessibility for both physical and mental disabilities within UCC, and organise a yearly LGBT+ pride event at UCC.What made you choose this position?I have been interested in equality issues and active on them for a couple of years now. I feel running for Equality Officer is the best way I can contribute and try to create a more equality and diverse UCC for all! I have also previously served as the Welfare and Equality Officer of the Irish Second-level Students Union so my passion for equality in education remains with me! As I got involved in the coalition for the publicly funded higher education committee and others so I wish to remain involved in that fight as well!If you had to choose one point from your manifesto as your main goal, what would it be?Accessibility around campus- improving lighting at night for the visually impaired, making everywhere wheelchair accessible even if that means just putting down a ramp for a minute. Just making UCC an easy place to get around!What do you feel sets you apart from other candidates?I would say my experience, I have been involved in student politics and the fight for free third level education for many years now. The Irish Second-level Students Union and working nationally with the National Youth Council and Scouting Ireland has me well equipped with leadership skills, team management and how to deal with institutional change. Also my interest in student rights specifically such as in housing and employment.(Manifesto)
SEFS Rep
Jack Hickey
A first-year studying Biological, Environmental & Earth Sciences, Jack Hickey wants to improve the class rep election process, make notes and recordings more accessible, and roll out a language module for the sciences. What made you choose to run for this position?:I feel like the students of the College of SEFS need a satisfactory representative to uphold the good work of the current SU, and someone who's not afraid to bring the pressing issues to the forefront. I feel like some of the current SEFS students are still being failed, and I do not think this is right. As students we are all equals, regardless of what we study. The fact that certain members of the College of SEFS are oppressed angers me immensely, and I wish to rectify these urgent issues as soon as possible. For example, I will introduce quiet spaces/sensory rooms which will benefit those on the ASD spectrum, and also will make gender neutral toilets available to ensure people of the entire gender spectrum are treated fairly. I think this epitomizes why I am running for the position.If you had to choose one point from your manifesto as your main priority/goal, what would it be?:Should I be elected, one of my most important goals is the introduction of languages into SEFS. I think that as a college we have a really good reputation with employers; but my argument is that there is always room to improve. I would love to see our graduates leaving with both the usual world class degree in a SEFS subject and the versatility of a languages graduate; this would increase graduates employability massively. There are many courses within UCC that contain a languages option already, so why should SEFS have to forego this option?What do you feel sets you apart from the other candidates for your position?:I think my resilience, inner strength and determination are a big part of what makes me me. As an individual who has struggled with mental illness throughout second level who can look back on those experiences with a rational mind now, I think it is fair to say that all of the above mentioned qualities definitely do apply to me. I know those experiences with mental health have helped me to become the person I am today and have helped me to become stronger and better than ever. I realise the value of life and that in order to help oneself, you must be willing to stand proud and call out problems as they are. I hope to be the representative for SEFS that they need and deserve!(Manifesto)
Iuri Mimoso
Iuri Mimoso is a first year Genetics student and class rep. He would like to work with the welfare officer to help students in need, and would like to improve the situation around continuous assessment and group work in the SEFS courses.What made you choose to run for this position?:Since I became a class rep for genetics, I became more involved with UCC SU. That was when I realised that if I wanted the issues that surround SEFS fixed I had to run for this position myself. All I want is for everyone to have the best learning environment possible so we can thrive while here in UCC.If you had to choose one point from your manifesto as your main priority/goal, what would it be?:I believe that all the points I made in my manifesto are all quite important, however fixing the issues surrounding the marking and workload of continuous assessment and group work for SEFS will be my priority if elected. The issues stated in my manifesto aren’t the only issues that i will endeavour to tackle. I am open to any issues that anyone might come to me about.What do you feel sets you apart from the other candidates for your position?:I'd like to start by saying that I believe that both my opponents are quite strong candidates for the position, however I am an extremely dedicated and hardworking person, and when I set my mind to something I will not stop until my goals are obtained, and if elected SEFS Rep the results for issues stated and issues that are still to arise are going to show that I meant what I said while running for the position.(Manifesto)
Marukh Rose
Maruhk Rose is the current Deputy SEFS rep and a first year studying Biochemistry. She plans to improve accessibility in labs, lobby for more usage of Panopto and availability of notes on Blackboard, and make sure events are brought to satellite campuses. She wants to see the class rep election process improved to ensure the most competent candidates are selected.What made you choose to run for this position?:I chose to run for this position mostly because of my passion for helping others. I’m a strong believer in the idea that if you are able and driven enough, you should give as much as you can to make other’s lives that bit better. Though having a position in UCC SU may not impact many, it’s a step in the right direction, slowly but surely towards a brighter future.If you had to choose one point from your manifesto as your main priority/goal, what would it be?:If I had to choose one current goal to achieve from my manifesto then it would definitely be to help make laboratories more accessible to students who are physically disabled. This issue really resonates with my priority of making SEFS inclusive and supportive to our students who are disabled. In this case, I would like to focus on students who are unable to access their coursework’s mandatory labs due to their wheelchair or crutches etc., by working closely with our future Equality and DSS Officer.What do you feel sets you apart from the other candidates for your position?:I think what sets me apart from the other candidates is my experience in being involved with the SU already this year as I was elected Biochem 1 Class Rep and Deputy SEFS Rep. These roles gave me an insight into what my (hopefully) future role as SEFS Rep would involve. It also allowed me to develop some useful skills for the position such as leadership, communication and teamwork which is a big part of my way of managing things(Manifesto)
CACSSS (Arts) Rep
Andrew Burke
Andrew Burke is a first year, and an active member of the Philosophy and Comedy societies. The centre of his manifesto is advocacy, and he wants to focus on the small and everyday aspects of student life to improve quality for all. He’d like to improve supports for students, making office hours for lecturers/tutors more widely available and improving training for class reps.What made you choose to run for this position?:As a class rep, I have really enjoyed the position and actually making changes to my subject/helping my fellow students. As CACSSS Rep I want to take this a step further. I chose to run because I feel I can best handle the responsibility, I have the experience and I want to see improvements in our education system!If you had to choose one point from your manifesto as your main priority/goal, what would it be?:The key to improving student life is further training for reps. Class reps are the link between the student body and the SU. Ents reps bring students together through events. By giving further training in social media, first aid and communication, I believe it will act as a domino effect to make a student's life easier.What do you feel sets you apart from the other candidates for your position?:My focus is on advocacy and building on the great system we have! I want to do what the job title entails; represent the students. What sets me apart from my other great candidates is my determination to ensure that each student, especially first years, can enjoy college life, feel like they can make a difference and of course can express themselves freely through the arts. I'm also the shortest candidate!(Manifesto)
Cahir Conway
Cahir Conway wants to re-create the class rep election process, giving a set date and more clear explanation of the role. He’d also like to continue the work done on Arts week, and bring in more student involvement.What made you choose to run for this position?:I found myself very lucky to get into UCC, I repeated my leaving cert to get here and also turned down a college place in the U.K. Without trying to sound cringey, I do love UCC. I felt I wanted to give back, and I felt that being Arts Rep could help me achieve that. There’s also many things that introduced by the current SU and past reps that I would like to adapt. Another issue that made me interested in this role is the pathway of communication currently in place. It’s very much a one way system, I would like to make it two-way, with the hope that the reps that come along after adopt my ways of communicationIf you had to choose one point from your manifesto as your main priority/goal, what would it be?:It would have to be the class rep elections. As I mentioned at the hustings, I know the name of one of my class reps out of four, which is frankly ridiculous. I would like to inform the incoming students much more about this role and setting a date for each class election, giving any interested students the time to prepare a few words to say on the day. I would hope to give this information at orientations, and the first day of college. I also hope that giving information prior to the election will encourage other students to stand for a place, ie. Mature and international students. All students are equal. I would also like to speed up this process with an informal committee by my side consisting of regular students, peer support leaders and my fellow candidates, if they were interested.What do you feel sets you apart from the other candidates for your position?:As I said at the hustings, I am a student, my fellow candidates are students and the the electorate are students. There is nothing that sets me apart from any of the other students (except perhaps my unusual name) I would just encourage everyone to vote, whether it’s for Eoin, Alana, Andrew or myself, just vote. I believe last year only about half of the CACSSS students voted. I would love to see these numbers rise.(Manifesto)
Alanna Daly Mulligan
Alanna Daly Mulligan is an experienced social activist and an advocate of the arts. She’d like to link Blackstone Launchpad with the arts department to create more innovation and entrepreneurship opportunities for arts students, hoping to dispel the myth of the ‘unemployable’ arts degree; she also plans to establish an open mic night to showcase the talents of the arts.What made you choose to run for this position?:I’ve been actively involved in youth government for the past five years and have a passion for enacting change in our society. I was fortunate enough to be the Deputy Arts Rep this year and I learned so much and got such a good understanding for the importance of this position. I feel that the representation of CACSSS has improved but still has a long way to go. While we are a diverse group of young people, I think there needs to be more spaces to create and showcase the work we are doing. I decided to run because I think I have the skills, experience and necessary motivation to make CACSSS better for all students.If you had to choose one point from your manifesto as your main priority/goal, what would it be?:That’s a tough question because I am so passionate about every issue in my manifesto that it is hard to pick one. I suppose developing an entrepreneurial partnership with Blackstone Launchpad to mentor CACSSS students showing them how to get the most out of their degree and time here at UCC. There is this massive perception that an arts degree is for people who don’t know what they are going to do or that it is just a worthless piece of paper-by partnering with BL, we could help students really understand their own value and self worth-understanding that they can be their on boss. I would also be delighted to get a monthly open mic and student exhibition up and running in the Glucksman because, and I said this during Hustings, the SU do not in its current state support or encourage creativity of any kind-CACSSS students need a place and an event to socialise, somewhere where they can learn from one another that isn’t specifically a clubs or socs event.What do you feel sets you apart from the other candidates for your position?:To start, I believe whoever is elected will deserve it and will do a great job next year and I will fully support them on that. But what sets me apart is my level of experience and passion for changing the way CACSSS is perceived and organised. I currently run an open mic series in Cork city with my friend once a month, helped start Ireland’s first YA literature festival, sit on a range of panels and more. Behind the politics, I get the work done-I am motivated to see results and won’t settle for anything being done below-par. I strongly believe that CACSSS students deserve a candidate that will stand up for them and make the changes that will make our college as a whole stronger. CACSSS is a big college, there are lots of groups that are forgotten about, again, I mentioned this in my hustings speech-I want to give every student in CACSSS the opportunity to be apart of this Arts Community rather than just being bystanders.(Manifesto)
Eoin O’Driscoll
Eoin O’Driscoll is a second year politics and geography student and class rep. He wants to improve communication between students the the CACSSS rep and SU, and wants to focus on unity, bringing the various students of the arts and those on satellite campuses together.What made you choose to run for this position?:
Business & Law Rep
Jen Chadwick
Jen Chadwick is a 2nd year business and law student and class rep. She is the uncontested candidate for Business & Law rep, and plans to improve issues around placements. She plans to introduce a mentor system in the College of Business & Law.What made you choose to run for this position?:I ran for this position as I wanted to be able to bring about positive change within the College of Business and Law. I have been lucky enough to meet some of the incredible students in our college, and discuss with them the common issues they face regularly - such as problems with their respective placement programmes, lack of finances to partake in international competitions, and managing course work. My goal, is to ensure that students' needs are being met, and to bring more collaboration between the students and faculty.If you had to choose one point from your manifesto as your main priority/goal, what would it be?:If I could choose one goal from my manifesto, it would be to provide more resources and finance to those within the College, who want to up-skill and build upon their CV. In our College, competition for employment after graduation is fierce, and I want to give all students the opportunity to partake in activities within the College and outside to help set them apart from others. Students should not be discouraged from achieving their goals as a result of a financial issue, or academic. We need to encourage our students to be different, and think independently, like the UCC motto.(Jen is uncontested)(Manifesto)
Medicine & Health Rep
Noel Brennan
Noel Brennan is a third year Medicine student, and has been involved with the SVDP, MSF and Medicine Societies. His main goals are to get class reps elected as quickly as possible, expand library hours in the Brookfield & CUH libraries and work with students on common placement issues.What made you choose to run for this position?:I decided to run for College of Medicine and Health rep this year, as I believe that students' union officers can have a dramatic impact on the student experience here at UCC, provided that the right people get the job. With this in mind I decided to put myself forward as a candidate placing an emphasis on clear cut achievable policies to enhance the student experience at Brookfield, the Cavanagh building and the teaching hospitals affiliated with UCC. In one sentence, I decided to run because I feel that I have realistic polices and the experience to back them up.If you had to choose one point from your manifesto as your main priority/goal, what would it be?:That's a tough question, as if i'm fortunate enough to be elected there are several policies I would like to implement next year. I suppose if I could only do one thing next year, I would try to make a change that would benefit the entire College of Medicine and Health. I would put the focus on placement issues such as transport, accommodation and of course the final year wages for pharmacy students at the moment. If following a year in office, I was able to successfully improve the overall placement experience for students at UCC that would be massive achievement!What do you feel sets you apart from the other candidates for your position?:There are two main things that set me apart from other candidates, realistic policies and the experience to back them up. My manifesto is very concrete and does not make outlandishly insane promises. It is built on achievable solutions to problems that exist in our college today. Secondly, I feel I have the experience to back up these changes. I was First Year rep for St. Vincent De Paul and won one of the Fresher of the year awards. I was also Children's Activities officer with SVP and ran lego clubs, homework clubs, grind programmes, breakfast clubs and a youth club. I am Vice-Chairperson of Medsoc this year and have organized massive scale entertainment events including medball, medhunt and have been involved in running educational, welfare, sporting and community outreach projects throughout the year. I feel that I have a very vast rage of experience extending and including academia, entertainment, charity and welfare which would make me a very well balanced rounded rep for the college next year.(Manifesto)
Caoimhe Hennigan
Caoimhe Hennigan wants to improve communication between medicine students and the SU, bridging gaps and between the main campus and the satellite campuses, making minutes available to all students and creating an ‘SU noticeboard’ on Brookfield. She also plans on improving the dire situation around work placements for year 5 pharmacy students.(Manifesto)--Voting will take place on March 6th & 7th. Polling stations are as follows, and are specific to individual colleges:
- College of Arts, Celtic Studies and Social Sciences - Boole Basement
- College of Science, Engineering and Food Science - Kane Building
- College of Business and Law - O'Rahilly Building
- College of Medicine and Health - Brookfield
Polling stations will also be present in CUH, CEC and Copley Street for students who are primarily based there.In addition to the elections, students will be voting on whether UCC should affiliate to USI or not. UCC SU is currently a member of USI.