"There's such divinity doth hedge a king, That treason can but peep to what it would."

Welcome Back

First of all can I say a huge welcome back to all you students, especially the international students whom we got the chance to talk to last week and all you guys who have returned after your Christmas holidays. With regard to the semester ahead…its going to be interesting. The following is a report to date of the various goings on in the union and in areas I highlight both my personal and professional opinion.

Dark times there is no denying – the state of the union

Where to start… the beginning will do! When I first took this office it was with great respect and reverence for the job and the ability of myself as an officer and of those who were elected beside me. Since then I find I am disillusioned with the Union as a whole and annoyed at how passionate I have allowed myself to be about this role. As far as I am concerned everything I said, wrote and campaigned for during the election process still stands and I am doing my best to complete that.

Campaigns have not cost the union any money since October. I have spent my own personal money on campaigns in order to fund the office as it stands. I am happy to do this but I find that in a professional and personal capacity I am stretched to the limit. I have always believed in honesty in what I do and as such I feel greatly uncomfortable with the current situation in the union.

It seems to me that decision making has not become inclusive of the students whom it directly affects. With regard to campaigns I found it necessary to have 6 focus groups on what was essential for the role and the office last semester. Since then we have a new constitution, a plan to abolish 2 key roles in the union and none of it was previously discussed with students.

I have been mandated by Exec to agree to putting forward the motion but the main thing I am worried about is the non inclusion of student opinion that comes with the changes proposed. We, as sabbatical officers should NEVER have the decision making power that has led to these motions without constructive engagement with the very people it effects. I always prefer to think of anything I do as… “how this will effect a student” rather than allowing personal opinion dictate my decision making…granted this allows for a slower decision making process but at least its inclusive.

I am making it my mission to remain honest as I have done over the past semester but this is a very difficult time and being quite honest the Union is no longer a great place to work. The only thing that keeps me motivated is students and it is the reason why this is difficult to write.

I wish to assure you that this is NOTan attack on any of the other officers, by no means they have reacted quite well to the changes… The guys are doing a great job and its difficult  I am just genuinely worried about the effect of decision making and imposition of non collective STUDENT LED changes… it makes a Students union look like a dictatorship but if you are not in you cant win.

My main point stemming from this is open dialogue is key- sabbats have great ideas...but they effect students so we need feedback from ye when an issue arrises.

Position and stance

I have and always been of the main opinion that as an officer you follow the core elements of the union stated as such:

Appendix 5       ULSU Core Guiding Principles

To ensure a good working relationship these principles we all hold at the core of our day to day operation of the Students Union. By upholding these principles we will foster an open working environment, in which every individual is valued so together we will all deliver on the Union’s mission statement and it key objectives.

·        We will endeavour to implement best practise in everything we do.

·        We will treat every visitor to the Union with the utmost respect.

·        Each of us will treat all members of Staff and Sabbats with respect.

·        We will protect the integrity of the Union by ensuring that ULSU complies with all legislation.

·        We encourage discussion and feedback on all major decisions and listen to all points of view.

·        Where possible we will try to deliver all decisions by consensus.

·        We will provide Feedback regularly on performance and seek to receive feedback.

·        We will provide the training to ensure that all Staff members and Sabbats can do the job to the best of their ability and seek training where needed to ensure that we can deliver the Unions objectives.

We will be fair to every one of our co-workers by:

·        Providing Value for Money every day for the Students who pay us

·        Advertising all  new positions or promotion opportunities internally

·        Endeavouring to create a positive and happy working environment

·        Being Punctual and informing reception each day by 10 am if you will not be in

·        Ensuring that all relevant information is passed on to those who will need it in a timely manner

·        Being open to new ideas and suggestions

·        Focus on the positive

·        Exhibiting the highest standards of honesty and transparency

I try and stick by these rules set out in the constitution – often its difficult to stick to these…particularly the 10am one but non the less I have highlighted ones that I feel most aggrieved with.

What is your opinion on this and the  current situation in ULSU?

Feedback is greatly appreciates – sucso@ul.ie

                                                                                                     

Constitutional Change

On Friday last week the union viewed a draft constitution that currently  has been written to reflect an expected result to the removal of 2 officers who were not included in the draft

I have since been assured that the constitution will be amended to include these officers. It is dangerous to assume what students will vote and it’s also dangerous to assume you speak for students when they have not been consulted.

As such consulted with some students, got their feedback and can make recommendations to the exec based on students opinion and feedback.

All in all the changes in the constitution allow for much of the operational ambiguity to be assessed and its main purpose is to open up the floor to transparency and accountability however many there are.

Shops Closing

As I have stated in previous Blog I did take my name off the shop board as I was never consulted on issues related to the shop or the bike shop during the summer and I was not comfortable with the accounts at the time. At that time the best person to make recommendations with regard money would be someone experienced in accounting.

Many of the acts of the campaigns and services officer have been taken on by the president as more of a need due to the rapid change in members of staff (i.e the general manager leaving). In terms of accountability what does this mean for a campaigns and services officer.

Well because so many decisions were made without consultation or discussion I was operating a service that I was technically not.

The closure of the shops was only a minor issue when I sat on the shop board… and I sat there in order to get students the best deals I could as a representative. Since then student money has been invested into the main shop and as now you are hearing about the closure of the shops in Cappa and Drumroe.

I understand that the shops had to close due to Profits and debt but It begs the question – why are students investing in a shop who’s sole purpose upon its inception was to attain profit for the union to use to fund student activity?

Please correct me if I am wrong on this because this is what I remember from my 5 years with the union.

It is a shame that these shops had to close, I think if the union knew the implications of disseminating information in a collective and engaging fashion it would have eased the effect of such closures and students will be ready for it.

EGM – It’s a Bonfire!

This will be the make or break of the ideas (which I personally believe to be somewhat rushed in my opinion… but that’s opinion)

This meeting is in week two in the Jean Monet at 2pm. I ask that as many students as possible attend.

It is very important that you have your voice heard and genuinely understand the implications and effects of what will be voted upon and discussed

I have added a motion ‘Transparency & Accountability’ to the EGM as a discussion item. I think it’s important to facilitate the students views and opinions on what is happening within the union

The agenda will be posted after 6pm on Friday when any motions must be received by FRIDAY

A dent in the framework – two sides of the coin

I have come to the conclusion that the role is a lot like Harvey dent in Batman ( bit odd but none the less) He says a quote saying ‘ you either die a hero or you live long enough to see yourself become the villain’

In essence this is representative of what I’m feeling, it may sound dramatic but If I put on my personal hat I see the removal of my office and the CO as a negative for the union. But when I think about it professionally the amount of money that could be saved would aid campaigns for the future year…which still benefits the students… I do hope that the students that plan to run for elections this semester understand the role they will take on.

Im interested on your feedback on this – it is great to hear the opinion and at the end of the day Officers finish up here and a new year begins in June… really consider what is important

Elections and advice for anyone running for CSO

SPOILER ALERT! –I will not be running for Campaigns and Services officer should the office exist this year.

If anyone would like any information on this role and some tips for running for this office please don’t hesitate to contact me

It would be a pleasure to meet any of the candidates and point them in the right direction.

Elections are week 9 this semester with close of nominations week 8. Keep your eyes posted and look out for the perspective candidates making their names known over the next few weeks

Campaigns for this semester

Know your Union, give it a go week, international week, SHAG week, Road Safety Week, Charity Week, Student Wellbeing week, Community and health week, equality week, I grade week, Study and exam week

If you would like to get involved please contact sucso@ul.ie

Volunteers are recognised by the PVA Award system

Week by week the updates of each campaign will be on this Blog.

Charity week

Students are constantly asking what big name act we have, its simple there is not enough money for a big act. we have some major surprises and savage daytime activities set up including beer/coke pong championships and the birth of the average joe-lympics. A huge effort is being put in by your Events and promotions manager Keith Quinlan who is working round the clock on making this an epic week…and I cannot wait for it!

The charities will be highlighted each week in order for you to understand how important this week and your involvement is to them.

Get involved get out there and enjoy yourselves. With the closure of Galway’s rag week it is now only a matter of time, and the actions of a few bad characters cannot be accountable for its future, make it positive.

To get involved contact Keith OR Paddy on sucso@ul.ie or keith.quinlan@ul.ie

Know your Union week

This week is know your union week and from thurstay on there are stalls, stands video’s and information throughout the campus relating to what your union does for you.

There will also be informative focus groups for anyone that wishes to discuss the EGM and its proposed motion before next weeks meeting

Be sure to get involved and find out about YOUR Union

"There's a divinity that shapes our ends, Rough-hew them how we will."

Come what may of the decisions next week – You as students have an obligation to make decisions affecting your union and your student life.

If you do not speak up then it is pointless airing an opinion on boards or anything like that. Activism and co-operative change can only be accomplished by collective reasoning. Get involved and have your say!

The final and most important note

Tony Tony Crowley's girlfriend Emma has been on to say the Gardaí reckon this weekend is critical in the search for Tony. If there are any students who can make it this weekend to Oranmore it would be much appreciated. If anyone can offer lifts it would be great. When we have more details we'll post and see what can be coordinated.

I will keep you posted on what can be arranged – If you would like to help out we can co-ordinate it from here. Please send any emails to sucso@ul.ie

Reach for the stars so if you fall you land on a cloud Jump in the crowd, spark your lighters, wave 'em around

Hi all!!!! so again another blog with a lot to go through I hope this wont be the last one before the holidays.I suppose I should start by saying a huge thank you to the students from UL who attended the student march against fees and grant cuts in Dublin on the 16th of November.

Fee's


Coming off the back of last years events this protest exemplified the fantastic nature of the students of Ireland and it was a proud day to march side by side with such people. When listening to Gary Redmond (USI President) talk to the crowd of some 20,000 students I managed to see a few government heads listening in. The faces of which were priceless!!! Gary spoke quite well about the horrible consequences of an increase in  fees, of cutting the grant and of the very nature of the Ruari Quinns deception.

 The only issue with these protests I have is that they are grounded in misinformation and not based around straight fact. As a huge student protester of the past few years I take to the street if they we're going to increase the price of battered sausages in Rio's but I do thin debate and discussion  of the general student populous is needed. I can be mandated to take to the street as any officer would gladly do, and i know my own personal belief is that fees are a horrible thing to come back. But it is essential we look at the bigger picture i.e the welfare of our students, the quality of education they are currently receiving. I am putting in place a campaign of awareness to stress the facts of Re-introduction of fees because I believe the current method of acceptance only allows acceptance at a smaller increase for example:

Last year we protested amongst fear and speculation of a return of €6000 fee for college per year with no clarification of intent.So we took to the streets and rightly so and accepted the increase from €1572 to €2072 as a "Student Contribution" What are we fucking stupid? or did they just market the idea well -Fear mongering and then a softer blow? It is important now that with the looming budget we focus not on the softer blow but the joint resolution of "no". We need to stop falling pray to misguided hearsay and deal with solid fact!!! remember that and this Fight will not be lost to a softer blow.

Campaigns & Services Status Report.


And now back to the office if you can see the video below it is a status report on the Campaigns and Services Office to date including a manifesto review and explanation and a general discussion on where I am with regard to my election promises. Enjoy and feel free to send any questions or comments to sucso@ul.ie

.

Clubs & Socs Interim Report.
Recent events surrounding the misappropriation and blatant disregard for both members of Clubs & Societies and their funding is now being investigated by members of Clubs & Societies in order to provide security and shed light on the events leading to the poor management of funding in ULSU.

I am very welcoming of such a look at how things are run here. Being honest communication and decision making need to be revised (currently adopted by the ULSU). Some thing like this is essential for transparency which I welcome with open arms.I have always been an advocate of sitting down round table and discussing the Establishment with members in all elements of its progression..

Everybody has new ideas and creative elements to them that can benefit the place. Some members of staff have a wealth of knowledge that can be a great asset in making ULSU work to its best. That is why over the next few weeks I will be striving for a round table focus group of all elements of the students union. one which is not closed off to its very members it represents. Transparency is about two things 1)Accountability and 2)Collaborative work all off the same hymn sheet.

I hope the findings of the report are both enlightening and something I in my own sense of professionalism can develop on.

Development Opportunity for Campaigns and Services office.
I am currently looking at how to develop the office further as it gradually changes to Campaigns and Engagement. Over the next couple of weeks I will be leading into the 2nd semester Campaigns and Entertainments end of the job and here i need your help and advise. What do you want to see? what do you think is essential for a campaign to be effective.Are entertainments doing the best that they could? Essentially it is an opportunity to have your say.

The best thing I can do with this office is open it up and I have tried to do that with regard to the issue of Fees and it yielded results I expected and some I didn't. This job is about getting the office, the union and its students working to the best ability it can. No one person  can do that alone and take into account everyones point of view and expectations.

So if at any stage you want to pop into the office or offer some feedback -all the channels are there, Facebook, this blog, boards (campaigns, services and all things ents!)email sucso@ul.ie, face to face in office or the new suggestion box outside my office!!! throw anything in there except food :)

Fees Information Campaign
As stated above the current fees campaign we have adopted is lacking grounded fact and is running on speculation. I will over the next two weeks run information videos and leaflets on the nature of fees, proposals and I'll be asking you how might proposed fees and cuts affect you? in the past 4 years the fee increased by 120%. this increase and the cuts to the grant affect you now  and the first years to come after you. I am a realist, the government is underfunding education, as standards slip.

The idea that we have to ruin working class people, students and the vulnerable to bail out the banks is an attack of clear austerity. Over the next few weeks I will show you all the information I can find with regard to Fees, their affect and various methods the government may throw at us with the new budget. I hope for this to be informative and allows you to march, informed and intelligent with regard to your stance on fees.

I-Grade Awareness
Over the next 2 weeks we will be running an I-Grade Awareness week, a week designed to inform you of the availability of an I grade. Firstly an I-Grade is:

"Grade 'I' shall only be awarded in cases where the student has not completed all of the requirements for the module and has submitted certifiable evidence of medical and/or psychological illness or immediate family bereavement. 'I' grades shall not be assigned in response to a plea made in respect of pressure of work."


Awareness with regard to this is highly important in the run up to exams and we'll be filling you in on all the available means of securing an I-Grade.

Study Skills
In the run up to exams we can fill you in with some last minute tips before the big ones the "do's and don'ts" of exam survival, stress relief , a nice cup of tea, and what to do when you are up shit creek without a paddle
Here at ULSU we'll have podcasts and promo's to ensure your set up for the exams!



Exam Time -AH BALLS!
As promised in my election campaign there will be exam pods set up in each exam centre and essentials like calculators will be made available to those who desperately need em (last resort) + (Limited stock). Of course we will have some exam goodies to get you through the tough time and a listening ear - and we have a new relaxation spot set up so you can have a chat about the best and worst of the exams or even if you want to chat about getting home for Christmas.

Best of luck with all the study and the upcoming exams. Enjoy Christmas days and look forward to hearing from you in the future. get out get involved and change.

And in times like these remember :

"The greater the difficulty, the more glory in surmounting it. Skillful pilots gain their reputation from storms and tempests."

Epictetus


Peace out and remember you can contact me anytime!

Is mise le meas,

Paddy

Paddy Rockett

Campaigns and Services Officer

Oifigeach Feachtais agus Seirbhísí

-----------------------------------

University of Limerick Students' Union

061 213542 | 086 0435303

sucso@ul.ie| www.ulsu.ie

www.facebook.com/ulstudentsunion

Sophisticated ignorance, write my curses in cursive...

Whoa its been a while and boy have things changed in a totally different direction, I have a lot of crazy things to talk about but first I would like to make a personal message. 

On Wednesday the 2nd of November both myself and Derek had one of the unknown duties of members of the Students Union and that was to attend the funeral of a young student 
Kate Fleming (18 years), 1st Year Law Plus student in Timoleague, Co. Cork. Kate was killed in a tragic car accident after dropping some friends home after a night out. Kate was the designated driver of the group and came across rough road and weather conditions when the accident occurred. The funeral was the saddest thing I have ever seen with students, from home, Limerick and around the country flooded to the packed Church in this small village. Her dad gave the most beautiful of speeches, the crowd laughed, cried and felt the grief of the family themselves. The most inspiring of things was Kate’s Friends - and there were hundreds of them, who came together at the end of the mass to sing 'Fix you' by Coldplay. Its days later and it sticks with me. Even as I look at the book of condolences in the Union and I see the devastating effect something like this can have on family friends and so many around us.

R.I.P Kate and my thoughts are with your family and your many friends!

This story reaches further areas, I will scream from the highest building in this University, PLEASE BE SAFE ON THE ROADS. Look after those around you and yourself. 

What else has been going on in the world of Campaigns & Services,

Community

I have been to Community Forum recently and the feedback I am getting is that it is that with Galway taking on a NO RAG WEEK stance, will residents also follow suit and campaign for us to do the same. This is a huge threat to the event of the year, the one that raises so much money for charity and one we have worked on over the past few years.

NUIG say 'No' to RAG Week 

I have worked on the M&M's and teased out some of the problems and gotten them ready for next year Keep an eye out over the holidays for info on how to get involved.

The gardai have been informing me of the many thefts that have been occurring around campus and have informed me that bike locks no matter how sophisticated, are easy targets for bike thieves. the advice we are getting is the chain and Yale locks are way better. 

Glass!!!!!
The pathways to/from the colleges are littered with broken glass, remnants of walking with glass bottles to and from the various areas on/off campus - IT HAS TO STOP!!!. I have personally gone out on a weekend to clean up after these breakages and its getting ridiculous. The county council refuse to clean it up and the SU are not obliged to. I am holding off getting volunteers to do community clean ups because they are not a babysitting service. They are not here to clean up after students. Residents are gonna take us to the cleaners should one of their children slip and fall on broken glass, if one of your bikes gets a puncture or if any of you fall and injure yourself. Its down to you just put it in the bin - gwan I’ll give ya a puppy!

Gardai
Are available in the Students Union building from 2pm every Wednesday to deal with any issues you may want to raise such as signing forms, Provisional licence, Passport, Age card, Reporting a crime, Charity Collection etc. It might be a good idea to discuss what your area is like with regard to safety i.e the lighting in College court, Unlicensed taxi drivers etc.

In Other News
I would like to congratulate Reiss Barran for his election as Entertainments counsellor. His job involves investigating entertainments and what you want to see, helping myself and the Ents and promotions manager create the event and publicise it as much as we can. Best of luck to ya kiddo.


Movember
Movember kicked off with style on Tuesday the 1st with the free shave in the scholars. We're gonna have regular check-ins on the grow of the mo and how our mo bros and sistas are promoting Men’s health issues throughout the campus. Mo-Bro's you can register their details for collectionat Movember.com 



As for you Sistas you can get involved on out promo-days for raising awareness on issues like testicular cancer with our grab life by the balls day which is during Men’s health Week and the pre-cursor to our mid-month mo check party on a date (tbc).

During November each year, Movember is responsible for the sprouting of moustaches on thousands of men’s faces in Ireland and around the world. The aim of which is to raise vital funds and awareness for men’s health, specifically prostate cancer.



On Movember 1st, guys register at Movember.com with a clean-shaven face and then for the rest of the month, these selfless and generous men, known as Mo Bros, groom, trim and wax their way into the annals of fine moustachery. Supported by the women in their lives, Mo Sistas, Movember Mo Bros raise funds by seeking out sponsorship for their Mo growing efforts.

Mo Bros effectively become walking, talking billboards for the 30 days of November and through their actions and words raise awareness by prompting private and public conversation around the often ignored issue of men’s health.

At the end of the month, Mo Bros & Mo Sistas celebrate their gallantry and valor by either throwing their own Movember party or attending one of the infamous Gala Partés held around the world by Movember, for Movember.

Shag Week 
This Semesters SHAG Week is going to be epic. At this moment in time the posters are going to print and its  going to be epic, here is the layout of the  next week: 

Monday  - Lets talk about sex Baby

Dirty talk with Tara and Paddy on ULFM

Tuesday -  Your Sex is on Fire – a guide to safe sex

Condom demonstration

The ‘what’s-what’ of STD’s and Contraception

Free Condom Handout

Wednesday -  Getting down and Dirty

Sexual positions exhibition in the courtyard

Marshmallow & chocolate fountain

Free Condom Handout

Sexy Facts around college.

                              Thursday – I cant get no satisfaction 

                                        “Fun in the bedroom”

Sexual positions exhibition in the courtyard

Marshmallow & chocolate fountain

Free Condom Handout

Sexy Facts around college.

Lube Party in the Lodge (Jelly Wrestling) €5

Cock fighting, lube taste testing

Prizes from Ann summers on the night.

Here are some of the pictures of all the stuff we need to hand out over the next few days, keep an eye out for information and free stuff over the next week.

 AWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW Yeah!!!!!!!
Fees
As it stands I have not changed in my opinion of fees and over the next week I will be getting out and talking to students to find out about  your opinion on fees. There is a Fees workshop on Tuesday the 15th of November and a National student protest on the 16th in Dublin. I would also like to get a collective of opinions on fees on Friday 11th of November. We will be taking to the streets and saying 'no' to a government that  refuses to listen.

My position remains the same as when this battle started:
Without Question, We will continue to protest and mount pressure on a government that will not actively engage with the very people they sentence to financial hardship and strain. Students remain a strong, formidable unit, undivided by political parties, ideologies and personal gain but unified by a governments poor decision making and 'easy way out' approach to our nation and its students... and we are Irelands students, the very people they should be investing in to alter the negligence of their history.

Fee’s cannot and will not be the priority of our current students and our future ones. I will, in my capacity as your Campaigns & Services Officer, not allow the college experience to become that of Financial Fear and Ruin, of Mental strain and anguish, We are better than that as a nation, We are more than that as a people.

All of you guys make sure to look after yourselves.

As always you can contact me on cso@ul.ie

Looking forward to SHAG Week - keep them mo's growing bruthas!

And bear in mind

There's three ways to do things, the right way, the wrong way and the way that I do it.

- Robert De Niro (Casino movie)

Is mise le meas,

Paddy

Paddy Rockett

Campaigns and Services Officer

Oifigeach Feachtais agus Seirbhísí

-----------------------------------

University of Limerick Students' Union

061 213542 | 086 0435303

sucso@ul.ie| www.ulsu.ie

www.facebook.com/ulstudentsunion

But i know that if I stay stunting!

Hi all Welcome once again to another instalment of the regular bant. Hope this one finds you well and you love your time here at UL and You are settling in to the greatness of the next year! Its been a while since I have been on and a lot has happened from Fresher-fest to planning for our big Campaigns over the next week. So I’ll fill ya in:

Campaigns: Have taken a different turn based on demand for national coverage of events so the timetable has changes and is available at the end of this blog. The main Campaigns are Orientation, Mind your Health Week, SHAG Week, Mens health Week, I grade awareness and Alcohol and Drugs Awareness.

Next week will be a flood of three similar Campaigns finishing off our first month that is based around Community, Student Safety and Knowing your Union. Make sure to be involved and grab some info from one of the craic banter shenanigans crew.

So with all that cleared lets have a look at what’s been done with the fantastic, epic ‘Freshers Week’ that absolutely rocked. Mr Hudson said he cant wait to come back….sweeeeeeet! and s club and five were great craic. But the highlight for me was the Lads from DJ soc absolutely rocking the place. We have serious talent here and these lads showed it! So with that in mind….You want a stage like that…GET IN TOUCH!!!

Hey even I got the opportunity to take to the stage it was awesome!!! UL have an awesome crowd… it was savage!!!

I want to say a huge thank you to Des Foley who managed to capture the great stuff all week it was unreal… have a looksee…

Last week saw the ULSU AGM where we reached quorum (the minimal number of people in order to pass amendments and change) for the first time since 2008 which I’m delighted with. The changes that have been passed are now leading us to a functional union that finally allows transparency within our Union.

Onwards and upwards!!! As I always say!

Student safety was a big Issue so I will be extending its campaign to the month as there is a lot to deal with which will be explained later in the blog. Anyway have a look at this short Video and make sure to catch any of the CBS crew with info and freebies!!!

Over the next week I will be engaging in information campaigns with regard to Community, The Union and Finishing Student Safety. I will also be taking part in ASSIST training which deals with suicide prevention amongst students. I think it might be difficult but I’m hoping it helps me to help any student who may need it.

And now for something completely different, recently the hills have been alive with the sound of conspiracy and questions… and rightly so, I have deliberately stayed out of the debate in order to listen rather than talk and I was delighted with what I saw. Granted our President had pressure put on him with regard to Union Finances and the relationship between C&S funding but I felt that he handled the situation as best anyone could. It was great to see students question what we do and for us to have answers to a serious issue. Without going into the flesh and bones of the story I was impressed with the students and their concerns and I learned two things from all of this. A) C&S need security and assurance that finance is safe and that decisions relating to C&S money are C&S based inclusive of the union.(I support the view of not wanting a ‘them and us’ situation) and B) The Union (once finances are in order) need to thrive in the world of transparency.

We need to have accountability and stability otherwise situations as such will arise year after year and we will forever remain stagnant and will never progress. With this in mind I have heard (albeit through the grapevine) that my own budget was called into question and as far as I am aware I have spent none of an allocated budget until recently. This was to tie in with capitation coming in and In honesty I’m not gonna budge until we sort ourselves out financially which I’m sure will be rectified soon. I would be remiss in my duty to spend spend spend… My plan is to try and do the best I can with as little as possible. I hope that his statement represents my feelings towards this issue. I took the step back in order to listen because it is imperative we do…

My own Campaigns & Services Budget is coming in and I will focus my attention on the following Campaigns as ones that require some spending: Mental health, SHAG, Movember, Road Safety, Charity, Election, Men’s Health

The following are minor Campaigns that will require minor spending with sponsorship being very important:

Student safety, Know your Union, Community, Alcohol & Drugs, Exams, Equality

I wanna hear your input so contact me on sucso@ul.ie or I’ll be out and about getting feedback and ideas for these weeks. If you feel we need to spend more on a certain Campaign tell me but for every Campaign I am going to furnish you with the planned expenditure and what is actually spent including incoming sponsorship

I’m working very hard with the guys here to ensure we are transparent in out workings and that we become far more visible over the next few months but feedback is essential so please get in touch!

This is YOUR UNION, YOUR VOICE.

And on the note of voices ULFM has had me in tears laughing this week with the Tommy and Dave show from 11-1pm on a Thursday (subject to change) Lads the boys had me in stitches… amidst a meeting with a rep from concern whom was talking about some serious issues these boys were in the background having the absolute Craic!!! A great way to start your day. Keep an eye out for these lads the craic is mighty the banter is flowing and bar a warning about cups of tea and pearl harbour the shenanigans are sure to impress. Well done!!! I’ll be keeping an eye out over the next few weeks to some of the other shows but these lads really grab political correctness but the short and curlies and break up those stressful days.

UL FM Facebook

ULFM Live stream, Listen now!

The Tommy & Dave Show 

I suppose that’s me for the day. I hear mid terms are fast approaching just to let you know the Halloween ball is in full flight with a few sneaky shindigs in the pipeline. I’m currently working with Tara your Welfare officer on ‘Mind your Health Campaign’ and it is going to be the 1^st big campaign of the semester and if any of you wish to get involved give me or Tara a shout in the office or when we are out and about.

I usually finish with an life lesson or quote but…

You’ve got a world outside there go out and be part of it. Drink on the grass, shift under the stars and take any opportunity that comes your way… the road not travelled by is far more difficult when you’re older.

Good luck and look after yourselves!!!

Im off to bed...

          Is mise le meas,

      Paddy

        Paddy Rockett

        Campaigns and Services Officer

        Oifigeach Feachtais agus Seirbhísí

       -----------------------------------

       University of Limerick Students' Union

       061 213542 | 086 0435303

       sucso@ul.ie| www.ulsu.ie

      www.facebook.com/ulstudentsunion