The announcement comes after the UNITE trade union and Architectural Aluminium agreed to talks this weekend, following a dispute involving two construction workers.

The picket closed the UCD site yesterday when 450 workers refused to cross it, while the action had been due to extend to the Student Centre construction site today, but that has also been suspended.

Construction work on the new Student Centre had looked set to come to a halt as a result of the dispute.

Work on the Mater Hospital had already been affected yesterday, after two members of UNITE were told on April 1st by a representative of Architectural Aluminium Limited that their work with the company had ended. The company are currently using two sub-contractors to work in their place, while 450 workers are supporting their colleagues in the dispute.

“This is a blatant case of an employer treating long term well qualified staff with total disregard,” said UNITE Regional organiser Brian Gormley. “Times are tough but there has to be a line where the interests of working people need to be considered.

“The support from fellow workers in sacrificing their own day’s pay to support these two men today, and who knows who else next week or next month, shows where the line is.

“The two men want their jobs back, to do the work that is there for a fair wage, as is their right.

“Pickets will be placed at the Mater Hospital and UCD tomorrow and we hope that the support we have received will force Architectural Aluminium to step back straight away from a wrong choice.”

It is currently hoped that the new Student Centre will open in December 2011.

UCD representatives were unavailable for a comment at the time the article was published.

Speaking to The University Observer, one student described the decision as “ridiculous” that the Union were “putting it in the middle of a holiday,” complaining [Easter Saturday] is a time I want to spend with my family”.

Earlier in the day, a joint statement from UCDSU and UCD confirmed that the Ball would be going ahead, saying: “Following prolonged and constructive discussions between representatives of the Students’ Union and members of the University Senior Management Team, the Students’ Union feel that we have arrived at an agreement that will satisfy the academic needs of the University while ensuring that the UCD Ball can now go ahead for the new date of Saturday April 23rd on the University running track.

“Both parties acknowledge that cooperation from both sides is essential to ensure the UCD Ball goes ahead as now planned and that the agreement between UCD and UCD Students’ Union is honoured in full by both sides ensuring normal running of the campus on Thursday April 21st and that UCD campus will close on Saturday the 23rd of April to facilitate the UCD Ball.”

Artist: Friendly Fires

Album: Pala

Word Count: 170

Rating: 5/5

Pala is the second album from Friendly Fires, following up on their Mercury nominated self-titled debut. Whilst many bands seem to struggle with second album syndrome, this has clearly not been the case for Friendly Fires. This is the record of a band with utter self-confidence and at the peak of their powers.

Pala strikes a perfect balance between indie and dance, and the record fits together very well with no songs seeming out of place. The first track, ‘Live Those Days Tonight’ is a fantastic opener and a real floor-filling club tune. It’s a great song and sets the tone for the rest of the album.

‘Hawaiian Air’ has quite a positive, summery feel to it and the album’s title track also makes perfect listening for a laidback, sunny day. Pala also closes very nicely, with the final track, ‘Helpless’, containing elements reminiscent of some of the best dance music from the 90s. It should make for some excellent live performances on the festival circuit.

In a nutshell: An ideal summer soundtrack.

- Steven Balbirnie

Artist: Tune-Yards

Album: w h o k i l l

Rating: 4/5

Just over a year ago, Dirty Projectors played an impressive show to a packed audience in Whelan’s. Yet despite the excellence of their performance, it was not the Brooklyn-based band that everyone was raving about. Instead it was Merrill Garbus (aka Tune-Yards); with her idiosyncratic blend of folk-cum-afrobeat-cum-yodelling, that left an indelible mark on the evening.

w h o k i l l represents a maturing of her sound, following her intermittently brilliant but badly produced debut, Bird-Brains. Yet the eccentricity and brilliance remain, as she manages to temper her excesses into a more coherent, crisp-sounding second album.

Given the sense of musical chaos and countless idiosyncrasies that permeate album highlights such as ‘Powa’, ‘Bizness’  and ‘Killa’, the obvious comparison is to other alluringly strange female solo artists like Bjork and Kate Bush. Nonetheless, the hip-hop tinge to her sound, coupled with her ability to play an assortment of instruments equally adeptly, means the potential female equivalent to Beck is a more apt comparison.

- Paul Fennessy

Artist: Bell X1

Album: Bloodless Coup

Rating: 3/5

On their fifth album, Bloodless Coup, Bell X1 have uncovered some dusty melodies that breathe with a fresh undertone of rhythmic electro beats. The stripped back opening track, ‘Hey Anna Lena’, makes a change to the expected festival-friendly choruses associated with the Kildare band.

Bloodless Coup cuts deep, immersing the listener in its laidback aura and alternates its pace with many noticeably lengthy tracks. Tracks such as ‘Nightwatchmen’ and ‘Sugar High’ manage to whisk your mind away and highlight the textural strengths of Paul Noonan’s voice.

‘Velcro’ is the most vibrant track on the album, offering lyrical insight into romantic obsession so effectively that the line “I’ll be your Velcro” somehow works. O-two is sure that after repeated radio plays, it will seem as profound.

In a Nutshell: Sit back, relax and let it slowly win you over.

- Laura Brennan

Artist: Britney Spears

Album: Femme Fatale

Rating: 3/5

Britney Spears may be forever associated with her teen-pop roots, but her seventh studio album, Femme Fatale, audaciously attempts to change these perceptions through a mish-mash of musical flavours, from dubstep (‘Hold It Against Me’) to Euro dance (‘Till The World Ends’).

Everyone knows that Spears isn’t revered for her vocal ability and by the sound of Femme Fatale, so do her producers. Every song has been treated with auto-tune to the point that anyone could be singing. The Will.I.Am-produced ‘Big Fat Bass’ only hints at being a Spears tune with a few of her trademark moans.

Femme Fatale is a triumph for style over substance. While Britney will win few new fans over with this album, I’m sure everyone will be found dancing to it in Coppers.

In a Nutshell: More auto-tuned than Rebecca Black, but the perfect album for a power walk into college.

- Kieran Murphy

For a seemingly innocuous and fun social event, the UCD Ball and recent circumstances relating to it have provided a telling insight into the disparate mindsets of students and college authorities

It says a lot about UCD and the priorities of Irish students in general that over the course of the academic year – a year that has brought a new government, mass emigration and the ignominious bailout of our banks – that despite all these disturbing, potentially life-changing occurrences, the events surrounding the UCD Ball have arguably drawn the most impassioned response of all amongst students.

First, there was the announcement of the lineup and the ensuing debacle that followed. While students were, of course, entitled to be underwhelmed by the preliminary acts announced, the abuse aimed at UCD Entertainments Vice-President Jonny Cosgrove was unacceptable.

The sinister, loutish comments, which appeared on the UCD Ents Facebook page, were a sad indictment of the startling immaturity of many UCD students. These comments were justly condemned by the vast majority of level-headed students. Whether the Students’ Union can successfully sanction any of those responsible for making the comments remains to be seen, however it is worth investigating this possibility if it encourages people to think before they type in future.

The UCD Ball’s subsequent cancellation naturally exacerbated matters. The Students’ Union say they are blameless in the matter and have suggested college authorities are entirely responsible for the debacle. UCD, meanwhile, have been conspicuously silent on the matter, save for a letter from Registrar Philip Nolan addressed to Students’ Union President, Paul Lynam, briefly outlining the reasons why the Ball was cancelled and emphasising that “student health and safety is of paramount importance to us all”.

Regardless of what either side claims, the fact that these obstacles could not be resolved sooner represents a stunning level of collective incompetence. Impressive as the Students’ Union response has been with the ‘Save Our Ball’ campaign – a campaign which was supported by 3,000 people on Facebook in addition to acquiring 1,300 signatures on an online petition at the time of going to print – the strong impression remains that this situation could have been averted entirely.

The Union state that “University authorities reneged on the commitment, given to the Students’ Union to close campus as per the stipulations laid down,” before adding that this commitment had been made on October 21st. But clearly, the mistake was owing to a failure to effectively communicate at a fundamental level, something that absolves neither party entirely from blame and speaks volumes about the relationship (or lack thereof) that exists between them.

And even if the UCD Ball ultimately goes ahead, it seems unlikely to live up to its billing as “Europe’s biggest private party” and will surely take place on a smaller scale, in comparison with previous years.

Yet while it is disappointing that, as a result of the scheduling problems coupled with the largely underwhelming response following the announcement of its preliminary lineup, the end of year festivities for UCD students might not be as spectacular as was hoped, some perspective is needed. The UCD Ball is, ultimately, little more than an elaborate social event. Some students’ claims that the disappointment surrounding the event has “ruined” college for them seem more than a little hyperbolic.

While it is a shame that the UCD Ball has experienced so many problems, the hysterical reaction of these students seems indulgent, especially at a time when the country is in crisis. The student population need to gain a sense of perspective and be able to prioritise the primary focus of the UCD experience – achieving academic qualifications, which will be required to tackle the ultimate challenge of salvaging our tarnished reputation in Europe and elsewhere and controlling our own destiny.

Thank you

The University Observer wishes to thank everyone involved this year for their devotion to the paper

A word of thanks to people working on The University Observer and our readers is necessary today.

Many people often seem to forget that the section editors and contributors of this newspaper are unpaid students, who devote their free time to helping the paper.

This has been a challenging and at times, turbulent year for the paper, and it says so much about the character of those involved that we have emerged from the experience as a stronger and more cohesive group than ever. We can hold our heads high.

No one can relate to what the job of running this prestigious paper entails until they have experienced first-hand, the obsession, the frustration and the anxiety, which are more than compensated for by the sheer joy and satisfaction that editing it regularly involves.

This job would be simply impossible without the selfless dedication of our contributors, and in particular, the core group of section editors who deserve to be thanked in print.

Killian, you have been like a third full-time editor at times, your dedication to the cause never ceases to amaze me. I can remember editing your very first article when I was a section editor. Watching you grow and develop into a mature and confident journalist has been one of the many highlights I’ve experienced while being involved with this paper.

Emer, your chirpiness and good-humoured nature, coupled with natural wit and flair for creative writing have played a significant role in making this year the best O-two I have seen in all my years writing for the paper.

George, you made an incredibly swift transition from contributor to section editor, but I never had any doubt that the Music section was in assured hands. Your knowledge of music and levels of dedication consistently exceeded all expectations of a section editor’s role.

Jon, your presence has made the office such a fun place to work in. Moreover, your inimitable writing style has added an extra dimension to O-two this year and your articles have always been a pleasure to read. You are a highly intelligent writer with a natural gift for storytelling.

Donna, the Fashion section has been exemplary with you at the helm. Though you only edited it for the final four issues, you still managed to make a considerable impact by putting your own effervescent stamp on the paper.

Leanne, your passion and warmth both in person and in print has simply been a joy to witness. You are undoubtedly one of the best writers to ever grace the pages of this paper, and your mental health article was one of the most powerful and honest pieces of journalism I’ve ever read.

Natalie, people like you are the reason I got so involved with the paper in the first place. Your infectious enthusiasm always enlivened the office and made me smile even during my worst moments, while your creativity and highly entertaining writing style were the hallmarks of a truly outstanding Features section.

Alan, you have brought a fresh perspective to the Science, Health and Technology section and your knowledge of science and all-round friendliness are a credit to you as a person. Working with you has been a pleasure.

Kate, you never fail to amaze me. You should be enormously proud of the talent and versatility which you’ve displayed over the years writing for the paper, and the dignified and selfless manner in which you operate are attributes that make you a truly wonderful section editor and person.

Ryan, being Sports Editor is a difficult job, which often requires you to give up large chunks of your weekend. The fact that you took to this task with consummate ease speaks volumes about you as a person and the obvious excitement and enthusiasm you have for writing sport made you perfect for the section.

Sarah, I think christening you ‘Sunny D’ was one of my most astute moments, as it perfectly encapsulates your personality. Your promotion to Chief News Reporter provided a breath of fresh air to the office at a time when it was desperately needed, and it was one of the swiftest and easiest decisions I made once I became Editor. Journalism is in your DNA.

Katie, you truly are a baby-faced assassin. You are a wonderful writer and a terrific person to boot. You are also probably the most organised person I’ve ever met – I’ll never know how you manage to juggle so many different activities and I’m sure you’ll be a success in whatever career you elect to pursue amid the variety of options at your disposal.

Amy, News Editor is often the most thankless task in the paper. Yet you undertook the role with such passion, enthusiasm and wiliness that the role fitted you perfectly. Thank you for being a better news reporter than I ever will. Your sheer determination and indefatigable nature will bring you far in life.

To all the ex-Editors and Deputy Editors, and particularly the ones who presided over my years writing with the paper – Stephen and Michelle, Rob and Dave, Dani and Zelda, and Catriona and Gav – your unrelenting support, encouragement and friendship has meant more to me than you’ll ever realise. You have set the bar incredibly high and I have done my best to uphold the high standards that you set.

In addition, there are three members of staff that I have had the pleasure of working with over the course of the year that I wish to thank.

Bridget, I know you put your heart and soul into working with the paper and you should be more than proud of the first seven issues of this volume. Remember that the paper will always love you, and that we fully appreciate all the amazing work you’ve done for us over the years.

Jenn, thank you so much being an awesome friend and for having the Zen-like patience to put up with my penchant for submitting copy at ungodly hours. The design of the paper has been consistently excellent this year and I’m sure you will continue to do amazing work for whichever publication is lucky enough to have you in the future.

Quinton, you’ve been a fantastic Deputy Editor and friend. I’ve never worked with anyone who has complemented my strengths and compensated for my shortcomings as much as you have. You truly are a special person.

To my family and friends outside the paper, I also wish to express my gratitude. Thank you for supporting me through the good times and the bad. You have kept me sane during the occasional hours I spent outside the office.

Finally, I wish to thank our readers. Whether you are an avid reader or someone who just glances at Mystic Mittens occasionally, your feedback and support means so much to the paper. Always remember the importance of student media and that we care every bit as deeply about student issues as the majority of you undoubtedly do.

Student media is an essential component of university life. It’s the reason so many talented people fill our national airwaves, newspapers and television sets. It’s the reason thousands upon thousands of students marched to protest against the reintroduction of third-level fees. And it’s the reason that drives me to finish writing this article at 5.01am on a Friday morning.

78 per cent of students surveyed said they suffered memory loss as a result of alcohol consummation on a night out, in comparison with the 67.9 per cent of students who answered positively to the same question asked by this newspaper as part of a similar survey in April 2009.

Students were asked how many alcoholic drinks they would normally consume on a night out, with 48 per cent admitting to consuming six or more drinks per night and 28 per cent saying five to six drinks.

The results also revealed that 89 per cent believe alcohol is an inherent part of university culture.

The number of students taking illegal drugs is also on the rise, with 45 per cent admitting to engaging in this activity, compared with 41.8 per cent in the survey conducted two years previously.

Of those who answered positively to the drugs question, 77 per cent said they had taken cannabis, 10 per cent had taken ecstasy, 13 per cent had taken cocaine and 9 per cent admitting they had used LSD. 91 per cent of drug takers said it was relatively easy to acquire drugs, while 43 per cent said they had little difficulty obtaining them on campus.

The University Observer spoke to Students’ Union Welfare Vice-President Scott Ahearn, who said he was not surprised at the results, describing it as being commonplace in student life. However, he expressed his belief that students should become involved in activities besides alcohol, such as cinema and debates held by various societies on campus in the evenings.

Ahearn spoke of the difficulties in promoting the message of sensible drinking and said he believes that to have any major success, a national campaign must be mounted: “USI need to focus on this a lot more. You need it at national level. A ‘by students, for students’ approach. Drink Aware is quite a good organisation,” he said, adding: “It is a difficult campaign. It is not just telling people ‘don’t drink’.”

Ahearn said that the drug-related results produced by the survey were “worrying” and of the two, he feels that that “drugs more so than alcohol” was the biggest problem.

With the intricate link between alcohol and Irish culture, Ahearn is adamant that society as well as university life is answerable for the fact that 70 per cent of those surveyed said they felt under pressure to consume alcohol at social occasions.

“It’s not a difficult question. It’s society. We all do it. Go to any major Irish town and you probably have more pubs than any other business. I come from a town where there’s 55 pubs – double the amount of pubs than restaurants.”

The survey, which was distributed on campus last week, had over 320 responses.

The admission comes after it was announced that the Students’ Union and university authorities had re-opened negotiations regarding the UCD Ball last Friday.

The University Observer understands that the Students’ Union had been informed by the university on the day prior to Wednesday March 30th, the original date for ticket sales, that the university would not be able to comply with an aspect of an agreement between the two bodies that would close the campus at 1pm on the April 21st, the date the Ball was scheduled to be held, with the exception of Emergency Services.

SU President Paul Lynam told The University Observer that the SU then tried to amend the article, but the Gardaí rejected the amendment two days later, on March 31st, when it became apparent that the event would have to be cancelled.

Cosgrove told The University Observer that the decision to withhold the announcement of the cancellation from students until April 2nd was as result of ‘April Fool’s Day’ being the cancellation of the Ball occurred.

Cosgrove defended the Union’s mention of a security breach, claiming that had they informed students of the difficulties, it would have “destroyed all negotiations” with the university.

Cosgrove admitted that he was just “trying to buy some time” and that there was no way for the tickets to be sold “on a safe basis” when it was becoming apparent that refunds might have to be issued.

Speculation has been mounting that the 2011 UCD Ball may be rescheduled to facilitate the university authorities’ access requirements. Last week a university source, who wishes to remain anonymous, claimed that the Ball would take place the day after the semester two exams finish on May 14th.

However, Students’ Union President Paul Lynam last week told The University Observer that the UCD Ball would “100 per cent not take place on May 15th” if it was to be rescheduled.

The Students’ Union last week launched the ‘Save Our Ball’ campaign which has been endorsed by celebrities such as Miriam O’ Callaghan.

When asked if he was optimistic that the UCD Ball would be rescheduled, Lynam said the SU’s “position hadn’t changed” and that they would “continue to campaign” in an attempt to convince the university to agree to a rescheduled date.

UCDSU and university authorities have been at loggerheads ever since the Union claimed “college authorities” were solely to blame for the event’s cancellation. UCDSU Campaigns & Communications Officer, Pat de Brún, earlier last week accused the university of censorship, stating on his Facebook profile: “UCD Authorities have now refused the SU permission to send out our All-Student E-Mail because it laid out the facts about why they cancelled the ball! That will not stop us, WE WANT OUR BALL!!!”

The Union then engaged in censorship themselves after reporters from The University Observer were prevented from taking photos of projection slides being displayed to Class Reps and had their cameras forcibly removed by Chair of Council, Áine Gilhooly at last week’s SU Council in the Astra Hall.

Students’ Union Education Officer, James Williamson, later apologised to The University Observer for the manner in which they had removed the camera, explaining the reasons for the censorship.

Williamson stated, via email: “I am just emailing to apologise about Council. Before entering Council this evening myself and the President were legally advised that under no circumstances was any of the information contained in the presentation to [be] released outside Council. The reason for this is because myself and the President were delivering the information in the correct and most accurate manner. If such a document were to be distributed, the opposite may occur.

“This is not to say that this may have been the case with you but this is what we were advised for everyone. I apologise if you felt singled out in Council as you were the only ones who were effected [sic]. The message was to assert to everyone the importance of the information. This is also the reason why standing orders of council were raised but I do apologise for the manner in which this was delivered.”

No re-instatement of rescheduling of the UCD Ball had been announced at the time of going to print.

A press statement by UCDSU read: “UCD Student’s Union [sic] regrets to announce that the UCD Ball due to take place on April 21^st 2011 has been cancelled as a result of a failure by UCD authorities to honour agreements made with the Union.”

A spokesperson for the Union added that they had been left with “no choice” other than making the decision, adding: “University authorities reneged on the commitment, given to the Students’ Union to close campus as per the stipulations laid down.”

The argument relates to a prior agreement made between the Students’ Union and UCD authorities, which stated the following: “UCD Campus will close to both pedestrian and vehicle traffic except emergency services and event related transport from 13.00 on Thursday, April 21st.’

Students’ Union President, Paul Lynam, claimed the college authorities were solely to blame, saying that the student body feel “let down” by them.

UCD Entertainments Vice-President, Jonny Cosgrove, added: “The UCD ball was due to be the highlight of our students’ calendar and I cannot begin to express the deep sense of frustration and anger following the last couple of weeks.”

The Union say they will be holding an emergency meeting of the Students’ Union executive “to discuss in detail the next steps”.

College authorities were unavailable to comment at the time this article was published.

More to follow on this story.

Unlike the other candidates who only became involved this year, she has three years of experience within the SU. She claims she will do her utmost to ensure more people become involved in student life, and her sheer positivity makes this assertion seem credible. However, her responses to our questions are occasionally quite weak, which suggests some of her ideas on welfare aren’t yet fully formed. For instance, when asked who is to blame for the lack of mental health awareness in UCD, she replies: “The university, for being too big.”

Breslin, by contrast, offers a more comprehensive analysis in many cases. She speaks articulately on what she would bring to the role, saying: “I’ve always been very organised, and I think it’s vital that if you’re in such a role, you’re able to communicate and to quickly and effectively respond to people, and that comes from organisation.”

While lacking the experience of Brady at SU level, she is by no means inexperienced on the matter of welfare, as her election to the role of Vice-Secretary of the Welfare Crew attests. Moreover, her level of pre-college involvement in youth politics is impressive, having been involved in Donegal Youth Council since the age of 14.

On the other hand, Breslin is not quite as naturally personable as Brady and lacks her obvious charisma, which may come in handy when dealing with personal cases.

Danaher, by contrast, has a decidedly different CV to that of the other candidates. Her involvement in student politics is clearly not as strong. Nonetheless, her experience in the real world in “doctors’ offices” and “crèches” may make her appeal more to the average students who suspect the SU to be a clique.

She is clearly someone who understands the dedication that being Welfare Officer entails, as her assertion that it is “not something you [just] do from 9 to 5” suggests.

Nonetheless, her manifesto is arguably the most vague of the three candidates, while some of her ideas – such as the designated drivers scheme, which has been done before – while eminently realistic and achievable, seem somewhat stale and unoriginal.

This election looks set to be closely fought, and its result may well come down to whichever campaign team does the best job in promoting their candidate.

~

Name: Rachel Breslin

Age: 19

Course: Second-Year Business and Law

Do you drink, smoke, or take drugs? I drink occasionally, I don’t smoke and I don’t take drugs.

Name the President, Registrar, and Bursar of UCD: Dr Hugh Brady is the President, the Bursar is Gerry O’Brien and the Registrar is Philip Nolan.

How do you rate the performance of this year’s officer? I think he did a lot of good work this year and especially with the Welfare Crew, because that’s what led me to get involved and it’s brought together a group of students who were really interested in Welfare and it has fostered that interest.

Review

Rachel Breslin believes she is the “most experienced, the most knowledgeable and the most passionate candidate running for this position”. While she has only become involved with the Welfare Crew this year, she has swiftly ascended the ranks and was elected Vice-Secretary of the Students’ Union Welfare Crew. On this matter, she says: “I know a lot about Welfare, because I see what Scott does every day.”

Moreover, she emphasis her experience outside of college as well, which includes being chosen by UNICEF to represent Ireland at meetings and international government policy level conferences on HIV/AIDS and being selected onto the Donegal Youth Council aged 14. “I have experience of standing up and speaking to people about welfare,” she says.

When asked what distinguishes her from other candidates, she responds: “I would pride myself, on my organisation skills, my leadership skills and my communicational skills.

“I’ve always been very organised, and I think it’s vital that if you’re in such a role, you’re able to communicate and to quickly and effectively respond to people, and that comes from organisation.”

Breslin’s manifesto includes a number of original ideas such as confidence workshops to reach out to students with self-esteem issues. On this subject, she states: “I struggled with confidence issues and public speaking issues when I was in school. I think that when people recognise that there are other people in the same position, they won’t be afraid to come along to these workshops.”

She also intends to promote the free counselling service in UCD more and prioritise students on need rather than on a first-come-first-served basis. “Counsellors are trained, experienced and qualified,” she adds. “I could never say they don’t have the knowledge to make the decision. I would trust them to make the best decision. I would have 100 per cent trust that this is the best system.”

~

Name: Regina Brady

Age: 19

Course: Second-Year Commerce

Do you drink, smoke or take drugs? I drink, I don’t smoke and I don’t take drugs.

Name the President, Registrar, and Bursar of UCD: President is Hugh Brady. Bursar is Gerry O’Brien and the Vice-President for students is Martin Butler.

How do you rate the performance of this year’s Welfare Officer? I think he’s done a very good job. He’s brought Welfare to a new level and it’s something we can build on. Obviously a new person will bring new ideas. I think he could improve by bringing more anonymity to the job.

Review

Regina Brady also claims to be the “most experienced and “most passionate” candidate for the Welfare position. She has been part of the Welfare Crew in UCD for the past three years and her roles within the university have included Women’s Officer, Inclusion, Participation and Awareness (IPA) Secretary and Peer Mentor. She was also chosen as a delegate for the National Please Talk Conference (a campaign which she hopes to expand if elected).

She argues that her experience at a university level is what makes this claim valid. “I know people say it’s nice to have a fresh face,” she says. “But people need to know exactly how the Union structure works – how to deal with politicians, how to deal with universities. I know Rachel talks about her position in secondary school, but I didn’t put that in my manifesto. It’s what you’ve done since you’ve come to college.”

While praising the work done by current Welfare Officer Scott Ahearn, she feels there is room for improvement in certain areas, such as making students more aware of events on campus. “I want to restructure the way talks are held, she says. “I want to hold talks in busier areas. We need to be in students’ faces. Like when we had Miriam O’Callaghan in the Atrium. People were eating there and that made them notice it.” She also lists “road safety” and “drug awareness” as the two other areas that she’d look to look to improve on.

If elected, Brady’s plans include “Come Dine With Me” between apartments on Res and a Drug Awareness campaign in which guest speakers including ex-addicts and gardaí are invited to share their thoughts.

~

Name: Lorna Danaher

Age: 20

Course: Second-year Business and Law

Do you drink, smoke or take drugs? I do drink, I unfortunately do smoke but no, I don’t take drugs.

Name the President, Registrar and Bursar of UCD: Registrar is Philip Nolan, President is Hugh Brady and Bursar is Gerry O’Brien.

How do you rate the performance of this year’s Welfare Officer? The performance of this year’s SU has been very good. One thing that I don’t really like are the posters and this is a small thing, I think they’re irrelevant and students don’t even notice them any more. I think we need to find a new way and also it’s just about general media – we just need to find a new way to get through to students.

Review

Lorna Danaher lists her “experience with people” as being key assets for the role of Welfare Officer. While not having the level of experience of which her opponents hold within the SU, she believes her real-world experience to be just as important.

She says: “I’ve worked with special needs children in the crèche, I’ve worked in another crèche as well. I work with people on a regular basis; I’m very good with people. I’m also an experienced debater and I think that next year is going to be a big year, with fighting with the college and a lot of the cuts that might be coming into place.”

She vows to put in the substantial workload that’s required for the job, saying: “Welfare to me is a job that you take home with you, it’s not something you do from 9 to 5. I think it’s a job that if you’re going to do it, you have to accept the fact that I would be putting my phone number on the door, I will have an open-door policy and I will be there as much as I can.”

Danaher’s top priorities include financial assistance, mental health and res life, and plans to introduce ideas such as a Designated Drivers Scheme whereby designated drivers are given free non-alcoholic drinks in the Student Bar.

On the issue of sexual health, she feels that more work needs to be done to promote the on-campus STI Screening service and wants condoms to be made available on campus.

Another of her goals is to create more accessible drink and drugs campaigns, “educating them by entertaining them. I actually know a magician and this is something I’m really excited about. He’s basically working on a Drink Aware campaign and doing it through magic. We’re going to be working with Drink Aware to try and get the relevant facts in with the performance.

This year’s Sabbatical elections raise some interesting questions and their results will go some way towards revealing whether UCDSU is truly representative of the student body

Let’s be clear, The Students’ Union is – at least to a certain extent – a clique, as has been claimed by some students recently. However, to suggest it is different to any other entity in UCD seems slightly unfair.

A clique is defined as “a small exclusive groups of friends or associates”. Even the staunchest SU Officer would be hard-pressed to deny that this is not a legitimate description of their current status.

It seems impossible, inhuman even, for a group of people who spend so much time together not to become friends. Similarly, most groups tend to require certain guidelines for entry.

In order to make an impact and acquire a position as a Sabbatical Officer, it can be assumed that certain skills – oratorical competence, friendliness, and political nous – are imperative. Consequently, like most coveted positions, there is a certain degree of exclusivity attached to the role. Not just anyone can become a Sabbatical Officer.

Yet complaints about the SU being an ‘old boys club’ (both literally and figuratively) cannot be easily dismissed. Essentially, the underlying problem, which leads some to question the credibility of the Students’ Union, is inextricably linked with the issue of student voting.

Last year, roughly 4,300 students voted in the SU Elections – a paltry figure and one that amounted to a turnout which was 20 per cent less than the previous year. Admittedly, this can be partly attributed to the fact that three of the Sabbatical positions last year were uncontested. However, to extrapolate the implications of the aforementioned figures, as part of a feature investigating students’ attitudes towards the Union, our reporter had to go out of her way to find and interview students who genuinely seemed to care about its workings.

Moreover, many of those who do vote can hardly be said to be doing so with the interests of the student body in mind. Anyone who has ever walked through buildings in Science or Arts on voting day knows the level of farce that often characterises proceedings.

Some students vote purely out of personal allegiance to the candidate (or someone on their campaign team), while campaigners hassling students until they relent and somewhat reluctantly vote for the candidate in question is another common practice. All of which underpins the broad student apathy that in turn brings into question the relevance of the Union.

If UCDSU is truly worthy of the praise that it often lavishes upon itself, if it truly is “the best Students’ Union in the country,” as has been claimed, then surely a concerted effort must be made to discourage elitism, to actively promote political engagement and to ensure the voter turnout increases substantially in the forthcoming elections. Its credibility as an organisation depends on it.

And regardless of how many posters, manifestos or cheesy online videos which candidates promulgate, the ultimate success or failure of next year’s SU lies with you, the student. Therefore, it is imperative to think carefully before registering your vote. Students only have themselves to blame for the general disillusionment that arguably exists with the status quo. And the only way to alleviate this frustration is to scrutinise the manifestos, pay attention to the campus media, and question the campaigners.

And while last year’s voting turnout was alarmingly low, there remains legitimate scope for optimism this year. For instance, there are 14 candidates actively running in this year’s Students’ Union Elections – precisely double the amount of candidates that ran last year, a figure which would have been even higher had a series of technicalities not reduced the overall number.

Incredibly, no woman has been elected into the SU since 2007. However, there are now a record number of women running, while they will be represented in at least one of the positions unless the RON (Re-Open Nominations) vote intervenes. The elections thus represent a vast opportunity to achieve gender equality in student representation.

Lastly, the record numbers of those voting in the recent general election – including a significantly high portion of young people – creates further cause for optimism. If university is a microcosm of society, then surely this trend will be mirrored over the next few days.

Yet the choice, as ever, solely remains with all the students to vote to achieve a truly representative student body.

UCD, binge drinking and student alienation

The lack of a vibrant community spirit and social awkwardness of many UCD students is masked by a tacit acceptance of binge drinking in UCD. Such attitudes ultimately prove detrimental to students’ overall quality of life and university experiences

Is UCD a welcoming place? This was one of the questions that The University Observer asked the candidates for Welfare Officer during our Sabbatical interviews this issue and the general consensus was that room for improvement existed in this area.

UCD can be a haven for social hermits. Too many students are content to blend in with the scenery for the duration of their degree until the requisite time passes and they are at last permitted to escape its confines. Alternatively, the weight of social exclusion sometimes becomes too heavy a burden to bear, and they elect to drop out owing to the intensity of their loneliness and disenfranchisement with university life. According to cliché, university is one of the best times of a person’s life, but for some, it amounts to years of painstaking torture.

Moreover, the Irish are a notoriously repressed race. And such attitudes have been sustained from generation to generation. However, university should serve as a counterpoint to this shortcoming. Students need to serve as role models for the rest of the country by nurturing camaraderie between one another.

At the moment, UCD is anything but a vibrant environment. It is a sleeping giant whereby the number of students attending lectures, involving themselves in societies and voting in student elections is disconcertingly low.

Part of the problem is the seemingly inextricable links between college and alcohol. Excessive student drinking remains prevalent and there is a widespread tolerance of the status quo. Many societies in UCD amount to little more than glorified drinking clubs, and students’ ambivalent attitudes towards binge drinking are currently typified by the fact that more than one of the candidates’ manifestos in the upcoming SU Elections seems at best to make light of binge drinking.

However, binge drinking should be treated as another social disease, not as a hilariously unfortunate circumstance which people finds themselves in from time to time, or as an essential part of social interaction in college life.

While there have been token efforts to address this problem, most students continue to engage in it, if statistics are to be believed. According to a report in The Irish Times last November, 45 per cent of students go binge drinking at least once a week on average. And despite this eye-opening evidence, SU candidates interviewed by The University Observer, while acknowledging its pitfalls, seldom highlighted the issue as one of their key priorities to be tackled.

This sense of expectancy in which ‘getting wasted’ is a rite of passage in the college experience is a one of the subversive problems with Irish university life. It leads to a number of other problems also.

Alcohol is a depressant. It therefore imbues some students with a temporary escape from reality. It induces in them a sense of laziness, which causes them to attend lectures irregularly, or to sit passively in front of the television whilst nursing their hangovers when they could be achieving self-fulfilment in a broader context. It is one of the reasons for the high suicide rate among young people in this country and it has also led directly to the unnecessary deaths of many, in cases where innocent drinking games have ended in tragedy.

Last November for instance, The Irish Times reported on the death of a UCC student who had “downed a large quantity of vodka in one slug for a dare at a party in his student flat”. It is this groupthink mentality, whereby it is reasonable to treat drinking as a sport and in which fun and social interaction are believed to be fostered by copious consumption of alcohol, which constitutes one of the few remaining widespread taboos in our society that date back to pre-Celtic Tiger Ireland.

Perhaps the incoming Welfare Officer will make further efforts to tackle this problem or perhaps the college and the country as a whole will continue to quietly ignore this issue. One matter is certain however, SU candidates jokey references to being passed out “on your neighbour’s bathroom floor” is at best irresponsible and at worst, highly insensitive to the feelings of those who have experienced the perils of alcoholism first hand.

The incoming Welfare Officer needs to address this binge culture, as failing to do so undermines the credibility of this important position and makes a joke of the entire Students’ Union.

Quotes of the Fortnight: SU Election Special

I got into the fashion show, so it’s definitely open to everyone.

Ents candidate, Stephen Darcy, rejects claims that the UCD Fashion Show is in any way exclusive.

I’ll be the kind of welfare officer that you can ring at any point in the day. If you’re stuck out in Balbriggan, and you need a lift, if you’re in danger, I’ll be there for you.

Welfare candidate, Lorna Danaher, outlines the lengths she is willing to go to in order to help students.

You sign up at Freshers’ Week.

Ents candidate, Robert Manning, responds to the question of how you become a member of UCDSU.

The Observer’s great!

Welfare candidate, Regina Brady, does not in any way trying to influence our analysis of her.

My manifesto’s a comic book.

Ents candidate, Darragh Kinsella, responds to the question of what distinguishes his candidacy.

As for education, I don’t even know who’s running anymore – it’s so confusing.

Ents candidate, Edel Ni Churraoin, sums up the general feeling surrounding the Education race.

In an in-depth interview with The University Observer, the student, who cannot be named for confidentiality purposes, secured an A and A+ grade in two of the exams, while he was unsure of his grade for the third exam. One of those students for whom he sat the exam, who also cannot be named, confirmed the veracity of his statements.

The student who sat the exam said that he was paid a “significant” amount of money for his services. He admitted to being apprehensive about sitting the exam and acknowledged how: “The consequences of getting caught are massive. I know I didn’t, but I’m pretty sure you’d get expelled.”

He also said that he would be unlikely to accept the opportunity to sit someone else’s exam again in exchange for cash, but added that he would not rule out the possibility of this happening: “It’s probably not feasible and it’s unlikely to ever arise again based on my situation at the moment. That’s not to say if the price was right or the circumstances were right, I wouldn’t.”

One of those students who paid him to sit the exam also spoke to The University Observer, expressing regret for his actions and admitting: “It was a bit stupid to do it.”

The student claimed that the grades he attained illegally “made zero difference” on his overall degree and added that he would not encourage others to cheat. He neglected to criticise UCD despite their inability to identify the cheating, saying: “It’s not a UCD problem; it’s a third-level problem.”

Despite these revelations, it is not believed that cheating is a significant problem in UCD. The number of students cheating in exams has fallen due to the new student card fine introduced this term. The measure prevents students allowing other people to take an exam on their behalf.

SU education officer, James Williamson, stated that while he didn’t have official figures at the time of print, the introduction of the student card fine brought about “a large drop in students forgetting their student card and I would say there was a drop in cheating in general because of this.”

Speaking to The University Observer last November, a spokesperson for the university said: “We’re not prepared to give out specific figures mainly because it’s a university wide issue as opposed to a UCD-specific issue. But there hasn’t been any change in the pattern over the last few years, so they’re not seeing any sudden spikes because of the proliferation of iPhones or mobile phones or things like that.”

University officials were unavailable for comment at the time of going to print.

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