Last week’s L&H abortion debate. Photo credit: Eamonn Maloney
ON Wednesday the 2nd and Thursday the 3rd of November, the Students’ Union will ask the UCD student body to vote Yes or No to the following question: “Do you agree that UCD Students’ Union should adopt a neutral stance on the abortion issue?”
A No vote will mean that the SU will continue their current stance on abortion which is to support the repeal of the 8th amendment and campaign for abortion in all circumstances.
A Yes vote will change the SU’s current abortion stance. Voting Yes will make the SU adopt a neutral stance on the topic of abortion and will not advocate or campaign for abortion rights.
Both the Yes and No campaigns have Facebook pages where you can read their arguments. Click here for the No Campaign Facebook group and here for the Yes Campaign.
While a No vote will result in no change to how the SU currently operate, a Yes vote will mean the SU will cease to advocate for abortion rights. Instead, abortion will be discussed on campus through societies. Importantly regardless of the referendum result, students will have the same access to information and services regarding abortion that they currently have.
The referendum was called after UCDSU was presented with a petition containing 1000 signatures from UCD Students for Fair Representation (UCDSFFR). The SU’s current stance on abortion was voted for by referendum in 2013 and won 45 per cent of the vote in a four-way referendum. 74 per cent of students voted to either have complete legalisation of abortion and abortion in some cases.
UCDSFFR argue that many of those students no longer attend the university and that 45 per cent is not an outright majority. In September, the group said of the 2013 referendum: “this preferendum had a four-way split, meaning that the mandate (UCDSU should adopt a policy of legalising abortion in Ireland upon the request of a woman) was carried by less than 50% of those who voted. Furthermore, the 1,198 students who voted for this option are a tiny proportion (3.7%) of the 32,000 students attending the university at the time.” You can find the UCDSFFR Facebook page here.
UCDSU are hosting an information session on the issue of abortion for any international students today at 2.15pm in the Global Lounge. More information can be found here.
Any currently enroled student in UCD is entitled to vote. You must have your UCD Student Card with you. Places and times of voting vary depending on what degree you’re studying for. For a list of when and where the voting will take place see the list below.
Wednesday 2nd November 2016
Ag & Vet Students
Vet Building – 10.00am – 4.00pm (Outside the canteen)
Postgrad Business Students –
Carysfort – 9.30am – 5.00pm (in the recreational area in the common room in the Smurfit School)
Engineering & Architecture Students
Richview – 8.45am – 1.15pm (main foyer)
Newstead – 1.30pm – 4.30pm (in the main doors, on the right)
Law & B&L Students
Sutherland School – 9.30am – 4.45pm (main atrium)
Thursday 3rd November 2016
Ag & Vet Students
Agriculture Building- 9.45am – 5.15pm (main foyer)
Business Students
Quinn School – 9.45am – 5.15pm (left of the main stairs)
Engineering & Architecture Students
Engineering Building- 10.00am – 5.00pm (opposite main stairs)
Health Sciences incl. Nursing Students
Health Sciences Buidling – 9.30am – 5.15pm
Science Students
Science Buidling- 9.45am – 5.15pm (Zone 4, opposite Pi restaurant)
Arts & Social Science Students
Newman – 9.00am – 5.15pm (An Cuas)
All Students, all schools
Newman – 6.00pm – 9.00pm (An Cuas)
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