NUIG Polling Closes!
Just a short post as I’m knackered. Polling was on today for the NUIG elections and the position of President of USI was on the ballot. It was good fun to be back pressing the flesh for votes. Some interesting points were raised as well in relation to minimum notice for assessments, USI’s environmental campaign and of course the fees issue. One consistent theme though was that most students didn’t know what USI was nor that they all paid a membership fee - next year we have to work to ensure that students on the ground know who we are and how we are working to their benefit. The area officers need to play a key role in this as well as the local student unions.
On another brief note there was an article in the Irish Times today which formally confirmed something we’ve all pretty much known for a while. In approxmiately four weeks Batt O’Keeffe, Minister for Education and Science, will be presenting his thoughts on 3rd level funding likely to include proposals for a graduate tax, student loan system or the return of tuition fees. If we are to successfully combat such proposals then we must make the arguments against them coherently and vocally. We have to ensure that instead of just saying “No” we actually propose viable alternatives and look to other funding models in Europe and the world to enable us to do so.
Anyway it’s late, it’s been a long day and the count kicks off early in NUIG tomorrow so for now I’ll sign off!