Nominations for the position of President of Union of Students in Ireland officially closed on March 12th; the two candidates in the running for the position are John Logue and Ciarán Nevin – President of Dublin Institute of Technology’s Student Union. Current President, try Gary Redmond is not seeking to be re-elected.
25 delegates from UCD Students’ Union will collectively cast UCDSU’s vote in the upcoming election. The delegates will primarily be chosen from Council members. UCDSU President Pat de Brún hopes to have select candidates face questions at a future Council, malady and from this, cialis Council will decide where their votes should go.
A Law student in University College Dublin, Logue states that he has the “experience, results and vision to give students the greatest hope for the future.” He told the College Tribune that his aim is “to recast USI as the most effective lobbying organisation in the country and I have the skills and experience to do that”.
He cites the work he has done as Deputy President as giving him sufficient experience for the role including his organisation of USI’s ‘Your Future, Your Vote’ Campaign which registered over 15,000 students to vote prior to the general election in 2011. Logue also co-ordinated last year’s USI/INMO protest which “saw 2,000 nurses and midwives take to the streets in protest at payment cuts for students while on placement”.
Similarly, Nevin believes that his experience will stand to him if elected. In his view, the government knows “all about the cost of education … it is now time that USI showed them the value of it”. He informs the College Tribune that he wants to “focus on increasing the transparency and accountability of the Union … while also developing sustainable growth.”
Both candidates recognise the challenges ahead of whoever is elected. Logue states that “when the new USI President takes office in July, he will be a mere six months from a defining budget for students. How fees, grants and student supports are dealt with in that budget will very much depend on who is USI President come 1st July.”
Nevin believes that “[USI’s] battle must be to win the hearts and minds of the public – not just the Government.”
He wants to strengthen USI’s relationships wi
th Student Unions across Ireland but also build on the connections between them; “Only through connecting with the student body and local students’ unions, can USI grow in strength and influence.”
UCD Students’ Union will also vote on their representatives in roles such as Equality & Citizenship, Academic Affairs & Quality Assurance, Welfare, and Campaigns.
Conor Fox
Surely we the students, who the USI is supposed to represent should have a say in who our President is? Why do only council members get to decide? Would a bit of openness kill the union?