Running under the slogan ‘Go with Greenough,’ 22-year old Law with Social Justice graduate Molly Greenough is running unopposed for the position of President in this year’s UCDSU elections. The current Massachusetts native is the current Welfare Officer on the sabbatical team and has vast experience in the student’s union.
The College Tribune sat down with Greenough to discuss her campaign and plans if she is elected. In her manifesto, Greenough touts her experience and passion which would make her a President fighting for students and someone who can make ‘UCD a more vibrant, safe, and welcoming place for all students.’
She describes her experience as ‘unique’ and says she has ‘experienced what it is like to be a member of the SU from a number of different angles.’ There is no doubting Greenough’s experience, having been a class rep and ENTs forum member, Law College Officer and Mental Health Campaign Coordinator.
If elected, Greenough will follow in the footsteps of current President Ruairí Power who also made the move from Welfare Officer to President. She told the Tribune that in terms of political direction and key issues, she hopes to ‘continue on his track.’
A key issue in this year’s UCDSU elections are the number of uncontested races and the Presidential race this year is one of them. Greenough said this outcome ‘certainly raises some engagement issues, to say the least.’ She recognises this will make it ‘a difficult time for the Union.’ and admitted she is disappointed that her own race is uncontested.
In an effort to address this crisis in engagement, Greenough has emphasised the importance of establishing a ‘community’ on campus, the priority for which is to have a heavy ‘on the ground presence every single week on campus.’ What is perhaps lacking here is a fresh approach to converting these ideas into concrete progress on engagement and a plan to reach out to disenfranchised students who are apathetic towards the union.
A Greenough Presidency would see a new relationship forged between the UCDSU and the next UCD President. When asked about this Greenough stressed that she is ‘underratedly charming,’ and argued that this years SU has had some success off the back of this. However, she went on to say about the potential next President that ‘if they didn’t like the ‘it’s not me, its Ucd’ protest, they certainly won’t like me when I’m angry.’
When it comes to her role in the selection of a new President, Greenough said ‘I would like to see candidates going forward that actually have experience working with Students.’ She added that she would ‘strongly encourage against anyone who comes from corporate backgrounds.’ Perhaps Greenough’s ‘underrated charm’ shone through when she quipped in that if she ‘had a dime for every time students were referred to as customers on governing authority, I might be able to afford a UCD accommodation.’
Greenough’s experience and charm is certainly a key asset in her campaign. Recent developments due to the ‘UCD confessions’ page have increased the possibility of a RON victory in some of these uncontested races, however. She will have to ensure a wave of disenfranchised students do not topple her candidacy in which her close ties to the UCDSU are front and centre.
Conor Paterson – Co-Editor
