When you pay into the Union you should get cheap and freely available entertainments - like an insurance policy you get the welfare and educational representation and support as the ‘free’.
From special events like a student Gig on the Quad to regular entertainments that you can see all year round I want to build on the significant successes from this year.
Many believe the Union just does entertainments – that’s fine as long as they also know where the Union is if they need them. In reality many don’t need a Welfare or Education officer more than once or twice but Entertainments are a way for the Union to reach out to students and keep them coming back. Entertainments need to be well organized and well advertised with tickets available to all students.
It is my aim to build on the extremely successful rag week of this year and last year. Seeing students out in force for charity (and fun) is a highlight of the year for many. I aim to maintain the high standard set by this year’s rag week committee, and to do my best to ensure that next year’s events surpass it. Rag week is finally getting back on track – we have to keep the momentum going.
Good entertainments are both a national and local initiative. We need inter-college cooperation to push up the standard of events. Cork might not draw the biggest names automatically – but MEAS in the past has proven that better acts would be inclined to take part in a Colleges tour. I want to push USI to priorities and fulfil my mandate for a national campaign coordinated by a USI entertainments manager.
More student activities should be held on campus. We need to overcome the issues which stop the bar staying open later and also reform the Drinks rules for UCC to encourage clubs/socs to remain on campus where the environment for drinking can be controlled and made safer.
- Reform drinking rules on campus to mix mature enjoyment with safety to allow student activities to return to campus in greater numbers
- Plan earlier for RAG week to help build in the great event from this year
- Co-operate with other colleges to bring bigger acts to UCC regularly
- New and original special events to compliment the established calendar
- A full years calendar for the start of the year to help students plan better.
- Ticket sales in offsite locations for those off the main campus.
Drinks on Campus
I believe that Clubs, Societies and student activities are unduly hampered by the Drinks Restrictions imposed by UCC. Entertainments are forced off campus (and as such cost more to students
Being forced to pay Campbell’s catering prices to host receptions is not acceptable. At the very least DMLG should be able to offer licenses to on campus functions and receptions so that they can be held on campus without extra hassle or cost.
Reform of the Drinks policy is necessary. It has not worked and has simply made student life more expensive. While lessons have been learned from it - it obviously hasn't stopped binge drinking. We must implement a sensible joined up policy.
At present it is just as expensive to drink soft drinks as acohol. Buying mixer bottles as soft drinks in a student bar is ridiculous. We need to use Bar committee to insist on gun/postmix/dash machines to drastically reduce the price (without necessarily affecting their profit line).
Bring students back to the controlled campus environment.
Tackle the problems such as staffing, security and safety to allow drinking to return to campus
Provide an effect alternative to alcohol - soft drinks are far too expensive.
Clubs & Socs
I have belonged to numerous student activities in my time in UCC. I have served as the Students Union Representative on the Athletic Union and the Societies Guild – as well as a full term as President of UCC Societies Guild. I fully recognize their importance to students and can guarantee my support for them as President. The running of these organisations should be in the hands of these bodies but I shall be available should they need me.
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