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College Tribune | September 16 2008
News News
Dismissed: Sex infection shock doc fails to back-up UCD claims you are not going to have quality sex if you have ten pints on you. In fact I’d go as direct as to saying that’s not sex at all. That’s masturbating in a vagina.” Freedman added that if students were having casual sex every Saturday night or every Friday night they “become in the end, a bit of a shag bag.” He has also revealed that there is no concrete evidence that students are having more unprotected sex and casual trysts than their employed counterparts. Belfield has been criticised by Freedman and the UCD Students’ Union over the lack of STI screening facilities available to students. UCD students are often forced to attend private clinics such as Dr Freedman’s or the clinic at St. James’ hospital. Trinity College, DCU and DIT all currently have the service available.
»»From page one A leading STI specialist who remarked UCD was a sex-infection hotspot has admitted he has no evidence to back up his claims. His information, he said, is garnered from reports that he receives from “the constant stream of UCD students” visiting his private clinic. Dr Sandra Tighe of the UCD Student Health Services queried his claims, stating that students visiting Freedman’s clinic are self-elected and thus would be an “entirely unfair representation of the student population at UCD”. In his professional opinion, Freedman recommends that students aspire to “quality sex”. When asked what this entailed, he explained, “Essentially
The Students’ Union however does at the present time operate a discounted screening facility on Thursdays in Donnybrook. Conor Fingleton, the SU Welfare Officer, believes “it isn’t up to the union to provide STI screening. The onus is on the university to provide the appropriate services.” A spokesperson for the college has referred to the reports in question as ‘imbalanced’.
»»The Students’ Union are hoping
to put pressure on the college to provide full screening services and anybody that feels they would avail of this service should email clinic@ucdsu.ie
»»Editorial: Page Nine
Student service charge increase to go down black hole Startling new evidence reveals majority of €75 student registration fee increase to disappear into ‘governmental black hole’ ■■ Simon Ward The vast majority of this year’s tuition fee increase is not being passed on to students, the College Tribune has learned. 75% of the increase in the Student Services Charge for the forthcoming academic year is now to be transferred to the Higher Education Authority, effectively imposing a stealth tax on third level students. Furthermore, of the revenues collected from the 2006-2007 charge, some 36.5% was directed to the HEA. Of the €10 million collected to provide for student based services, some €3.83 million was returned to government level. Students’ Union President Aodhán Ó Deá said of the changes, of the money we’re all paying, a third of it goes elsewhere. “It is essentially a fee when it should all be spent on student services. The fact is the money is not being used for student’s services. It’s clearly been drawn back into the public pockets”. The USI President Shane Kelly was even more critical of the revenue transfer. “It’s a fairly cynical attempt by the minister and the Department of Education to raise money and to use students as a way to make up for years of under-investment in their education. It’s a very crude and cynical mechanism. “I think the department’s policy can be written on the back of a napkin. They’re making it up as they go along, with no clear goals or no clear agenda and it’s causing difficulty. When it
comes back to bite them, they come back looking to students”. While only 57% of UCD students are eligible to pay the grant, expenditure in the college is apportioned upon revenues that would be generated from all students being subjected to the fee. As a result, the shortfall in UCD revenues stands at over €4.5 million. Some 22% of expenditure resulting from the Student Services Charge is spent on advisors, disabilities services, the New Era Programme and the UCD Consultation Forum. Further expenditure categories include the careers office, health services, sport, clubs and societal grants, exams and student registration.
The breakdown of the Student Services Charge Registration & administration
Space
Disability services, New Era, Student Advisors, Chaplaincy, Choral Scholars Careers Office Health Services
Exams
Sport Capitation & other grants for Sports and Societies