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College Tribune | September 30th 2008
News News
UCD Senior staff trained at €400 an hour n USI president brands it as another “slap in the face for students” ■■ Jennifer Bray Senior staff in UCD are being taught how to improve their management skills at a cost of up to €400 per hour, it has been claimed. UCD has advertised for a company to give it “a programme of leadership development for senior staff”. The college is said to be planning executive coaching for between 80 and 100 personnel over the next year. According to a spokesperson for the college the training will “improve the management skills of our staff, many of whom come from academic backgrounds. The funding is ring-fenced for institutional reform, so the money cannot be spent on other essential services”. The Companies providing the programme claim it improves executive’s “intrapersonal skills” and “raises their self-awareness”. They further say it can help organisations retain key personnel and boost workforce morale. Recent documentation showed a loss of 19 Senior lecturers to the college over the last year, and last year’s Mercator Survey revealed staff morale at the university to be at
Students’ Union sells out of special-price condoms in two days ■■ Karina Bracken Last week the Students’ Union announced that they had bought a batch of condoms at a special price and would be able to distribute them to students at UCD. Boxes of 144 condoms were available at the cut price of €6 per box, a massive saving in comparison to the current cost of €12 forh 12 condoms. Alternatively, students would be able to avail of a packet of 6 for free. The Union of Students in Ireland struck a deal with a supplier in England to have boxes of condoms ordered at a discounted price, which would then be put on sale to students across the country. The boxes were seemingly a big hit with UCD students, selling out in just two days. Conor Fingleton, the SU Welfare Officer, told the College Tribune: “We ordered 20 boxes that arrived on Tuesday but demand was so big, that we had to order more on Thursday.” When asked if the SU had plans to repeat the offer after its apparent success, Fingleton replied: “We should have more boxes available on Monday.” The boxes of condoms will available from the Welfare Officer’s office and the SU shop in the Student Centre. Fingleton added that “we will hopefully have them for sale in all the shops around campus soon.”
■■ Mature students: Subject to similar financial pressures as regular undergraduates
■■ Shane Kelly: USI President an all time low. Shane Kelly, President of Union of Students in Ireland, said these developments were akin to “another slap in the face for students” But the Higher Education Authority say, “Universities are major businesses as well as education providers, controlling huge budgets and thousands of staff. It’s essential that senior staff have good management skills.” In UCD, recent funding cuts proposed range from closing library services earlier to restricting weekend opening hours.
Mature students “crucified by fees” Younger students not the only ones facing financial hardship
Mature students are facing financial problems similar to students who have just left school, according to John Monaghan, Vice President of the Saint Vincent de Paul in Ireland. As Monaghan explains, “When returning to college, mature students are being crucified by fees, especially if they are full time. Not only do they no longer have income from a job, but they are paying fees on top of that and with very little help from the government.” Mature students make up 28.7% of the student population at UCD. The problem mature students face when returning to college is whether to study full time or part time. Part-time undergraduate courses are run in the evening at UCD while many mature students have to hold down a full time job. This places massive constraints on their time and their ability to study.
■■ Karina Bracken However, if a mature student returns to UCD full time they have to relinquish their salary, as well as pay full fees. While some receive a Back to Education allowance, it is a limited amount that only covers some costs. Vera Gentry, a mature student doing her Masters in American Studies at UCD, says “I believe some consideration should be given to the fact that most of the mature students who studied for their primary degree in the evening have paid a considerable amount of money already. Therefore we should be should be given a large discount for our post-grad studies.” Regarding her own experience, she has also found that even part-timers have to reduce their work hours to accommodate their courses: “Further-
more, those of us doing a part time post-graduate course have to cut back on the hours we work so we can fit seminars into our timetables.” She went on to highlight the fact that students who take their Masters course part-time and over two years (due to work or financial difficulties) are penalised. They end up paying €1,200 in total more than full-time students who complete their MA within the year. Monaghan says that the Saint Vincent de Paul have raised the issue of student debt in their pre-budget submission to the government. The society helps mature students every year with costs such as childcare, books and travel. Overall they have given €2.8 million to students, both mature and younger, to help them meet the ever-rising costs associated with university study.
Assault investigations shake security »»From page one
■■ Condoms: Low prices led to a supply shortage
The UCD contracted security firm, Pulse Security, are at the centre of a probe into alleged assaults on the UCD campus. The Students’ Union President has accused the firm of having a heavyhanded approach. According to their website, “Pulse Security Managements is influenced by the appearance of its staff. What you “say” with your body language is sometimes louder and clearer than what you say with your words. It is a key component of communication, and positive body language will
show you are confident, competent, professional and caring”. Also, in their mission statement they aim to “provide the client with a level of service that is consistently excellent and outstanding in terms of quality and satisfaction.” Pulse Security has had testimonials from large-scale companies such as Hibernian Health, the Gaeity Theatre, and the International Bodyguard Association. According to Ó Deá, reports of the incidents are focused around students who have been drinking or are holding alcohol when spotted by security. I know of one incident in which a post-
graduate student left his residence to have a cigarette, still holding a wine glass in his hand. He was promptly spotted by security and the glass was knocked straight out of his hand. I have also been told by female students of sexual comments being made as they pass, and of general intimidation.” Entertainments Officer Gary Redmond has claimed the issues with security are “teething problems which need to be resolved between the students and security in time”.
»»Editorial: Page nine