It is as a result of my firsthand experiences with educational difficulties in Trinity that I have decided to contend the position of Trinity College’s Student Union Education Officer. Most recently, funding cuts in the college drastically affected my course and decisions were made by the Law School without student involvement. This situation in particular brought to my attention the important role of an Education Officer in representing the interests of students. It was apparent that there was a lack of communication between certain schools in college. My desire to improve collaboration within Trinity is the backbone of my proposals.
John Curtin’s campaign slogan: “Don’t Vote Blind, Vote Curtin”. Photo: Lily McKillop.
My campaign has been premised on the slogan “Don’t vote blind, Vote Curtin”. In essence, this slogan is about making an informed decision about who the electorate want, which is not based on past experience but on what the candidate wishes to change to the current system in place. In this regard I firmly believe that there are simple changes that can drastically improve the lives of students in Trinity. A prime example of a practical change that could make a wealth of difference to the student body is a recalibration of the current system of receiving exam results. Nowadays, there is no reason why students should not be able to access a breakdown of exam results online. This issue varies from school to school but causes much difficulty in health science courses where a number of different subjects are combined within one exam. As a result, these students never obtain a breakdown of their grades received in each individual subject.
The issue of Christmas exams has been at the forefront of student politics for many years. The student body voted on this issue in 2010 and despite a vast majority supporting the implementation of Christmas exams, these wishes seemed to fall on deaf ears. However, with the election of new fellows this year to the Undergraduate Studies Committee, it is imperative that this issue be put to the student body again. I am unable to promise that Christmas exams will be introduced by next year but I intend to campaign for their implementation as a matter of urgency. I am aware of the administrative constraints imposed by the Schol Exams but feel that these can be overcome. Christmas exams can be tailored to each school, as we have seen in the case of their successful continuation for medical students.
As part of my studies, I was fortunate to spend an academic year on Erasmus in Paris. It is because of this positive experience that it is my belief that exchange programmes should be made available in a wider variety of courses. Through collaboration with the Global Partnership and Mobility team in Trinity, there is no reason that this cannot be achieved. Students in other colleges across Ireland are provided with a wider variety of exchange programme opportunities. Trinity is regarded internationally as a world class educator and I feel that the opportunity to study overseas offers students practical benefits that contribute to a broader education.
Practical benefits can also be expanded within Trinity. Currently, Trinity does not have a sabbatical Sports Officer. I think it is important that the Education Officer works with DUCAC to promote an interest in exercise, especially around exam time. There is a direct link between having a healthy mind and a healthy body. Great work has been accomplished this year with the extension of library opening hours on campus but the same must be done for the John Stearne library in St James’ Hospital.
Finally, collaboration is a key component of my campaign and simple changes in this regard will have a positive impact. Working with the JCR, I think it is essential to establish an Education Clinic in Halls on a weekly basis for the first few months of the college term. Often first years students fell disillusioned with their college course and are not aware of their options in relation to changing their field of study. In this respect, the Education Officer must become more visible and more accessible to the student body.
These are just some examples of issues that either have been brought to my attention by others or that I have encountered personally during my time in Trinity. I acknowledge that I have not worked on a continuing basis with the SU but I feel that this stands to my benefit. I believe that I can adequately represent the student body with a fresh perspective. While I have been involved in other aspects of college life, such as through societies, debating competitions and my work as a Class Rep, I am of the opinion that certain attributes should also be considered.
Personally, I believe that the most important role of an Education Officer is to be approachable to individual students. Don’t vote blind, Vote Curtin.
