Trinity’s website offers examples of how College uses societies to attract prospective students. One such quote, which states: “One of the core elements of student life is the range of activities organised by students for students. Trinity’s 120 student societies…constitute the most dynamic and active set of university student societies in Ireland”, would create extra excitement for any student preparing to come through Front Arch in September.
The news this week that the annual mailout of society information to incoming first-year students is to be cancelled, however, sheds light on the growing difficulties societies face when dealing with these same College authorities. The timing, the reasons given and the way the cancellation has been communicated paints a worrying picture about the value College places on societies as being integral parts of Trinity life. This is despite the fact that it uses societies as a selling point to prospective students – both domestic and international.
By cancelling the mailout, College is disregarding the work done by students over the summer months who, in a voluntary capacity, are trying to better the Trinity experience for their fellow students
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The online mailout – sent by email through the Academic Registry since 2014 and itself a replacement of a physical mailout of flyers that was sent in previous years – is two-fold in its purpose. It serves to promote and advertise societies to incoming students, while also acting as a valuable guide for these first-year students, informing them about the wide range of societies on offer prior to Freshers’ Week. Most who have received the mailout in the past will agree that it’s an exciting email to get. You have just accepted your place in Trinity, you’re moving onto the next stage in your life and the mailout provides you with information about what you can do with your new-found freedom and spare time. To deprive incoming students of this experience and material is undoubtedly regrettable.
Arguably the more important aspect of the mailout is the vital role it plays in promoting Trinity’s societies. For anyone involved in a society, the amount of work done during the year is substantial. The work done over the summer months especially is extremely time-consuming and significant in planning for the year ahead. By cancelling the mailout, College is disregarding the work done by students over the summer months who, in a voluntary capacity, are trying to better the Trinity experience for their fellow students. Trinity has hired a Transition to Trinity Officer in order to ease the transition from school to college, and yet it is these societies that often serve to make students feel the most at home.
It particularly puts smaller societies at a disadvantage. It’s more likely that an incoming students will have heard of the University Philosophical Society (the Phil), the College Historical Society (the Hist) and DU Law Society before Freshers’ Week, and these societies have more resources to target students over the week. By scrapping the mailout, it is the societies that don’t have a huge profile outside of the college’s walls who will struggle even more to inform freshers of the work they do – potentially making it more difficult to recruit new members come September.
When students give up their time to create a college environment that is both enjoyable and informative, they deserve to be treated in a way that encourages rather than hinders them
This is not the first time in recent years where College has acted in such a way as to hamper the work of societies. In April, 15 societies spoke to The University Times about negative experiences they had when dealing with different College authorities. The complaints ranged from difficulties booking rooms to struggling to get permission to hold certain events, to in some cases, College threatening to cancel events. When students give up their time to create a college environment that is both enjoyable and informative, they deserve to be treated in a way that encourages rather than hinders them.
The letter delivered by Trinity College Dublin Students’ Union (TCDSU) President, Kieran McNulty, to the Provost’s office on Thursday and signed by ten of the largest societies on campus, will hopefully remind the College hierarchy of the mailout’s importance to both incoming freshman students and societies. While the letter was addressed to the Provost not because he was the cause of the problem but in an appeal to find a solution, its necessity suggests that College is not prepared to, every year, support societies’ activities during Freshers’ Week, despite the fact that they are the most exciting part of the week for most incoming freshman.
Societies are a fundamental part of student life in Trinity. Considering College uses them to entice students to come here, they are also aware of that fact. College can, and should, do better to support societies in their work. It is in everyone’s best interest that they do.
