Dominic McGrath was elected editor of The University Times tonight. With 2,526 votes, McGrath becomes the third independently elected editor and the ninth editor of The University Times overall.
McGrath, a third-year law and political science student, won on the first count with 2526 votes. Three hundred and eighty three people voted to re-open nominations.
The position of editor of The University Times was one of four uncontested positions in this year’s election and traditionally candidates in uncontested races have received a higher number of votes in favour of re-opening nominations than their counterparts in contested races.
McGrath has spoken passionately throughout the campaign period about his plans for the paper. He ran on the platform of expanding coverage and outreach and has promised to improve the paper’s sports section, to introduce a new position of Research and Innovation Correspondent and to introduce regular podcasts to the papers repertoire.
McGrath has also stressed that The University Times provides a service. At the first hustings of the campaign, after a meeting of TCDSU’s council McGrath said: “The University Times should be the support and foundation for the future of journalism in Ireland.” With this belief a major part of McGrath’s campaign has been his plans to begin a writing competition, open to second level students from disadvantaged areas. This writing competition would lead to a week-long work experience programme for Transition Year students, culminating in a one-day writing convention.
McGrath hopes the convention will both see The University Times give back and raise the papers profile. McGrath has contended that Trinity does not have a school of journalism, and he sees The University Times as filling that role.
When asked why he was the right person for the position of editor McGrath, in an interview with The University Times, said: “We’ve expanded and grown in the last couple of years. I’ve been there with Edmund first, and then Sinéad and I’ve been there when difficult editorial decisions were being made when the most important challenges we’ve faced have arisen. I’ve got the most experience to deal with The University Times as it expands and grows in the future.”
McGrath has served this year as deputy editor of the paper, under current editor, Sinéad Baker. A two-day in person poll of 1,005 students by The University Times predicted that McGrath would win with 91.2 per cent of the vote.
Commenting on his election, Baker said that McGrath was an “extremely dedicated and talented journalist”, who has “the experience and drive to take the paper to the next level”.
“McGrath has the talent and knowledge to lead the paper, and has an incredible amount of dedication. Without a doubt, the paper will have a very successful year next year”, she continued.
McGrath will succeed The University Times Baker in July.
