Trinity College Dublin Students’ Union (TCDSU) council has voted to work with postgraduate students and the Irish Federation of University Teachers (IFUT) to create a policy which would require all lectures to be recorded.
The motion will mandate the three groups to “find a solution for handing over copyright of recorded lectures to lecturers”.
The move primarily aims to make college more accessible to students with disabilities while the pandemic persists.
Speaking at council, final-year engineering class representative Oisin Fullam-Smith, who proposed the motion, said: “There’s no consensus across College and it’s something that, given the case numbers we have at the moment and the new variant, we need to work on that as a unified policy, in line with College’s position that no student is left behind the disadvantaged as a result of the pandemic.”
Yannick Gloster, undergraduate studies committee representative, proposed removing phrasing relating to the Graduate Students’ Union (GSU) “given the fact that they are undemocratic”. The wording was subsequently changed.
The union will now “work together with postgraduate students, IFUT and lecturers to find a solution for handing over copyright of recorded lectures to lecturers, to create a policy of lectures being recorded, along with a hybrid approach to lectures, so that no student during the ongoing pandemic is disadvantaged for not being present on campus”.
Second-year PPES class representative László Molnárfi, who seconded the motion, opposed this change, arguing that unity among the two unions was important.
Third-year single-honours English class representative Grace Maddock O’Driscoll, who seconded the motion, told council: “I just think it’s really important that we have something on this because … there are people who are coming into college knowing that they have positive PCR test, because they can’t afford to lose contact hours and they’re being given no other option.”
“You can’t expect people to sacrifice their education but at the same time, it’s not safe for the students”, she added.
The motion itself said: “The recording of lectures has been traditionally opposed by trade unions, due to the College having copyright over such material, and the possibility that College will fire staff and use these materials to teach.”
At council tonight, the union also voted to increase its transparency by making College meeting agendas and minutes public.
The union will now push for records of meetings with sabbatical officers in attendance to be made available to union members in an attempt to increase accountability.
