Some students are scared to present opposing views within Trinity College Dublin Students’ Union (TCDSU) for fear of a pile-on, council has heard.
The discussion item on dignity, respect and wellbeing at council was brought by second-year philosophy, political science, economics and sociology (PPES) class representative László Molnárfi and school convenor Rían Errity.
Speaking this evening, Molnárfi said, having been attending council for nearly two years, “people always wonder why is there no debate”.
“Whenever I’ve spoken in opposition, people come up to me and say they agree with me. Some said they are scared to speak in opposition at council.”
Molnárfi said he felt that Union Forum members were bullying him, among other union members.
“If you look at Twitter, there’s a slew of passive aggressive comments”, he said.
“There’s one set of standards for those who fall in line and another for those who stand in opposition”, he added. “The reason we don’t have many fresh voices is because this union crushes opposition.”
Molnarfi has emerged as one of the most recognisable figures in TCDSU this year. He is chair of Students4Change, a small, independent lobby group which seeks to radicalise student politics and promote a left-wing agenda.
Molnarfi has frequently criticised Trinity decision makers, particularly on the decision not to cancel in-person exams at the end of last year.
Speaking at council this evening, TCDSU Welfare Officer Sierra Müller-Owens said: “It’s important when these conversations are had not only to think about what others have done to you, but also to think about how you react to things others have said to you.”
The union’s President Leah Keogh said: “I would like to hear other voices on this as well. I ask that we all need to be cognisant of this as we go forward.”
“I don’t think we are not welcoming to opposition, in fact we are the opposition.”
Regarding online decorum, modern Irish class representative Cúnla Morris said that students who are “terminally online” have “lost the ability to see each other as proper human beings and to be kind to each other”.
“I have struggled with that as well”, Morris said. “There’s a big difference between interpersonal conflict and discussion.”
The discussion item stated: “Disagreement is natural and positive for a representative organisation. Criticism, dissent or disagreement should not be treated as personal attacks, but as a way to further the way our union operates.”
“For interactions that are constructive, everyone should refrain from chatting on Zoom, snapping their fingers or posting on #yupcouncil during debates so that no one is ‘dogpiled’.”
Speaking during the discussion, the union’s Ethnic Minorities Officer Gabrielle Fullam asked that students also consider racialisation when interacting with each other. “We’re more likely to hold different people to different standards”, Fullam said.
