On the evening of November 25th, officers and students gathered in Goldsmith Hall for the last Comhairle of the year — this time sporting a Christmas theme.
Several motions reminiscent of current Trinity College Dublin Students’ Union (TCDSU/AMLCT) Presidential Bye-Election candidate promises and campaigns were also raised, including the establishment of Hidden Fee Funds and the establishment of BAME advisory group. Eight motions were put to a vote and passed unanimously, most without significant debate.
After the approval of minutes, sabbatical officer reports kicked off with Education Officer, Buster Whaley, who noted the beginning of a working group to establish modular billing in College. This was a main campaign promise from Whaley when he ran for his role last academic year. Welfare & Equality Officer Deirdre Leahy spoke afterward of increased engagement with Health Science students at St. James Hospital in Tallaght. Leahy also highlighted the establishment of a welfare committee as well as her proposed establishment of a DU Clinical Therapies Society, which would need 300 signatures to begin. Comms & Marketing Officer Channing Kehoe highlighted a deal with Merrion Dental cleaning services for students. Orla Norton, Ents Officer, spoke of her work with Movember and several live music events that took place this month, this resulted in a total of €15,000 being raised. Aoife Ní Bhriain, Gaeilge officer, shared her continuously fulfilled mandates in her report, as well as updates on progress with several of her campaign promises, such as making Seomra na Gaeilge accessible. Charlie Hastings, Editor-in-Chief of The University Times, highlighted upcoming publications, including a magazine and Christmas broadsheet and tabloid supplement.
Having finished the Officer reports, Comhairle moved to elections for Coiste na Gaeilge, Campaigns committee, and Trinity Joint Honours Committee: followed quickly by the election of a new Citizenship Officer for Union Forum (UF). This was after a motion was approved to push the election of a Citizenship Officer to accommodate everyone who wished to run for the position. After moving ahead with the elections at 7.16 pm, four candidates, Séan Radcliffe, Rose Sevim, Nina Crofts and Sam Brooks, stepped forward, with Sevim being elected.
Pól Ó hÍomhair and Hugh Ó Ríordáin, the School of Languages convener, ran for the Ordinary Committee member position of Coiste na Gaeilge, with Ó hÍomhair winning the election. No one put themselves forward for the campaigns committee position.
The first motion voted on was the motion on changing the TOR for the Entertainment Committee and Movember sub-committee, as well as the reinstatement of the Volunteer Forum. The motion was proposed by Events Officer Orla Norton and seconded by Emer Munnelly and Finn O’Hanlon. One person spoke in favour, stating that, despite the inactivity of the Volunteer Forum for the past two years, spurring its activity again would be beneficial. The motion was passed.
The second motion brought forward by Ethnic Minorities Officer, Regan Oladipofanyiyi, was for the renewal of the BAME (Black and Ethnic Minorites committee), a committee for minority students at Trinity, which Oladipofanyiyi explained would meet every two to three weeks. The motion passed unanimously.
The motion on establishing a hidden cost fund was proposed by Eve Martin, STEM Convenor. The motion would allocate money from the HEA fund to cover “mandatory hidden costs” over a period of five years with the reservation that if there was money left over or added, it could be extended for more than five years. There was a question directed to Martin asking how much money would be in the fund, which she clarified, saying that there would be €10,000 for five years and €2000 for a year. Another question asked how hidden costs would be evaluated. Martin said that a committee composed of faculty conveners, school conveners, and academic staff to compile a list of “hidden costs” that would be used for reference. After these clarifications, the motion moved to a vote and passed.
The fourth motion sought to establish off-books supports for students who decide to take a year off their degrees. The motion would mandate the Welfare & Equality Officer, the Officer for Students with Disabilities, the Education Officer, the Communications and Marketing Officer, and the President to support off-books students. Speaking for the motion, Hugh Ó Ríordáin stated that off-books students “can be quite isolated from the community”, and highlighted that a lot of students go off books for both physical and mental health reasons. This reasoning makes it even more important that the Union supports them.
The fifth motion to condemn the use of the Staff Time Attendance Rostering System (STARS) on St James’ Nursing Students, proposed by Health Sciences Convenor, Grace McNally, was also passed. Deirdre Leahy, who had seconded the proposal, spoke in favour, highlighting that only nursing students were expected to sign in, while occupational therapy students were not.
The sixth motion on dissolving the academic senate, proposed by Whaley, also passed.
“I don’t know what it adds to the structure of the Students Union”, admitted Whaley.
“Alternative to SU Comhairle” was never convened in the past year by the Education Officer, who set it up. According to Whaley, dissolving it would be reserving time and resources in organizing and convening meetings. According to Whaley, the Academic Senate wouldn’t be too dissimilar to Comhairle with a focus on academic policy. In Whaley’s opinion, Comhairle already functioned similarly and fulfilled.
The seventh motion, seeking to end the current boycott on StudentSurvey.ie, was passed. The ban had continued for many years, as highlighted by Whaley. Whaley stated that he did not know exactly why the boycott was enacted in the first place, but speculated that it was likely due to the commercial nature of questions asked on the survey. Whaley defended the use of the platform by arguing that questions have “been stripped back a lot,” focusing less on the commercial aspect and more on the student experience and had been endorsed by Aontas na Mac Léinn in Éirinn (AMLÉ) and other Students’ Unions. Finally, Whaley summarised by stating that the “position as students is reflected in the data” and that he “see[s] no reason to boycott”.
The eighth motion, which sought to alter membership roles of the Environmental Action Committee, specifically increasing the number of OCMs from three, as well as introducing a Public Relations Officer and Circular Economy Officer. The motion passed unanimously.
After the election for a new Citizenship Officer, discussion items were opened. Aaron Groome, Chair of the Oversight Commission (OC), began with highlighting three reports, including a Schedule 4 Review of motions passed previously and their viability alongside rules in the Constitution.
The next report, a discussion item open to the floor, specifically brought up the controversial sexual assault campaign conducted in Hilary term of last academic year. The OC, after a brief content warning for both the following reports, recommended expanding the OC to combat future instances of overly-controversial campaigns, like the controversial campaign. Further, the OC noted that a recommendation for censure and impeachment was impossible, as the officers have left their posts. However, Groome noted that the OC “would have recommended” impeachment for the sabbatical officers involved in the campaign. This was reported on previously by The University Times after the report was published in last Comhairle’s agenda.
“Campaigns should not be kept as secrets”, said Groome.
Afterwards, Groome began with their report on the concept of the President as the Chief Campaigns Officer for TCDSU, as well as complaints arising against former President Seán Thim. Groome noted that the report was compiled prior to the former President’s resignation. This report, having also been published in the agenda of Comhairle 2, was also reported in detail by The University Times after its initial publication.
Groome outlined that several complaints against the former President were warranted and several mandates were breached. Groome also noted that mental health should always be prioritised for all SU Officers.
In other matters of urgent business arising, Education Officer Buster Whaley noted that a committee for Constitutional interpretation was also open for new members.
Daniel Walsh, former EC chair and current AMLÉ Vice President for the Dublin Region, was voted in to Comhairle and was given speaking rights by Council. Walsh highlighted work being done on a national level with other students’ unions and national political parties. Campaigns including protests against rising student fees, CEARTA-affiliated protests, work with Ireland Against Racism, as well as presence at several Palestine marches. Walsh thanked students for showing up to protests and making their voices heard.
Walsh also highlighted lobbying efforts being made by AMLÉ, including lobbying towards bills for thor-level Irish language representation, as well as MyAMLÉ phone app giveaways for students, including one for 10,000 euro.
Wrapping up the agenda, Bailey Armstrong pointed out that all items were covered 30 minutes before the meeting cutoff, and reminded everyone to vote in the coming TCDSU Presidential Bye-Election. Voting for the Bye-Election begins Wednesday, November 26th at 10am, and ends on the 28th at 4pm.
Additional reporting by Charlie Hastings, Anna Domownik, and Ella Chepak
