A motion to advocate for the replacement of the €150 Hodges Figgis voucher as part of the Trinity Entrance Exhibition Awards was presented to Comharile this evening. The voucher is presented along with a certificate to Junior Fresh undergraduates who achieve the highest points amongst other Trinity entrants from their respective secondary schools. The motion argued that the Hodges Figgis voucher should be replaced with a National book token so as to align with union mandates to support Trinity BDS.
The motion was presented by Mary Groome, a Junior Fresh Class Rep, and seconded by Class Rep Sean Radcliffe and TCDSU President Grace McNally. Groome argued that Trinity College Dublin Students’ Union (TCDSU/AMLCT)’s long-term policy to support BDS conflicts with the college’s partnership with Hodges Figgis. Hodges Figgis is a bookshop on Dawson St. owned by Waterstones, which is then owned by Eliott Investment Management, a company on the BDS list.
The Entrance Exhibition Awards are held every year in January. This year, 602 students were recipients of the award, meaning a total €90,300 in Hodges Figgis vouchers was given out.
The motion passed with a two-thirds majority. This does not mean that the voucher will now be replaced but it does mandate that the BDS Implementation committee, the BDS Chair, along with the President must lobby for a National Book Token to replace the Hodges Figgis Voucher. The motion states that this is done with the intent to “maintain the motivation for book buying but to condemn the connections with Hodges Figgis”.
