On March 10th, a motion was brought to Comhairle 6 to mandate the organisation of a Freshers’ Fair on the St James’s Hospital campus. The motion was proposed by Trinity College Dublin Students’ Union (TCDSU/AMLCT) President Grace McNally and seconded by Ents Officer, Orla Norton. The proposal noted that many of the health sciences students who spend a large portion of the academic year on the St James’s campus are currently unable to participate in the events offered by the Freshers’ Week due to distance and timetable constraints.
The motion mandates the Sabbatical Board of Trinity College Dublin Students’ Union to organise a Freshers’ Fair on St James’s campus by working with relevant stakeholders within the College and St James’s Hospital to secure an appropriate space and logistical support for the event. Trinity societies, student services, and SU supports are also to participate in the Freshers’ Week events where feasible. The motion additionally states that the event is to be organised in a way that maximises accessibility for health sciences students, paying attention to their placement schedules.
The focus on off-campus health sciences students has recently increased with the election of Grace McNally as the President of TCDSU. With the passing of the motion, the Sabbatical Board will be mandated to write up a report no later than before the second Comhairle of the next academic year, containing the effectiveness of said Freshers’ Fair and testimonies from St James’s students on the possibilities of furthering the initiative.
The motion was held to vote in Comhairle and passed with a majority. The motion is part of many initiatives and events currently being developed by TCDSU in order to engage the off-campus students in community life within Trinity.
Several students also spoke in favour of continuing efforts to open an SU cafe in St James hospital, similar to those already run in Goldsmith and Trinity Halls. After an emphatic speech by TCDSU President Grace McNally, this motion also passed.
