Tom Lenihan
Every year come SU election time you hear people say “Every year for two weeks you hear the same people say the same things.” It doesn’t mean anything, so let’s talk about policy.
Hi, I’m Tom, I’m a third year student running for SU President. The issues I’m addressing range from the basics, such as small changes which will bring a big difference to library services, to larger plans, such as establishing a more sustainable policy regarding student fees. All three of the candidates agree that there’s always room for improvement in things like Deal of the Week , however here I’m going to focus on some of the bigger policies in my manifesto which I believe will bring about a marked improvement in the way the SU serves Trinity students.
For a start, internships for Trinity students is a high priority area. Leaving college with the highest level of employability is paramount for all students. Having already had experience in this area (securing Trinity-specific internships for Law students), I see a real opportunity to work with the Trinity Alumni to secure Trinity specific internships and research initiatives across all faculties. Other Irish universities have far better connections with employers, there’s no reason that Trinity should be lagging behind.
A huge issue that has been largely ignored by others is the recent targeting of nurses in the “Internship Initiative” which would see their starting pay cut to 80%. We wouldn’t accept 80% care; nurses shouldn’t have to accept 80% pay, especially after so many placement hours have already been spent working for free. As president, I want to encourage the entire Trinity community to get behind a campaign to oppose its implementation.
A particularly poignant issue within my manifesto is mental health. With 43% of young people having thought at some point that their life is not worth living, this is a critical issue. The president must work closely with the welfare officer (and all other SU officers) to ensure that Trinity College is a stigma-free environment where people aren’t discouraged from opening up about mental health issues for fear of ostracism. I want Trinity to set an example for young people nationwide.
Lenihan at Tuesday’s Dining Hall hustings. Photo: Shauna Watson
The stigma surrounding mental health has to be dealt with now, and not after some of the most formative years of our lives have passed by. We need to make it clear to students that it’s okay not to feel okay.
Another policy point where I’ve made headway is the establishment of a Trinity-specific ModuleHub. I’ve already met the founders of coursehub.ie and I’m very excited about this prospect. No longer will module choices be decided by simply reading a vague description on a course outline. ModuleHub will provide student feedback on modules which will enable students to make informed choices on both content and quality. This should help prevent students ending up in modules they don’t enjoy or have no interest in.
I plan to install a student kitchen on campus. It’ll be a space where students can heat up lunches brought in from home, instead of having to pay high prices for cooked food. While the Deals of the Week will be continued as they help reduce costs for many; for others even that is far too expensive. A concerted effort for a student kitchen will provide a far more affordable option for students.
On the subject of student finance, I will fight any attempts to cut the grants on which so many rely. Furthermore, I will not stand for the replacement fee for a lost or stolen student card being increased to €30. The pressure of funding a college education is a heavy burden for many and all related issues will be diligently addressed so that the burden does not become unbearable.
I don’t intend to spend my time as a glorified rep for local businesses. The SU is not about aesthetics, I want to bring the SU back to being a representative of the students in areas that matter to their education and wellbeing, so that college can be the enabling experience that it’s meant to be.
This is not a full list of my policies, and if you’d like to hear more please visit TeamTom.ie, or check out the “Tom for President” Facebook page. If you like what you’ve read, I’d really appreciate your vote. Thanks for reading.
Read Lylas Aljohmani’s article here.
Read Rosa Langhammer’s article here.
