Leaving aside, for a moment, the undue influence that bigger clubs appear to exercise over the administration of Dublin University Central Athletic Club (DUCAC), the fact that the body failed to hold its AGM within the first three weeks of term – as its constitution stipulates it must – doesn’t exactly inspire confidence in DUCAC’s organisational structures. Instead, a fractious AGM took place on Thursday. For whatever reason, DUCAC, currently chaired by a former Circuit Court judge, does not seem especially concerned with upholding its constitution. (See also its failure to check whether those present were eligible to vote.)
It’s hard to know what to make of the Union of Students in Ireland’s (USI) strategies this year – unless, of course, you’re Shane De Rís. The President of Trinity College Dublin Students’ Union made clear his feelings on USI’s response to Budget 2019 in an email sent to unions around the country. Whatever your thoughts on De Rís’s motivations, it’s clear that USI hasn’t united students’ unions on key issues – its raison d’etre. Its limp 8am protest didn’t catch much media attention, either: Irish Times political editor Pat Leahy marvelled at what he thought was a “Budget day and no protests outside the Dail”.
Given that it comes as a direct result of College’s oft-criticised desire to internationalise, it would be tempting to pick holes in this week’s announcement of a 97 per cent increase in the number of Trinity students taking part in exchange programmes outside Europe. As with anything, there are legitimate criticisms to be made of the overall policy – and of College’s dogged fixation on it over the many crises facing students today. But such a substantial expansion of the opportunities available to students can only be a good thing.
