ELECTION MANIFESTO

• SecuredintroductionofformalStudentComplaintsProcedurefornextacademicyear,dealingwithstudentgrievancesinrelationtotheircourse,exams,collegeservicesorlecturers

• Securedguaranteeonintroductionoftextmessagingsystemtonotifystudentsoflateandabsentlecturersfornextacademicyear

• Lobbiedcollegemanagementtointroduceinstalmentplansforstudentsunabletopayentireregistrationfeeinfullupfront

• Lobbiedcollegemanagementonthesuccessfuladjustmentofacademicrulesinrelationtothecappingofawardsforthisyear’s4thyearstudents

• Organisedandco-ordinatedcampaignswhichsawover1,000GMITstudentsparticipateinNovember’sNationalMarch,andover500GMITstudentsregistertovoteforthegeneralelection

• WasamemberoftheUSI’s8-personTaskforceonGraduateEmployment,whichdevelopedadocumentcalled“ReignitingtheSmartEconomy”.Throughextensivepoliticallobbying,largepartsofthiswascontainedintheProgrammeforGovernment,includingacommitmentto15,000graduateinternships

• RepresentedGMITstudentsstronglyonvariousboardsandcommitteessuchasAcademicCouncil

• Ranvariouswelfarecampaignsthroughouttheyear,includingthecontinuationandexpansionofexistingcampaignssuchasSHAGWeekandPositiveMentalHealth,andnewcampaignssuchas“YourFuture”week

• CarriedoutstudentaccommodationinspectionsbothinMayandSeptembertoaidstudentswithdepositretention

• Developedfirst-everGMITSUFinanceGuidetoprovidestudentswithimportantinformationinrelationtotheirfinances

• Organisedahugely-successfulRAGWeek,whichhadamuchcheaperwristbandat15euro,biggerandbettereventssuchasMOXEGEN2011,andbrokefundraisingrecordsbyraisingover15,000euroforcharity

• IntroducedpettycashsysteminSUtodealwithemergencywelfareissues

• ImprovedcommunicationwithstudentbodythroughdevelopmentofnewSUwebsite,increaseduseofsocialmedia,videoblogs,andneweventstextsystem

• MoreactiveparticipationandinvolvementinStudents’Unionthroughcreationofworkinggroupsandrecruitmentofvolunteersformajorevents&campaigns

• OversawthedevelopmentofnewStudentCommonRoom509

• FurtherimprovementsincommunicationthroughaDailyPresidents’BlogonnewSUwebsiteandlinkedtoFacebook,andensuringfullup-to-datejobsandgrindsinformationareavailableonthenewsite

• IntensivelobbyingofthenewPresidentoftheInstituteandcollegemanagementontheinvestmentinandupgradingofGMITsportsfacilities

• Continuetorepresentstudentsstronglyonanationalbasis,lobbyinglocalTD’sandgovernmentministersonBudgetarychangestothecriteriaforthenon-adjacentrateofthegrant,andlocalauthoritiesontheunacceptabledelaysinprocessingsomegrantpayments

• Introduceyear-roundSUdiscount/loyaltycardsystem,whichwouldprovidestudentswithdiscountsonallSU-ranevents,andalsoregularstudentoffers,whichIwouldlobbylocalbusinessestoprovide.ItwouldalsocreateanewrevenuestreamfortheUnioninchal-lengingtimes

• WorkwithUSIonthedevelopmentofaNationalStudentCard

• IncreasespiritofvolunteeringwithintheUnionbyallowingstudentstosignuponlinetogetinvolvedwitheventsandcampaigns

• Makeavoluntarycontributionof50euroofmyweeklysalarytotheStudentSupportFund,totakeaccountofchangedtimesandconditions

• Introducehardshipsystemwherebystudentsinknownfinancialdifficultycanavailoffreebinding,photocopyingandprinting,aswellasfoodvouchersonaperiodicbasis,fromtheStudents’Union

• MakeSUaccountsavailableonlineandintheSUnewsletter,toallowgreateraccount-abilityandtransparency

• Provideacomprehensivetrainingmanualtonewly-electedSUVice-PresidentandWelfareOfficer

• Onlineserviceallowingstudentstorequestthedeliveryofcondomsinanunmarkedenvelope,takingawaytheembarrassmentfactor

• ContinuethecommercialdevelopmentoftheUnionthroughseekingsponsorshipforallmajoreventsheld

• CompletereviewandoverhaulofoutdatedGMITSUConstitution,andtheholdingofareferendumonanewConstitutionthatreflectstheneedsofmodernstudents

• ContinuetobringGMITstudentsqualityentertainmentwhichprovidesvarietyandvalueformoney

• Creationofonlineentertainmentsforumtoallowstudentstogivefeedbackandmakesuggestionsoneventsandacts

• PublishfirstGMITSUAnnualStudentSurvey,whichwillamongotherthingsgarnerideasfromstudentsonthecontinueddevelopmentofCommonRoom509

• Overhaulofclassrepsystem,whichcurrentlylacksaccountability,through: - 100%recruitmentrateofclassreps - Bi-weeklyclassrepreportstobeprovidedtoSU - Monitoranddisplayclassrepattendanceatregularmeetings - Provisiontoremoveclassrepsby50%+1majorityofclass - Incentivesforclassrepstomaintainstandardsandreachtargetsthroughawards systemandendofyearcertificates - TwothirdsmajorityvotingsystemintroducedonallmajorSUdecisions

• Hostingoffirst-everGMITSUEnterpriseAwards,withaDragon’sDentheme

• Continuethefighttoincreaselibraryopeninghours,particularlyaroundexamperiods

• Alleviatethecurrentlong,drawn-outcarparkingappealsprocessthroughamoreefficientonlineappealssystem,andmoreregularmeetingstodealwiththeseappeals

Leadershipandexperience

Ahighworkethicandcampaigningspirit

Stronglocalandnationalrepresentation

Radicaloverhaulofclassrepsystem

AmoreaccountableandtransparentSU

Modernisedandbettercommunicationwithstudents

Quality,originalentertainmentwhichprovidesvalueformoney

Anemphasisoneasingtheburdenonstudentsunderfinancialpressure

PLEASEVOTEJOEO’CONNOR#1FORSUPRESIDENTONAPRIL7TH!!!!!!!

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