News for Jan/Feb

27 January, 2020

Elections 2020

We can’t believe that election season is once again almost upon us, and of course we are referring to the most important elections of 2020, the SU General Elections! This will take place on the 5th of March and you can read full details in expliCIT.

Of course, we also urge you to vote in the national General Elections coming up on 8th February.  This the perfect opportunity for you to directly engage with candidates to find out what their views are in relation to investing in education, the SUSI grant, lack of accommodation and hikes in rent.  Use your vote and use it wisely by taking the time to examine each candidates/political parties manifesto.

SU Constitutional Review

The Students’ Union was mandated to undertake a full constitutional review. The constitution is the set of rules that guides how the Union works and also state the rights of our members. We have been working over the past number of months and in particular this January to focus on the process. A copy of the proposed new constitution will be emailed to all students in early February.  A referendum proposing the adoption of the constitution will run in tandem with the SU General Elections which will be held on 5th March. We urge you to read the proposed constitution and to exercise your right to vote.

Electronic Voting

The Union is currently investigating the possibilities around electronic voting. We recognise the  challenges that students may face when it comes to exercising their right to vote. Many students are on placement during the elections, and we can only resource limited polling station times in our constituent colleges.  Delivery of on electronic voting system in itself is challenging – implementing a system that is robust and ensuring the confidentiality of votes, secure data handling and a one person, one vote system.  Departments within the Institute have been actively assisting us with this project and, it is our hope that a system may be available for the upcoming SU elections and referendum in March.  We’ll keep you posted.

Common Room

The Students’ Union brought a proposal to the finance committee to refurbish the existing common room. We are delighted to announce that there has been great progress with the refurbishment of the existing space. Some of the new improvements include new flooring, freshly painted surfaces, new booths have been put in place and we are also waiting on the delivery of some trendy furniture to finish off this new space! Work is ongoing but expected completion is within the first 2/3 weeks of February.

RAG Week

While RAG week is one of the pinnacles of college social scenes, we need to remember what it’s all about! RAG Week is CIT’s Annual Raise And Give Charity week. It’s about giving back to our community and having a little fun in doing so. This years’ RAG week will run from the 24th to the 27th of February. Exciting plans are underway now with regards to different events being held to raise as much money possible for the chosen charities. The theme of this years RAG charities is homelessness. We would appreciate all the support we can get for those who are just about surviving without a roof over their head. Donations will be given to the following organisations;

1. Edel House (Main Beneficiary) provide emergency housing and support for homeless women and children.

2. Cork Penny Dinners provide the homeless with free meals on a day to day basis.

3. Cork Stand Together is a group originally established by CIT students’ who try to fill the gaps in homelessness by offering food and other living necessities to Cork’s homeless.

Let’s fill those buckets to the brim lads and lassies!

Exam Results

Just ASK! This guide has been emailed to you to help you with any queries you may have in relation to your exam results. However, if you need further clarification on your results we are here to help. The Students’ Union office door is always open to you. See education for more.

Safety Week 2020

We will run Safety Week from Monday 3rd to Thursday 6th February. There will be a special focus on Road Safety and personal safety. Crashed cars will be on display at various locations across the campus with the aim of assisting students to visualise the dangers connected with unsafe driving. The RSA will kick start the campaign with a stand and workshop on Monday the 3rd February.

There will also be stands/displays on the main corridor including; Cork City Fire Brigade, National Ambulance Service, An Garda Síochána and Cork City Council Road Safety VR Headset/Goggles. A car crash re-enactment will take place in front of the Library on Thursday 6th February and this is really worth viewing – to see the emergency services at work following a car crash really gives pause for thought. Please take the opportunity to engage with our interactive campaign – your personal safety should be a top priority and you may pick some information that could potentially save your life in the future.

Best Wishes,

Aaron, Aisling and Cian, your CIT SU Officers