The role of Education Faculty rep will oversee the first-time transition of Education and Training students from DCU to St. Pat’s.
However, for the students in St. Pat’s, problems run deeper than a new influx of students.
Caoilinn Ní Thaidhg is running for the new role. She explained that the Education students have existing gripes about work placement for Mater Dei students.
“You have a set number of schools you can apply to work in and list your preference. However, that’s not really looked at because it’s thrown into a computer system.
“It doesn’t take into consideration that you could be living on the opposite end of the county.
I know students that have had to pay up to €50 for transport a week and €70 for accommodation.”
Ní Thaidgh said if elected, she will try to introduce the system that first and third years in St. Pat’s have, where their preferences are taken into consideration.
“If you’re relaxed and can find your school with ease, it’ll make you focus more on your work and your lessons.”
She also wants to expand the hours that final year students spend with their tutors when working on their thesis.
“The tutor is left to organise when they can fit us in. This can be a group session or one-on-one. This group session could be in the library, or in a Starbucks where there’s coffee machines going and it’s very difficult to hear.
“Students aren’t getting personal support on their thesis this way.”
To solve this, she hopes to speak to administration team to organise a fairer system where every student is given the same time.
Lastly, she hopes to reinstate the course through Irish. It hasn’t been flly phased out, but as of second semester the course is being spread out among other courses.
“The lecturers are still there have the interest in Irish, bar a few that have lost interest. Because of these few, the course has to close. I want to be the spokesperson for the students who still want this and want to work in Gaelscoils.”
Ní Thaidgh was in the Gaeltacht during campaigning week. She spoke about the limitation this had on her campaign: ““I am at a disadvantage. I haven’t been able to physically campaign on campus.
“I’m also severely lacking in WiFi and phone coverage so simply getting in contact with people is very difficult.”
However, she credits her friends in DCU for helping with her campaigning before she visits the DCU campus this week: “ I have an amazing team that has been speaking to people on my behalf. I hope to get my own face there, rather than just being on a piece of paper.”
Voting closes at 5pm Wednesday.
Aura McMenamin
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