Magazine
IN FOCUS
OPINION
Radius Recap
Irish Language
TCDSU
Ella Hussey discusses the highs, lows and everything in between as she recounts her experience as Radius Editor.
Abigail Moriarty interviews the Irish Language Officerelect in features, page 9 »
Connor Dempsey calls for the abolition of student council in opinion, page 15 »
Cleo Daly explores the misogny evident in online multiplayer games and calls for a cultural change.
The University Times universitytimes.ie
Volume XV, Issue VI
Monday 8 April, 2024
Students’ Union Accountability in Question Following Catherine Arnold’s Resignation Alex Payne ASSISTANT EDITOR
T
rinity College Dublin Students’ Union (TCDSU) Education Officer, Catherine Arnold, resigned on Monday, March 25th, as confirmed through an email sent to other TCDSU sabbatical officers and employees, as well as members of Trinity’s senior administration, including the Provost. In their resignation email, Arnold took aim at “all” their fellow Union officers, in particular their
“employer”. They made various claims concerning their own treatment by others within the workplace and their colleagues’ capacities. TCDSU has been contacted for comment. The University Times, in conversation with those who have been associated with the TCDSU but are speaking in a personal capacity, can reveal that prior to their resignation, Arnold’s conduct in office had been questioned by their colleagues. The number of messages concerned about the conduct of Arnold increased during their organisation of Trinity representatives’ attendance at
PWO Announce Plans for Campus Blockades Saoirse Goes DEPUTY EDITOR
O
n Tuesday morning, the Postgraduate Workers’ Organisation (PWO) of Trinity College Dublin announced its plans to conduct direct action against the university. The action, which will take the form of a mass walkout, blockades and protests in several major locations on campus, is planned to begin on April 10th at 9am. The exact locations of the blockades have yet to be disclosed. The blockade announcement comes in response to the PWO Trinity’s recent PhD Strike Ballot survey, which received overwhelming sup-
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Latest Developments: Protests around Ireland Intensify Opposing Irish Complicity in US Support for Israel
port in favour of “massive and disruptive action on Trinity to demand our rights,” according to a statement released this morning. The protest is organised around five key demands: equal pay, transparency, accountability, work spaces and no more discrimination for non-EU PhDs. In terms of accountability, the PWO Trinity specify “we want Trinity to come clean about the scholarship exemption forms we are all forced to sign”, documents which they allege to be in violation of revenue rules about tax-free stipends, as reported by The Irish Times. In conjunction with this, the organisation calls for College to cov CONTINUED ON PAGE 7
Students’ Union
Irish Language
Joshua Hernon concludes a contentious period in student politics with coverage of the motion to review Section 1.4 of the TCDSU constitution, PAGE 6 »
Abi Moriarty interviews Pádraig Mac Brádaigh ahead of his term as the inaugural Irish Language Officer for the Students’ Union, PAGE 9 »
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NEWS
B2 SPORT
B16 DRINK
R15
FEATURES
B9 ART
R2 LITERATURE
R3
OPINION
B11 FASHION
R4 MUSIC
R9
EDITORIAL
B12 FOOD
R2 THEATRE
R5
Editor: Clara Roche Volume XV, Issue V ISSN: 2013-261X Phone: (01) 646 8431 Email: info@universitytimes.ie Website: universitytimes.ie
this week’s Union of Students’ in Ireland (USI) Congress, this year held in Sligo. As Delegate Leader, it is an established responsibility of the Education Officer to organise Trinity’s representation at the USI Congress. In messages seen by The University Times, dissatisfaction with Arnold’s approach to this task arose when they claimed to have “the final say” on who attends. Other members of the Union Forum (UF) disagreed with Arnold’s decision to only allow current Union stakeholders — officers, convenors and class reps — to
This newspaper is produced with the financial support of Trinity College Students’ Union, but maintains a mutually agreed policy of editorial independence.
To contact UT, write to: The Editor, The University Times, 6 Trinity College Dublin 2
PHOTO BY DARA MAC DÓNAILL FOR THE UNIVERSITY TIMES
On the weekend before St. Patrick’s Day 2024, the Irish Anti-War Movement, Dublin for Gaza and Action for Palestine Ireland groups organised protested against the United States’ military support for Israel. Read more in news, page 5 »
Student Council Deprived of Vote on Censure of TCDSU President Alex Payne ASSISTANT EDITOR
C
ouncil, the body of student representatives that votes on matters concerning student life and the Trinity College Dublin Students’ Union (TCDSU) Constitution, has been left deprived of a vote on wheth-
er or not to censure the President following an exodus of voting members just as the vote was due to take place. As a result, the minimum proportion of members present required to hold a legitimate vote (quorum), one-third, was not met in a move described by Conchúr Casey, Chair of Council and the Electoral Commission (EC), as “disappointing”.
Following the exit of the group of students, almost exclusively made up of those who stood up to speak against the censure of the TCDSU President, László Molnárfi, Casey addressed those remaining: “This is obviously quite undemocratic. It is completely inappropriate for people to leave.” Casey continued: “I am disappointed by the action that has
taken place today. I am disappointed to see the apparatus of quorum being used in this way. To those that have left – it has been noted.” This comes after the TCDSU Oversight Commission’s (OC) recommendation that Molnárfi be censured for “repeated breaches” of the constitution. CONTINUED ON PAGE 4
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