THE FALLOUT continues over UCG students' union's referendum earlier this month, when a proposed £30 capitation increase was rejected in a poor turnout by students.
The union had been seeking the increase to fund a student development fund, clubs, societies and the fitting of the student bar, due to open next month after repeated postponements.
According to college sources, students rejected the increase because they felt that they had already paid enough over the years and were under the impression that a portion of the £150 charge already paid by students would go towards the bar. Unfortunately, the college authorities had previously stated that there wasn't enough money available to furnish the bar.
Why there were insufficient funds is another question, but a glance in the direction of the student sports centre might provide one possible answer. Apparently, the newly fitted floor had to be replaced twice due to expansion of the wood - the first time natural expansion, the second caused by rainwater. Replacing wooden floors is an expensive business, by all accounts.
The story may yet fail to provide a happy ending, since UCG is one of a number of colleges likely to apply to raise the £150 charge once the cap expires on it at the end of the current academic year.
All of these matters are likely to test the ingenuity of the presidential candidates as election time nears for the union. Those with eyes on the throne include education officer Darren McCallig and union development officer Colm Cronin, with additional competition from chief Ogra Fianna Failer Paul Whelan and two relatively unknown quantities, students Noel O'Connor and Orla Costello.
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