“The Role is What You Make It” - A Sit Down With the Campus Life Senator

On Monday 2 March 2026, Silver Hand Journal reporters met with Sean Kerrigan, current MSU Campus Life Senator, by request. In this meeting, Kerrigan discussed the performance of past and current SU officers, emphasising the need for more proactive action from Senators, and student engagement surrounding said roles.

Kerrigan began by addressing a persistent and common perception on campus: that SU officers “don’t really do much.” While acknowledging the frustration behind that sentiment, he said he does not share it as of late. Instead, he pointed to structural issues within the Students’ Union that, in his view, have historically limited officers’ effectiveness:

“One thing I’ve always noticed: is that a lot of the officers, especially Vice-Presidents and Presidents, have been overworked and under-resourced". Kerrigan recalled seeing past officers physically setting up events themselves, arranging and carrying chairs while simultaneously managing their own workload.

He referenced the now-retired Vice President Welfare and Equality role as an example. In previous years, one officer was responsible for welfare casework and equality initiatives, with now President-elect Ty Layberry-Ling having sat in this position up to March 2026. The recent decision to reallocate welfare and equality into two distinct roles, he argues, is a practical improvement that should allow for more focused work and less burnout.

Kerrigan also highlighted ongoing efforts around a proposed ‘T-Fund’ for transgender students. Currently, students seeking financial assistance for transition-related costs must apply through the Student Emergency Fund, which allows only one application under a single category during a student’s academic career. Kerrigan highlighted how restrictive this is, but also noted the progress made to curb this issue, saying that it reflects consistent communication with the past VP Welfare and Equality.

However, the common conception of inaction may be misjudged, but seemingly not baseless as Kerrigan expressed frustration at what he sees as hesitation within the Senate, particularly among new Senators. While acknowledging that the body has limited meetings left this academic year, he argued that more could be done to bring forward motions:

“I’ve always tried to do something. Even if your motion gets rejected, you can use it again later”.

He admitted that in his role as First Year Senator in 2022 to 2023, he did not put forward any motions because he felt inexperienced. In second year, serving as Community Senator, he did submit a proposal; it failed. He described it bluntly as poorly developed on his part, but said the experience helped him refine his future work. He believes many first-year Senators experience similar self-doubt and fear.

That fear, he suggested, is amplified by social media culture. Anonymous platforms such as the recent @maynoothconfessionz Instagram page feature commentary about the Senate, often critical, which he believes can discourage students from running in elections. Kerrigan described the Senate as far less dramatic than it is often portrayed online, characterising meetings as procedural rather than glamourous:

“It’s three hours in a boardroom on a Wednesday evening,” he stated. “It’s representative work”.

Kerrigan argued that another contributing factor to perceived inactivity is limited student engagement. While Senators are criticised by students, he stated many do not reach out directly with concerns or proposals. He suggested that communication strategies could be improved, potentially through regular posts highlighting the Senators and their contact details, though he did acknowledge concerns such as data protection and extra workload in keeping all details current to date. This was a strategy that Layberry-Ling delved into within their campaign manifesto, proposing that the SU VP Officers post more frequently when they are going into important meetings or discussion boards, to make students more aware of the work done behind-the-scenes.

Throughout the interview, Kerrigan returned to the idea that Senate roles are more flexible than students may realise. While positions he has held in Community and Campus Life have defined descriptions, he described them as ultimately open-ended:

“You have carte blanche, you can put forward motions regardless of your title”.

He cited his own experience, focusing heavily on LGBTQIA+ issues before later running for the allocated role in his third year. In his view, Senators are not limited to narrow zones but instead can put forward motions for issues seen outside of their defined title.

One example discussed in detail was a motion for more multi-stall gender-neutral bathrooms on campus. The proposal emerged after students approached him about discomfort using accessible bathrooms that had been relabeled as gender neutral. At the same time, consultation with Muslim students highlighted the continued need for gendered facilities for religious reasons.

He also referenced a forthcoming motion aimed at restricting the use of Artificial Intelligence in SU promotional materials. This follows backlash the SU faced after the use of AI imagery to promote their “Bingo ‘N Beats” event during D-Week; which they commented “the company [they collaborated] with made” and that they would be creating the poster in future as they are “anti-ai”. He argued that AI use undermines student artists and carries environmental concerns. He suggested that even rudimentary student-created designs would better reflect the Union’s representative ethos, even recommending the use of Microsoft Paint over AI art.

Kerrigan expressed particular frustration at having been “deemed elected twice” in uncontested races. He said he would prefer competitive elections. Students, he maintained, should question candidates about their priorities rather than disengaging from the process:

“Have as much scrutiny as possible when it comes to your elected representatives”, further noting, “if you have the privilege of being able to vote for someone don’t be afraid to ask them questions, reach out to them on social media, reach out to them via email”.

By the end of the interview, Kerrigan’s overarching conclusion was clear: while structural improvements are needed, the Senate’s effectiveness ultimately depends on initiative.

This message strongly reflects recent trends in student elections, where there were very few candidates for VP and Senate roles this year; many positions going uncontested. Total voter turnout reached just 1,862, only a slight increase from last year's 1,769, despite a student population of over 17,000.