MSU Auditions Begin: Academic Affairs, Equity & Inclusion, Student Life, & Welfare

VP Academic Affairs: Charli Middleton

Charli Middleton isn’t finished with Vice-President Academic Affairs just yet, having taken on the mantle of Maynooth Students’ Union Election (MSU/Aontas na Mac Léinn, Mhá Nuad) Presidency in September after the previous President’s resignation. Middleton is hoping to return to where it all started. She is running uncontested for the role once again.

Alongside Silver Hand Journal journalist Emma Crawford, Middleton spoke on pressing issues facing students today; from GenAI guidelines to the early morning car parking battles across campus.

CHARLI: I am your current MSU president and I did run last year for the position of Vice-President Academic Affairs. Due to someone resigning, I had to then run for president. But I'm going back to [...] Academic Affairs, fingers crossed.

EMMA: Sounds good. What made you decide to run again?

C: I felt because […] I had kind of had to go for the role of President, I didn't get enough done in academic affairs [as] I wanted to. So, I wanted to do another year to just kind of […] finalise a few things that I've been working on during the year before I started as President and then continued on as President. Just there was a few bits kind of around my policy within the university that I've been working on […] committees and kind of the way that the active [subject] representative structure was kind of returned by me. I wanted to make sure that we continued on those continuity as well with the reps.

E: This academic year since you've been elected the MSU has been without a VP for academic affairs. How has the SU had to manage this vacancy?

C: So, I took up the vacancy. So, I basically I've been doing the two roles. I've been the [MSU] President and VP Academic Affairs. So, because we had a PTO who was helping us with it as well, but then because of his obviously degree commitments and other things, we weren't making sure that he didn't do everything. So, I was kind of working on it with him as well. So, a lot of like the casework backed out policy wise and stuff like that and the extra committees, but I took that all on myself.

E: Out of all your work this year's president, kind of what are you most proud of?

C: I'm actually, I got to go on a trip to the U.S.A. […] not the whole [being proud of] going to the U.S.! But I got to present a project on kind of like collaboration with university staff in kind of many university and stuff,of many university and stuff, between the SU and then between university staff, I got to make a presentation with a university staff member who works [here and] two students at a conference which is called ACUI [Association of College Unions International]. It was really interesting and it was kind of […] it was really nice to learn about other governance structures as well. So, I'm really proud of that and I got to present that to like about 50 people.

E: Cool. Would you say that's like a core pillar of your philosophies within like student politics and the SU: having that relationship between faculty and students at it's absolutely best?

C: Yeah, I think it's really important. I think like if there's no communication, there's no point in anything. I think if the faculty don't know what we're doing, we don't know what the faculty are doing, then no one's doing the job.

E: Of course. So, I, of course, was having to kind of refresh my memory a bit in preparation for interviewing you. And I was reading through your interview with Finn O'Neill last year. And one of the things that was on your mind, and honestly, probably
still on a lot of people's mind, was parking. You said it was something as VP for Academic Affairs that you are “actively trying to address” Now, you spent this year as President, now you're looking to go back to VP for Academic Affairs role. How has the
MSU addressed this matter?

C: So I know that the VP Welfare & Equality [Ty Layberry-Ling], the current one took it over because it was more of a policy base and we were working on it together because myself and the current VP Student Life [Amina Traboue] didn't have the time or kind of scope to do it as she was doing all the events and I was kind of doing all the financial aspects and behind the scenes work. So, we've put together like a paper and stuff like that to take to estates. I can't say anything more about it because the states are working on it and it is confidential unfortunately, but we are working on it like actively and the states are also in the know of what's going on as well. And we're kind of trying to figureout a way to collaborate more with the university on it to basically be like, these are students' concerns and if there's any staff concerns, can we also agree with that?

E: Okay, yeah, sounds good. You talked about “opening the door” a little bit at the Hustings [March 2], making university learning something everyone can achieve. What does accessibility mean to you in a university context? And, can you name one or two areas, or more, where you feel the university might be falling short in terms of that accessibility?

C: That's a good one! Accessibility to me means having…like having the access to like actually knowing what you're doing and […] having the kind of ease of just being able to learn. Like learning shouldn't be something that's so complex and it shouldn't be something that's so hard to access for students. Like they come to college for a reason, they want to get a degree for a reason, they shouldn't have to have such barriers to doing that. So, the one thing that like[...] I mainly want to do this in this new term is, well, hopefully, is to basically make clearer pathways to academic policy because students, like, they know of academic policy when they're in trouble.

So anytime I've done casework and stuff like that, students only figure out there's a plagiarism policy at that time because they're being accused of it. Or Gen AI policies, they didn't realize that the university guidelines weren't the ones they were supposed to follow and there's actually department-specific ones. So, it's these kind of like continuities that are just like completely blurred between students and staff because no one's telling them these things. And it's even like simple things like, some students aren't taught how to reference in first year and like that's vital to their degree and that's the reason they're getting accused in plagiarism. So, I want to make sure like we as an organisation for students like have the space for students to go and like visit all these inks in just PDFs, simple as like one click, it's there, it's on our website, you can just see it. So, academic plagiarism, activist conduct, kind of like Gen[rative] AI policies and stuff like that. I also work with departments on like making sure their department-specific Gen-AI guidelines are more publiced because a lot of students are getting caught out because they don't understand the difference between the university ones and their department-specific ones. And it's very particular, some of them, so like likes of English, like you kind of say, fair enough, they're not having a verstrict AI policy because like grammatical errors and like that kind of stuff, and like that's the whole purpose of a degree. But the likes when I did philosophy, they didn't really mind so much. It was more so you had to have a ‘declaration of use’. So, it's like, if we can kind of figure out what works best for like each discipline and kind of each faculty and go from there, I think it would just aid students and kind of give them that freedom of like actually knowing.

E: Do you want to have it [Generative AI policies] be sort of a subject-by-subject, case-by-case basis?

C: So, what I aim to do is I kind of want to speak to all the departments to get their kind of […] idea on what like they have in place so far because I don't actually know what a lot of departments are. I know some for like kind of more the art side, and the science-y sides are kind of they're a bit more lenient with it because it's kind of because of coding and stuff. But for arts and social sciences, it's very unclear as to where the divide is. So, I wanted to sit down with the department heads or even just the admins, just be like, can I have access to the guidelines you guys [you guys] have? Where is it for students and where can they access it? Why is it so hidden? Why is it not available on your department website? And, can I have access to it to put up on our [MSU] website?

E: You mentioned just there, the Humanities and kind of a lack of understanding there. Do you think it's instilling, with regards to AI, a culture of fear, but also nobody really knows what they're scared of, until it's in your face, and your similarity score on Turnitin, is like 75%.

C: Yeah, no, it literally is because like students come to me and like, I've had this is most of my case work this year has been because of AI. So a lot of the stuff I'm dealing with is students coming to me like in an absolute panic being like, “I didn't use AI and now I don't know what to do and I'm being accused of it and there's no way I can defend myself. what do I do? How do I defend myself?” And I can't actually be to them. I can't actually say to them, like, “you can,” because there's no real, like, if they don't have any, like, background to it or whatever as well. Like, a lot of students now are actually videoing themselves doing their assignments to be like, I didn't use AI because they're so terrified of getting caught out for using it.

E: And what has the dialogue with faculty been like so far in this process, if there has been any?

C: The dialogue that I've seen so far is kind of more like, they don't want students to use it, but they're also they're kind of, they're quite rigid on it, but also, they're using it! So, it's like, that's kind of contradictory in my opinion. Like, I don't promote the use of AI, it's more so like due to like the environmental aspects, obviously. Yeah…like if students are using it, they should know how to use it properly and how they can use it if they aren't allowed to use it. And it shouldn't be something that's shamed and like they shouldn't be afraid to like to be caught out constantly.

E: That's a really good point! That actually answers all of my questions. Thank you so much for your time.

C: No problem at all.

E: I want to wish you the best of luck in the rest of your campaign.

C: Thank you very much!

VP Equity and Inclusion: Dorcas Akinso 

Law student Dorcas Akinso has added “SU candidate” to an already busy CV that includes founding a society. I caught up with her to hear what inspires her campaign.  

J: So, what made you decide to run the role of VP Equity and Inclusion, and what does this new role mean to you? 

D: So, I decided to run because the former president of ESN Maynooth, Amina [Traboue, current VP Student Life] and I became close, [...] I just love all the work that she's been doing in the Union, and it was quite an inspiration. So, when I saw the new role available, I was like, you know what? This kind of [...] speaks to me, like Equity and Inclusion. I'm studying law. I want to advocate for people. I believe in spaces for everyone. I believe that everyone should have a say, and that, there should be that space where people can feel like they can share and talk and that their opinions are not only heard, but something is done about it, like their opinions are [...] valued.  

So that's the main reason why I went for the role. And I feel like bringing more attention to Students’ Union, I feel like I'd be able to do that, and I think I got the courage, mainly from being President of ESN Maynooth, and then also by being Vice-President of the People of Colour in Law [Society]. So, I kind of [...] have experience talking to different types of people.  

J: So, going on from that, you of course mention there [that] you are Co-Founder of the People of Colour in Law Society. In what way specifically has this influenced your experience within your campaign and your manifesto?  

D: I'm campaigning for a space, like spaces where people can have their say, and how it ties back to People of Colour [in Law] because I was trying to create a space where people of colour, or not, where there didn't seem to have been one. I, for one, was like a victim of this [...] I feel like everyone deserves to have that space [...] where they feel like they can have their say. And with having created people of colour or not, I feel like I can do the same, create that space for people.  

J: How did it influence your campaign itself?  

D: How does it influence the campaign? So, the ‘Speak Out’ tool, AMLÉ tool [...] I want to influence people to be able to speak their truth, have their opinions heard and valued. And so, modifying the tool to not only be for serious incidents, but before those serious incidents occur, and, if anyone has any ideas or improvements or anything that they want to share. And then also, I was thinking about doing listening sessions [...], where maybe a group of students, or, like, one-on-one, depending on what suits people best, to be able to share what they're going through. [...] I don't know if there's enough attention to that tool, because I, for one, didn't know about it till I started running my campaign and researching. So, since it's already there, we just need to modify it and bring more attention to it [...] it would aid in, creating that space as an online space, and then also, an in-person space where people can share what they're going through and any ideas that they have on [...] inclusion or what they want to see. 

J: Yeah. It is, I think it's like a running theme, really, during the election season. It is about awareness, because there's a lot to offer in the university [...]. So going on further within your manifesto, you cite ‘Productivity = Flexibility’. What benefits do you think hybrid-learning brings to students, and what means will you go to make it as inclusive as possible? 

D: So ‘Flexibility = Productivity’. For myself, I do commute. And, like, sometimes it is very difficult to come into college [...], if I miss a bus in the morning, like, even from my estate, especially like, during like, winter. It gets really hard to find the motivation to come in and, like, with some of my lectures in final year, they don't give any notes. I don't know how they expect me to do the exam [without] the base knowledge, like, you have to go into class [...]. There are some people that aren't physically able [...] due to, like, illness, taking care of siblings or anything like that. So they should still be allowed to go to college, regardless of the fact or, like, people going to like domestic violence [...] knowing that you can still continue on, your education, and knowing that like, this one thing isn't going to set your whole life back. 

If we have the flexibility, like lecturers uploading videos, or talking behind the slides or something like, you're still able to, catch up without actually physically being there, and then also, reporting issues if you're not there [...] you don't have to physically be there to be able to speak your truth. 

J: What means would you go about to introduce these?  

D: I was researching Advocacy HE and they have loads of [...] trainings and workshops. So maybe contacting them and seeing if we can create our own workshops, trainings, or getting them in to show us how they've managed to implement that.  

J: So, we're just going on to our final question. Could you specify for readers, outside of clubs and society activities, what makes you uniquely qualified compared to your fellow candidate? 

D: I think, outside of Clubs and Socs? [...] I just know what it feels like to need that space of inclusion [...] even just in law in general, or in life, knowing that you can, go to someone and speak about your experiences, or [...] have someone who's willing to advocate on your behalf for that space of inclusion.  

So that would be what I would want to do, because I felt it before, so I know how it feels. I wouldn't want anyone else to feel that, or [if] anyone is feeling that right now, I want to make that different for them.  

J: So just before I finish up. Is there anything else you want to let readers know about yourself, your campaign, or your manifesto?  

D: Vote for Dorcas, vote for Equity and Inclusion number one. I'm just glad to have this opportunity to even be able to speak on behalf of students and also give them a voice, because I don't want to only just speak on behalf, I want to hear what they have to say and give it back. [...] I know I said that, I'm obviously going through, my own issues, but other people are also going through their own issues, so I want to respect that also at the same time, because I can't speak for every single group. 

VP Equity and Inclusion: Kay Curran Mahon 

Final-year Computer Science student Kay Curran Mahon has swapped coding for campaigning as she runs for VP Equity and Inclusion. I caught up with her to hear what inspired her bid.  

JADE: Question number one, can you please just tell me a little bit about yourself and the position you were running for? 

KAY: Yeah, so I’m a final-year CS student, I'm running for the VP Equity and Inclusion. I've been involved with the Students’ Union since my first couple of weeks on campus, which were noted by the 'Where’s My Levy?’ strike. I don't know whether you still have pictures, but there's pictures floating around with me on the frontlines. 

J: Yes, I remember you mentioning this the other day [at the Hustings], that you were front and centre. 

K: Yeah, so you know, just literally pushed up, and that was kind of what spurred me on, and now we're here. If it weren't for that, I probably wouldn't be running for this, and I probably wouldn't be in nearly as many societies as I am. 

J: So, what made you decide to run for the role of VP Equity and Inclusion, and then adding to that, what does this new role mean to you? 

K: So, I decided to run for VP equity and inclusion because my work President of Pride [Society] recently, I think, it kind of relates sort of well to. Obviously, Clubs and Socs kind of historically have gone for Student Life. But I felt that, with the split happening here between Welfare / Equality into the two new roles I could take on Equity and Inclusion and do it justice. I don't believe I could properly do the full role, because it was a very intense role. I think the new roles will make a lot of sense... 

Ty [Layberry-Ling]’s done a great job, I think, balancing the two but, you know, sometimes one gets a bit more attention than the other. I think this split will ultimately be the best for students across campus. 

J: So could you specify for readers what makes you uniquely qualified compared to your fellow candidate? 

K: Yeah, so compared to my fellow candidate? I've been on the MSU. I've been a Senator; I've been attending national events such as Comhdháil or Pink Training with the MSU. I campaigned for Canada back in the general election in 2020, so maybe I would have ended up here anyway. But I had that kind of experience being out there, getting out, talking to people, and cold-calling people. My opposition could have those same qualities, but I know I have those.  

My time on Pride as well has also given me a lot of knowledge on the different issues students have across campus, even within a group that has, you know, the relation of all being LGBT or queer. Some of them are international students, some of them have disabilities, and you know, over the years, we've worked to make accommodations to them through our events; trying to prioritise, say, ground-floor events such as the Info Centre for coffee morning, we were in a Rye [Events Space, home to Clubs & Socs] for a little bit that's even itself is a bit of a hassle for students with limited mobility.  

J: So, when I were researching, I saw that you served as delegate for AMLÉ in 2024. How has this role specifically influenced your campaign and manifesto? 

K: I think that's kind of where I got the ideas of different unions and the things they do that work that we could do here. I mentioned the ‘Cost of Campus’, so that one came actually from Pink Training being in Galway's own SU, seeing how they deal with the different prices and how they do offers so that students can be accommodated when they don't have the money. 

But from Comhdháil, which is the big national congress for AMLÉ was where I was talking with other unions and Coiste Gnó of AMLÉ themselves, learn about all the different initiatives. So, I know here we're fighting for a T-Fund. And I have, say some connections, I've contacts with people in IADT, where they have T-Funds. We're working on that but seeing how we're working on it and then how others have gotten it would be a big help in trying to get that here. 

J: So, as well as this, in your manifesto, you do mention under the ‘Cost of Campus’ an SU card, which is something that you didn't really specify further in the Hustings on March the 2nd. Could you explain this initiative just a little bit further for students? 

K: Yeah, absolutely. I didn't really mention it in the Hustings because I wanted to focus on the issues of inclusion, because I felt a lot of the questions at the Hustings were directed kind of that way. The cost of campus is getting very expensive. And you could come at it from a Welfare or Student Life perspective, where it's just not cheap, but there are students who are legitimately choosing between rent and fuel [...] a soup and a sandwich cost nine euro. 

They should be able to get food. The Pantry is a great initiative, but it's not always actively available when students need it. Ideally, [with] the Student Union card, we could offer, say, a soup for two euro in the SU. Just something that's only going to cost them a couple of euro, that they can get something to eat when they need it, rather than the wait it would take for the Pantry and then to cook the food and everything. 

J: In your manifesto, you state ‘Boots on the Ground’ is actively approaching students for feedback. What does this look like for you on a physical level? 

K: On a physical level, it just means [...] wearing the SU’s branding and walking around, sitting at stalls with signs saying: “We’re your SU officers come ask us questions, give us feedback on things to do”.  

As part of the campaign actually, I've run into a couple of students at the accommodation and, to me, the lift going out constantly is an inconvenience. Not every student on campus has been able to get disability accommodation when they need it, so they're on the third and four floors because it's all they could get, and the lift going out is actively detrimental to their health, whereas to others, it's an inconvenience.  

J: So, I'm just going to open the floor to yourself. Is there anything else you want readers to know, whether it's about your campaign, your manifesto, or yourself?  

K: Absolutely. In this interview now, I'm wearing one of our t-shirts. If you see me around on that, I will be wearing my Ferrari jacket. Just, you know you can find me that way, but if you see anyone wearing the t-shirt, they'll have a way to contact me. They'll be knowledgeable on my manifesto, and they can take questions, and I can get you answers through them, so that you have a way to reach out.  

If you're looking for the Instagram, it's @curranmahonvpei on Instagram, or if you see one of my posters around, you can scan the QR code and that will bring you to it.  

VP Student Life: Amina Traboue 

After a successfully completing her term as VP for Student Life, Amina Traboue is running again for the position, with aims of redefining the role and keeping student interests at the top of her priority list. 

SALLY: Tell me about yourself and the position you are running for. 

AMINA: My name is Amina Traboue, I am originally from Roscommon; I have a Bachelor of Arts internation in Business and French, and I have a Master's in Marketing. I am 24 years-old. I have been involved with the Student Union for a very long time. In first year as academic rep and then in my final year I was the Social Sciences Convenor, and in my postgrad, I was the Postgrad Officer, and this year I am currently the Vice-President of Student Life and Deputy-President. I am running to keep my position. 

S: What made you decide to run for this position? 

A: When I originally ran last year, I had a two-year plan put in place. This year I really want to bring back the student experience on campus. When I was campaigning, a lot of students felt like they couldn't be seen in the union, but thanks to our previous welfare and equality officer Baisat, a lot of minorities and POC felt more welcome. I really wanted to continue making that space accessible and inclusive. That was why I was running, and then for next year I really want to do more foundational work in terms of keeping the union more financially stable and safe as well.  

So with commercial agreements that suppliers or vendors want to have, I want students and whatever product they are giving us to be protected and that they abide by our terms and conditions as well, as so far it is only through emails, there's no document on our website that actually states what is successful and what is possible, so I just really want to do a lot with that.  I also want to focus more on engagement as well and make sure the student pantry is working as effectively as possible because so far, I’ve been trying out some ideas on what the future of the pantry looks like. So, I'm hoping that when I get reelected, when I am working in July, I can start with all the papers.  

S: At the Hustings you spoke on your main goals being "accommodation community and engagement", could you explain what these goals look like to you and current plans you have surrounding them?

A: So, with accommodation, we were in communication with AMLÉ, the national student union, the Dublin regional officer was doing an accommodation position paper, however because it was the Dublin region we could not be involved in it. We were in communications with them to see how we could replicate it with Maynooth University students, because for some reason we are not considered a Dublin region and I understand that we are in Kildare, but I feel like a lot of students have unique issues we face with Dublin housing prices, but we also don’t get the privilege to have the Dublin transport system, so we are in both regions. So, I really want to work with regional officers to replicate that for Maynooth students so then we can communicate with local counsellors and hopefully have them to bring the issues to higher levels, like talk with TDS. 

And for community, I spoke about the Student Pantry, so my dream for the Pantry [….] I don't think it will be realised this year I'm not going to lie, it would be like this massive room, basically, followed by different options for students. In the future, hopefully it will be available. It’s just for students to be guaranteed a meal or an order every single week. So, I was trying out a QR code and it was quite successful. In the first 3 months of my term a lot of students were saying that they liked the pantry idea last year but that it was really a one-for-all system where if you can get in early then that’s grand but if you have class for that first hour you won't be able to get anything. And I can understand that so I made the QR code as an option for them to be guaranteed to have what they are looking for as well. It originally started off as non-perishables, on the QR code, but we realised with the likes of donations a lot of students were gravitating towards the cleaning supplies and the hygiene supplies. So we opened that up, we have a new system with a cabinet full of cleaning supplies, however we can’t guarantee that there is like the same stock or the same product every single time, so I really want that to be a staple on the QR code as it currently is not so you just come in and you ask for that and we can just give you it. So that would be my dream for the Pantry. 

And then in terms of engagement, it would be the commercial agreements like I said, between continuing the community aspect of the university just talking to students, I love talking to students, you know with the fit checks and I love that, a lot of people do, and then just giving free stuff to students as well.  

S: This is your second time running for VP of Student Life, could you specify for readers what you have learned in your time as the VP for Student Life, and how you will bring that with you into your second term? 

A: So, what I realized in my position as VP of Student Life is that it is quite a varied role, in our constitution student life is responsible for the training of MSU volunteers and advertising stuff, but there isn't anything concrete per se. It’s more like whoever’s in that role gets to define it, so if, for example, you want to strictly work with the Pantry that is completely fine it doesn’t say that you can’t, but if you only want to strictly work on campaigns that is also perfectly fine, and with policy work behind the scenes that is perfectly fine as well. But there is nothing saying that you have to do all three of them. 

So, I feel like this year I was trying to juggle all three like behind the scenes policy work with event campaigns and student pantry and I was like running around to the point where i just blanked out. I think I was running off Redbull and just vibes. But like it is quite a demanding role because like i said there is no definition around it, and I really hope I can give a little more guidance for the future for Student Life Officers to know what they’re supposed to be doing and not have them burn out within the first three months.  

S: By the end of your term, what will success in your role look like to you? 

A: I really want this role to be like advertising, policy work, and I really want this role to be the first kind of contact per se for students, so people realise that they are there on campus that you can talk to them that they are open and friendly, and that they’re not necessarily just there for like small policy work or just commercial reasons. Because I feel like the role can grow into something that's so much better. Plus, the Student Life role is the most unique role in all of Ireland, we don’t have a Student Life Officer in any other union, so it’s really nice to see that we have a bit of uniqueness. 

S: Is there anything else you would like to disclose to our readers that you haven't yet had an opportunity to? 

A: One thing I did realise in my engagement part, I did mention about my goal in the behind-the-scenes action of the officers, because I think that there’s this misconception that the MSU, the Mac Léinn Mhá Nuad is just English for just events and campaigns, and that is not necessarily true. We do a lot of behind-the-scenes policy work, like even with our events and campaigns, we plan them for the first semester in the first three months of July, August up until orientation, you plan the first semester. And then throughout the first semester we plan the whole second semester, just because we need to be ahead and know what we are doing, and suppliers take a very long time to respond, so if you don’t respond on time, you have to switch suppliers.  

So, you must keep adapting and alternating our campaigns, so as I said we’re doing a lot of behind-the-scenes work as well to avoid that. I think we have clocked so many hours this year I'm not even going to lie you basically come in at 9 and we won't finish until like midnight. So, i think that needs to be like disclosed that it is a quite demanding job for any officer ship, but it is a very rewarding one, so yeah, we really do it because we love it.  

VP Welfare: Katie-Mai Mooney 

It’s a historic Maynooth Students' Union Election (MSU/Aontas na Mac Léinn, Mhá Nuad), this year as the VP Welfare and Equality position is being split in half. This year, we will have a VP Welfare and a VP Equity and Inclusion working on campus. 

Journalist for The Silver Hand Journal, Emma Crawford sat down with Katie-Mai Mooney to discuss topics such as County Donegal, MSU Campaigns, and what welfare should look like across Maynooth Campus. 

EMMA: Can you tell us a little bit about the position you are running for? 

KM: Yeah, so obviously this is the first year of Vice President for Welfare, so it's a little bit [...] not going to say up in the air, but it's different I think for the candidates who are running this year because you don't have exactly […] we don't have someone to talk to about who did the role last year. Now, I've been very lucky that within the Info Centre we kind of do hear bits and bobs every so often. But I think with VP Welfare, the most important thing is protecting students and students being able to learn how to protect themselves. I think there's a lot that goes on in the Students’ Union that students don't actually know about. And Ty [Layberry-Ling] did address that last night in his speech for [Presidential] candidate.  

So, I think the main thing with welfare is you have to look after your students. I think that the students should be aware of what we are doing for them as well […] which is something I'd definitely love to bring to the role of VP Welfare. I also think they need to be empathetic, kind, approachable. As I say all the time: I think it's a Donegal thing, could talk to a wall, no worries, [I] often have to be told to slow down a bit because we've loved a clue what I'm saying. But I think it's just having that connection with students that they feel comfortable enough to come to you, but that you also have those procedures in place where people, students can be protected as well. 

E: Of course, would you say that's kind of one of the main reasons you decided to run for VP Welfare?

KM: Yeah, I think [...], to be honest, I've had it in my head that I knew I wanted to run for Students' Union since I started working in the Info Centre. This is my third year now. So around 2 and a half years ago I started, I always had it in my head. I was really, really lucky that I was always mates with the gang that was kind of in there, like […] Baisat [Alawje, former VP Welfare & Equality ‘24/25] and Ty [Layberry-Ling, current VP Welfare & Equality ‘25/26], I always loved how involved they were with campus life and kind of, fight for the students.  

And then I think working in the Info Centre just kind of cemented that like you could have students coming in to you one day and they're all so, happy they've come in to update you on a paper that they got bound with you last week. And it's so exciting […] and then the next day you could have someone coming in and being like, I need to talk to someone, something is going on for me, whatever. And I think seeing all that going on within the info centre, it just kind of cemented that love […] that I actually want to be that person that students can continue to come to talk about these things. whether they see me on campus and they're like, “oh my god, it passed that paper I was chatting about,” or, “I actually just really need to sit and talk with someone”. So, I think welfare, that was the reason I decided to go down that route. It was more so, it's the experience I've had with the Info Centre that really, really cemented that for me. 

E: Could you specify a bit for readers, what makes you uniquely qualified for the position compared to your fellow candidate? 

KM: Okay…so for me, I would always have been very well-being based within the musical society. I was the events officer for the ‘23/24 year, so that would involve ensuring safety documents were done up for everything like that…that's more so physical, I suppose, than mental well-being. But it would always have been, safety was always in the back of my head. Then I obviously came on and became chairperson last year and my job was to keep the spirits of the committee up to make sure they were looking after themselves. I think especially in our society, it's so busy, as with any society. But say for example, this time of year, we have a show going on stage for a competition in two weeks. And then three weeks after that, we have our full skills going on stage. So, the committee is just, their minds are just..... 

E: Yeah, Spring Awakening, right? 

KM: Yeah, it's heavy. It's heavy material. It's a beautiful show and I think the message is so important to today's word, but it's really, really heavy material. So, my job has always been to look after the committee, to make sure once a week or once every two weeks I'll send in a well-being form, making sure they're doing okay […] checking in with them. Then this year for Spring Awakening, I am the producer. And a part of my role in that is the welfare officer, and that's just to make sure people are looking after themselves to the best of their ability. I've worked alongside SOSAD, which is Save Our Sons and Daughters Ireland, their mental health charity. We are campaigning for them this year. I'm raising money for them. But I worked alongside with them to get them to come in, and they gave a talk to the cast on well-being, and I've started volunteering with them [SOSAD] because I've been working so closely with them. I think for me, I know that I'm qualified for this role. I know I'm empathetic. I know that people can come up and chat to me. I am literally […] I will go up and talk to people so easily, talk to them all. And I'm willing […] I've undertaken training to make sure that I can be the best that I can be for this job. I did the online HSE training and then with SOSAT, I know part of their onboarding process will be for me to take on a more in-depth suicide prevention training. So, I'm constantly trying to learn and keep up with what is going on with students, what's going on with mental health across Ireland and what I can do to continue to get better. But I think definitely the whole thing of being empathetic and approachable, I know that that's me as a person and I know that's what I could bring to that role. 

E: Amazing! Yesterday evening we had our Hustings, of course you were there…One of the topics that was brought up was period products, availability and period poverty. on campus. You mentioned that there are actually free period products in the Info Centre, because you're an employee there, but there is a lack of awareness about this…In the role of VP Welfare, how would you advertise this information to the campus? 

KM:  Yeah, absolutely. It's a thing that people will come in and be like, “oh, there's no sanitary products in the toilets!” […] I'm like, “we have full packets here [Info Centre], what can I give to you?”  I think it has to come from social media. There'll be a lot of students, even myself included, if I didn't work in the English Centre, I probably wouldn't know myself if they were there because it was very heavily advertised a couple of years ago, but then it was the only thing that people would know about. Something I would love to do is make sure that information is in the welcome packs for first years coming into the college. I think potentially as well, running some sort of campaign on an online campaign, if at all possible…Just making sure that all this information is laid out so, clearly. Because realistic, whenever you're coming to college, the first thing you're going to do is look them up on Instagram and go through and see what they [Maynooth University] do and what fun events is coming up. And if we can include those, the advertisement that those are there through, in the middle kind of those events and stuff, when people are going and being like “oh my God, there's sex toy bingo on, oh my God, there's this on, there's a freshers event on”…then it's immediately going to talk in people's minds and people will remember it because it was part of their freshers week, whether that's first year, second year, third year, 4th year, post-grad, master's, doctorate, we all still love a freshers week. Let's be so for it. So, I think advertising alongside that big kind of rush at the start of the year would be the best way to do it! 

E: I had a read of your manifesto yesterday evening. There are a lot of statistics in it to support your argument. I am wondering, where did you acquire these statistics from? And, how did they impact the shaping of your manifesto? 

KM: Interesting[...]So a lot of statistics, honestly it came from a lot of Google searches and going into different websites and stuff[...]I got some stuff from RCSI, different things like My World Survey, The Irish Times had a few things there and lots of academic things. I am planning on posting at some point all the sources where I got them from on my Instagram because I don't want people thinking that I made this out of my *ss-that was not a good thing to say! 

Anyways, I don't want people thinking that I just made them up as I went. So that is something I have in the books- just this week is crazy. But honestly, I think whenever I decided to run, I was like, okay, for me personally, I knew what really affected me as a student and affected people around me. Like, men's mental health obviously didn't affect me directly, but I have seen my friends go through it. Sexual violence is terrifying and I think it's such an important thing to discuss in the role of welfare. You have then your body image. Again, really scary statistics. I think it was over 80% of students have struggled with body image at some point, which terrifying, something I've gone through myself. And then suicide prevention is something I'm just really, really passionate about. So, I was like[…]these are what's the things that I believe are important to run on. But I didn't want to just say that and then not have any other opinions, if that makes sense.  

So that's when I started researching and when I started to see these numbers coming through, because I did have about four more ideas in my head. But once I was looking at the statistics of the things that I was campaigning on, I was like, I feel like these are the ones that are going to mostly affect students. What can I do to help students, to make them aware of issues, to educate? That is why we're in college […] I feel like in college, it's an opportunity to really get to know yourself, to become the person you're supposed to be- not supposed to be- but it helps you find yourself, basically. So, I wanted to ensure that everything that I was running on was relevant to the student body. And through my research, that's how I found that. And that's kind of how that shaped my campaign. 

VP Welfare: Finn O’Neill 

Commuting from Dublin and now campaigning for Vice-President Welfare, Finn O’Neill clearly isn’t afraid of along journey. I spoke with him about student life, community, and why he thinks welfare should sit at the heart of the Students’ Union.  

Jade: So, question number one. Can you please tell me about yourself and the position you are running for? 

Finn: My name is Finn. I'm a commuting student; I come out from Dublin every day by train. I'm 20 years old, and I'm currently running for the VP Welfare position.  

J: Brilliant. Going on to next question, what made you decide to run for this role? 

F: I think that in the broadest possible sense, student welfare is the ultimate goal of the SU. I think you can see a thread of it throughout the issues they're concerned with, whether that be accessibility, student fees, making campus more navigable. I think that all of these things are underpinned by welfare and thinking of the enormity of this issue, I'd like to be at least one small part toward benefiting it overall. 

J: So of course, within this role, you are being contested. Could you specify for readers what makes you uniquely qualified compared to your fellow candidate? 

F: I take a very systematic approach to the welfare issues that currently face students. The most prescient being period poverty and parking from what I've gleaned. I want to ensure that systems within the university, like the MSU pantry can allow for cleaning and hygiene products to be accessed freely, and especially in the case of period products, with the grace of anonymity, students looking for these with their student numbers and not having to rely on any names or personal details outside of that. I want to look to the systemic causes of the parking issue, as I recognise that when it comes to simply adding more spaces, that's not wholly sufficient; that's more of a plaster to the issue than it is to anything else. And I would like to look at things as holistically as possible, because, again, welfare is so broad, it accounts for everything in our lives as students, and I don't think you can let anything escape your purview. You have to take a big picture. Yeah, that's all I'd have to say about that. 

J: Brilliant. So, in your manifesto and campaign videos on Instagram, you mentioned the idea of an accessible OutFit gym. Can you expand further on the concept for readers? 

F: Yeah, of course. OutFit gyms, they're these wonderful things. You can see them in council parks back in Dublin, where I'm from, there's quite a few, and they have essentially a series of a lot of calisthenics equipment. Much of it is wheelchair accessible, with pads on which anyone exercising with them can rest their feet. They're normally up to about waist high typically, these can be shoulder extenders, flexors, massage machines, all kind of different strengthening tools. And, truth be told, it's kind of difficult to describe it without being in front of it, but it would, in theory, make exercise far more accessible than it currently is at the university. The Phoenix building, although it does have a gym, which students and staff can available for free, is not only incredibly difficult to navigate in its current state as construction continues, but is lacking a lift anyway.  

An OutFit gym, especially in a community centre like a park, but ultimately, in another type of community center, like a university, makes exercise far more accessible to everyone. I know a lot of people within my home community in Finglas and Dublin who frequently avail of the outfit gym because it's just easier to get to than many of the other corporate gyms in and around the town, and it evens out physical welfare to make it more freely available to everyone that has the necessary practical specifications to let that happen.  

J: So, you mentioned that the hustings dated 2 March that students are not aware of the free sanitary products available to them. What initiatives or campaigns would you set in place to increase awareness surrounding such? 

F: I'd like to encourage a greater intersection between the MSU and the Student Services. Again, with the MSU’s cause, in my view, being one of welfare more broadly, I feel like with the Student Services having so many options, which can absolutely be better than refined; I think in the case of their booking system, we can absolutely make sure that's more accessible, install a reception through policy and lobbying within the the MSU. But I would like to increase that intersection to allow for greater promotional pushes. At the Hustings. I was specifically talking about a service whereby students can collect menstrual cups for free, and I had only heard about it the day before. I hadn't seen any advertising for it in previous years at the university. This was something that had completely slipped me by, and I'm very cautious that other students may have had a similar experience, and unlike myself, they could avail of this service.  

I'd like to encourage promotional pushes, cross-platform promotion between the MSU and the Student Services and continue to strengthen the bond between these two arms of the university that hold the interests of students in the utmost degree. When it comes to things like cleaning and sanitary products in the pantry, I feel like that would need to be heavily promoted in the same breath. And it could be in a symbol of itself, something to herald in a closer connection between the MSU and access to healthcare.  

J: So just give us a final note here. Is there anything else do you want readers to know about yourself or the campaign? 

F: Of course, of course, the campaign is very conscientious of the shortcomings of the MSU in recent years, whether those be internal, or its efforts as a representative, representational body for students, it operates on this idea of direct representation, but as an official body, you have a select few people who can represent student voices.  

I feel like, as someone coming freshly from a student background, being quite young myself, all things considered, I would be in a closer proximity to what students need, what they would want to engage with. And I feel as though, although there may not be an avenue for direct representation, the student voice should never go unheard or filtered. I don't want to lessen the frustrations that people have. I want to present them, of course, through diplomacy and through policy and SU efforts, but nevertheless, I want to make sure that everything is recognised and accounted for, people feel seen and heard, that the MSU is constantly friendly and convivial with people to put their health and well-being at the very forefront of what they do, and that's the principle which underlies much of my campaign. 

Voting will be available both online (from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.) and in person- at booths (open from 9:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.) in the Arts Block, TSI, Library, MSU Club Foyer, and MSU Info Centre. This Tuesday and Wednesday, the 10th and 11th of March respectively. Whether voting today online or in person, students are encouraged to take the time to review each candidate and make their voices heard.