UCD STUDENTS' union has reached an agreement with the college authorities to ensure that the front gate of the college does not close early and will remain the main entrance to the college.
The union had previously expressed fears that a number of college officers were in favour of closing the gate by 9 p.m. and restricting access to the college.
Following a recent meeting of the student officer liaison group, the gate will now stay open until at least 10.30 p.m. each evening, although students will be able to gain access by this entrance until midnight. We regard the outcome of the negotiations as a success, both for the students' union and the college community as a whole," says TCD students' union education officer John Walsh. "We think the agreement both protects the interests of students and deals with legitimate security concerns raised by college officers."
The tin ion has now turned its attention to student services, which it believes are tinder multi pronged attack. The union has lent its support to the campaign to ensure that the Junior Common Room remains open and maintains its present position above the front arch. The JCR is due to close permanently in May and will probably be converted into a lecture space, although at least one college officer favours turning it into a tourist information centre.
The union is also anxious to ensure that college charges on student activities, such as rent and other expenses, are not increased and that the space allocated to student activities is maintained. Late last year, TCD college secretary Michael Gleeson told E&L that the college would have to review with the various student bodies the space allocated to student activities.
"I believe this campaign is necessary because, in recent years, student services have been greatly reduced," says TCD students' union president Priya Nair. The union is using a letter writing campaign to highlight the issues, inviting students to sign letters to the college secretary, the college treasurer and the director of catering and accommodation.
