Manifesto
Stanton for President
UCC SU Elections
2014
Stanton for President
Contents
Executive Summary
1
About Me
2
Stanton on his Experience
2
Stanton on Students
3
Stanton on Clubs/Socs
4
Stanton on Jobs
4
Stanton on the Presidency
5
Stanton on Education
5
Stanton on Entertainment
5
Stanton on SU Promotion
6
Stanton on USI Referendum
6
Closing Statement
7
Executive Summary
No buzz words. I’ve kept this manifesto concise and to the point. I hope the
following pages will give you an outline of what I intend to do, and why I feel I
am the most suitable person for the job. Naturally I haven't been able to cover
every issue affecting students in this manifesto. However, if you would like to
know more about my stance on any issues, drop me an email and I will respond
within 24 hours. If I get elected I would like to sit down with all other officers and
discuss their priorities and develop a comprehensive SU strategy for the year.
My work for the year will be entirely shaped by what the students of UCC want
and what is best for them.
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Stanton for President
About Me
Vote Stanton- he’d vote for you!
Name: Mark Stanton
Hometown: Midleton, Co. Cork
Age: 21
Parents: Dave and Mare
Course: Single Honours Economics (Arts)
Year: Third
Siblings: 3 Brothers
Running for: President
Record: 0-1
Height: 6’5”
Weight: 95kg
Current Position: Clubs Executive Ents & Comms Officer
Greatest Fear: St. Bernards
Favourite line from the Simpsons: ‘Oh mister burns you’re the devil….’
‘WHO TOLD YOU????!!!’
Random fact: I have many leather-bound books and my apartment smells of rich
mahogany
Stanton on his Experience
 Attended a number a class councils
 Class Entertainment Rep
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Stanton for President
 Clubs and Socs Ball Committee Member
 Clubs Executive Comms & Ents Officer
 Created and launched 2 of Cork's best value & favourite student nights Holy Thursdays @ The Holy Cow & Over Twenties Tuesdays at the
Bowery. The success behind these was that they focused on what students
want.
 Economics class rep
 Member of UCC Economics Society
 Member of UCC Rowing Club-Worked as part of the club, as a team
captain in a crew of 8 when racing. Trained with a group of elite athletes.
 Member of UCC Rugby Team
 R&G Week Committee 2013
 R&G Week organising committee 2013
 Ran for SU Election in 2013
 Ran R&G Week line-up for OTT & The Holy Cow 2014
 Relay for Life Team Captain
 Rowing Club Committee PRO-Won Club of the Year the same year.
 Set up The Wolves of Washington Street – Which raised €1500 amount
for charity in 36 hours
All around nice guy
Stanton on Students
 Aim to secure more funding for The Hub, following on from the example
set by Podge.
 Better quality toilet paper on campus
 Have weekly slots on main campus & satellite campuses where students
can bring their issues to the SU President and also other officers. Any
student bringing a problem to me will receive a monthly update on the
status of the issue until it is resolved.
 Grinds system – I have already spoken with to Ireland's no. 1 and most
user friendly online grinds service on extending their services for free to
all UCC Students and Tutors!
 I guarantee UCCSU will be active on the issue of student nurses pay and
will aim to assist the INMO to organise a Cork based protest outside CUH
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Stanton for President
Stanton on Clubs/Socs
 Clubs
 Set up a Fixtures and Results app for all clubs so that people can track all
UCC Teams.
 See UCC Teams get more recognition for their achievements.
 Remain vigilant to threats from the Mardyke for extra charges such as a
charge for the squad gym that was almost brought in this year.
 Ensuring that UCC's victories are properly publicised. UCC won the
prestigious Sigerson cup last week for example, and not enough is done
on campus to highlight and reward these achievements.
 Keep a close eye on the water pressure in the fountains in the Mardyke.
 Look to start a light walking club, from desk to 5k, with walks once a week
around the campus and into Fitzgerald’s Park to get people active.
 Societies
 Sit down with the Societies Guild and set out an event plan for the each
term.
 Bring all the business based societies together at the beginning of the
year to organise the biggest business & entrepreneurial student
conference the in the country attracting speakers of an international
calibre.
 Look to set up an Engineering Society and have reps from each strand of
engineering brought together.
Stanton on Jobs
 Setting up a careers services tab on blackboard and Collegeroad.ie.
 Aim to get more students part time work around UCC by setting up a
Student Jobs Index, where employers in the city can announce vacant
positions.
 Ensure that graduate employability is a top priority for UCCSU. Further
developing initiatives such as UCC Works and the entrepreneurship
module.
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Stanton for President
 Publication for first year students on steps they can take while in college
to maximise their chances of employment once they graduate.
 Further develop relationship between Careers service & SU to promote all
available opportunities to students.
 Lobby campus organisations to employ more students in student help
positions.
Stanton on the Presidency
 I will be vigilant when working on the SU budget.
 Publicise all SU officers expenses
 I am a good leader of people and know the importance of delegating
rather than trying to micro-manage everything myself.
 I have a good relationship with members of the UCC Staff.
 I have a good relationship with the Clubs Executive and Societies Guild.
 I will work to ensure a good working environment between the officers in
the SU, I have already begun to meet as many candidates for sabbatical
and part-time roles as possible.
 I understand the importance of the SU as ambassadors for both the
University and the Student Body and will seek to lead by example.
 Transparency & accountability, giving more power to the class council so
the Union can be held accountable. One way to do this is to publish the
quarterly expenditure reports
Stanton on Education
 Working closely with the Education Officer to ensure a smooth transition to
semesterisation. Ensuring that extra supports are available to students to
assist with this transition.
 Make sure each class has a class rep.
Stanton on Entertainment
 Ensure each class has an Ents Rep.
 Ensure to space out events in the year’s Calendar, this year a prime
example is the proximity of Relay for Life and R&G week, each effecting
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Stanton for President

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the other in terms of raising money for charity. Also have more focus on
the slump months (November, January)
Use my knowledge of the Cork Nightclub scene to ensure UCC Students
get the best service available to them.
Give Balls back to the Students, ie set up a committee of those in Arts or
Engineering to plan their own ball.
Look to utilise all the space on campus for events.
Look at holding more non-alcoholic events such as a roller disco.
Host more on campus nightclub events like The Fresher’s Ball.
See R&G Week and Fresher’s Week brought to Brookfield and WGB in
the form of food stalls such as The Crépe man.
Bring decent acts to campus, currently in talks with Wankelmut.
Stanton on SU Promotion
 Send out weekly emails, weekly.
 Focus on more on campus promotion, not just putting photographs up
online, but making use of on campus notice boards.
 Get more people involved in promoting the SU Facebook, much like
promoting an election ‘like’ page.
 I will make use of a talented on-campus designer to design and produce
informative and interesting posters and web campaigns. There is an
abundance of talented on-campus designers who would love to work with
the SU on these projects.
 I would aim to have officer reports sent out in all the all student emails
Stanton on USI Referendum
 I will look at what is best for UCC students in terms of USI membership.
 I will conduct a survey on USI services before Christmas.
 I will meet with members of USI to see the full range of services they
provide and report back to the students how they’re money is being spent.
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Stanton for President
Closing Statement
Thank you for taking the time to read my manifesto. Or if your just reading this
bit, thanks for opening my manifesto. If anyone wishes to contact me at any time
please do so at [email protected] or Stanton for President on
Facebook.
Now all that remains is to wish my fellow candidates the best of luck in the weeks
to come. And Remember Vote Mark Stanton #1 for President on the 10th and
11th of March!
Cheers,
Mark
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