James Upton for UCCSU Deputy President and Campaigns 2015/16 Manifesto
Vote Upton #1 for Deputy and Campaigns on 9th & 10th of March
Hi everyone. My name is James Upton and I’m running for the position of Deputy President and Campaigns
Officer for the Students’ Union 2015/16. I’m a current masters student in politics and an avid campaigner.
Students have been hard hit by the decisions of governance for almost eight years now. We have been called
“lazy” and told “we don’t care”. We have a drive which is far from apathetic; that passion is fervently
centred on a dedication to protect our rights; and I know I’m the candidate that can fight for your rights with
the experience and vigour that empowers us, but I need your help to allow me to foster that spirited student
voice.
The student movement needs activists, future leaders and belief. In a year where a general election is likely
and the decisions surrounding higher education funding are to be debated, you need a Campaigns Officer
who believes in activism, collaboration and organisation to protect the supports we have maintained and to
challenge the decisions which will impact students. I know I am the candidate who will lobby tirelessly for
you, work closely with you and then deliver. I know this because I believe that together we are stronger.
If you elect me as your Deputy President on the 9th and 10th of March, I will avidly campaign and
represent your rights as the future of this country. We cannot allow policies of austerity to enshrine
themselves in our legislative culture; forcing immigration upon the skilled student body of Ireland. If you
want a strong voice fighting the student battles of our time then I encourage you to vote Upton #1 for Deputy
and Campaigns on the 9th and 10th of March.
Experience:
• Current Auditor of UCC LGBT* Society
• YES Equality Representative for UCC
• Student Leadership Recipient
• Student Ambassador
• Former Peer Support Leader
• Civil and Human Rights Activist
• Academic Representative (Final Rear and Postgraduate)
• LGBT* Rights Officer UCC Students’ Union ’13/’14.
• Drafted UCCSU Safe Space Policy ’13/’14
Campaign History
• Creator of Humans of Homophobia (Internationally Recognised Campaign)
• Organisation of Gaza Week on Campus
• ‘Consent is Sexy’ Campaign
Vote Upton #1 for Deputy and Campaigns on 9th & 10th of March
• ‘Wrap That Lolly’ & Dental Dam Booklet (Sexual Awareness Campaign)
• Register to Vote Campaign - 3,677 students registered to vote
• Bring Back our Girls rally Cork
• Fight for $15
• Am I Worth €6.49 #EverybodyLovesNurses campaign
• Lobbyist on Gender Recognition Legislation in collaboration with USI
• Amnesty International 30,000+ reasons.
• How Many Pints Campaign
Campaign Portfolio
I have divided the campaigns into three key sections: Activism, Collaboration and Organisation.
Activism focuses on the empowering of the student body, Collaboration looks at external
connections we can develop to improve the impact of our campaigns, while Organisation focuses on
the preparation of campaigns prior to delivery.
Activism
• Campaigns must be fun and engaging.
• Activist Academy - is a forum established to invigorate students who may have an interest in
campaigning. It offers them a facility to develop skills in running effective campaigns, and the
key protocols to follow when organising actions etc. It will be run under the Student Pathway of
UCC Works offering students official recognition on their transcripts at the end of the year. All
members of activist academy will also receive an SCS training session to ensure we have the
required bodies for major Union weeks like Freshers’ Week and Raise & Give Week. Activist
Academy would further become the Union’s new established Campaigns Working Group.
• Register to Vote - we face a serious democratic deficit in the student movement. In a year where a
general election is most likely we must begin the process of registering students campus wide.
The most effective way of doing this is during registration week. Running voter registration
Vote Upton #1 for Deputy and Campaigns on 9th & 10th of March
campaigns in collaboration with the Gardaí, would reduce the amount of work required by the
Deputy President and Campaigns Officer in November.
• Policy Committee - a policy committee will be formed to approach the role of Deputy President as
the policy officer which will be compiled of six elected representatives from class council to
examine former council mandates that may be set to lapse or council mandates that have been
wiped under ‘Wipe the Slate’ and to propose a policy book to council prior to the last council of
term one.
• Student led Campaign - over the course of the summer, plans will be set out to develop three
campaigns which, over the first month of term, the wider student population would be polled to
see which campaign they want to see the Union run. It would deepen the engagement with the
student body. Furthermore, the week would be co-organised with Activist Academy members to
increase their experience.
Collaboration:
• Society Campaigns Officers - the goal is to establish a once monthly meeting with society
campaigns officers to identify the supports the Students’ Union can offer.
• Grant and Fees - The protection of the grant is pivotal - we must continue the national lobbying
of government to ensure students do not fall victim to grant cuts in the upcoming Budget; our
persuasive ability to influence local and national representatives will be crucial. Continued
lobbying of representatives to ensure fees do not increase now that we are on the verge of a
general election we must generate a national campaign to lobby all political parties against fees
which will further marginalise students who are barely surviving under the current circumstances.
• USI Materials - Working with the USI to ensure SHAG Packs, Mental Health Awareness Packs
and other materials arrive on campus on time.
• Work with UCC Societies to co-ordinate campaigns applicable during society weeks like
Economics Week, Islamic Awareness Week, Green Week and Activism Week etc reducing the
cleft that exists between both the Union and societies.
Vote Upton #1 for Deputy and Campaigns on 9th & 10th of March
• Working closely with national actors such as USI to lobby on issues of Equality, Students Fees
and Grants and Third Level funding.
• Increasing Union and Student Engagement - Setting up stalls at Societies Days and Clubs Days
will be vital in the first few weeks of term to engage with students continuing to build on the
phenomenal work of the Union this year. Through these, getting involved as a class rep or
engaging with other Union projects would be possible.
• Working with college authorities to ensure we can branch our campaigns out to campuses like
Brookfield, WGB, CEC and Coply.
• Working with Student Health to seek a solution to the current waiting times which are stalling the
counselling service from engaging with students. Having one emergency slot a day is no longer
feasible when the psychological demand of students is increasing.
Organisation
• Bringing Campaigns back to Students - Planning marches like the National Day of Action are
ineffective unless we can mobilise students. If we are asking students to miss classes then
mobilising the numbers just won’t and will not happen. Work with external organisations to
establish regional marches for the National Day of Action and the #everybodylovesnurses
campaign are key to prevent major study time from being lost.
• Planning Campaigns for Term One - working over the course of the summer to ensure we can
initiate them over the course of term one while preparing campaigns for term two.
• Blogging - Establishment of a blog for Deputy President and Campaigns Officer with biweekly
updates on the progress made on manifesto promises; highlighting any issues with the
implementation of these promises, without threatening the respect of the University.
Vote Upton #1 for Deputy and Campaigns on 9th & 10th of March
Campaign Plans
1. Dental Dam Awareness Campaigns
2. Healthy Mind, Healthy Body + Body Image (Amalgamation of Campaigns)
3. You Wouldn’t Bowl Alone, So Don’t Fishbowl Alone
4. ‘Consent is Sexy’ Campaign
5. ‘Right to Love’ Campaign
6. Shattering the Glass Ceiling
7. Register to Vote drives
8. Alcohol Isn’t Consent
9. Drink Aware - Alcohol testing on campus
10. Study Skills Week
11. Crash Car Simulators
Other Local Issues
Mature Studnets
• With renovations beginning on the Windle building in order to create the new student hub, we
must ensure that mature students are afforded the space they require so as to allow the transition
to third level education easier. With almost one hundred and fifty mature students entering the
UCC system each year, it is vitally important they have the amenities available to them that they
both require and deserve.
• MABS (Money and Budgeting Services) on campus in collaboration with Finance Office to
support mature students who may require financial planning.
• Further protocols must be established to ensure the integration of mature students into the wider
student body by working closely with UCC Clubs, Societies and through the Union. This will
encourage mature students to get involved in all aspects of college life, as time and family
relationships can often be constraining for them.
Vote Upton #1 for Deputy and Campaigns on 9th & 10th of March
International Students
• Co-ordinating with the UCC Peer Support Network, UCC International Society and the UCC
International Rights Officer to bring about the swift integration of international students into the
UCC Student Experience is imperative.
• Working with the Education Officer collectively with Examination and Records Office to ensure
that language exams are not scheduled during orientation weeks which may inevitably have a
detrimental effect of the student experience of international students.
• Furthermore, on-campus campaigns working with relevant societies and individuals who seek to
promote the diversity and individuality of all cultures, regardless of religion or ethnicity during
the college year.
LGBT*QI
• Progressive campaigning to highlight further inclusion and integration of Trans* and Intersex
students into UCC generating campaigns which highlight the positive nature of UCC as a
university, and as a safe space. Further developing a campaign around bisexuality awareness.
• Phenomenal success on the UCC Ally Week Campaign this year has further highlighted the need
to build collaborative links with the UCC LGBT* Society to support the development of Ally
Activism on campus.
• Continue the progressive lobby and equality standing of UCCSU to protect its students from
active discrimination under the MSM blood ban, Employment Equality, Trans* and Intersex
issues.
Vote Upton #1 for Deputy and Campaigns on 9th & 10th of March
Disability Rights:
• Begin in-depth petitioning amongst the wider student body to inaccessibility of certain buildings
on campus, and calling for these to be amended; this will be conducted through online forums like
Facebook, Twitter and Student E-mail.
• Continued work throughout academic year to highlight hidden disabilities on campus.
Gaeilge:
• Táim sasta mo chuid gnó a dheanamh tríd Gaeilge chomh maith. Ba mhaith liom béim níos mó a
chuir ar saol na hollscoile agus teanga nasúinta na hÉireann.
• Campaigns such Irish Culture Week and Seachtain na Gaeilge are prime opportunities to increase
the visibility of our national language on campus. It is imperative that we fervently campaign to
increase awareness of Gaeilge on campus.
Environmental
• Ensure that we establish an action-plan to maintain the green campus reputation we have
developed.
• Work on Environmental Awareness campaigns with both internal and external organisations.
Deputising for the President
Having worked on many teams over last two years, I have seen the importance of having a
strong relationship with those in charge. As the workload of the president is often extensive I plan to
support the president in his/her duties, in any way I can.
Vote Upton #1 for Deputy and Campaigns on 9th & 10th of March
UCCSU is one of the largest sabbatical teams nationally. My experience working on campaign
teams such as Register To Vote, Pledge to Vote and as Auditor of UCC LGBT* I understand the
importance of team moral. It is crucial we have a reliable deputy with the skill and determination to
ensure the Union functions when the president is unable to fulfil their duty. Secondly, there are
numerous committees that Union representatives sit on. I am a candidate who will share this
workload with the president when required to support their decisions as a strong collective for the
advocacy of student issues and hardships. Having a representative who will defend the rights of
students in a time of fiscal uncertainty is crucial.
Internal organisation cannot go untouched. When the president is away at meetings which
are deciding the university’s budget the deputy president must ensure the sabbatical team continues
to work for the benefit of the student body. I want continue the work of the Students’ Union to make
itself more accountable to the student body with the introduction of financial transparency
highlighting where your money is being spent.
As stated previously UCC needs a campaigns officer with the skills of Activism,
Collaboration and Organisation to drive campaigns within this University to a new level of visibility
and engagement. We must return to the core of membership understanding their needs and wishes. I
have that passion, that drive, to deliver on my above policies. If you have any queries on any of my
plans then do not hesitate to contact me on [email protected].
I would like to thank you for taking the time to read my manifesto, and I would encourage you to
believe in my vision for action and Vote Upton #1 for Deputy President and Campaigns Officer
on March 9th and 10th for Activism, Collaboration and Organisation that will change the way
your Union engages with you.
Vote Upton #1 for Deputy and Campaigns on 9th & 10th of March