Last week, The College View released the results of a survey conducted to gauge the attitude of students to the Incorporation of DCU, CICE, St Patricks College and Mater Dei Institute.
Out of 148 respondents, 51 per cent said the incorporation had negatively impacted their college experience. Read the full story here or watch our video.
When asked what the greatest advantages and disadvantages of the Incorporation had been, this is what some students said.
What is the greatest disadvantage you have seen from the Incorporation?
“My degree has been changed without prior knowledge or notification, no compromise has been undertaken. No communication with the college and also feeling lost within the college due to the incorporation.”
“Losing everything that was Pats…our identity, spirit, community, societies, clubs, etc.”
“Being moved to All Hallows is like a punishment. It all felt a bit sneaky to be moved down there having signed up for the facilities of DCU, which just aren’t in All Hallows.”
“Along with problems like lack of campus accommodation, small class sizes and feeling of only existing as a number, I have no security for my future. I do not know if I will be able to secure a job after college as my course content has been changed during the incorporation. Whereas the course was once delivered on one campus, generally over four days, I now spend my time commuting between St Patrick’s and All Hallows’ campuses five days a week. I am also now being forced to take classes I will not benefit from and I would not have had to do had the incorporation not happened.”
“CICE students have not been fully incorporated into DCU or St Patrick’s college. Facilities for CICE students are limited compared to what is on offer for DCU and St Pats students.”
“Lack of resources and basic amenities. Many students had to take time from their studies to battle and go into meetings to get projectors, plugs, exam facilities etc. This is not nor should not be required of students, however, no progress was being made and as a result students felt that they had no other choice but to use their own time to, for example, unpack books and resources from our old campus. Our CICE lecturers have been put at a huge disadvantage throughout this entire process. While this may benefit future students, they way in which current CICE students were treated was appalling.”
“The lack of organisation or answers to our hundreds of questions.”
Read More:
- St Pats students voice concern over graduation location
- CICE staff will continue industrial action over “loss of autonomy”
- Students of Incorporation feeling loss if their Students’ Unions
What is the greatest benefit you have seen from the Incorporation?
“More opportunities for those on smaller campuses and more diverse student body”
“It has made us interact and get closer to other students who have the same interests as us but other than that it is basically the same for me.”
“Having a place to have events that would ordinarily have been in the Venue!”
“Having the faculty of education on one campus is fantastic.”
“It has the potential to be more inclusive of all students studying primary teaching.”
“Use of St. Pat’s facilities, mainly the on site library and journal access online.”
“It has enabled us to benefit from the use of all the campuses.”
“Stronger institutional position within the higher education sector in Ireland”
Rebecca Lumley
Image Credit: DCU