Wynner's Blog – Ross Wynne on Anything and Everything…

TCDSU OSD Report to Final Council 2006-07

Over the past 6 years I’ve had a strong involvement in
representing students with disabilities on various issues as well
as being involved in many other SU related discussions. Here
are some of the main highlights…

Awareness Weeks and Campaigns
I’ve run 9 awareness weeks over the past 4 years
concentrating on dyslexia and physical access. I also
coordinated with the Welfare Officer each year in helping to
organize the Mental Health Weeks. I also got USI involved in
the Audioscope campaign last summer which ended in a
successful conclusion. There is now double the number of
students registered by SDS than when I started, a good few of
which learnt they had dyslexia from the awareness weeks and
have received the help they need to progress in their courses.

MyMail
When this was brought in during the summer of 2004 I
instantly sent off helpdesk queries to the accessibility of the
web interface. It turns out that it violated College’s own
accessibility policy.
It was one of the main issues I raised at ISS Committee
(which I served on for 3 years) and as of this term GMail will
be the official Student webmail client.

Accessible Email Terminals
As most of you are aware College rolled out the Email
Terminals around campus about 4 years ago. This was a great
advancement in the perennial issue of freeing up spaces in our
computer rooms for assignments and essays. Prior to this
email checking was banned during peak hours.
One of the groups that couldn’t take advantage of this
development were students with physical disabilities. Again
whilst on ISS Committee I put forward a request to Half-
Height Email terminals in the Hamilton and Arts Block. As of
2007 this has happened.

Disability Policy
Brought in during my first year as OSD, it has changed how
the Union operates but without impacting workload on any
officers. It’s a firm template for other groups in College such
as societies to take onboard and make themselves access
friendly.

Physical Access
There’s no point in listing everything wrong with TCD but the
fact is that we have now have a viable action plan for making
all of the Student Services accessible. Through the use of the
Disability Act 2005 we have a big stick to beat college with.
Shockingly College may even put in pathways in Front Square
soon! WOW!

Constitutional Stuff…
I chaired the two year committee that reviewed the SU
Constitution from 2004-06. It was passed last year and tried
to help where possible with the latest amendments passed last
week.

Other Stuff
Skype and Firefox were brought on after I requested them in
ISS Committee. DUST is gone… woo hoo! SU Forums were
created in November and I’ve been administrating it since
then. I’m also still working on the history of the Union wiki.

Thank you…
There are so many people who have been involved in the
Union over the past six years that it only hits you when I was
thinking of all the names of people to thank. However an
exceptional thank you is due to Daithí Mac Síthigh (Education
Officer 2004-05) who has been an absolute rock! Francis
Kieran who was the first President to take disability issues by
the scuff of the neck and press for real change in College!

Thanks too to Emma, Susan, Tadgh, Lianne, DaveM, Annie,
Indy, Denia, Ruth, MikeM, TomL, IanM, AndyB and BrianMcG
for welcoming me into the Union in the first place. Mannion
and Quinn for putting up with my constant demands. Dónal,
for his constant support. Luke, Niall, Dee, Denise, Denise,
Aisling, Hugh, TomD, Alex, Ryan, Michael and Friaz for putting
up with my rants in Exec… and to everyone in Exec and
Council who listened to my presentations, motions and
reports.

Finally the biggest thank you is reserved for Fiona who stuck
with me through everything and kept me sane! I am forever in your debt.

Final words…
College moves glacially, nothing changes day-by-day or week-
by-week but year-by-year real change for the betterment of
students can occur. Stick with it; you’ll be amazed at what you
can do!

Farewell…
Ross Wynne
Officer for Students with Disabilities
Trinity College Students Union

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