Ninth Level Ireland

“Everyone who has attended a third level institution has heard the same mantra, that the years you spend in university will be ‘the best years of your life’. We are fed a certain image of university life, replete with parties, close friendships, and time spent ‘finding yourself’. Of course, what is never shown is the reality of student life for the vast majority of students …” (more)

[Gavin Tracey, University Observer, 3 November]

“Sir, – I was utterly astonished to watch the unfolding removal of the UCD students’ union president by its own members. That a third-level institution would be the setting for such a spectacle of narrow-mindedness makes it even worse …” (more)

[Letters, Irish Times, 1 November]

“An overwhelming majority of voters, 69%, chose to impeach University College Dublin Students’ Dublin (UCDSU) President Katie Ascough from her role. The result follows two days of voting which saw thousands of students participate …” (more)

[Kathleen McNamee and Dominic McGrath, University Times, 26 October]

“University College Dublin (UCD) students have voted to impeach their Students’ Union President Katie Ascough. In total 4,540 students voted to impeach Ms Ascough, out of 6,572 students who cast a ballot, meaning a majority of 69% were in favour of her removal …” (more)

[Jack Power, Irish Times, 26 October]

“UCD Students’ Union president Katie Ascough has said the impeachment campaign against her is predicated on her pro-life views and refusal to break the law. Voting in the two-day plebiscite will continue until 8pm this evening after 1,200 students of the college signed a petition calling for an impeachment referendum to take place …” (more)

[Ciarán D’Arcy, Irish Times, 26 October]

“Hundreds of students have taken to the polls to vote in the referendum to impeach SU President Katie Ascough. Polling stations opened around campus yesterday morning and will close at 8pm on Thursday night …” (more)

[Catherine Devine, Independent, 25 October]

“University College Dublin Students’ Union president Katie Ascough said the referendum to impeach her is a ‘freedom of thought’ issue on campus. The move to impeach Ms Ascough began following her decision to remove a page in the UCDSU freshers’ Winging It magazine that contained information on abortion services abroad, and reprint the magazine at a cost of up to €8,000 …” (more)

[Jack Power, Irish Times, 25 October]

“Tonight’s hustings in University College Dublin (UCD) came down to democracy, with both sides of the referendum arguing that they were more democratic. There were many accusations levelled on both sides and things ended on a sour note for University College Dublin Students’ Union (UCDSU) President Katie Ascough, who students are trying to impeach …” (more)

[Róisín Power, Isla Hoe and Aisling Marren, University Times, 24 October]

“Three colleagues of University College Dublin Students’ Union (UCDSU) president Katie Ascough have joined the campaign to impeach her …” (more)

[Jack Power, Irish Times, 24 October]

“UCD’s plan to double the cost of parking permits for next year could lead to another major labour dispute with some of Ireland’s biggest Trade Unions. The University wants to increase their price to €100 for the 2018/2019 academic year, then follow up with further increases to €125 in 2019/2020, and €150 in 2020/2021 …” (more)

[College Tribune, 17 October]

“UCD Smurfit School’s executive part-time Master of Business Administration (MBA) course has risen 15 places to be ranked 74th in the world. The Financial Times top 100 global executive MBA ranking, published Monday, ranks the Smurfit school as the 35th best in Europe and makes it the only Irish institution on the list …” (more)

[Peter Hamilton, Irish Times, 16 October]

“Members of an Irish university’s Students’ Union which is at the centre of an abortion stance controversy have now slammed their president in an explosive meeting. The latest comments come after a week which saw the President of the UCD Students’ Union hit international headlines as she is facing impeachment …” (more)

[Catherine Devine, Independent, 14 October]

“The president of UCD students’ union says she has been the subject of a ‘bullying campaign’ by a group of students who are determined to remove her from office. Katie Ascough, who is anti-abortion, is facing an impeachment referendum later this month following controversy over her decision to withdraw detailed information over access to abortion services in a student magazine …” (more)

[Carl O’Brien, Irish Times, 12 October]

“A students’ union president at the centre of a controversy over her anti-abortion stance has slammed calls for her impeachment as ‘bullying tactics’. President of UCD Students’ Union Katie Ascough is now facing a second impeachment vote after another petition on the campus collected 1,200 signatures …” (more)

[Catherine Devine, Independent, 11 October]

“A petition to trigger a referendum to impeach Katie Ascough as University College Dublin Students’ Union (UCDSU) president has been successful. The petition gained the 1,200 signatures needed to call the referendum, which will take place on October 25th and 26th …” (more)

[Róisín Power, University Times, 10 October]

“A woman working in a shop on the campus of University College Dublin (UCD) was threatened with a gun during a late-night armed raid. The incident happened at the Centra store on the UCD campus at Belfield, south Dublin, on Wednesday at about 10pm …” (more)

[TheJournal.ie, 6 October]

“Today’s March for Education organised by the USI saw a turnout saw 5,000 students from across Ireland march against the introduction of an income contingent loan scheme in Ireland. The students also called for an end to government funding cuts to higher education and student grants which they claim are undermining the quality of the Irish Higher-level education system, and driving students into poverty …” (more)

[College Tribune, 4 October]

“A petition to impeach the University College Dublin (UCD) Student Union President Katie Ascough has been rejected by the Returning Officer of the Students’ Union. Returning Officer Stephen Devine, rejected the petition on Monday as he was concerned with its validity …” (more)

[Catherine Devine, Independent, 3 October]

“Hundreds of students in University College Dublin (UCD) have called to impeach their student union president, saying that the pro-lifer doesn’t represent them and that she hasn’t followed her mandate …” (more)

[Catherine Devine, Independent, 30 September]

“A petition calling for a referendum on the impeachment of embattled University College Dublin Students’ Union (UCDSU) President Katie Ascough has gained enough signatures in just one day to trigger a vote on her future …” (more)

[Róisín Power, University Times, 28 September]