Trinity has about 11,000 undergrads, so its just about 20% turnout.

61.5% of 20%, so about 12.3% of students in Trinity voted in favour, not much of a mandate really.

In referenda like these, as with national referenda, there should be a quorum, which if it isn’t met, the vote would be invalid.

There is a quorum – it should be attached to the constitution, or whatever article the procedure for referenda is outlined in.

There isn’t a quorum in Trinity SU referenda.

In most SU referenda, in all colleges, it’s very hard to get the numbers out. Particularly in stand-alone ones where there aren’t elections happening also.

Scratch that – apparently no quorum in TCD – there is in other universities. Strange! But I agree – quorum should be attached to the constitution, especially in referenda!

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yeah thats exactly what i did ….

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That’s actually a decent enough turnout by Trinity standards, there was vote on the fees policy last year which brought out 440 students.

Your right about being members / ex members of political parties, but the Vice President was in SF so I’d say he is against fees and probably against everything just like SF

Well mike spoiling your vote is a legitimate thing to do…and much more admirable than not bothering to get out of the scratcher whatsoever.

104 votes were spoiled, yes. I’d say it’s simply a case of people messing and writing their own stuff on ballot papers.

Undergrads were voting for class reps at the same time so they probably just put all the ballot papers in together without bothering to vote in the referendum. That’s my theory anyway for the high number of spoils.

How is spoiling your vote an admirable thing to do? It acheives nothing.

To be fair Kieran, all you had to do was read your email for plenty of “mentions” of the vote

Of course they should, totally realistic aspirations, well done. Go back to sleep.

Why start them out in life thinking that they are entitled to free degrees? They will appreciate the value of a good degree if they have to pay for it , I agree some sort of payment scheme like Australia ( where the payback the fees from salary when they start earning ) but there’s nothing free in this world , it has to be earned and paid for , the effects of reducing the revenue streams for colleges is very detrimental too , notice how Ireland are slipping by international standards , it’s time part of the educating of students in Irish illegals includes educating them on how the real world works , suggesting strikes until someone else pays is not the best way to start…

Another year, another set of cut backs in the tcd libraries. Yeah free fees are definitely the way to go! at least the Tcd SU bothered to get involved in setting up the student loan scheme. We’re in a recession, free fees is not an option, unless were just want facilities to keep getting cut back.