Technological University Dublin ARROW@TU Dublin Student Publications Dublin Institute of Technology 2006 The Moon, Issue 2, December-January 2006 DIT Journalism Society Follow this and additional works at: https://arrow.tudublin.ie/ditoth Recommended Citation Dublin Institute of Technology Journalism Society, The Moon, Issue 2, December-January 2006, Dublin. DIT, 2006 This Other is brought to you for free and open access by the Dublin Institute of Technology at ARROW@TU Dublin. It has been accepted for inclusion in Student Publications by an authorized administrator of ARROW@TU Dublin. For more information, please contact [email protected], [email protected]. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 4.0 License + Issue 2 December - January 2006 + _2_N_e_w_s Dec_e_m_ber_-J_an_u_ary_2006__-=---.__ L by HughCasey pay), but I am annoyed, I did­ n't expect to get this kind of A number of DIT lecturers grieffrom staff'. are refusing to pay subscrip­ The DIT gym is funded ex­ tion fees to the on-campus clusively by student capita­ gym at Kevin Street, The tion fees, and annual mem­ Moon has learned. bership rates are approxi­ Approximately 6 lecturers mately 85% cheaper than lo­ want to use the facilities but cal commercial gyms. don't want to pay the annual "We've also heard oflectur­ 70 membership fee. Talks ers telling students not to pay have taken place at a senior to help their cause. I think it's level in DITadministration to a disgrace. I'm employed to resolve the issue, but their re­ look after the sporting inter­ sult is still unknown. ests of the students, not the Herbie McClelland, the DIT staff' said MrMcClelland, "If sports officer, is eager to we can't run this little gym up point out that it's a minority here, I don't see how we're ofstaff. "We had 122 people going to manage with the sign up, and it's only a hand­ 20million complex up in ful of people (refusing to Grangegorman". By Rebecca TocId O'Dea said that e met will be holding discussions to minimise the risk of Islamic extremists being Jt'lII!Il.lplll­ form tD.....b1nla1l1e organisation. It was clear to DIT. me that most ofthe issues But this time I telt dift'er.. '_U~_ oa r_lIII1 aDd m­ The USI held a special con­ the USI focused on were of endy. I thiDt that of tea"mallSSUeS. Some col- gress in Dublin on Saturday little relevance to the stu­ of ,.-,....-tanational umon November 26th to vote on dents I know. I felt the wel­ that 0 professionallCllV­ several constitutional amend­ fare ofthe students ofIre­ lyurm_. ice and proper represen18tion ments. land was second in impor­ prob to its students - on studeDt is- This was my second time tance to furthering the inter- The USI an organisation attending congress. My first ofsome left-wing politi­ without a purpose, or rather It' DOt possible to do experience was last May, and cal groups. The views ex­ it is an orgamsation with tpo with the resources available left me wondering uDIT pressedby the USI did not many pmposes. Some col- The question for USI, and students really belonged to repraeat my or leges want a . UDion for ': Which onc? such a politically motivated views ofany I know in will Uti- + __ December - January 2006 Wacky News 3 Putting the libe al in lib ral December - January 2006 News 4 Budget 2005 delivers 1 billion euro for colleges By Cian Fitzsimons rian Cowen's Budget bid for university status with­ 2005 has delivered a in the next five years. Bpackage of over one The termination of tax re­ billion euro for the third level lieffor those investing in stu­ sector, making a return offees dent accommodation was unlikely in the near future. criticised by the mTSU Pres­ The Minister announced a ident. "At a time when stu­ 900 million euro package for dents are still encountering capital projects at third level great difficulty in getting a over the next five years, along reasonable standard of ac­ with a 300 million euro mod­ commodation this decision is ernisation fund. difficult to understand," he Colleges will be rewarded said. for reform, rationalisation and USI President Tony Mc cost efficiencies. The money Donnell raised concerns is likely to be directed to­ about the possibility of a wards areas prioritised by the commercial agenda being Government - facilities for forced upon third level col­ science, technology and re­ leges. He declared that "USI search. ...await with concern the DIT is "in a good position Minister for Education's an­ to take advantage of these nouncement on the break­ measures through our im­ down ofthe proposed capital Iranian government deny pending move to Grangegor­ spending and how this will al­ man", said mTSU President located." Bob Coggins. The Book of DIT President Brian Nor­ Baha'f students an education Estimates for Education has ton welcomed the funding, allocated one million euro to saying "DIT plans to partici­ the establishment and admin­ pate fully in both of these By Sarah Plckett istration of the Grangegor­ funding initiatives. DIT, as a man Development Agency. doctoral awarding body, will s Irish third level stu­ There are four recognised it showed disregard to their re­ dark days ofpersecution were Increased competition participate in the develop­ religions in Iran; Muslim, ligious beliefs accordingly, dents struggle over the at last coming to an end but among the colleges for fund­ ment ofwhat the Minister has proposed introduction A Christian, Jew and Zoroastri­ were denied enrolment to col­ the Iranian government has ing means DIT "needs to ex­ called the 'fourth level' in ofthird level fees, some Iran­ an. For these the prospects lege. continued to pursue its dis­ pand the levels of research Irish higher education, and ian students face battle to re­ are many, while for this mi­ The 800 BaM'is who took criminatory policy for the within the college". Coggins we will be looking inparticu­ ceive an education. While nority of300,000, higher edu­ the exam were excluded from 2ooSI06 academic year. continued. He also revealed lar at areas DIT has a technology is developing at an cation is a mere dream. Iran­ university, in the 2004/0S ac­ By mid-August 200S hun­ that DIT could be making a unique contribution to make." incredible rate, the basic ian authorities made it known ademic year, by means ofthis dreds ofBaba'ls had received rights of the human beings that BaM'is would be allowed ploy. The denial ofeducation their university examination seem to be ignored. to attend colleges, but only if to Iran's largest religious mi­ results with, once again, "Is­ "Everyone has the right to they renounced their faith. nority seems to be the latest in lam" designated as the reli­ DITSU and USIT about education..... and higher edu­ This would again appear to be a series ofsystematic persecu­ gious orientation ofthe Baba'l cation shall be equally acces­ in violation ofarticle 16 ofthe tions ofthe Baba'is. Since the students. to make J1 deal sible to all on the basis ofmer­ UN Declaration. coming to power ofthe Revo­ The Irish BaM'i communi­ it." Well that seems to be the The principles oftheir faith lutionary Government, more ty along with governments, By Clan Fltzslmons opinion of one United Na­ (www.babai.org) prevent than 200 BaM'ls have been academics and concerned cit­ tion's in article 26 of their them from misrepresenting killed, hundreds imprisoned, izens throughout the world nitial plans have been In return, DITSU will re­ Universal Declaration of Hu­ themselves as a member of thousands have had property have and are continuing to made by DITSU to link up ceive a commission style man Rights. any other faith, just for con­ orbusinesses confiscated, lost voice their concern against the I with student travel compa­ payment based onthe number Foryoung BaM'is in the Is­ venience sake. In recent times their jobs, and/or had their denial ofthird level education nyUSIT. ofDIT students who sign up lamic Republic of Iran this the Iranian government ap­ government pensioDs termi­ to Baba'i students. Baba'ls as As part ofa major drive by for a JI visa with USIT. OIT­ has not been a reality. Since peared to offer BaM'i students nated. a principle oftheir faith accept USIT to become more direct­ SU President Bob Coggins 1979, the government of Iran access to higher education in BaM'l holy sites and ceme­ the tnlth in all religions. They ly involved with individual said that in his opinion, USIT has systematically deprived an attempt to pacify interna­ teries have also been targeted. lookforward to the day when colleges, they will have a di­ provides the best level of its' members of the right to tional human rights monitors. Many have been destroyed they will enjoy the same rect link on the OITSU web­ service among ]I visa higher education. The govern­ Baba'i students were told and the community's elected rights extended to the other site, as well as being given a providers. ment has also impeded Baba'l they could participate in na­ administrative structure has major faiths in the land of far greater level ofaccess to However, questions have efforts to establish their own tional university entrance ex­ been dismantled. BaM'is have their birth, especially in the OIT studeD . This will take been raised about the legiti­ institutions ofhigher learning. aminations. Following the re­ been denied a host of other areaofeducation. the form ofvisits to the col­ macy ofthe decision for the This has had the effect ofsup­ lease of results in August rights, ranging from freedom This blatant contempt to­ leges, including a proposed union to prioritise one com­ pressing the BaM'l communi­ 2004, the Baba'is had been ofmovement to simple inher­ wards the Baba'is is appalling visit to one ofthe OIT sites by mercial company above oth­ ty in Iran, ultimately leading falsely registered as Muslims.