After a group of the university’s students collected more than 900 signatures, UCD Students’ Union (UCDSU) will hold a referendum on re-affiliation with the Union of Students in Ireland (USI). If passed, each full-time UCD student would be charged an additional €5 per year to fund USI’s operations. At first glance, discussion on the affiliation issue seems neither new nor particularly topical, apart from the somewhat arbitrary fact that the referendum is being called now. A similar debate occurred when UCD voted to leave USI by an impressive margin of 64.5 per cent in 2013. Trinity held a similar referendum in 2012, ultimately rejecting disaffiliation … Continue reading UCD Must Seize its Chance to Rejoin National Student Politics