New SU President Maisie Hall shares her vision on housing reform and student festival

A record-breaking vote brought Maisie Hall to the helm of the University of Galway Students’ Union. The Law and Human Rights student will start her term on July 1st, with ambitious plans to tackle the lack of accommodation and enhance campus social life.

From Kerry to Galway

Born and raised in Kerry, she has always been an organizer. Since the age of 10, Maisie would arrange Christmas parties for all the kids. Attending secondary school in Dingle, she discovered her love for the Irish language.

The new SU President is now close to finishing her main degree in Law and Human Rights, while also studying French as a diploma. And leading the Student Union will be an opportunity to demonstrate her vocation for service: “I think I was born with a little bit too much empathy, so its always really upset me to see other people suffering. So much that I couldn’t even hear about an injured dog or something when I was like 12.”

“So, I’m looking forward to be in a position where is easier to advocate for change for people,” Maisie explains. “Like we can all do it. On some level, if you want change, is up to you to make it happen. But obviously in a position like this, you’re a few steps closer.”

The student accommodation in Galway and festival plans

One of her proposals is to organize a weekend long Galway student festival, post exams. An event “where there is sort of not only DJ’s, but Irish singers that people actually like to see.” She is thinking of big names, like for example CMAT, and considers that a good part can be paid with the budget assigned to the Student Union – which includes an amount for social life – while the rest could be covered by tickets price.

Of course, the issue of student accommodation will be another priority during the next term, since shortage of properties and high rent prices are a constant problem for students.

“I think it’s really important to keep the level of students that we have now, to not keep increasing that with all these new courses. Because even though, you know, 40 people doesn’t seem like a lot, that’s eight more houses that they have to somehow pull out from somewhere and it just doesn’t happen,” she points out.

Maisie also considers that transparency from the University around the housing crisis is very important, having experienced difficulties herself and in occasions been weeks aways from sleeping on a sofa. She will advocate for more investment in University owned accommodation, and also intends to work more closely with the local authorities.

“I think a lot of the problems that students are facing are just a reflection on bigger issues,” Hall reflects. “Just important that the authorities acknowledge that. I think students sort of get brushed under the rough, you know? Ah, they’ll deal with whatever, they can sleep on sofas, they are fine. So prioritizing the people that are gonna be future leaders, and future doctors, and future economists.”

Maisie hopes to pursue a career in human rights, but does not rule out entering politics in the future: “As long as I’m doing something that I feel is better in others people lives, then I’ll be happy. So if that’s politics, I really don’t mind what the physical work itself is. As long as it has the underlying tone of doing better and leaving a good footprint behind, rather than a malicious one, I won’t really mind.”