NUI Galway Students’ Union will not organise a Rag Week next spring, it was decided at a meeting last night.
The move came following a proposal from the Students’ Union that the University should provide a number of concessions, included a trebling in the University’s contribution to the Student Assistance Fund and a guarantee that the University’s Health Unit would not introduce charges for students.
In recent years, the Galway Rag Week has attracted some negative publicity, which the union has blamed on "the antics of a minority of young people".
A total of 95% of students attending last night’s meeting of the Students’ Union Council voted in favour of the proposal to cancel Rag Week.
"NUI Galway students have an excellent tradition of raising money for charity which is the reason for Rag Week," said Emmet Connolly, president of NUI Galway Students’ Union.
"Over the past four years alone the Students’ Union has raised over €100,000 through Rag Week, however this is often forgotten. The actions of a minority of people, many of whom are not NUI Galway students, have been very destructive and the Students’ Union has decided not to continue with something that is seen to support the behaviour of that minority.
"Despite the cancellation of Rag Week, we will continue in our work to raise money for our chosen charities: The Galway Rape Crisis Centre and SpunOut.ie."