University College Dublin Students' Union

University College Dublin Students' Union (UCDSU; Irish: Aontas na Mac Léinn COBÁC) is the Students' Union of University College Dublin. It was founded in 1975 as the successor of the Student Representative Council, with Enda Connolly acting as the organisation's first president. Its primary role is to represent its members views and defend their interests.^[1]

All students of UCD who are studying for a degree or postgraduate diploma of the National University of Ireland are, on registration at the university, members. The Union is funded by a membership fee paid at the same time as the student services levy ("registration fee") at the start of the academic year. In addition to its campaign work the Union also provides many services, such as three shops; welfare and education services such as an online second-hand bookshop; and the provision of a full-time Accommodation and Employment Officer. UCDSU has offices in the Student Centre and hosts clinics down in Smurfit once a week.

The Union was a constituent organisation of, the Union of Students in Ireland (USI).^[2] UCDSU members decided to leave USI in a referendum which was held in February 2013. 67% of students voted to leave the national union. UCDSU ceased being a member organisation on July 1, 2013.

Structure

The main governing body of UCDSU, subject only to referenda and General Meetings of the members of the Union, is the Union Council, which meets every second week of term.^[3] The Union Council is composed chiefly of the Class Representatives elected in their respective constituencies. These constituencies are elected at a flexible ratio, far lower than a previously arbitrary ratio of one representative per 125 students. The power of Union Council is conferred in a de facto manner on the Union Executive outside of term. The Union Executive, composed of all elected Union Sabbatical and non-Sabbatical Officers as well as the Union Secretary, meets weekly during term and fortnightly outside of it. There are four Sabbatical Officers, who are involved in the day-to-day running of the Union. The President and two nominated Vice-Presidents, as agreed by the Executive, are student representatives on the UCD Governing Authority. A Sabbatical term of office is twelve months in duration and commences on July 1 each year, although the incoming officers are, in accordance with the UCDSU Constitution, given job training by the incumbents from June 15. Sabbatical elections take place in late February–early March of each year. Sabbatical officers take a year out from academic studies and work full-time for the Union.

The composition of the Union's Council includes:^[4]

• The four full-time directly elected Sabbatical Executive Officers
• The directly elected non-sabbatical Executive Officers, also known as Convenors.
• Class Representatives
• Ents Exec. These individuals are elected in at the last council of the year for the forthcoming year.
• Equality coordinators. These individuals are elected in at last council of the year for the forthcoming year.

The President is the first officer of the Union in accordance with the Union Constitution, and the other three Sabbatical Officers are equally ranking Vice-Presidents of the Union. The four Sabbatical positions are:

• President
• Undergraduate Education Officer
• Postgraduate Education Officer
• Welfare & Equality Officer

Sabbatical Executive Officers

Directly elected by Union members (1975-2015)

Other Offices and Administrators

The supreme judicial organ of the Union is the Independent Appeals Board as detailed in Article 18 of the Union's Constitution.

The individual who has been the longest involved and longest associated with the Union is Patrick J. O'Flynn, the Union's Chief Returning Officer and an employee of the University. Most of the ground-work involved in Union elections and referendums is performed by the Union Returning Officer, currently held by Morgan Shelley BBLS. Both of these office holders sit on the Independent Appeals Board.

The Union Legal Advisor is Richard Hammond.

The financial manager of UCDSU is Giselle Han Malone. She also acts as line manager to the other staff in the Union. ^[5]

References

External links

• University College Dublin Students' Union — the official website of UCDSU.
• Union of Students in Ireland — the website of the Union of Students in Ireland
• UCDSU Constitution — The most recently amended form of the Union's Constitution.