University College Dublin Students' Union

Infobox Students Union | name = University College Dublin Students' Union | established = 1975 | institution = University College Dublin | President = Aodhán Ó Deá | Vice-Presidents = Dan O'Neill, Paul Lynam, Conor Fingleton, Gary Redmond| location = Student Centre, UCD, Dublin 4.| members = Approximately 22,000| affiliated = Union of Students in Ireland | free = | homepage = [http://www.ucdsu.ie www.ucdsu.ie] | University College Dublin Students' Union (UCDSU) is the Students' Union of University College Dublin, and has been an active part of campaigns run by its national equivalent, the Union of Students in Ireland. It was founded in 1975 as the successor of the Student Representative Council and began operations in 1975, under the presidency of Enda Connolly. Its primary role is to represent its members views and defend their interests. 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 some services such as five shops; a photocopying bureau; Belfield FM (radio station); Welfare and Education services such as a second-hand bookshop and Niteline phoneline; and the provision of a full-time Accommodation and Employment Officer. UCDSU has offices in the Student Centre and Library Building in Belfield. The Union is a constituent organisation of, the Union of Students in Ireland (USI).

tructure

The main Governing Body of UCDSU, subject only to referendums and General Meetings of the members of the Union, is the Union Council, which meets every second week of term. The Union Council is comprised 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 five 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 1st each year, although the incoming Officers are, in accordance with the UCDSU Constitution, given job training by the incumbents from June 15th. 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:
*The President and Vice-Presidents (The Sabbatical Officers)
*The Directly Elected Executive Officers
*The Council-Elected Executive Officers
*The Programme Officers
*Class Representatives
*Four Residence Representatives
*Four members of the Union elected by a general meeting of the Students’ Consultative Forum
*One member of the Union nominated by the Committee of Management of the Student Club
*One member of the Union nominated by the Management Committee of the Student Centre Forum Club
*One member of the Union to represent the interests of students with disabilities and elected by such a body as may be recognised for this purpose by the Independent Appeals Board
*One member of the Union to represent the interests of mature students elected by such a body as may be recognised for this purpose by the Independent Appeals Board
*The immediate outgoing President and Vice-Presidents The President is the First Officer of the Union in accordance with the Union Constitution, and the other four Sabbatical Officers are equally ranking Vice-Presidents of the Union. The five Sabbatical positions are:
* Union President
* Campaigns & Communications Vice-President "(formerly Deputy President Vice-President)"
* Education Vice-President
* Welfare Vice-President
* Entertainments Vice-President

President and Vice-Presidents/The Sabbatical Officers

Programme Officers

External links

[http://www.ucdsu.net University College Dublin Students' Union] — the official website of UCDSU. [http://www.usi.ie Union of Students in Ireland] — the website of the Union of Students in Ireland [http://www.ucdsu.net/resources/ucdsucon.pdf UCDSU Constitution] — The most recently amended form of the Union's Constitution.

References

Official Union archives, Student Centre, UCD, Dublin 4