University College Dublin Students' Union - Structure

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. 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 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 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:

  • The five full-time directly elected Sabbatical Executive Officers
  • The directly elected non-sabbatical 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 ("Ents") Vice-President

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