DCU Students' Union

DCU Students' Union (DCUSU) is a students' union representing Dublin City University (DCU) students, all of whom are automatically members, with elected leadership. DCUSU, which is governed by a written constitution approved by the members and DCU's Governing Body, is also involved in the provision of some services to students.

The primary role of the Union is to provide a representative channel between students and the University authorities. All full-time and part-time undergraduate and postgraduate students of DCU are members of the Students' Union.

All DCU students are members and students of Oscail (DCU Distance Learning) can join for a fee. Members of the Executive remain members for their term of office even if they cease to be students. DCU's associated colleges have their own student representation.

DCUSU is governed by a constitution. The current (2008) revision of the constitution was developed from a major review in 1992. Amendments to the constitution may only be passed after a referendum of the student body.

The 2005 version of the constitution proved controversial, some believing it to contain loopholes and inconsistencies. The Constitutional Review Committee, a standing committee of the Union's Council, committed itself to a major overhaul of the constitution to be put to referendum in 2008 to coincide with the Union General Elections, and this being done in April 2008, the revised document was passed by a significant majority. This revised Constitution has since proved controversial and is under review once more with an aim for a new constitution to be put to vote in semester two of the 2009-2010 academic year.

On 23 February 2011, a draft of a revised constitution was submitted to the Union Council, which voted to accept the new constitution. A referendum of all Students' Union members took place that month on whether to accept or reject the new DCUSU Constitution. The new constitution was passed with 859 "yes" votes to 369 "no" votes and went into effect in the 2011/2012 academic year.

The Union Council is the presiding body of the Union, to which the Union Executive (comprising the officers) reports. The Council is mostly made up of Class Representatives, normally elected at the beginning of the Academic year in annual elections. Each class elects at least two members to represent their views within the Students' Union and the University. Each class representative attends Union Council, approximately every two weeks during term time. The Class Representatives liaise with faculty convenors, and also sit on the programme boards of their degrees. The Union's officers are also members of Council. The Council elects a Chairperson and Secretary each year, as well as a Returning Officer and an Accommodation Officer, and members of certain committees, including the Electoral Committee.

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