How the Students’ Union Works? / Conas a oibríonn Comhaltas na Mac Léinn?

How the SU Works / Conas a oibríonn Comhaltas na Mac Léinn?

A. Sabbatical Officers / Na hOifigigh Sabóideacha

The three Sabbatical Officers have full-time paid positions and are directly elected by all students in the University. They are; President (Róisín), Vice President/Education Officer (Clodagh) and Vice President/ Welfare and Equality Officer (Cora). These officers have definite objectives to look after different aspects of your well-being; from giving you advice if you fail your exams to making sure students views are represented at every level.

B. College Convenors / Tionólaithe na gColáistí

Each of the 4 College Convenors act as a kind of manager for the class reps in their College. A College Convenor will help to guide the Class Reps in a College if some issue is too daunting for one Class Rep to tackle on their own, or if it is a problem affecting more than one class which requires teamwork from a number of Class Reps. They represent their Colleges Class Reps and students on the Executive committee. The object of the Faculty Councils is to discuss individual issues specific to your department whilst Comhairle Chomhaltas na Mac Léinn discusses the University wide issues. Sitting on their College executive is perhaps the most influential part of a College Convenor’s job. At College Exec, some very important suggestions are made, and outcomes determined that will be specific to courses and problems in that College, and as the College Convenor is a student in that College, they can often have more of an impact than any Sabbatical Officer would to look out for the interests of these students. College Convenors then report to their Class Reps on the progress they are making at this level. The Convenors are simply more experienced Class Reps so don’t be shy to turn to them for back-up.

C. Executive / An Coiste Gnó

Members of the SU Executive give reports to Comhairle Chomhaltas na Mac Léinn . You can see the members listed in on our website and in this handbook. They were elected to their positions to help so never be afraid to approach them.

D. Comhairle Chomhaltas na Mac Léinn (formerly SU Council)

Comhairle Chomhaltas na Mac Léinn is where decisions are made by Class Reps and other SU Officers on what actions the Union should take or what stance the Union should take on an issue. Voting is done on things called “motions”, which contain a “mandate”, which basically tells one or more of the Officers of the Students’ Union to do something. If members of Council vote in favour of a motion, then it becomes Union policy.