UCD Students' Union

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Introduction

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 of the Students' Union. The Union is funded by a membership fee paid at same time as the student services levy at the start of the academic year. In addition to its campaign work the Union also provides some services such as five Union-run shops; a photocopying bureau; the University Observer (newspaper); Belfield FM (radio station); Welfare and education services such as a second-hand bookshop and Niteline phoneline; the provision of an Accommodation and Employment officer. UCDSU has offices in the Student Centre and Library Building in Belfield and in Earlsfort Terrace in the city centre.

THE UNIVERSITY OBSERVER The Observer won the Newspaper of the Year award at the National Student Media Awards in April 2006, an accolade it has achieved more than any other student newspaper in Ireland. Founded in 1996, its first editor was comedian Dara Ó Briain. Many figures in Irish journalism have held the position of editor including The Irish Times deputy news editor Roddy O'Sullivan, The Sunday Business Post journalist Pat Leahy, AFP business reporter Enda Curran, Sunday Independent journalist Daniel McConnell, RTÉ News reporter Samantha Libreri and TV researcher Alan Torney. The efforts of its staff were noted by the prestigous Guardian Student Media Awards with a nomination for "Best Newspaper", the first Irish student publication to receive such recognition. In 2001, in addition to several Irish National Student Media Awards, the University Observer took the runner up prize for "Best Publication" at the Guardian Student Media Awards in London. To date, the Observer has won no fewer than 18 Irish Student Media Awards.

The main sections within the paper are: campus, national and international news, comment, opinion and sport. In addition, each edition includes a pullout lifestyle supplement called O2. The Observer is funded by the UCD Students Union, but its content remains editorially independent, barring one 'Union Page' per issue.

Structure

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

• Union President
• Deputy President (whose main duties are campaigns and communications)''
• Education Vice-President
• Welfare Vice-President
• Entertainments Vice-President

Politics and Controversies

The Union has taken stances on international issues, such as banning the sale of Coca-Cola products in Union establishments in 2003 for alleged human and trade union rights infringements in a Coca-Cola bottle facility in Colombia (see Sinaltrainal v. Coca-Cola and Coca-Cola#Colombia and International Boycott). This was passed by two referenda of the student body.

There is a long history of a left/right divide in the Union. The Coca-Cola referenda in 2003 sharply divided the left and right in the Union. After the ban was passed those opposing the ban ran a second referendum, but was upheld with a higher turnout and higher vote in favour of the ban. The Union's shops also have a ban on Nestlé products for several years.

In 2003 the left leaning students won a majority of Sabbatical Officers. This was due to the strong anti-fees feeling among UCD students. The Union has taken part in several protests on national issues such as anti-Iraq war protests, immigration policy, the jailing of anti-bin tax protesters and the Rossport 5, as well as more general protests against racism and sexism. In November 2003 Class Rep David Murphy was jailed for his opposition to bin tax as was elected topping poll to the UCD Academic Council. Recently the Union has had campaigns on-campus issues such as for more democracy in the University, for payment of Health Science students on work placement, and for lower prices in the Campus Bookshop and Arts Café.

Some students dislike the union taking stances on some of these issues, claiming that the Student's Union should concern itself only with issues that only effect UCD students. Some students think the Union is being misused either to further the political career of officers, or as a playground for officer's own political view points. Others however argue that events in the outside world which may not be related to education still affect students throughout their daily lives and that it is in the interest of students to take a stance on such issues.

Officers

The Chair of Union Council for the year is Patrick Thomas Carroll (deputy, Gary Redmond) and the Union Secretary for the year is Gavan Reilly (deputy, Ryan Griffin).

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Programme Officers (directly elected by students in the associated Programmes)

2006/07

Chris Bond and Paul Lynam

Patrick Rath

Jane Tiernan

Colm Byrne

Jennifer Murphy

(position vacant)

(position vacant)

The address of the official UCDSU website is [link].

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