DCU Students' Union (DCUSU) is a

students' union A students' union, also known by many other names, is a student organization present in many colleges, universities, and high schools. In higher education, the students' union is often accorded its own building on the campus, dedicated to soci ...

representing

Dublin City University Dublin City University (abbreviated as DCU) ( ga, Ollscoil Chathair Bhaile Átha Cliath) is a Third-level education in the Republic of Ireland, university based on the Northside, Dublin, Northside of Dublin, Republic of Ireland, Ireland. Cre ...

(DCU) students. DCUSU provides social events and activities for undergraduate students and is also involved in the provision of some services including counselling and an official representation pathway between students and university authorities. DCUSU has offices located in 'The U' on the Glasnevin campus and also on St Patrick's Campus, the major Drumcondra campus. DCUSU is governed by a written constitution approved by the members and the university's Governing Body.

Role

The roles of the Union include acting as a representative channel between students and DCU authorities, and providing social activities for students. All full-time and part-time students of DCU are members of the Students' Union. DCU's associated colleges,

All Hallows College All Hallows College was a college of higher education in Dublin. It was founded in 1842 and was run by the Vincentians from 1892 until 2016. On 23 May 2014, it was announced that it was closing down, due to decreasing student numbers. The sale o ...

Mater Dei Institute of Education Mater Dei Institute of Education ( ga, Institiúid Oideachais Mater Dei) was a linked college of Dublin City University from 1999 until its closure in 2016, located in Drumcondra, Dublin City, Ireland, near Croke Park, on the site of what was ...

, and St Patrick's College, had their own student representation before the DCU incorporation and are now represented by the same body.

Governance

DCUSU is governed by a constitution. Amendments to the constitution may be passed after a referendum. For example, in March 2017 a referendum was held to change the constitution, with 1,731 students voting in favour. Referendums in 2016 resulted in the Students' Union declaring a

pro-choice Abortion-rights movements, also referred to as pro-choice movements, advocate for the right to have legal access to induced abortion services including elective abortion. They seek to represent and support women who wish to terminate their pr ...

stance on

abortion Abortion is the termination of a pregnancy by removal or expulsion of an embryo or fetus. An abortion that occurs without intervention is known as a miscarriage or "spontaneous abortion"; these occur in approximately 30% to 40% of pregn ...

, and support for legalisation of cannabis use by adults. Although there is no formal or full-time Postgraduate Students' Union present in DCU, the formation of a Postgraduate Students' Union has been discussed since 2012 and in 2017, the Class Representative Council mandated the President to develop a framework for a Postgraduate Students' Union.

Funding and affiliation

The Students' Union is funded through the Office of Student Life (OSL), which is overseen by an Executive, a committee made up of students and university staff. As of 2017, the OSL supports and sponsors over 140 student run clubs and societies. DCU Students' Union is a member of the

Union of Students in Ireland The Union of Students in Ireland (USI) ( ga, Aontas na Mac Léinn in Éirinn) is the national representative body for Tertiary education, third-level students' unions in Ireland. Founded in 1959, USI represents more than 374,000 students in over ...

. Having voted to disaffiliate in 2002, a referendum which took place in March 2013, where the student body had voted to re-affiliate with USI, was declared void by then Students' Union President Paul Doherty. He questioned the constitutionality of the vote, alleging that the students' union executive did not run an information campaign for the referendum. This nullification was criticised by USI, which blamed a "small cohort" in DCU for the nullification. While a referendum on USI membership in February 2014 was passed by only one vote, a majority of students voted to remain affiliated with USI in December 2016.

References

External links

DCU Students' Union website

DCU Postgraduate Students' website
{{Dublin City University Dublin City University Students' unions in Ireland 1975 establishments in Ireland