General
- Some of the key issues we worked on this week include mental health, autonomy of students’ unions, consent training, attending class Rep councils, workers rights for early education students, the democratic review of USI, living wage campaigns, and disability rights.
- A full-day event for SU presidents on Thursday 19th focussed on preparing for Term 2. Topics included team management, good governance, student engagement and communication.
- The USI President also attended the SIPTU Education Sector seminar on future funding of higher education and commenced our work on compliance with the Governance Code.
- Nominations for the USI officer board elections are open as of this week. For information as to how to participate, click here.
- We’re also reviewing our constitution and want to hear what our members think. More information available here.
Policy areas:
Academic Affairs
- Organising the 33rd European Students’ Convention. The bi-annual conference will take place in NUI Galway from 6th to 8th March with student leaders from all across Europe, exploring access to education and the consequences for higher education of Brexit;
- Reviewing the QA guidelines for research degrees prepared by Quality and Qualifications Ireland;
- Assisting the President in reviewing the Higher Education Authority’s Performance Funding arrangements.
Cian Power, Minister McEntee, Daniel Waugh
Welfare
- Participation in the Cycle Against Suicide Student Leaders’ Congress in the University of Limerick;
- Meeting with Minister of State for Mental Health Helen McEntee TD to discuss funding for third-level and mental health resourcing;
- Finalising our Anti-Social Behaviour Campaign paper;
- Meeting with Health Services Executive (HSE) to discuss collaboration on sexual health campaigns.
Campaigns
- Management of research into student housing through the “National Student Housing Survey”, with over 1500 responses received to date;
- Preparation of USI’s submission to the Low Pay Commission on the National Minimum Wage calling for the gradual introduction of a living wage and outlining how this will positively impact students and graduates at work;
- Finalised designs and strategy for the next few months on the fight for publicly funded higher education.
Equality & Citizenship
- Launched registration for #WomenLead17, taking place next weekend in Dublin. registration is at http://tinyurl.com/USIwomenlead17;
- Consent training: 8 SU Welfare Vice Presidents completed the second part of training on consent which was a unique national partnership between the USI, Smart Consent NUIG and the Dublin Rape Crisis Centre, hosted by NUIGSU on Wednesday;
- Supported and spoke at the protest held outside Leinster House on Thursday with several students’ unions, which highlighted the need for Ireland to ratify the UN Convention on the rights of people with disabilities;
- As part of ENAR (European Network Against Racism), helped to organise an action on the Ha’penny bridge this morning (Friday) in response to the Trump inauguration.
Irish Language
- Working on #Dúshlán campaign challenge to complete 50 Irish language related tasks over 50 hours from Tuesdays 31st Jan, with the aim of encouraging young people to campaign for the Irish language in a fun way;
- Organising the “Tionol Tríú, AMLÉ” session at Ardfheis Chonradh na Gaeilge. (15.00, Saturday, 25 Feb, Galway). This is a working group to discuss issues facing young people speaking Irish in 2017 and how can we support each other