USI Congress 2013

Carlton Shearwater Hotel, Ballinasloe
March 25-28 2013

(Re-posted on 1 Feb 2013.  Originally posted on 7 Jan 2013)

Motions for USI Congress 2013 are now open, meaning member Students’ Unions can submit policy proposals to be discussed by the supreme policy making body of Ireland’s student movement.

Motions submitted to USI Congress must be submitted according to the constitutional provisions for motions (see below), and in any case must be received by  5.30pm on  1/2/2013.  Motions are submitted by member Students’ Unions, and must be submitted on Union Headed Notepaper to the Congress Director, USI.

In addition, nominations to Officerboard positions based in Dublin are open.  The close of nominations will be established by National Council in due course.

Notice from USI Steering Committee

The note sent by USI Steering Committee is as follows:

Nominations for the following positions will open on 16th January, 2013 and must be submitted prior to 5.00pm on Thursday 7th
February 2013:
1. President
2. Vice President for Academic Affairs & Quality Assurance
3. Vice President for Welfare
4. Vice President for Campaigns
5. Vice President for Equality & Citizenship
6. Vice President for the Border, Midlands & Western Region
7. Vice President for the Southern Region
8. Vice President for the Irish Language
The positions listed from #1 to #7 inclusive are paid positions and the position listed at #8 is unpaid.
Candidates for each position must be nominated by two member organisations which are in benefit. In respect of the positions of Vice President for the Border, Midlands & Western Region and Vice President for the Southern Region the nominating member organisations must be within the respective region for each position.
Nominations must be presented on the headed paper of the member organisation and signed by the President of the member organisation. Nominations may be submitted by facsimile to +353 (1) 447 5081 marked for the attention of Elections Committee or by emailing a scanned copy of the nomination form to elections@usi.ie
Candidates are required to submit documentation proving their membership of USI prior to the close of nominations.

USI OFFICERSHIP TERMS & CONDITIONS 2013-2014
In accordance with the USI Constitution candidates are required to confirm their acceptance of the
USI Officership Terms & Conditions 2013-2014 set by Finance Committee in advance of the
elections which occur at Annual Congress 2013.
TIMETABLE AND DEADLINES

  •  Wednesday 16th January 2013, 9.00am Open of Nominations for Elections.
  •  Thursday 7 th February 2013, 5.00pm Close of Submission of Nominations.
  • Thursday 14 thFebruary 2013, 5.00pm Deadline for Withdrawal of Nominations.

Is muidne go beannachtach
USI ELECTIONS SUB-COMMITTEE

USI Congress Motions Fax Number:  01 447 5081
USI Congress Director Email: congressdirector@usi.ie 

Need to see how motions are written?  Here’s a link to last year’s Clár

Constitutional Provision

The USI Constitution contains the provisions for submitting motions:

4.1.6 Motions at Congress shall take two forms: 
  
4.1.6.1 Mandates 
Mandates instruct a member or members of the Officerboard, Committees excluding Finance Committee or National Council to perform certain tasks. The Mandates, which shall be contained in a published Mandates Manual, must contain a date specifying when the task is to be completed by, or when the Mandate shall lapse which may be a maximum of three years from the date of the Congress at which it was passed. Mandates may be removed from the Mandates Manual upon the completion of the task by the with the consent of National Council. 
  
4.1.6.2 Union Policies 
Formal adoption of Union policy occurs by motion at Congress with the policy document itself appended to the Clár. Union Policies shall be contained in a published Union Policy Manual and they shall automatically lapse after three years unless reauthorised by Congress.  
4.1.7 All Mandates and Union Policies that are due to expire shall be individually debated and put to the floor at Congress in a session of Congress prior to debating of motions and mandates submitted to that Congress. 
   
4.1.8 Motions at Congress; both Mandates and Union Policies, shall be put to the floor in accordance with the rules and procedures laid out in Schedule E.
National Council may, by resolution, place on the agenda of Congress a Preferendum. Such Preferenda, shall be conducted by written ballot at the same time as elections to Officerboard, using single transferable vote method with the results being equivalent to an Mandate or Union Policy passed under the rules and procedures laid out in Schedule E. Such Preferenda may only be placed on the Agenda of Congress provided 28 days notice is given to MOs. All Preferenda shall have, as the last option on the ballot paper, an option to select none of  the above. Any policy passed by Preferenda shall supersede any previous conflicting policy. 
Motions should be submitted to the Congress Director:
C8.3

Motions and amendments must be sent to the Congress Director by the date decided by National Council. Motions must be submitted on the headed paper of that Member Organisation and signed by the President of that MO by either email containing a scanned copy, or by fax.