The deadline for submission of USI Election Nominations has been set by the Elections Subcommittee. Nominations will close at 5.00pm Dublin Time on February 22, 2022.
The below documents lay out the positions available and the process for seeking nomination and election. Below that are the role descriptions for each position.
Congress ~ Nominations' Dates 2022The President:
- Responsible for overall work of the organisation and delegating work and areas of policy to other members of the Executive Team.
- Chief spokesperson for the organisation
- Manages the human resources of the Union
- Responsible for drafting annual budget in consultation with Finance Committee
- Reporting work of the Union to National Council and Congress
- Chairs the Presidents’ Working Group at National Council.
Vice President for Academic Affairs:
- Policy officer with anything related to the area of Education
- Supports and works closely alongside Education Officers in Students’ Unions across the country.
- Works with the Vice President for Campaigns and other members of the Executive Team to roll out Education campaigns such as Class Rep campaigns, and Exam Destress.
- Leads USI’s International Affairs work, organizing and leading delegations to meetings of the European Students’ Union four times a year
- Sits on the Board of Quality and Qualifications Ireland and the National Forum for the Enhancement of Teaching & Learning, alongside other relevant national committees
- Other areas of work include: Quality Assurance, Academic Integrity, Teaching & Learning, and Student Partnership.
- Chairs the Academic Affairs Working Group at National Council.
Vice President for Welfare:
- Has the main responsibility for student welfare policy, publications and submissions.
- Links in with Welfare Officers in Students’ Unions across the country to offer support and guidance.
- Works with the Vice President for Campaigns, and sometimes external organisations to roll out Welfare campaigns around mental health, sexual health, physical health.
- Other areas include; accommodation, finances, consent, drugs & alcohol and other addictive behaviours, body positivity, eating disorders and bullying & cyberbullying.
- Chairs the Welfare working group at National Council to address local and national issues and plan national welfare campaigns.
- Sits on the following boards: Student Affairs Ireland, National Advisory Committee for Ending Sexual Violence and Harassment in Higher Education, SUSI Advisory Committee, THEA Promoting Consent and Prevention Sexual Violence Steering Group, alongside other national committees.
Vice President for Campaigns:
- Main responsibility for organising USI campaigns, in collaboration with relevant officers.
- Has the responsibility to organise and prepare campaign strategies and plans of action.
- Works with external organisations on campaigns and integrates the student voice.
- Supports officers in the roll out of events
- Chairs the Campaign Strategy Committee and oversees the work of the committee. This committee coordinates the largest national campaigns of USI.
- Chairs the campaigns working group which discusses the implementation of campaigns with National Council
- Has responsibility for the coordination of Union Development with the President.
- Has responsibility for USI’s publications and communications.
Vice President for Equality and Citizenship:
- Policy officer with responsibility for anything related to the areas of Equality and Citizenship and has the main responsibility for Equality and Citizenship policy and publications.
- Lead organiser of Equality events; Pink Training, Women Lead, EMpower, the Conference for Students with Disabilities, the Mature Students’ Seminar.
- With the Vice President for Campaigns, runs Equality related campaigns such as Voter registration and Disability awareness.
- Sits on the Board of AHEAD Ireland and ICOS (Irish Council for International Students)
- Chairs the Equality and Citizenship working group at National Council.
- Co-chairs of the USI/AHEAD Students with Disabilities advisory group.
Vice President for the Border, Midlands and Western Regional:
- Regional officer who works with the following colleges: Maynooth University, Dundalk Institute of Technology, Technological University of the Shannon (Athlone), Galway Mayo Institute of Technology, NUI Galway, Institute of Technology Sligo, St. Angela’s College Sligo, and Letterkenny Institute of Technology.
- Communication between the Executive team and the Colleges in their region.
- Engages with colleges in the region with the roll out of local and national campaigns, communications, trainings, PTO’s and class rep councils and is a source of source and advice and support where applicable.
- Chairs the BMW regional working group at National Council.
- Communicates with local radio and media outlets specific to the region.
- Supports leading policy officers on the implementation of congress mandates throughout the year.
- Sits on various boards and committees specific to the region such as One Galway and the I-Note steering committee.
Vice President for the Southern Region:
- Regional officer who works with the following colleges: Munster Technological University, University College Cork, Waterford Institute of Technology, Technological University of the Shannon (Limerick), Institute of Technology Carlow, Carlow College and Carlow Institute of Further Education and Training.
- Communicates between the Executive team and the colleges in their region
- Assists colleges in the region with the roll out of local and national campaigns.
- Chairs the Southern regional working group at National Council
- Communicates with local radio and media outlets specific to the region.
- Supports leading policy officers on the implementation of congress mandates throughout the year.
- Sits on various boards and committees specific to the region
Vice President for the Dublin Region:
- Regional officer who works with the following colleges: Dublin City University, Dun Laoghaire Institute of Art, Design and Technology, National College of Art and Design, National College of Ireland, Technological University Dublin and Trinity College Dublin.
- Communicates between the Executive team and the colleges in their region
- Assists colleges in the region with the roll out of local and national campaigns.
- Chairs the Dublin regional working group at National Council
- Communicates with local radio and media outlets specific to the region.
- Supports leading policy officers on the implementation of congress mandates throughout the year.
- Sits on various boards and committees specific to the region.
An Leas Uachtarán don Ghaeilge:
- Policy officer with responsibility for all Union activity on the Irish language
- Chairs the Coiste Culturtha and the USI Irish language Working Group
- Runs the annual Seachtain na Gaeilge campaign
- Works with other Irish language organisations on anything related to third level students
- Oversees use of Gaeilge in other USI campaigns not related to their own remit.
- Oifigeach Polasaí atá freagrach as an nGaeilge in AMLÉ
- Cathaoirleach an Choiste Cultúrtha -grúpa oibre na Gaeilge in AMLÉ
- Eagraíonn Seachtain naGaeilge gach bliain
- Oibríonn le heagraíochtaí Gaeilge ar chúrsaí a bhaineann le mic léinn tríú leibhéal
- Cinntíonn úsáíd na Gaeilge i bhfeachtais eile de chuid AMLÉ nach mbaineann lena ról féin.
Vice President for Postgraduate Affairs (part-time)
- Responsibility for anything related to the area of Postgraduate students
- Works closely with the Vice President for Campaigns to roll out USI campaigns on Postgraduate issues.
- Chairs the National Postgraduate Working Group
- Leads on the USI National Postgraduate Symposium
- Leads on the USI/SIPTU Postgraduate Charter campaign
- Builds Postgrad capacity within local Students’ Unions and HEIs
Please note: the President of NUS-USI (representing students in Northern Ireland) is also on the USI Executive Team, but they are elected at NUS-USI Conference. See https://nus-usi.org/ for more details