NUI Galway SU Full TIme Officer Elections

Students’ Union Elections 2013 Full-Time Officers

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n u R To W W W. S U . N U I G A L W A Y. I E

& FULL TIME OFFICER ELECTIONS n ELECTION

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FULL TIME ELECTIONS - PRESIDENT // VP_EDUCATION // VP_WELFARE = Z

NOMINATIONS OPEN 10am thursday 21st FEBRUARY

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NOMINATIONS

CLOSE 5PM WEDNESDAY 27th FEBRUARY

ELECTION DAY THURSDAY 7 of march -

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FOR MORE INFORMATION VISIT WWW.SU.NUIGALWAY.IE

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For more information visit www.su.nuigalway.ie

So, what’s it all about?

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The Students’ Union is an independent body whose function is to represent its members and promote, defend and vindicate their rights in the University and elsewhere. Every student, on payment of the student levy, is automatically a member of the Students’ Union. As a result you are entitled to avail of all the Union’s services. Those services range from advice on welfare and education, to the Students’ Union Shop and the College Bar. In addition to those services, the Union represents you on all university committees. We work with the university to ensure your voice is heard and that any concerns you have are raised.

We advise, lobby and speak on your behalf from orientation through to graduation.

The Students’ Union Executive Committee runs the Union on an on-going basis and is responsible for the day-to-day representational functions and activities of the Union. The Executive is made up of fifteen officers who are nominated and elected each year by you, the members. The Executive are responsible for providing you with information and advice covering the whole spectrum of student life from academic issues to issues regarding welfare, finance, accommodation, equality, clubs, societies, the Irish language and much more.

Of the fifteen members of the Executive, there are three full time paid officers. They are:

President Vice-President/ Welfare Officer Vice-President Education Officer

For more information visit www.su.nuigalway.ie

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What do they do?

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President The President co-ordinates the activities of the Students’ Union and works with University Management to achieve the best academic environment and quality of life for NUI Galway students. The President is responsible for the Union’s finances, co-ordination of Union campaigns and acts as the chief spokesperson of the Union. The President sits on a wide range of university committees including Údarás na hOllscoile, Finance Resource Committee and Standing & Strategic Planning Committee.

The President is also Chairperson of the Board of Directors of Students’ Union Commercial Services Ltd, a company owned by the Students’ Union which manages the College Bar, Students’ Union Shop, Smokey’s Café, The Hub Café, The Wall Café and Caife na Gaeilge.

In addition to being a director of Students’ Union Commercial Services Ltd, the President is also a director of: • Seirbhísí Comhaltas na Mac Léinn Teo : A company owned by the Students’ Union responsible for producing Students’ Union publications.

• College Campus Radio Ltd: A company responsible for Flirt FM • Cumann Ceimithe na Gaillimhe Aonad Slainte do Mhic Leinn Teo: A company responsible for the Health Unit.

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For more information visit www.su.nuigalway.ie

What do they do?

Vice President / Education Officer The Education Officer assists students in areas such as grants, exams, the library and computer facilities. They work with University Management to improve academic services for students. They sit on a variety of university committees including Academic Council, Academic Standing Committee, Discipline Committee and Academic Planning Resource Committee. The Education Officer also co-ordinates the SU Council and organises the Education Forum. Dealing with individual student queries is a large part of the Education Officer’s job.

Vice President / Welfare Officer The Welfare Officer assists students with problems in areas of accommodation, childcare, study, health, finances and social welfare. They work closely with on-campus accommodation companies and residents associations. They sit on a wide range of university committees including Safety Committee, Discipline Committee and the University Centre Planning & Management Group. They also organise the Welfare Forum and a variety of high profile campaigns such as Mental Health Week and SHAG Week. Dealing with individual student queries is a large part of the Welfare Officer’s job.

One of the Vice Presidents usually joins the Students’ Union President on Údarás na hOllscoile.

For more information visit www.su.nuigalway.ie

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Why Should You Run?

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If you’re successful you’ll have found paid full-time employment for a year (July – June) and you’ll gain experience you wouldn’t expect to in a first job.

You’ll also receive an annual gross salary of €22,000 with 20 days annual leave.

Employability and Experience Being involved in the management of an organisation with over 16,000 members before you leave college puts you in a great position. You will develop skills in leadership and organisation and learn about finances, democracy, education, event management and a whole host of other skills. From negotiating agreements with the University to giving presentations to thousands of students. From leading campaigns to create positive change, to working as part of a team of leaders, these are skills which will help you in the incredibly tough job-market and make you stand out from the crowd. If you are elected you get the chance to make the role your own.

No matter which role you go for, you’ll gain experience of chairing meetings, leading campaigns, managing budgets, communicating and team building.

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For more information visit www.su.nuigalway.ie

Why Should You Run?

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You will directly impact on the student experience The Students’ Union has a huge impact on the lives of students in NUI Galway. Whether it’s fighting for longer library hours over Easter so that you can complete that all important dissertation, or setting up an Enterprise Awards competition to foster innovation and entrepreneurship – as a Student Leader you have the ability to greatly affect the lives of over 15,000 students at the NUI Galway.

You will help fight for thousands of students One of your most important roles will be to represent students.

From diverse issues such as learning & teaching, to students being treated as equal citizens in the community, you will ensure that the student voice is heard loud and clear.

You will be a leader of a unique organisation As a Student Leader you will be one of the seven people responsible for leading the Students’ Union. You will have the opportunity to shape the direction and work of an organisation in a way you may never have again. Complete with professional staff to support you, you have a great opportunity to make some big changes.

For more information visit www.su.nuigalway.ie

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How do I run?

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Eligibility You must be a member of NUI Galway Students’ Union. That’s it! All registered students are automatically members of the Union, so read on.

Choosing a Position Firstly, if you are continuing your studies in 2013/2014, than you need to decide if you want to take a year out. You won’t be able to do both.

Secondly, take a look at each role and the full job description.

All offer varied responsibilities and experience. Think about the skills you might have that would make you a good candidate for a position. Talk to the current officers about their experiences in the role and what they’ve experienced.

Nominating yourself To nominate yourself, you must complete a nomination form with the details and signatures of at least 20 NUI Galway students. Nomination forms are available from the Students’ Union Office and website from Thursday 21st February.

Completed nomination forms must be returned to the Students’ Union Office before 5:00pm on Wednesday 27th February.

Don’t leave it to the last minute! The deadline is very strict.

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For more information visit www.su.nuigalway.ie

things to consider

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How do I run a campaign?

To be successful in the elections, you’ll need to secure a majority by convincing people you’re the best person for the job and that you understand students and will represent them in issues that matter to them.

Campaign Team To run a good campaign, it is advisable that you get a team together to support you. This doesn’t have to be more than a few people but they will provide valuable support to you during the campaigning week.

Manifesto Your manifesto outlines your policies, plans and ideas for what you would do if elected. Talk to your friends and classmates about what they would like to see the Students’ Union do. Think about your plans and how you would go about implementing them. You don’t need to think of all the details, but you shouldn’t promise free accommodation for every student without considering who would shoulder the cost!

Speak to Students Talking to people is fundamental to your election prospects.

Talking to people doesn’t mean shoving a flyer in someone’s face: it means dialogue, asking questions and relating your policies to them. But don’t forget to balance the need to engage with the need to be quick – you’ll need to reach a lot of people in a short space of time. This is where slogans can come in handy, especially if it jogs someone’s memory when they’re looking down a long list of candidates’ names when voting.

Lecture shout outs are also a good idea for speaking to a lot of students, but you will need the lecturers’ permission first.

For more information visit www.su.nuigalway.ie

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Getting Heard

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Making them listen Students want to know what you plan to change and how it will affect them. Simply saying ‘vote for me’ isn’t enough; you need to tell them why.

Showing them something you’re already doing (before you’ve even been elected) or something you have already done is a great way to show them you mean what you say.

Posters, leaflets and other promotional material Make sure these are eye-catching, to the point and give a clear message to students. Ensure that there are no spelling or grammatical errors and that your name appears clearly! Social media and websites are also great promotional tools, but remember: they can’t go live before 6:00pm on Sunday 3rd March.

Follow the rules Schedule 1 of the Students’ Union Constitution outlines the rules governing publicity in Students’ Union elections. Read them and make sure your campaign team read them. Also, remember that the University Code of Conduct and general laws also apply! You’ll be held responsible for all elements of your campaign, so always err on the side of caution if you’re not sure about something.

Remember the Date Don’t forget to tell people how to vote! Include the date of the election on your campaign materials and remind students that they’ll need NUI Galway ID to vote.

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For more information visit www.su.nuigalway.ie

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Busting the Myths!

Elections are key to ensuring the student voice is heard within the University and the Students’ Union. Many students think it is not for them or doesn’t affect them. Here are a few misconceptions about being an officer and running in an election

You need to have been involved in the Union before to run No you don’t! Full training is given for the role to ensure you get up to speed before you start.

I’m not popular enough to win It’s not about popularity! The campaign begins at 6:00pm on Sunday evening and the election takes place on Thursday.

That’s more than enough time to knock on doors, go table to table in the canteen and College bar and talk to literally thousands of students. Add in a few hours from your friends to hang posters and hand out flyers and you’ll be as wellknown as any other candidate.

Officers can’t achieve anything in a year Officers can definitely achieve considerable success within a year – whether it’s lobbying the University for improved services or organising major events, their influence can be felt throughout all aspects of University life.

Of course there are some things that you may not achieve within your term, but that doesn’t mean they cease to exist!

You have to spend a fortune on a campaign Not true! The election regulations prohibit gifts and promotional items, so even if you want to spend money, you’ll find it difficult! Most candidates print posters and flyers, and with a little time spent contacting printers, you’ll be surprised what you can get for your money. The other common expense is campaign T-Shirts. As long as you don’t want Armani silk T-Shirts, an hour comparing prices from different companies will get you a good deal.

My class are on work experience, so they won’t be able to vote for me Last year the Students’ Union introduced Remote Vote, a facility which allows students who can’t access a polling station to vote online. It’s very simple to use. Students need to register to use Remote Vote in the days leading up to the election. They do so through the Students’ Union website using their exiting university accounts. It’s very simple and the Students’ Union will be promoting it throughout the election.

It’s perfect for students who are on work placement, participating in clubs and socs activities, or even if they just aren’t bothered queuing at a polling station.

For more information visit www.su.nuigalway.ie

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Winning isn’t everything

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When you think about it, more people lose elections than win – there is no shame in that. Many former candidates that have not been elected have gone on to have strong careers. Think about what you get from running in an election: Not only does it look good on your CV, but you also get some great experience working to deadlines, managing budgets, being creative, managing volunteers/people, public speaking and running a campaign.

Also, if it’s a specific set of principles that you care about, you get to give those issues a real platform by running in the election and the Union may pick up those issues after the campaigning is over.

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For more information visit www.su.nuigalway.ie

— The Rules — NUI Galway Students’ Union Constitution, Schedule 1:

Section A: Returning Officer and Electoral System A Returning Officer shall be appointed by the Executive Committee for each set of elections. The Returning Officer shall be responsible for the conduct of the elections… …Elections will be conducted under the Single Transferable Vote Proportional Representation System (Electoral Act of Ireland 1923, Amendment Act 1963).

Section G: Publicity in connection with Elections and By-Elections 1. A candidate may only display posters etc. in such places as may be permitted by the University Postering Policy. Candidates must not display these items outside of University grounds.

2. Candidates may not distribute any gifts, promotional products, vouchers, food items, passes or tickets to promote their candidature. Only printed material and personalised campaign T Shirts may be used. Competitions and the awarding of prizes are also prohibited.

3. Sponsorship or endorsement by a third party (with the exception of promotion by another nominated candidate) is not permitted in any form by candidates or persons associated with a candidate’s campaign. Promotional material must not include branding, names or logos of any third party (with the exception of promotion of another nominated candidate).

4. A candidate shall not distribute, nor cause to have distributed, any promotional material until 6:00pm on the Sunday before the election. Promotion via any websites is also prohibited until that time.

5. No canvassing or any like activity shall take place in the immediate vicinity of the ballot box as determined by the Returning Officer.

6. Candidates may not use animals to promote their campaign.

7. Each candidate, or their nominee, must attend a daily meeting with the Elections Committee for the duration of the election campaign. If complaints are received by the Elections Committee regarding the behaviour of a candidate, the Elections Committee shall have the deciding authority, after issuing the candidate with a warning, to deem that candidate ineligible for election to any post on the Executive Committee. Any candidate who does not comply with the provisions of this Section of the Constitution shall be deemed ineligible for election to any post on the Executive Committee of the Union for that set of elections.

8. The Elections Committee will interpret the Election Regulations as they see fit and the decision of the Elections Committee is final.

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Students’ Union Full-Time Officer Elections Voter Turnout 2009 -2012 Students' Union Full-Time Officer Elections Voter Turnout 2009 - 2012 2009

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For more information visit www.su.nuigalway.ie

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For more information visit www.su.nuigalway.ie

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Remote Vote will close at 8.00pm.

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Voting Students can vote in person at a Polling Station, or electronically by using Remote Vote.

Polling Stations for Full-Time Officer Elections, Thursday 7th March Áras na Mac Léinn: 11:00am – 8:00pm An Bialann : 10:00am – 8:00pm Engineering Building: 12:00pm – 4:00pm

Students must have valid NUI Galway ID to vote

Remote Vote

Remote Vote is a facility to allow students to vote online. It’s particularly useful for students on satellite campuses and students on work placement, but it’s available to any student. The system is accessed via the Students’ Union website and is easy, secure and confidential. Students simply log in using their campus account. The only requirement is students must register to use Remote Vote before Election Day.

Registration for Remote Vote : Registration opens: 6:00pm, Sunday 3rd March Registration closes: 11:59pm, Wednesday 6th March

Remote Vote Polling: 10:00am – 8:00pm, Thursday 7th March If students do not register in advance, they will not be able to use the Remote Vote facility.

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