NUI Galway Students' Union is representative student body. Every student who registers at NUI Galway automatically becomes a member of the Students' Union on payment of the Student Levy. The Union is separated into two entities - the Students' Union Representative side and the Students' Union Commercial Services Ltd. As outlined in the Students' Union Constitution, the function of the Union is to "represent its members and promote, defend and vindicate the rights of its members at all levels of society". The Students' Union sits on several University committees, including the University Governing Authority. The Union's objectives include providing social, recreational and commercial services for members through the College Bar, entertainment events, the SU Shop and other commercial services. The Union also part funds Sin Newspaper and Flirt FM. On a national level, the Union pursues "fair and equal access to education for all sectors of the Irish people", and liaises with the Union of Students in Ireland in this goal. Work of the Union has included the organising of a Grant Information Evening to help students apply for local authority grants.
Executive Committee
While the President, along with the staff, is mainly responsible for the day-to-day running of the Union, the Students' Union Executive is the committee that runs the Union on an ongoing basis. It consists of fifteen elected members, whose responsibilities cover different student concerns - from educational issues to accommodation and discrimination. Of the fifteen members of the Executive, three are paid sabbatical Officers, i.e. the President and two Vice-Presidents, while the other twelve Officers work on a part-time, unpaid basis. Students elect their Students' Union Officers. The term of office is from 1 July to 30 June of the following year. To be eligible to run for election, candidates must be a full member of the Students' Union, i.e. a registered student or current Executive Officer, and receive 20 nominations. Candidates require three nominators who must be full members of the Union and Club Captains or Society Auditors
History
Though a Students' Representative Council was established in 1911, this council was short-lived. The re-establishment of the body was proposed by Conor O'Malley, auditor of the 1913-1914 session, in his inaugural address in November 1913. The council was firmly established by the mid-1920s, and in the 1960s was formally developed into the university's Students' Union, then known as Comhairle Teachta na Mac Léinn. The non-existence of Society records from that period makes this contention impossible to prove. Restructured in 1964 in the Students' Union, the function of the Union as per the Constitution shall be "to represent its members and promote, defend and vindicate the rights of its members at all levels of society". Below are some highlights from the Unions past.
1964 • Led by Michael D. Higgins 600 students marched to protest about "poor relations generally between the University and the local community" as many hotels refused to take visiting students, landladies discriminated against students in summer etc.
1969 • College Week run for the first time after being banned by the Bishop in the 1950s.
1980 • The Union supports the call for political status by the prisoners of H-Block and Armagh Jail. Several UCG students involved in the H-Block campaign claim they are being harassed by the Gardaí.
1982 • During College Week Gerry Ryan DJ'd the disco at Leisureland and the Manager of Leisureland's car was set on fire by students.
1987• The Union organises a boycott of tea and coffee served in the restaurant due to the increase in price of same. The union serves approximately 2,000 cups of tea a day during boycott at 25p a cup.
1997 • USI Pink Training, a campaigning and training event for LGBT students and activists is held at UCG.
2008 • Fees campaign begins with thousands marching to Eyre Square
2009 • The Union organised and attended several fees-related protests and ran a campaign encouraging students to "Adopt a TD"
2013 • Members of the Union mandate it to advocate a pro-choice position in relation to abortion.
2014 • The Union joins the internationalBoycott, Divestment and Sanctions policy against the State of Israel after a referendum of members tabled by the NUI Galway Palestine Solidarity Society. Members also vote to retain the Union's pro-choice position on abortion after an attempt to repeal the previous year's vote was tabled to students by the NUI Galway Life Society. In addition, a vote on the Union endorsing marriage equality in relation to LGBT couples passes by 95%.
2015 • The Union is mandated to support 'the legalisation and regulation of the cultivation, sale and possession of cannabis for students aged 18 and over' in a 68% vote, after a motion to do so was tabled by the NUI Galway Students for Sensible Drug Policy Society.
