Trinity College Dublin Students’ Union (TCDSU) released a statement today saying that a formal separation of the Graduates’ Student Union (GSU) from the TCDSU would “greatly limit the ability of both unions to effectively cooperate in representing all students within the college”.
TCDSU noted that they represent all students, which includes postgraduate students. The Memorandum of Agreement between the GSU and TCDSU “sets out terms on how each union collaborates and represents students”, as Communications Officer Philly Holmes outlined to Trinity News, however, “with or without the Memorandum of Agreement, we still have a duty to represent all students, including postgraduate students”.
The union went on to say: “if this Memorandum fails to be renewed, TCDSU is committed to investigating and updating our officership structures to fulfil our representative duties to the Postgraduate Community.”
TCSDU concluded the statement with a commitment to “endeavour to represent all students” notwithstanding the result of the vote on the motion.
The statement comes as a response to a report by the University Times yesterday in which it was disclosed that the GSU had called an Extraordinary General Meeting on Thursday where they are to vote on a motion to be the “sole representative body” for postgraduate students.
After a request for comment from Trinity News, GSU President Gisèle Scanlon said that she believed she had seconded the motion but provided no further information on the matter.
Another officer of the GSU reported on social media that they were surprised by the timing and contents of the meeting. They added that proposed amendments to the GSU’s constitution include removing the ability for an executive to be removed for a vote of no confidence and labelled this “slightly tyrannical.”
This article was amended at 5:51 pm to clarify why TCDSU represents postgraduate students.
