Trinity College Dublin Students’ Union (TDCSU) has outlined an extensive plan for the integration of postgraduate students into the Union.
Postgraduate students and researchers have not had union representation in Trinity since the dissolution of the Graduate Students Union in 2022.
TCDSU Education Officer Eoghan Gilroy has described this as “an exciting opportunity to formalise the representation of postgraduates in Trinity”, further labelling their lack of representation as “detrimental”.
“This integration will change the face of the union for the better” and “will allow all [postgrads] to use their voice to impact Union policy, which will have a huge impact on actual policy across Trinity”, he said.
As a part of the integration process, postgraduate students have been categorised into two groups: postgraduate researchers (PGRs) and postgraduate taught (PGTs).
PGRs include those who are undertaking PhDs, professional doctorates, non-resident postgraduates and MSc by Research. They are registered for a degree in which they perform research and do not take full time classes within Trinity.
PGTs are masters taught students and any other students who are undertaking a postgraduate qualification. These postgraduates are in full-time receipt of formal education and do not perform independent research as their primary or exclusive function.
The document states that “the needs and demands of PGRs and PGTs are equally important but so distinct that grouping them into the same forum would do a disservice to both”.
According to the outlined plan, a subgroup for PGRs will be established within TCDSU.
The documents states that TCDSU Council is currently “not adequate to address the needs or concerns of PGRs”
The subgroup will act to address issues affecting PGR students, provide a forum for PGRs and will have the authority to propose motions regarding PGRs at Council.
At the first meeting of the PGR Council, a postgraduate researcher officer will be elected, who will act as chair of the group. This position will be paid on a contractual basis and can only be filled by a current postgraduate researcher.
Postgraduate Researchers will also be integrated into the representative structure of TCDSU. There will be two representatives for first and second year cohorts and two representatives for remaining years.
This will lead to the creation of 48 new PGR representatives, who will all be entitled to vote at TCDSU Council.
In accordance with this new PGR Council, a new position will be created for a PGR representative in the Electoral Commission and the Oversight Commission, respectively.
As for the postgraduate taught (PGT) students, a postgraduate taught officer will be introduced. Unlike the PGR officer, this position will be paid on a full-time basis
While TCDSU maintains that they are “generally well-built to manage PGT issues”. They hope to ensure further postgraduate student representation through having “at least one representative in the union per school year where possible”.
The elections to Council will take place in early October, and will be followed by elections for school and faculty convenors, in a similar fashion to the undergraduate system.
As for positions on University Board, University Council, and their principle committees, TCDSU has proposed that two positions be allocated for postgraduates, one for PRGs and one for PGTs.
The document concludes promising that the effectiveness of this new integration strategy of postgraduate representatives is to be reviewed at the end of each academic year by the education officer, the PGR officer, the PGT officer and the chair of Council.
