Carlow College management has set up a College-appointed student team to replace the students’ union following the latter’s failure to elect a sabbatical team, sparking concerns about the independence of student representation at the institution.
In an email sent to all students in July 2024, Director of Student Services & Learner Supports Dr Lisa Fortune announced that a “student representative team”, composed of five part-time, paid positions, would be set up.
The decision appears to violate the constitution of Carlow College’s Academic Council, which mandates that the elected student representatives sit on the body.
The attached job description confirmed that the students will be reporting directly to the college. The role of the appointed students will be to enhance student life “through representation, wellbeing initiatives, and organising events”. First-year students are ineligible to apply.
It is also unclear whether the actions taken by Carlow College are compliant with the Higher Education Authority Act 2022.
Fourth-year arts and humanities student Barry Fox, graduating in November, told Trinity News he would be “very concerned about the future of student representation” at Carlow College.
“It’s a case of student autonomy, because we have issues that affect us where the College and government might have clashing interests and opposing viewpoints. They’ll say they’ll listen to the student voice, but really, if there is that much oversight, the student voice, when there is dissent, it simply won’t be listened to – especially in the political realm, with issues like the genocide in Gaza.”
“It’s such a mess,” Fox added. “The election should really have been run again.”
Reportedly, the students’ union sabbatical elections returned a vote to reopen nominations (RON) in seven out of eight races. It remains unclear why elections were not rerun.
Chris Clifford, speaking as president on behalf of the USI, said: “It’s definitely a shame, and quite disappointing to see the situation at Carlow College this year.
“It shows how a lack of engagement can really have a detrimental effect on a students’ union and student-led representation at a college, and why driving engagement is an important part of what we do.”
“We hope the college and the student representative team, along with support from USI, can ensure the return of the students’ union for the 2025/26 academic year. The students need to be united and represented on all boards within the college to ensure the student voice is heard.”
“We are waiting for the student representative team to start their roles, but in the meantime we will be reaching [out] to the returning officer once the academic year commences to make them aware that USI is here to provide support in any way we can.”
Carlow College Students’ Union (CCSU) are a member body of the Union of Students’ in Ireland (USI), of which Trinity College Dublin Students’ Union (TCDSU) is also a member.
Carlow College and CCSU did not respond to requests for comment.
