THE UNION IS A DEMOCRATIC ORGANISATION RUN BY STUDENTS FOR STUDENTS. WE ARE HERE FOR YOU.

Decision making within the union takes place on three levels:

A_Student Body B_The Assembly C_The Executive

_STUDENT BODY

The student body is just another word for all of the students of the Institute together. The student body is the supreme decision making body within the union and has final say on all matters of importance

affecting the union.

HOW DOES THE STUDENT BODY HAVE ITS SAY?

This is done in two ways; firstly, by voting in elections for class reps, part-time, and sabbatical officers.

Secondly, by voting in referenda which take place on various different topics throughout the year.

_THE ASSEMBLY

The Assembly is the ‘parliament’ of the students union and is made up of all class representatives and

executive offi cers. The Assembly meets once a month and adopts policy for the union as well as holds

the executive offi cers accountable for the work they do.

_THE EXECUTIVE

The Executive is the ‘cabinet’ of the students union and comprises both full time sabbatical offi cers (the

president, deputy president, and campus president for Castlebar) and part time offi cers who continue

as full time students while serving the union on a part time basis.

THE PRESIDENT

The President is the chief executive offi cer and principal spokesperson for the Students Union. He/she is responsible for administering the Union on a day to day basis and for negotiating on its behalf with external organisations. The President represents the students on all of the major decision making bodies within GMIT including the Governing Body and the Academic Council.

VICE PRESIDENT / WELFARE OFFICER

The Deputy President/Welfare Offi cer is responsible for welfare services on all campuses with the exception of the Castlebar Campus. The Deputy President provides advice and referral services on issues such as health, accommodation, and general safety while at college. The deputy president also acts in place of the president during his or her absence.

CLASS REPS

Your Class Rep (Class Representative) is the spokesperson for your class within the Institute. The class rep is the fi rst point of contact for all Institute authorities with your class. The Class Reps are collectively responsible for deciding the policy of the Student Union. The class reps also hold the elected full-time and part-time offi cers to account.

What you stand to gain by becoming a Class Rep:

• Leadership skills// Your classmates may look to you for leadership on issues that face your class such as, issues with timetables etc.

• Negotiations skills// You may be required to negotiate with your department head or a lecturer on matters such as re-arranging a class or extending an assignment deadline etc.

• Advocacy skills// This means that you will learn to speak on behalf of your classmates at a number of different levels, i.e. class rep meetings, course boards, etc.

• Organisation Skills// As class rep you will be responsible for the organisation of class parties, trips away, and that kind of thing. Class outings such as these are crucial to developing a group spirit among your class and ensuring that nobody is left out.