Policy Manual June 2015

Mature Students

10 MS 2 Mature Students Officer

The high increase in the number of mature students attending third level education

That increasing access to lifelong learning and creating diverse student populations is to be welcomed

That mature students have additional needs and that these are often not represented at local level in colleges

In order to represent the needs of mature students, each student union should have a part time mature student representative

The Mature Students Officer to lobby local COs to create part time mature student officer positions and to assist all unions in the development of this position.

10 MS 3 Peer Support for Mature Students

Conference notes:

The success of peer support networks across Irish Third Level Institutions

Conference also notes:

The difficulties faced by mature students returning to education

Conference believes:

That other mature students are best placed to understand these issues and support mature students in first year

Conference mandates:

The Mature Students Officer to lobby each college to establish a mature student’s peer support network.

National Affairs

15 NA 2 Review of Best Practice with Regard to MSM Blood Donation

USI Congress Notes:

The growing support for the change of blood donation criteria, with particular reference to MSM criteria.

USI Congress Recognises:

• 
  3,000 donations are needed every week
  
• 
  Over 1,000 people receive transfusions every week in Ireland
  
• 
  Only 3% of the Irish population give blood, providing blood for a population of over 4 million
  
• 
  Only 5% of the Irish population eligible to give blood do so
  

USI Congress further Notes:

That many other countries and states, such as recently the United States of America, have changed their policy regarding the donation of blood by MSM donors. Sexual orientation screening negates the possibility of many potential blood donors based on outdated evidence and research.

USI Congress Affirms:

Where possible it is best to use existing evidence and research to inform decisions and stances upon issues.

15 NA 3 Relationships with Trades Unions

Congress commends

the alliance building with education trade unions by USI Officerboard the past year.

Congress believes

that these relationships will be invaluable not only in the context of solidarity within the education sector but also in the context of the next General Election.

Congress believes

that the Education system as a whole deserves protection and that it is incumbent on stakeholder unions to fight against the egregious attack that has occurred during the austerity period.

Congress therefore mandates
the USI President to enter into negotiations with stakeholder trade unions in the primary, secondary and third level education system towards building a common platform on Education for the next General Election. Proposed USI Motions

15 NA 4 Student Supports for Prisoners

Congress notes

That prisoners in the Irish prison system can find it difficult to qualify for student supports when applying to further or higher education.

Congress Further Notes

Improved access to education in the prison system means an increasing number of people are applying to go to college while incarcerated or upon release and a lack of access to supports is acting as a barrier to this.

Congress Mandates

The VP AAQA to work with the relevant bodies to alleviate and remove these restrictions.

15 NA 5 Traveller ethnicity

Congress notes

That Ireland’s statutory human rights and equality bodies including the Irish Human Rights Commission and the Equality Authority have concluded that Travellers fulfill the relevant sociological and anthropological criteria for recognition as a distinct ethnic group. 

Congress also notes 

That Travellers are recognised as a distinct ethnic minority in Britain, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales, and as separate from non-traveller Irish people. 

Congress further notes

The recommendations and findings emanating from the Council of Europe and the United Nations calling on the State to recognise travellers’ ethnic status. 

Congress believes

That the State cannot continue to deny Travellers their right to self-identify as members of an ethnic group.

Congress therefore mandates

The VP Equality and Citizenship to engage in a campaign calling on the Irish government to recognise the ethnic status of Irish Travellers. 

15 NA 6 Debt write-down for Ireland

Congress acknowledges:

That the Union’s core principles of education as a public good, equity of access and equality of opportunity, among the funding of other essential public services require a significant investment on the part of the state.

Congress notes with grave concern:

The extent to which the Irish state and its people have been saddled with EU-wide debt, accounting for €64bn in total.

Congress also notes with concern:

The lack of progress within government on this level of debt and the impact in particular that this has on the ability of the state to address the funding deficit in higher education.

Congress affirms:

Its opposition to the way in which Ireland has been disproportionately hindered by the total debt of the European Union.

Congress supports:

calls for an EU-wide conference on debt relief, akin to the one that spurred on the Marshall Plan after the Second World War and provided debt relief for Germany.

Congress mandates:

The VP Campaigns and President to lobby and campaign in opposition to the grossly unfair debt imposed on Ireland by the ECB, the EU and the IMF, with a view to working alongside like-minded organisations to achieving a debt-write down.

Directory: wp-content -> uploads -> 2013
2013 -> International post doctoral research fellowship programme final report title of the research
2013 -> Seals Family History 1565 to 2004
2013 -> Rao bulletin 15 July 2013 html edition this bulletin contains the following articles
2013 -> R institute of technology school of foreign languages
2013 -> Provisional Programme – subject to change thursday 10th april
2013 -> June, 2013 National hiv testing Day Month Men’s Health Week Hurricane Safety Month
2013 -> In memory of the residents of the Parish Chesham Bois that served their country during wwii
2013 -> Federal contract awards in georgia april 2013

Download 1.1 Mb.

Share with your friends: