The Students’ Union is a collection of people. It is run for students by students. SU Officers represent you at college level, fight for your rights, and look after your needs. As a student of Trinity College, you are automatically a member of TCDSU. Remember – we work for you, so if you think we should be focusing on a particular issue, get in touch!
The Students’ Union website is a vital resource for Trinity students. It’s the place to go if you have a problem in College - it has information on accommodation, jobs, campaigns, as well as information pertaining to education and welfare. The website also contains contact details for each Sabbatical Officer. Follow us @TCDSU on Twitter and Instagram, or 'Trinity College Dublin Students' Union' on Facebook!
TCDSU was established in 1968 to work for the benefit of and provide services to the students of Trinity. "We work for you" is our motto and this message rings through the Union's efforts to improve members' academic lives within Trinity, and to address social and equallity issues on and off campus for more than fifty years.
A union is only as strong as its members — our impact depends on your energy, ideas, and trust. If you'd like to get involved: run for a position, come along to our events, or just tell someone about TCDSU!
There are over 20,000 undergraduate and postgraduate students in Trinity. Each one of them is a TCDSU member.
At the start of this academic year, every undergraduate class elected a Class Rep who sits on their Faculty Assembly (STEM/AHSS/HS) and SU Council. Their role is to voice the needs & interests of their class in the Union.
Each class sits within one of Trinity's 24 schools, and every school has a TCDSU School Convenor. School Executives are meetings of the School Convenors and staff from each school in Trinity. They are used to resolve school-specific issues, e.g. assessments, coursework, etc.
Each School sits within of the three Trinity Faculties:
Every Faculty has an undergraduate Convenor and a Deputy Convenor. Faculty Assemblies are meetings of the respective Faculty Convenor/Deputy Convenor, School Convenors and Class Reps. They are used to resolve faculty-specific issues, e.g. placement, labs, fieldwork, etc, and local issues, e.g. broken doors, coursework materials, etc.
Council is the main decision-making body in the Union. It discusses student issues or votes on motions that would change Union policy, i.e. our stance on everything from parking rates in St James’s Hospital Campus to national housing legislation. Every student may attend Council and speak on any topic that affects them. However, only elected members can vote: Sabbatical Officers; Part-Time Officers; Convenors; the Undergraduate Studies Committee rep; and Class Reps.
Union Forum (UF) is where SU Sabbatical Officers, Part-Time Officers, and Faculty Convenors meet to report on their work, draft Council motions/discussion items, and ensure that the Union is managed properly. UF also has three non-voting members: the Junior Common Room (JCR) President, the Chair of the Electoral Commission, and the Chair of the Oversight Commission.
The SU Sabbatical Board consists of the President, Education Officer, Welfare & Equality Officer, Communications & Marketing Officer, and Ents Officer. They run the Union on an annual full-time basis and are elected by the student body every year.
The Electoral Commission (EC) runs all SU Councils as well as any election or referenda held by the Students’ Union, ensuring clarity and transparency. As such, no member of the EC may hold another position in the Union, although the Chair of the EC is also the Chair of Council.
The Oversight Commission (OC) are responsible for managing and maintaining the Union’s policy. Any student in the College can ask the OC about existing Union policy and whether the Union has executed it. The Chair of the Oc is also the Secretary to Council and can be contacted if you want to submit a motion or item for discussion.
Together, the Commissions ensure that all Union actions are in line with our Constitution and Council mandates.
