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By Eil\u00eds Walsh and Tom\u00e1s Heneghan<\/p>\n
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Students at the University of Limerick yesterday elected a new Students\u2019 Union sabbatical team, with a record turnout of 32.5 percent.<\/p>\n
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The announcement of the new team, who will take up their positions during the summer at the University of Limerick Students\u2019 Union (ULSU), was made last night at popular on-campus bar, the Stables Club.<\/p>\n
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Out of a total of 11 candidates, Physical Education and Irish Fourth Year student Sarah Dunphy was elected President; Fourth Year Business student Caolan O\u2019Donnell was elected DP Welfare Officer; and Mechanical Engineering Fourth Year student Donal Foley was elected VP Academic Officer.<\/p>\n
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Ms Dunphy is the first female ULSU President since the 2013\/2014 Academic year and only the third female president of the Union\u2019s now 40 presidents since its foundation in 1972.<\/p>\n
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Speaking to An Focal on Friday, Ms Dunphy said of her win: \u201cIt\u2019s very surreal still. It\u2019s been hugely enjoyable, the whole campaign and I\u2019m looking forward to the year ahead.\u201d<\/p>\n
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\u201cMy main aim would be to actually create the [UL app], if I could, with the map of UL because I think it\u2019s something that is needed and just to work with my sabbatical officers and have a fantastic year and make a big improvement in UL as much as possible.\u201d<\/p>\n
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Mr O\u2019Donnell, who will take over the role as Welfare Officer from Ciara Corcoran during the summer, said of yesterday\u2019s election result: \u201cIt\u2019s crazy, knowing that we were part of a record-breaking election – absolutely phenomenal. It hasn\u2019t really kicked in yet.\u201d<\/p>\n
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Speaking about his plans for the next academic year, he explained: \u201cI think anyone who saw my campaign saw that mental health is a massive thing for me, so I\u2019m going to be doing a lot of work with that.<\/p>\n
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\u201cIn working with that, we are going to try and sort out a sensible drugs policy in the college because there is a strong correlation between the two, so obviously I\u2019m going to do everything I can because this isn\u2019t a thing I can bring on my own, I\u2019m going to have to get the support of the two other sabbatical officers.\u201d<\/p>\n
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Mr Foley, who will in a few months time take over from current Academic Officer, Marian O\u2019Donnell commented to An Focal: \u201cIt really hasn\u2019t set in yet but the biggest thing is I couldn\u2019t have done it without my campaign team and to be quite honest, they\u2019re not a campaign team, they\u2019re friends, so I\u2019d put all the success down to them.\u201d<\/p>\n
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\u201cMy main plan is to get the student forum up and running so students can go on and get their module description and all the details they need to know about the module from a student point of view, because I think it\u2019s very ambiguous getting it from a lecturer\u2019s point of view because they know a lot more than students.\u201d<\/p>\n
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There was an earlier controversy in the lead-up to this week\u2019s election when current ULSU President Colin Clarke failed to complete all parts of his nomination form by the deadline for submission, as he had intended to run again for position of President of the Union.<\/p>\n
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Mr Clarke and a second candidate hoping to run for President appealed their exclusion last Friday from the election to the Electoral and Referenda Board (ERB), however their appeal failed.<\/p>\n
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In a statement the ERB said: \u201cBoth members appealed the ERB decision to the Returning Officer. Following legal consultation the Returning Officer upheld both decisions of the ERB.\u201d<\/p>\n
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The statement also explained the reasons for their elimination, saying:<\/p>\n
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\u201cJack Shelly, Business Studies, 2nd Yr, submitted his form after the 5pm deadline March 4th.<\/p>\n
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“Schedule 1 of the Constitution provides amongst other things that \u201cNomination Forms must reach the democracy development manager or such other person nominated by the ERB not later than 5pm on day of close of nomination\u201d.\u00a0 In addition the ERB Rules and Guidelines 2016 at paragraph 1.5 provides that nominations close Friday 4th March (week 6) 2016 at 5pm.<\/p>\n
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\u201cThe Returning Officer upheld the decision of the Electoral Referendum Board in this matter. The requirements in relation to the timing of receipt of nominations prior to 5pm on the date of closing for nominations are mandatory in nature in Schedule 1 of the constitution. \u00a0 To allow the nomination would be an incorrect application of the provisions of the constitution.<\/p>\n
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\u201cColin Clarke, current ULSU President, submitted an incomplete nomination form, page 3 of the nomination form was not signed.<\/p>\n
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\u201cPage 3 asks the candidate to formally agree to uphold the ULSU constitution. The candidate also must confirm that they and their campaign manager have read and understood and will abide by the rules and guidelines outlined by the ERB for the sabbatical officer\u2019s elections 2016.<\/p>\n
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“Under Article 11 of the ULSU constitution the procedure for all elections and referenda shall be determined by the ERB. Failure to both complete and execute the confirmations required on page 3 and the failure of the campaign manager to execute the confirmations required on page 3 means that the nomination form in the form made available by the ERB for the purpose of the nomination is incomplete.\u00a0 Under the ULSU constitution the ERB does have the authority to require the nomination form (subject to the requirements of the Constitution) to be submitted in the form required by the ERB.<\/p>\n
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\u201cFurthermore paragraph 29 of Schedule 1 of the Constitution states \u201cUpon signing the nomination form candidates formally agree to uphold the Constitution\u201d. The part of the form on page three that was not completed or signed by Colin or his campaign manager includes the reference to the requirement to uphold the Constitution.\u00a0 This is a material part of the nomination form.<\/p>\n
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\u201cThe Returning Officer upheld the decision of the Electoral Referendum Board in this matter as<\/p>\n
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The Returning Officer\u2019s decision on the appeal shall be final and binding on all parties.\u00a0USLU Constitution, Schedule 1. 46\u201d<\/p>\n
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The statement from the ERB concluded: \u201cIt is an unfortunate set of circumstances that have led to Jack\u2019s and Colin\u2019s elimination from the election.\u00a0 We wish Jack and Colin all the best in their respective future endeavours.\u00a0 No further comment will be made by the ERB members on this matter.\u201d<\/p>\n