FAQs

A campaign team is a group of individuals such as friends, classmates or other peers who will help you campaign to the student body throughout the election process. Your campaign team will help share information on your campaign, help you with your social media presence & ideally will promote and advocate on your behalf as the best candidate for the job.

Yes. Any EU national can become an officer with no restrictions. If you come from further afield you may have to extend/modify your visa. If you have any concerns get in touch and we’ll be happy to help.

Yes, all UL students can run in the Student Life elections. Postgraduate students also have the option of running for a position in the Postgraduate Students’ Union.

Our student representation is not limited to the roles of the student officers. The student officer team works closely with other student groups – such as student council, student executive and class reps – within UL Student Life to ensure the wider student community is represented. Interest group representatives on our student council include:

• Equality & Diversity Councillor
• Disabilities Councillor
• Home International Councillor
• Visiting International Councillor
• Mature Student Councillor
• LGBTQI Councillor
• Student Affairs Councillor
• Sports Councillor
• Activities Councillor
• Entertainments Councillor
• First Year Councillor
• Student Services Councillor
• Volunteering Councillor
• Community Councillor
• Cooperative Education Councillor
• Campus Facilities Councillor
• Sanctuary Rep
• Student Parent Rep

Our work is mandated by you, the students, so if you don’t feel represented, tell us what you’d like to see instead and make sure you vote during the elections for the candidates you feel will most closely represent your views.

ONLINE Voting https://vote.ulsu.ie

Nomination open – Week 4 Friday, 17th February 2023

Campaigning can only begin after the meeting of the ERB on Week 6 Friday, 3^rd of March at 12:00 pm.

Voting dates and time – Thursday, 9^th March (Week 7) 8am – 8pm. The Election results will be announced shortly after voting closes on the Thursday.

Results night is nerve racking for everyone, candidates, campaign teams and the ERB. Only four people will be elected so that means the majority are going to be gutted. If you lose, obviously you will be disappointed and wonder what will you do next year and you will think of all the friends who campaigned so hard for you. It is hard but you will have to pick yourself up pretty quickly and get on with your studies and get ready for exams. Results come out on a Thursday night.

You will be wrecked after campaign week and maybe a bit sleep deprived. Take the Friday off and rest, if you can or you don’t have assignments due try to get out of Limerick for a bit. Come Sunday night you’ll be back in Limerick and ready to get back to study on Monday. Think about getting your degree because ultimately the main reason everyone is in college is to get their degree.

Being a Student Officer is fun and hardwork. Of course we have a laugh, it is much easier when everyone gets along and works together as a team. BUT when a student wins an election they are immediately seen as representative for students even if they don’t take office until June. You are held to a higher expectation of behaviour and responsibility. The reputation of the Union and University rests on your shoulders. Because of smart phones, videos etc. Student Officers cannot be seen to be involved in risky behaviour. I strongly advise you to choose your housemates carefully and know who your friends are so that they won’t drag you into less than ideal situations. Once you are an officer of the Union, rightly or wrongly, you are that officer 24/7 when you are in Limerick. That can be tough going. You need good friends and family that will allow you safely switch off when you are away from UL students.

The Union electoral assistance for the 4 fulltime ULSU sabbatical positions: President; Welfare; Academic and Communities, will be €1000 divided between all the candidates. The maximum amount that can be allocated to a candidate is €100 but will be less if there is more than 10 candidates running between all three elections. Electoral funding will only be given in arears on a vouched receipt basis. Refunds will be by electronic bank transfer only. Candidates must supply bank details via email.

The hustings is a meeting of all the candidates that will be held (date tbc) before voting day. The start time depends on how many candidates are declared. Each candidate has a limited amount of time (1.5-3mins) to speak and say why students should vote for them. The meeting is chaired and strictly timed. The audience which is made up of students can pose questions, but the question must be addressed to every candidate. Candidates may pass on answering a question if they wish. The husting rules are stated in Schedule 1 of the constitution.

UL Student Life adopted a new Strategic Plan in 2021, “Building on Success”, 2021-2024. A strategic plan gives an organisation a plan and set of objectives to achieve for the coming 4 years. Very few things in a big organisations lifespan happens quickly. For a Union to be effective we need to think beyond the academic year and think long term on what we want to achieve. ULSLs strategic Plan is divided in 4 pillars:

• Putting Students First
• Enhancing Services, Supports and Engagement
• Building Relationships
• Developing the Organisation

So, don’t be afraid of the plan, almost any objective will fit under at least one of the above pillars.

Definition: a public declaration of policy and aims, issued before an election by an election candidate. A candidate types out what they want to achieve if they get elected. ULSL has a strategic plan – Taking Giant Steps 2016-2020. I advise students to match up their manifesto to the Strategic Plan. Don’t be afraid of the strategic plan. It is very broad and can encompass most candidates objectives. It’s important to have a manifesto that is reasonable as well. A lot of people put down stuff that is just in no way achievable, while I would of course encourage you to think big don’t take students for granted, they aren’t stupid. Your manifesto must be submitted with your nomination form by _________, to inform students who the candidates are and what each person’s objectives are if they get elected.

You need to write your manifesto and make a campaign plan in advance of nomination week with friends who will tell you the truth. Get your campaign team together well in advance. Make sure they know your manifesto and they know the election rules and regulations.

Focus on your own campaign. In the past, candidates have wasted time picking holes in other people’s campaigns and trying to catch them out with the ERB rules. Obviously keep an eye out, but your overall focus should be on your own campaign. Make sure your campaigners are polite, enthusiastic and that they know your manifesto. Enjoy the campaign week.

If there is a high number of candidates running, this means the vote will spread among all the candidates and it is unlikely someone will be elected in the first count. The second and third preference votes will elect who will be the officer. THEREFORE be nice and ask for second and third preference if someone has promised their first preference to someone else. Above all be yourself and don’t try to create a new public persona. Students see through that immediately.

Yes – see the ERB rules and regs 2023. If a candidate or a member of their team breaches Schedule 1 Election Regulations of the ULSL Constitution and the ERB Rules and Regs they can be:

• Publicly reprimanded
• Expelled from hustings
• Reduced union electoral assistance
• Disqualified from the election

The position you think you could really excel in. Essentially the choice is yours, no one can really tell you the position you should go for it has to be decided by yourself. Of course you can reach out to current and ex sabbats to get a feel for each role and make your mind up on that!

Yes, the month of June and early July you are trained for your role and within the sabbatical team. But realistically the entire year is training. There will be things thrown at you (not literally) that you haven’t dealt with before and nor could you train for. This is where the rest of the SU falls into place to support you. Just like the students have the SU and are not alone, you have the SU staff who are there for you.

There are many reasons to become an SU Officer.

• It is a fantastic experience where you work hard every day for the students of UL. It is an exciting year, full of challenges. Each day is different; one day you could be helping a student with a problem, leading a national campaign or sitting on an interview panel for new staff members. The next day you could be attending a University meeting assessing course content or doing a presentation to your executive committee or sitting in a meeting with the UL President.
• Make a difference. You can make a positive impact on students’ lives by influencing the decision makers. There are many changes and developments within the Union and the University that that have been driven through by an SU Officer. e.g. securing €10million of government funds for the library extension, negotiating a deal for students for a new student centre and new sports facilities, building a boathouse for six clubs to develop, etc.
• Develop invaluable life and work skills. Over the year you will have developed skills that will benefit you in all areas of your life including: communication, teamwork, leadership, organisation, influencing, strategic planning, working under pressure and problem solving.
• Improve your employability. This is a fantastic opportunity to build an amazing CV. You will have real experience of making senior level decisions as well overseeing budgets, events, meetings, projects, and teams of students! In one year, you will have worked with the media, interviewed staff, chaired meetings, written reports and negotiated change.

Yes, but you should talk to your Personal Advisor and Course Director about how this might affect your studies. You will be expected to complete your programme when the Student Officer position is finished.

Yes, Sabbats are paid minimum wage+€1 per hour for 44hrs a week for 53 weeks of their term of office. UL Students vote on the sabbat wages at semester 1 general meeting.

Representing 17,000+ members at all levels of governance to the University as well as locally and nationally. Student Officers represent the concerns and views of individuals, groups or the whole student body on welfare, academic, social and financial issues. UL Student Life exists to make students’ lives better by offering services which include: representation, support, development and entertainment.

• The Student Officers sit numerous committees representing the interests of UL students. All these meetings require the officers to be prepared, read the meeting documentation and think of the impact of decisions on the student’s lives. It is hard work but a brilliant experience being part of the decision making forums.
• Officers also assist individual students in resolving issues affecting them & guide them to appropriate help. 
• Abiding by the UL Student Life constitution & following the UL Student Life strategic plan (2016) Taking Giant Steps
• The direction of the organisation with over a million euros in turnover
• UL Student Life is an unincorporated organisation and it owns a limited company, ULSU Trading.ltd, for the organisations commercial interests – events, clothing, common-room facilities
• Making up the majority of the Board of Trustees. Along with three external trustees, the student executive are members of UL Student Life’s Board of Trustees. They advise the Student Council on financial prudence and oversight
• Postgrad Union represents postgrad students only
• Student officers are members of the university discipline committee & process.
• The middle man or woman between the students and the University staff A team of 11 fulltime staff support the work of the sabbatical officers & student representatives empowering students to run UL Student Life.

The Student Council is made up of 25 Department Reps, 15 interest group & 11 executive who discuss Union policy. The four UL Student Life officers are the only members who do not have a vote on council. As representatives of all UL students Council direct Executive on what to do. Council meets every second Tuesday at 6pm.

The UL Student Life Executive are a working group of 12 students (4 student officers and 8 full-time students) who are elected by the students to help implement students ideas, run UL Student Life campaigns, support student-led activities and represent students’ interests with the university at every level. The UL Student Life General Manager is also a member but does not have a vote. They meet weekly.

In early June you will start a 2 week handover from the outgoing officers. This is a good time to take up your position as there will be UL meetings at this time that you can attend. It is advised that you don’t take annual leave in June and early July due to meeting and training commitments. It is essential all student officers are present for August graduations and repeat exams. The core working hours for a student officer is 9am – 5pm BUT you will be expected to attend the Executive (weekly) and Student Council (bi-weekly) meetings at 6-7.30pm. UL Student Life Officers are paid for a 44hr week given the variety of late evening work the role entails.

There are four undergraduate Student Officers:

• UL Student Life President
• Deputy President Welfare 
• Vice President Academic officer
• Vice President Communities Officer
• The Postgraduate Union have their own President and Vice President. 

Technically a sabbatical is a person who takes a year out from the regular job or study to do something different. UL student sabbatical officer means a full-time student elected by UL students to represent them and their interests in the university, locally and nationally, i.e. a student representative who is paid full time to carry out representative responsibilities. A sabbatical officer is all of the above and more than the title. You’re a friend, a colleague, a peer, a signpost, and an advisor. You are the person a student goes to when they have a problem, an idea or just want to talk. In essence you are their representative but also a problem solver.

If your answer is the following then you are heading for failure:

• I haven’t got a job sorted for next year so I’ll go for this. It’s paid.
• It can’t be that hard.
• It will be a laugh.

BUT if your answer is along these lines:

• Represent student interests locally and nationally
• Give back to UL
• Work hard to make a positive difference to student’s lives in UL
• Work to make UL a better university

…now you can read on.