Democracy and Student Voice Framework

What are they?

• Student Community Organisers build relationships with students, surface priorities, support student-led campaigns, and ensure those who face barriers to participation are heard.

• They actively listen to students, help to kick-start the action required for campaigns, and are the primary interface between students and the democratic structures.

• They spend most of their time in student spaces, talking to students, finding common issues and working closely with the Advocacy Officers so that student issues are fed into the right committees and decision-makers.

• Student Community Organisers are recruited and appointed based on interpersonal skills, organizing capability, and commitment. MISU will employ a total of 4 Student Community Organisers with at least 1 SCO dedicated to the Thurles Campus. 

How they Represent You?

Student Community Organisers;

• Conduct one-to-one conversations and relationship-building with students across campus.

• Identify patterns in student concerns and emerging issues.

• Monitor the online petition platform and respond to submissions within 48 hours. Campaigns which are identified by the SCOs and students from the online petition platform will be championed by the Advocacy Officers. 

• Assess genuine student energy around issues using established criteria.

• Convene and support Campaign Teams around high-energy issues.

• Provide weekly written updates to Advocacy Officers on student priorities and campaign progress.

Accountability Mechanisms

• Student Community Organisers are paid roles within MISU however, payment is conditional on submission of monthly activity reports and adherence to role responsibilities.

• They are required to work approximately 8-10 hours per week for a total of approximately 30 weeks per academic year.

• They attend weekly team meetings for coordination and peer learning and undergo monthly supervision with the MISU General Manager.

More information on the role of Student Community Organisers is avaible in Schedule 7 of the MISU Constitution.

What are they?

• Learning Reps provide authentic student voice in academic quality, governance, and strategic institutional committees.

• They are the link between the lived student learning experince and the institution. 

• They gather student feedback on teaching quality, assessments, curriculum, and student experience within their faculty and provide intelligence to the Advocacy Officer Team for institutional advocacy.

• Learning Reps are recruited and appointed with 6-7 Learning Representatives covering all faculties, campuses, and programme levels.

How they Represent You?

Learning Reps;

• Attend Faculty Boards and relevant academic committees.

• Ensure student representation at Course Boards (attending personally or arranging programme-specific representatives). They will follow up with programme-specific representatives to ensure updates and feedback is fed back to the student body. 

• Gather structured feedback from student cohorts through consultation.

• Submit termly reports to Advocacy Officers identifying themes, concerns, and opportunities.

• Escalate issues requiring institutional advocacy.

Accountability Mechanisms

• Learning Reps are paid roles within MISU however, payment is conditional on 75% meeting attendance and submission of termly reports.

• They are required to work 30 weeks per academic year (teaching weeks across both semesters) with weekly hours determined by individual academic timetables, meeting schedules, and representation needs.  

• They attend regular check-ins with the MISU General Manager and all other Learning Reps for coordination and support.

More information on the role of Learning Reps is avaible in Schedule 7 of the MISU Constitution.

What are they?

• The Union Facilitator is a trained student staff member responsible for facilitating democratic meetings including the Student Confidence Conference and Democratic Procedures Committee.

• They ensure there is fair process, effective deliberation, and neutral chairing of democratic forums.

How they Represent You?

The Union Facilitator;

• Chairs Student Confidence Conference sessions.

• Chairs Democratic Procedures Committee meetings.

• Ensures fair participation and adherence to meeting procedures.

• Manages time effectively during sessions.

• Supports the combining and communication of recommendations and conclusions.

• Remains impartial and does not influence outcomes.

• Determines whether sufficient attendance exists for meaningful democratic accountability where no strict quorum applies.

Accountability Mechanisms

• The Union Facilitator is appointed by the MISU General Manager using the following selection criteria: facilitation skills, impartiality, understanding of democratic processes, and availability. 

• The Union Facilitator is a paid role and they are required to work for the full duration of SCC and DPC meetings plus preparation time. 

• They receive comprehensive training in facilitation techniques, deliberative democracy, and sortition processes.

• They have access to external facilitation resources and development and receive ongoing support from the MISU General Manager.

More information on the role of the Union Facilitator is avaible in Schedule 7 of the MISU Constitution.

What is it? 

• The Student Confidence Conference is the primary accountability mechanism holding the Advocacy Officer Team accountable for performance, delivery, and responsiveness to student concerns.

• The Conference provides structured opportunity for ordinary students to scrutinise officer work, ask questions, and determine whether officers retain student confidence.

• The Conference comprises 20-30 students selected by sortition (random selection) from the general membership and who have opted in to be included on the participants list.

How often does it meet? 

The Conference meets twice per academic year:

• First meeting: November or December (mid-year review)

• Second meeting: April or May (end-of-year review)

Each Conference session lasts 3-4 hours.

How are participants chosen? 

• Students selected for the Student Confidence Conference are not eligible to serve on the Democratic Procedures Committee during the same academic year.

• All students will be invited at the start of each academic year to opt in to be included on a participants list for the SCC. 

• Students opting in must confirm:

  • They are available on the proposed Conference date

  • They can commit approximately 8 hours (prep time plus session)

  • They understand the role and responsibilities

• Once the opt-in list has been created, MISU will use a random number generator to randomly select students based on their row number on the list. 

• The sortition process will ensure representation is included from both campuses, across all course levels, and the different faculties. 

• An additional 5-10 students will also be randomly selected as reserve participants in case of withdrawals. 

• Selected students will be contacted at least 3 weeks before the Conference date and students may decline participation without penalty.

What happens at meetings? 

The session is chaired by the Union Facilitator who will determine whether sufficient attendance exists for meaningful accountability. There is no strict quorum requirement.

The SCC hear reports from and can question the Advocacy Officers on the work they have done and what they promised to deliver. They also vote on confidence in the officers and can issue written recommendations.

The meetings are structured into 6 parts with a set time assigned to each part;

The entire session is recorded (audio) for transparency and record-keeping and a written summary will be published within 5 college days.

Participant Remuneration and Support

• Conference participants will be paid €40 per session via gift card with participants serving for the full academic year (both November/December and April/May sessions) receiving  €80 total for the year.

• Participants travelling from the Thurles Campus will be reimbursed travel expenses for reasonable costs.

• Refreshments will be provided during each session and participants may request support from MISU staff before, during, or after the Conference.

More information on the role and procedures of the Student Confidence Conference is avaible in Schedule 7 of the MISU Constitution.

What is it? 

• The Democratic Procedures Committee (DPC) provides governance oversight and has authority to amend the Schedules of the Constitution.

• The DPC deliberate on constitutional amendments, approve major policies, amend operational schedules and ensure that the representation system remains fit for purpose.

• Under Article 9.5.3 of the MISU Constitution, the DPC has authority to amend Constitutional Schedules 1-10 without calling a referendum.

• The DPC comprises 12-15 students selected by sortition (random selection) from the general membership and who have opted in to be included on the participants list.

How often does it meet? 

The DPC meets 3-4 times per year as required.

How are participants chosen? 

• Students selected for the Democratic Procedures Committee are not eligible to serve on the Student Confidence Conference during the same academic year.

• All students will be invited at the start of each academic year to opt in to be included on a participants list for the DPC.

• Students opting in must confirm they can commit to attending 3-4 meetings during the year.

• Once the opt-in list has been created, MISU will use a random number generator to randomly select students based on their row number on the list. 

• The sortition process will ensure representation is included from both campuses, across all course levels, and the different faculties. 

• Additional students will also be randomly selected as reserve participants in case of absences. 

What happens at meetings? 

The session is chaired by the Union Facilitator and quorum is 8 members (2/3 of committee if 12 members, or simple majority if 15 members).

Meetings will follow a deliberative process:

1. Issue presentation and briefing materials provided in advance

2. Structured discussion in small groups

3. Facilitated whole-group deliberation

4. Decision-making by vote where necessary

MISU staff provide administrative support and briefing materials to the DPC and Advocacy Officers may be invited to present or answer questions but are not voting members.

Participant Remuneration and Support

• Committee participants will be paid €30 via gift card per meeting attended (including preparation time).

• Participants travelling from the Thurles Campus will be reimbursed travel expenses for reasonable costs.

• Training is provided at the start of term covering role, powers, constitutional framework, and deliberative methods.

More information on the role and procedures of the Student Confidence Conference is avaible in Schedule 7 of the MISU Constitution.