The Graduate Students’ Union (GSU) is refusing to sign a renewed Student Partnership Agreement with College and Trinity College Dublin Students’ Union (TCDSU).
Having not been renewed since 2019, the process of signing the agreement has been delayed by GSU President Gisèle Scanlon’s reluctance to sign the document over a myriad of issues affecting students.
The purpose of the agreement is to encourage student engagement during their time at university and applies to all students and academic and professional staff in Trinity. It also aims to create a more collaborative relationship between TCDSU and staff in College.
The agreement is supposed to be reviewed annually and was last approved in 2019 by Scanlon, who was vice president of the GSU, then-Provost Patrick Prendergast, then-TCDSU President Laura Beston, and the then-GSU President, TCDSU education officer and Vice-Provost.
Examples of the partnership include Trinity’s Disability Service, Student 2 Student Mentor Programmes (S2S), the student counselling service and Trinity Access Programme (TAP).
According to a discussion item to be brought to this evening’s council, László Molnárfi, a PPES class representative and chair of activist group Students4Change, “the union is currently proceeding with the SPA without it having the support of the GSU, as they said that they will not sign it until they know the outcome of the fee increase proposals and the HEA Bill”.
Scanlon did not respond to a request for comment from The University Times by the time of publication. She did tell this newspaper, however, that the GSU has written to the Vice Provost about the matter.
In an email statement to The University Times, TCDSU Education Officer Bev Genockey said that the agreement was approved by a meeting of the Student Life Committee last year.
“Myself and the TCDSU President, Leah Keogh are very pleased to see this development, following several months of work and consultation on the project between TCDSU, the GSU and the dean of students”, Genockey said.
“Preparations on the document formally began in late October / early November and since then TCDSU has consulted with students with regard to the document by inviting their consultation in a variety of forms, which by our understanding, hasn’t happened before”, she continued.
Genockey added that TCDSU is “eager to have it signed sooner rather than later, as this allows our part-time student representatives to leverage it in their meetings with school and college officers”.
“One of the primary aims of the student partnership policy is to see students involved in the College’s decision-making processes. We are confident that following the consultation process we’ve had internally that our students endorse the document and it’s the underlying theme of the importance of protecting students as partners in teaching and learning.”
Molnarfi will also bring a motion to council this evening to put the agreement to a student-wide referendum. The motion has been seconded by Scanlon.
The discussion item cites the “€450 examination resit fee, proposal to build on College Park and the lack of adequate mitigation measures for in-person examinations during the pandemic” as reasons to not support the agreement.
The proposal to build a temporary exhibition space on College park to house the Book of Kells while necessary restoration works were carried out on the Old Library sparked controversy among the college community.
However, at the end of January following “consultation within the Trinity community”, the decision was made to place the interim exhibition in New Square instead.
Provost Linda Doyle said in a press statement at the time: “A process of careful consultation across College has led to today’s agreement on how to proceed with this plan. I want to thank those involved for their engagement. We believe this choice of location offers the best possible solution for our staff, students and future visitors to College.”
