The Capitation Committee is currently “waiting to hear back” from the Graduate Students’ Union (GSU) on complaints made against it.
The GSU has come under fire in recent weeks, after it ran a chaotic EGM at which much of its constitution was overhauled. The voting system used during the EGM, however, was insecure and allowed non-members to vote.
The union’s conduct at the EGM has led to the circulation of petitions to remove GSU President Gisèle Scanlon and Vice-President Abhisweta Bhattacharjee from their positions.
In an email statement to The University Times, Aidan Marsh, the executive officer to the Senior Dean, said: “The Capitation Committee’s Terms of Reference indicate that it is required to deal with complaints brought to the Capitation Committee against capitated bodies and/or their dependent organisations, and that if a capitated body’s internal procedures are deemed to have dealt with a complaint unsatisfactorily the Capitation Committee will ensure compliance with the regulation(s).”
“The Capitation Committee”, he said, “are aware of the complaints against the Trinity Graduate Student’s Union and to that end have enquired, and are waiting to hear back from, the GSU in respect of where they are in dealing with these complaints”.
“A decision as to whether to proceed further will be taken based on that correspondence.”
Scanlon did not respond to a request for comment by the time of publication.
Last week, the GSU executive sent an email to the postgraduate community confirming that the union was standing by motions and amendments passed at the last EGM.
The substantial changes that were passed on the night include the introduction of a new sabbatical officer position, as well as mandates to campaign for a partial fee refund and a living wage for postgraduate workers.
However, this newspaper reported that multiple votes were cast by people who were not members of the GSU.
Last week, the TCD Postgraduate Workers Alliance – an advocacy group backed by the Graduate Students’ Union (GSU) – signalled its support for the petitions to hold a vote of no confidence in Scanlon and Bhattacharjee.
In a press statement, the group said that it was “aware” that the petition related to Scanlon had reached the requisite 60 signatures to trigger a vote of no confidence, and that the GSU Oversight Office David Donohue and Dean of Graduate Studies Martine Smith “have been alerted to this”.
It added that it would raise the issue with Trinity College Dublin Students’ Union (TCDSU) and the Capitation Committee, which gives Trinity’s capitated bodies – including the GSU – its funds.
