Governance, Policies & Procedures

A Referendum is the ultimate decision-making device within MISU and is how articles of The Constitution can be changed. If you want something big to change in the SU or how it works, this is how it’s done. 

A referendum can be called by the Executive Committee, Union Council, or a petition for at least 15% of the Union’s membership. For a referendum to be valid, at least 10% of Union members must vote. 

The current version of The Constitution was approved by referendum on 21st February 2023 to include the following amendments:  

• Articles 9 and 10 amended to introduce a third Sabbatical Officership; Vice-President Student Experience & Wellbeing to the MISU Executive Committee.  
• Article 18 amended to include regulations for financial management & procedures. 
• Article 19 amended to change MISU Advisory Committee to MISU Management Advisory Board. 

1. MISU Constitution

• Passed by referendum of the student body.
• Provides the framework for how MISU operates, our objectives and how our representation activities are structured.

2. MIC Student Body

• A Union General Meeting (UGM) is the supreme governing body of MISU.
• All MIC students are part of the supreme governing body of MISU.
• Through UGM, students mandate Union Council, the executive or the full-time officers work on their behalf.

3. Union Council

• The representative body of the students — gathering of the Class Reps.
• Meets fortnightly with 6 meetings per semester.
• Quorum for union council is 40% plus one of the elected Class Reps.

4. Executive Committee

• 3 full-time and 7 part-time elected Officers make up this committee with UC Chairperson and an ex-officio member.
• Meets on a weekly basis with 12 meetings per semester.
• Is responsible for implementing MISU policy and decisions or working on issues which have been raised by the Class Reps at Union Council.

Student Representation and Supports are the core of what we do, and the day-to-day representational activities are overseen by the elected Full-time Officers; the MISU President, Vice-President Academic and Vice-President Student Experience & Wellbeing. 

Along with this, MISU also provides a range of services for students to support and assist them during their time in MIC to ensure that they have a positive and fulfilling student experience.   

MISU co-ordinates the Clubs & Societies at Mary Immaculate College with MISU being an Unincorporated Club/Society and MISU also operates the on-campus shop – an Síopa - on the MIC Limerick Campus. 

The Commercial Services of the Union are incorporated as a Designated Activity Company (DAC) and the company MISU Commercial Services DAC is owned and operated by MISU.  

The Union’s Services, Operations, Finance and Administrative Functions are overseen by the General Manager who is supported by a team of 16 dedicated staff members across the Union and our Commercial Service Activities.  

To support MISU in ensuring our service delivery is consistent and student-centered, we developed the MISU Service Delivery Principles.

This documents details the key principles to which all MISU Departments, Staff and elected Officers commit. Underpinning these principles is a commitment that all staff and elected officers will have a good knowledge of the services MISU provides and the systems and procedures in place in both MISU and MIC.  

Board Membership 

Board Documentation 

MISU Management Advisory Board Terms of Reference

MISU Management Advisory Board Schedule of Matters (approved by Union Council - 01.02.2023)

MISU Management Advisory Board Code of Conduct

MISU Management Advisory Board Conflicts of Interest Policy

Directors

A process to recruit a new Chair and additional Directors, external to MISU, is currently underway.

• MISU President (ex-officio) 
• MISU Vice-President Academic (ex-officio) 
• MISU Vice-President Student Experience & Wellbeing (ex-officio) 
• Dee Kennelly (Company Secretary) (ex-officio – Director) 

Board Documentation 

The Board's Terms of Reference are available to view here 

The Code of Conduct for the board is available to view here 

The Board's Conflicts of Interest Policy is available to view here 

The MISU Office and MISU Commercial Services DAC Data Protection Policy enables MISU to:

• Demonstrate its commitment to the proper handling of personal data. 
• Comply with Data Protection Acts. 
• Protect the organisation from the consequences of any breach of its statutory and common law responsibilities.  
• To encourage and support a culture of best practice in relation to data protection.  

Click here to view the MISU Office and MISU Commercial Services DAC Data Protection Policy.

We listen to your complaints, we treat them seriously, we deal with them in a fair and transparent way, and we respond to them in a timely manner. 

We will monitor complaints at meetings of the MISU Management Advisory Board and where required we will look at making any necessary changes to our services, operations, and supports. 

Please note that this procedure relates to MISU, for MIC's Complaints by a Student procedure click here. For any student who wishes to make a complaint under MIC's procedure, you can contact MISU for support and advice.  

Informal Complaint 

Informal complaints can be made by contacting MISU either in-person or by phone call.

You can also complete the online complaint form and your complaint will be directed to the relevant personnel for follow-up. Please ensure you leave your contact details so we can get back to you. 

MISU aims to resolve informal complaints at the earliest opportunity. If your complaint was in-person or over the phone, then we will try to resolve the issue there and then. If we cannot, we will give you a timeframe in which we will be back to you. 

Formal Complaint 

If the complaint has not been satisfactorily resolved at the informal stage or if the nature of the complaint is more serious, then a complaint can be lodged with us through the online complaint form or by e-mail. 

A formal complaint must include: 

• Name and contact details of the complainant 

• Details of the complaint along with date/s and any supporting documentation 

A formal complaint will be dealt with by either the MISU President (Representation & Advocacy services) or the General Manager (MISU Services, Communications, Operations or Clubs & Societies). 

Where a complaint relates to an elected MISU Officer or MISU Elections, the MISU Disciplinary Procedures should be followed. 

If your complaint was by email or through our online complaint form, we will acknowledge receipt of your complaint within 7 days, and where it was an informal complaint, we will aim to resolve your complaint within this time frame. 

For a formal complaint, we will aim to resolve it within 21 days. If this is not possible, we will outline the reasons why and will give you a new deadline. 

Resolution of Complaints  

If you are not happy with our response, you may get in touch again by writing to the MISU General Manager. 

If you are still not satisfied with the outcome, you can contact the Chair of the MISU Management Advisory Board who will ensure that your complaint is considered by the Board. S/he will respond within two weeks of the date of consideration by Board members. 

We aim to resolve all complaints to a satisfactory outcome and where required, we will review and update our procedures and/or our services.