History of DITSU June 2017 Sharon Hughes CEO

History of DITSU June 2017 Sharon Hughes CEO DITSU CLG

Where it all began • Pre 1992 individual colleges with independent SU’s • 1993 amalgamated 6 Unions • There were 11 sabbatical officers and this remained until 2003 1. President Bolton St 2. Vice President/Welfare Bolton St 3. President Kevin St 4. Vice President/Welfare Kevin St 5. President Mountjoy Square/Rathmines 6. Vice President/Welfare Mountjoy Square/Rathmines Road 7. President Aungier St 8. Vice President/Welfare Aungier St 9. President Cathal Brugha St 10. Vice President/Welfare Cathal Brugha St 11. Overall DITSU President

What the hell happened in 2003? In 2000 the Exec hired the Point Depot

What the hell happened in 2003? In 2000 the Exec hired the Point Depot The event lost € 30, 000

What the hell happened in 2003? In 2000 the Exec hired the Point Depot The event lost € 30, 000 In 2001 the Exec decided to make the money back

What the hell happened in 2003? In 2000 the Exec hired the Point Depot The event lost € 30, 000 In 2001 the Exec decided to make the money back By hiring the Point Depot

What the hell happened in 2003? In 2000 the Exec hired the Point Depot The event lost € 30, 000 In 2001 the Exec decided to make the money back By hiring the Point Depot This time they lost € 70, 000

Pre-2002 In less than 15 months the officers lost over € 100, 000 of students money The Exec had the majority on all financial decisions The President had a Company Car The staff wrote to the DIT President asking for support The DITSU President threatened to fire them for it The Exec and the staff were at loggerheads and DITSU was in crisis

So what happened? Two key players came on board: Jarlath Molloy Hugh O Reilly In 2001/2 Jarlath, called for a complete Constitutional Review of DITSU In 2003 Hugh got elected on the platform of complete organisational overhaul of DITSU

What else happened? Jarlath successfully passed a motion for the review Jarlath chaired the first Constitutional Review Committee In 2002 Hugh commissioned a Strategic Review of DITSU In 2003 the first Strategic Plan was prepared 54 recommendations were made

Strategic Review Terms of Reference In Autumn 2002, a consortium of consultants, led by Montague Communications, was engaged by the Dublin Institute of Technology’s Students’ Union (DITSU) to undertake a root and branch review of its structures and activities and to develop a strategy for the future development of the organisation. DITSU envisaged that this review would provide it with a timely opportunity to take stock of what has happened within the organisation since its inception; as well as an opportunity to analyse, with the advice of outside experts, what has been successful and what has not been as effective; to hear what key players think about DITSU and to assess how others go about similar work. Matters for Review In undertaking this strategic review, Montague Communications was charged by DITSU to focus on the following key areas: · · · Structures Staffing Communications Services Finances Activities

2003 -4 Organisational recommendations were made immediately • Appointment of an independent Chair of DITSU Ltd • Sold the Company car • Hiring of new staff roles ie Comms Some limited political changes were made: • 5 Vice President positions became: – 3 x Welfare Officers – 1 x Education Officer – 1 x Deputy President/Campaigns Officer

2003 -2004 The Exec of 2003 -04 consisted of: ● ● ● An overall President A Deputy President/ Campaigns Officer An Education officer 3 x Welfare officers* 5 x Presidents DITSU also introduced a number of new staff roles particularly

2004 -2005 • In 2004 a Constitutional Referendum was held to pass the new Constitution and passed overwhelmingly (92. 5%) • In 2004 the new ‘overall Exec’ were elected – President (Jarlath Molloy) – Vice President for Academic and Student Affairs (Sharon Hughes) – Vice President for Services and Trading (Alan Mac)

2004 -2005 DITSU Ltds operations were divided as follows ● ● ● Academic Affairs [Mountjoy Square] Chief Operations [Bolton Street] Communications [Kevin Street] Services (Events, Marketing, Clubs & Societies and Facilities) [Aungier Street] Student Affairs [Cathal Brugha Street] Trading [Kevin Street]

2003 -2004 The plan was designed to increase staff and decrease officers The staffing structure became as follows: ● ● ● ● CEO Deputy CEO (Finance and HR) Director for Student Academic Affairs Communications Manager Events and Marketing Manager Student Affairs Manager Graphic Designer

2012 -13 The VP Services and Trading became the VP for Events in the year 2013/14 The VP Academic and Student Affairs was separated into two roles in 2013/14 Also renamed Student Council back from Governing Council and Exec back from Central Programme Implementation Team (seriously) 2013 was also the year the Chair of the Board resigned

2017 -2018 • • • President Vice President for Events Vice President for Welfare Vice President for Education Post-Grad officer 6 x College Officers.

2017 -2018 Staffing ● ● ● ● CEO Deputy CEO Director for Student Academic Affairs (Education) Student Affairs Manager (Welfare) Development Manager (Comms & Events) Human Resources and Training Executive Communications Executive Coordinator Events and Marketing Coordinator Engagement & Campaigns Coordinator 4 x Student Advisors Events and Marketing Coordinator 2 x SU Administrators Administrative Assistant

What’s the Why? Aims and Objectives of DITSU 1. The objective of the Union shall be the promotion and furtherance of any matters of particular interest to its members and without prejudice to the generality of the foregoing, in particular: to act as the recognised and independent means of communication between students and the Institute authorities, and in the process to promote the principle of democratisation of third level education through the collective and individual participation of members of the Union. 2. The Union shall also seek to establish such services as it sees fit to improve the position of its members, including on matters relating to education and welfare and to protect and further student rights as citizens, in accordance with law. In the carrying out of these objectives, the Union shall aspire to embrace the values of accountability, democracy, efficiency, professionalism and transparency

Who makes it happen The Constitution of DIT Students Union • Issues powers to DITSU CLG • Issues powers to Student Council • Certain power to the President No matter who you are in DITSU the Constitution is your bible

DITSU Student Council Essentially Student Council is the highest body decision making authority within DITSU • Role of Council: Exclusive power to make policy • Role of President : Chief Spokesperson • Role of VPs specific areas or as added to by President * The president can change these whenever • Role of Exec Council: Advise President)

DITSU CLG Manage all assets, financial and human resources. Provide professional services to support sabbatical team in the following areas incl; • Education • Welfare • Events • External and Internal representation • Communications • Fundraising • Publications • Future Planning • Training. • Ensure compliance with the law Board of Directors has a majority of student reps by law

How do the we get work? The staff are responsible for the legal, financial, health and safety and human resourcing elements of DITSU’s activities. 1. All staff have certain requirements to fulfil work based on their job descriptions and contract 2. The staff are answerable to the Board of DITSU Clg via the CEO 3. The staff are not answerable to sabbaticals. The exec receive work from a number of ways: 1. They are constitutionally obliged to complete it 2. It is part of their political campaign for election 3. Student Council introduces a motion or policy that binds them to complete an activity

How do we organise the work? The work is completed through a combined effort of the management staff and the sabbatical officers They develop a workplan which covers the managers work areas and the officers political responsibility Workplans are then presented to the Board for approval and the Student Council for approval which connects the two organisations There a number of different ‘types’ of work: ● Day-to-day running of the organisation (paying bills, booking space, completing forms) ● Operational duties as per contracts (running events, doing casework, organisaing training) ● Political duties (lobbying, protesting, USI)

How do we get ‘new’ work? Day-to-day work may be identified and assigned by a staff member, a manager or the CEO An operational task may be identified by any staff or officer and brought to the manager for financial and resourcing considerations. If it's within certain budget and capacity it can be assigned by the management or CEO and President. If it is a larger work it can be sent to the Board, Eg: Opening a new social media account, Comms Executive: buying a new website, Board. Another way of getting operational work is through Student Council through a motion, mandate or policy such as a protest or campaign.

So who’s in charge? Staff Amongst the staff, each staff member has a line manager they report into Overall HR and Training Staff member CEO Exec The sabbaticals are answerable firstly to Student Council to complete their work They are answerable to the Board of CLG via Sarah for their HR requirements Maura for any financial responsibilities The President is essentially their line manager for booking leave etc.

What happens when there’s a row? Staff only say no in the event of a financial, legal or reputational risk Staff tend to not get involved in the ‘flavour’ of the work In the event of a disagreement: 1. Talk to the person you have the issue with 2. Speak with their line manager/HR person 3. Speak with the President if you are an officer 4. Go to the CEO

DITSU CLG • 1985 The Students Unions set up a Limited Company Address issues of legal, accounting and good Governance issues • 2015 following changes in Irish Company Law, DITSU Limited became a Company Limited by Guarantee (CLG)

DITSU Trading Limited • 1994 a separate legal entity was set up to manage DITSU’s commercial affairs, DITSU Trading • 2004 this entity got into major financial difficulty and required financial underpinning by DITSU Ltd • 2014 this entity was liquidated

DITSU CLG Board The Board of DITSU CLG is made up of: ● 4 x sabbaticals ● 2 x student council nominees ● 1 x independent chair ● 3 x independent directors (max, can do 2)

Where does our funding come from? Membership fee paid by the students of DIT as part of their student charge DIT collects the Student charge as a whole and we apply for funding 2013 negotiated the first 3 year funding arrangement 2016 following a tumultuous time DITSU officers had to undertake a political lobby to secure a three-year funding arrangement from 2016 -2019 The arrangement now stands until 2019 or if the three colleges merge as the TUD in the meantime

How do we engage with DIT? • DITSU holds two seats on the DIT Governing Body – Allocated in DIT Act so appointed by Min Education • 2004, agreement on Student Charter gave DITSU ‘official’ rights to engage and represent – The DIT recognises the right of the DIT Students Union to independently organise its affairs in accordance with the articles of their Constitution and the laws of the State’ ‘ • Underpinned by the 2013 and 2016 agreements

The Leadership Group 2013 Funding Agreement established Leadership Group Way of resolving issues The right to Arbitration 2016 Funding agreement is especially important as it has been approved by the Governing Body of DIT and makes specific reference to running our own affairs without any interference from the DIT.

The Leadership Group • • • Rotating Chairs; President DITSU/Director Student Services. 3 DITSU VPs CEO Ditsu CLG Manager Campus Life Manager Student Admin Other DIT/DITSU staff where agreed it would benefit discussions

DITSU and DITSU CLG DITSU the organisation can exist without DITSU CLG cannot exist without DITSU the political organisation

DIT and DITSU CLG Charter recognises DITSU CLG However… The Elected Representatives are who they deal with

Current Strategic Priorities • • Student Facilities in GG Levy policy set out by Council Student Finance Committee Sports facilities. Development of the TU project Emergence of TUDSU Student Centre in GG

Current Operational Priorities • • MSL and Website Grangegorman Space Hothouse Space Training and Recruitment Staffing and office changes Financial Audit Workplans Freshers material and Activities

Current Political Priorities • That’s what we’re going to find out

Closing Lots on, but not our first rodeo Remember who pays us Ask what do you want to leave behind, look at 2002, 2004, 2010, 2013