Dr Noel McGrath, a lecturer in the Sutherland School of Law, is challenging for election to the Senate of the National University of Ireland (NUI). The NUI is made up of four Constituent Universities, four Recognised Colleges and three Colleges of a Constituent University. UCD is one of the four Constituent Universities, alongside NUI Galway, NUI Maynooth, and University College Cork.
The NUI Senate consists of thirty-eight members, including a Chancellor, Registrar and the Chief Officers of the Constituent Universities, which includes Andrew Deeks, President of UCD. Each of the four Constituent Universities elects four members. UCD’s representatives as elected by the Governing Authority are Professor Thomas Brazil, Professor Pat Guiry, Mr Tom Harrington, and Professor Patrick M. Shannon. Mark Rogers, UCD Registrar and Deputy President, is one of four co-opted members of the Senate. The government is also able to nominate four members.
Eight people are elected by convocation every five years. Four must be men, and four must be women. Only five people were elected during the last election in 2012. Since only four women have put themselves forward, they will all be automatically elected. McGrath is one of five men fighting for four spots.
All NUI graduates are automatically registered, but to vote in this election must they must apply to the Clerk of Convocation in writing for voting papers no later than Monday 25th September 2017. The election will take place in the National University of Ireland, 49 Merrion Square, Dublin 2, on Tuesday 3rd October 2017 at 10 o’clock a.m, where the poll will remain open for one hour. Further information is available on www.nui.ie/elections.
Cian Carton – Editor
