‘Vote Yes’ Explained: The Constitutional Referendum
You’ve undoubtedly heard the rallying cries of SU officers and senators to vote yes for the constitution this election period. But what are you actually being asked to vote on? While explanations of the constitution have been making the rounds on Instagram, I hope I wasn’t alone in wondering what the actual amendments consist of. I got in touch with MSU President Niall Daly but, pre-occupied with other responsibilities, he suggested I interpret the 70-page document myself and provide a fact sheet for students. A glutton for punishment, I also read its 88-page predecessor for comparison. The documents are lengthy and full of jargon, making them a slog for your average student— I know I struggled— and the more accessible summary doesn’t include the relevant sections, so I thought I might share my findings to make things a little more transparent. While I reached out for clarification on a few points, I didn’t receive a response, so any mistake here is my own. With a little emailing (and a lot of reading), here’s what I found out:
First, if you’ve missed the Instagram reels and are still unsure as to what a constitution actually is, the MSU describes it as:
...the guiding document of Maynooth Students Union. It serves as a primary guide for how the organisation functions and outlines the core values of your union. It also contains important information outlining how you elect your representatives and what they do for you. Almost every aspect of your Union is impacted by the Constitution, and that's why it's important for you to understand what it is and what it means for you. https://www.msu.ie/election/constitution/
You will be asked to vote on whether the MSU should adopt the constitution proposed by the MSU Executive. That is to say, vote Yes if you agree with the amendments and would like them to be implemented, and vote No if you disagree with the amendments and would not like them to be implemented. Alternatively, vote Abstain if you’re not fussed one way or the other!
The proposed amendments are as follows:
The MSU policy structure is to be expanded and restructured. You’ll notice that the new constitution has a very different layout to the old one.
The powers and competencies of the Electoral Commission are to be expanded.
Wondering what the Electoral Commission actually is? The MSU describe it as the body that “regulates the conduct of electoral process by producing electoral regulations, which form an Electoral Regulation Manual. The Electoral Commission shall put in place regulations governing the conduct of candidates and campaigners in respect of elections and referendums, which shall include regulations requiring candidates or campaigners not to breach University regulations or the law.” https://www.msu.ie/voice/vote/electoralcommission/ Put simply, they’re in charge of the election process.
Meetings increased from 1 to 2 times per semester.
The EC shall elect a Chairperson and Deputy Chairperson.
The EC may establish subsidiary bodies.
A new PTO position as Environmental Officer is to be added.
A new PTO position as Equality Officer is to be added.
Executive PTO roles to become amendable without referendum. This means that the roles can be altered without your input.
The position of LBGT+ Senator is to be amended to LBGTQ+ senator.
The position of St. Patrick’s College Maynooth (SPCM) Senator is to be amended to St. Patrick’s Pontifical University (SPPU) Senator.
Councils, assemblies, forums, boards, senates and (sub)committees are to be included under the umbrella term ‘representative body’ in the constitution.
Representative bodies are to be given more control over their business, allowed by appendices. Asked for clarification from President Niall Daly, as the appendices currently do not detail this.
The system of the competencies of representative bodies in the Union is to be restructured. Asked for example from President Niall Daly.
The Articles of the Constitution may be amended by the Student Senate for a one-year period after the certification of the proposed Constitution. Asked for clarification from President Niall Daly as to whether this means the constitution can be amended without a student vote.
Provisions are to be made for the filling of vacant seats in the Executive, Student Senate, and Academic Assembly through bye-elections in the first semester and through nomination of an ordinary Union member by the President and appointment by the Student Senate in the second semester. This means effectively that the President can appoint members at their own discretion if a role remains unfilled in the second semester.
Hopefully that clears things up for you as it did for me— engagement with the democratic process is hugely important to me, but I could never vote uninformed! Haven’t voted yet? Follow this link: https://www.msu.ie/vote/
