1. Exploring Differences, Celebrating Similarities: College Unions and Student Life in the United Kingdom, Ireland and the United States Ian Russell Head of Office of Engagement National University of Ireland Maynooth Association of Student Union Administrators Mike Day Director of Devolved Nations and Internationalism National Union of Students – UK Geoffrey Combs Director, Campus Center University of Massachusetts - Boston Association of College Unions International

2. Webinar Outline Ireland Overview of Higher Education Student Life, Student Involvement, Clubs and Societies Student Government and Decision Making Student Union Operations and Services United Kingdom Overview of Higher Education and Challenges Student Life in the UK Development of Student Unions – History Student Union Governance and Decision Making United States Overview of Higher Education Student Organizations and Student Life Student Government and Decision Making Student Union Operations and Services Open Discussion w/ Everyone - Similarities and Differences

3. Irish Higher Education Student Life and Students Unions Ian Russell Head of Office of Engagement National University of Ireland Maynooth Association of Student Union Administrators

4. Higher Education in Ireland – An Overview Institutional & Governance Overview: Third level education in Ireland is made up of four sectors, the Universities (7 colleges), the Institutes of Technology (14 colleges), the Colleges of Education (5 colleges), and independent Private colleges. The Higher Education Authority (HEA) is the authority in Ireland with responsibility for higher education since 1968 and is responsible for the funding of Irish universities, institutes of technology and other third level colleges. Funding Overview: The first three sectors are substantially State funded and take part in the government free fees initiative whereas Private colleges are all fee paying, i.e. The State covers students tuition fees. The Free Fees Initiative, which has been in place since 1995, covers the majority of full-time Level 8 programmes provided by Irish Institutes of Technology and Level 6, 7 and 8 programmes provided by Irish Universities and qualifying Colleges. As well as state funding, individual students pay what is called a “Student Contribution Charge” annually which is currently at €2750 ($3485). Quality Standards: Qualifications in Ireland (post leaving certificate / high school) are included in the National Framework of Qualifications (NFQ): NFQ Level 6 – Higher Certificate, two years full time NFQ Level 7 – Ordinary Bachelors Degree, three years full time NFQ Level 8 – Honours Bachelors Degree, normally three or four years full time, sometimes more. NFQ Level 9 - Masters Degree, one to two years full-time or part-time NFQ Level 10 PhD The statutory body, Quality & Qualifications Ireland (QQI), is charged with maintaining the standards / quality of these qualifications.

5. Higher Education in Ireland – An Overview Entry to Higher Education: Entry to Third level courses is predominantly via a set of state exams known as the Leaving Certificate which is taken at the end of the final year in High School where points are awarded according to grade achieved. Applications for almost all full-time undergraduate courses is through a Central Applications Office (CAO). Growing numbers are also returning to or accessing higher education through other routes Student Numbers: Third level student numbers increased by 105% between 1990/91 and 2003/04. The number of examination candidates in second level schools (High School) has declined from 131,530 in 1998 to 111,895 in 2006. Growing numbers are also returning to or accessing higher education through other routes. The 2009/10 academic year saw the largest jump ever in numbers accepting places in higher education institutions, 8.3%, to bring first year numbers to 45,582. Total undergraduate full-time enrolment in 2009 was 129,564. Increased to 138,399 by 2013 and is projected to reach 146,834 by 2016. In 2006 total gross expenditure on education by the State was €7.2 billion. - €1.6 billion on Third Level. In 2008 that figure had reduced to €1.393 billion and by 2014 it has been reduced to €938 million. Issues: Funding – reduced state expenditure. Big debate Quality Issues: Growing student numbers Vs Decreasing State Funding / reduction in staff numbers / embargo on staff appointments. Student – Staff Ratio: widening due to growing student numbers Vs reduction in staff numbers / embargo on staff appointments.

6. Student Life / Student Involvement / Clubs & Societies Student Organisations: Student organisations – run by students for students. Cover a diverse range of activities such as: academic / departmental, artistic / performance, debating / political, social & gaming, martial arts, fields sports, aquatic sports, outdoors activities, etc. Clubs = Sporting / Societies = Non-Sporting (Note: National bodies for both areas – BICS & SSI) Most leadership programmes would be delivered in the context of what is delivered to student organisations Funding of Student Organisations: The Student Contribution Charge covers the following : Student service's costs including career development centre, sports, clubs and societies Space costs associated with student facilities Costs relating to registration, fees, admission and examinations Library and computing costs Student Organisation funding and policy decisions generally made by a committee with a mix of staff and student (including Student Govt reps). Student Organisations supplement central funding with fundraising and membership fees. Extra-curricular Vs Co-curricular: Student Organisations have always been seen as an important part of the educational process but it is only in the last decade that institutions are looking to incorporate these activities into the curriculum (accreditation) or to formally recognise these activities. Issues: Engaging wider numbers in student organisations generally Engaging commuter students in activities outside of the classroom

7. Student Life / Student Involvement / Clubs & Societies Student Government – An Overview: Student Government or Students’ Union (SU) as it is known in Ireland are student led organisations. Whilst operating within the institutional environment, SUs are considered independent organisations governed by their own constitution. Most SUs elect between 2-4 (depending on size of institution) full time paid sabbatical officers to represent their members for a 12 month period at various fora within the institution. Sabbatical officers, with the aid of staff, have overall responsibility for representing their members at all levels within the institution as well as the overall running of their organisation. Individual and group responsibilities of a SU vary according to their constitution which would have been voted in by their members via a referendum. No one model out there to describe SUs in Ireland but ultimately the overarching aim of an SU is to act as a representative body for the students of a particular institution. Some offer commercial services such as convenience stores, book stores, bars / pubs, food outlets while others focus primarily on support services or programmes that aim to increase student participation in the wider educational experience. Student Government – A national voice While Sabbatical Officers focus on issues that affect their members on campus but also campaign on national issues such as financial (student fees), societal issues (marriage equality), etc. There is a strong national dimension to student politics in Ireland. Union of Students in Ireland (USI), the national representative body, represents approximately 354,000 third level students on the island of Ireland. Individual SUs affiliate to the national body via a referendum.

8. Students Union Operations & Services Role of College Union: College Union would be referred to as a Student Centre or Campus Centre in Ireland (refer back to definition of a Students’ Union in Ireland). Irish institutions have only relatively recently (last 15 years or so) begun to explore the concept or role that a College Union (or social space in general) can play in the life of our students – some institutions have been more progressive than others. Irish institutions looking to both the UK and the US for examples as to how best develop a College Union Relations developed through ACUI Region 8 (formerly Region 1) has played a big role in how we view these key pieces of infrastructure. Funding: Capital costs of College Unions in Ireland have been predominantly met by applying a levy on all students. This levy in all cases has been applied on the basis of the student population of a particular institution voting via a referendum to accept such a levy for a set period of time. Governance of College Unions: No one model of governance. In terms of decision making some College Unions are governed by: A committee made up of staff of the institution and the student representatives or; Designated managers who may report to the a senior manager of the institution or; Leased to the Student Government to operate or; Established and operated as limited companies reporting to a board of management.

9. Students Union Operations & Services Operational Issues: In a majority of cases, College Unions are operated on a day to day basis by institution appointed staff with the support of other institution staff and students. Services provided: College Unions offer a wide range of facilities including: Social space Meeting space for student organisations Student Government Offices Events space Commercial offerings including bars / pubs, food outlets, book stores, convenience stores. Issues: Facilities keeping up with growth in numbers Sufficient funding to continue to expand and develop. With decreasing state funding, institutions are examining in greater depth various commercial opportunities on the various campuses.

10. Higher Education in the United Kingdom Mike Day – Director of Devolved Nations and Internationalism NUSUK

11. Overview of UK Higher Education Earliest institution – Oxford founded in 1096 156 University Institutions in the UK ( 2 in top ten THES World Reputation Rankings, 7 in the top 100) 2.3m students (0.5m Postgraduates) HE is devolved from Westminster (England), Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland – consequent variances Tuition Fees in England £9,000, Scotland (None), Wales and Northern Ireland (£3,685) Finance from Governments via Funding Councils to Universities expect in NI where it is direct from DEL

12. Overview of UK Higher Education - Challenges Future of funding Immigration and status of International Students Student expectations and demands Value of Teaching vs. Research Role of the university Response to rapidly developing technology

13. Overview of Student Life There are c.4,500 clubs and societies organised through UK students’ unions Funding university to SU either direct to club or via a Council – sport tends to have a separate body from other activities – Council’s made up of student members Some students’ unions will have dedicated staff linked to student activities – smaller students’ unions will have staff who multi-task There are numerous examples of leadership programmes across the movement – STAR Skills at Strathclyde

14. Overview of UK Student Life – Challenges Alcohol consumption – most institutions will have bar, but some have been withdrawing from this market Responding to changing habits and lifestyles Recognition of importance of “student experience” is resulting in parallel structures – University seeking to move into roles formerly taken on by the students’ union Legitimacy – making sure that the students’ union is representative of its diverse membership, building the student voice Diversify income streams and increased local co-operation Justify and play a key role in making sure students are at the centre of learning

15. Historical Development of Students’ Unions Developments in England and Scotland – Scottish Unions enshrined in law in 1889. Oxford and Cambridge Unions discussed issues but did not claim to represent Provision for student representation in most University Charters Unions in UK are linked to student government and active in representing student concerns as well as providing services 1968 agreement between NUSUK and Vice-Chancellors (CVCP) on student representation 1994 Education Act 2006 Charities Act in England and Charities and Trustee Investment (Scotland) Act 2005

16. UK Students’ Union Governance Elected officers, are the political leaders of the organisation. They are mandated to do things by student meetings, elected by students and accountable to the members Senior staff are responsible for the operations of the organisation, including line management of staff – focus on supporting the officers to achieve their objectives The Trustees are responsible for ensuring the students’ union remains legally compliant, financially stable and free from reputational risk. They are responsible for organisational strategy. Elected officers Trustees Senior staff

17. Higher Education, Student Unions and Student Life in the United States Geoff Combs Director, Campus Center, UMass Boston Association of College Unions International

18. Higher Education in the U.S. – An Overview Size and composition of degree granting institutions 4599 degree granting colleges or universities Public universities, private universities, liberal arts colleges or community colleges 2,870 – 4 year and 1729 – 2 year The American university system is largely decentralized. Private universities operate independently and public universities are administered by the individual states, usually as part of a state university system. The federal government does not directly regulate universities. Average cost of tuition and fees The cost for one year of tuition and fees varies widely among colleges. According to the College Board, the average cost of tuition and fees for the 2013–2014 school year was $30,094 at private colleges, $8,893 for state residents at public colleges Students pay college tuition using three primary forms– 1.) Direct payment 2.) Grant programs federal/state grants (financial aid) or 3.) Loan programs, both federal/private How are universities and colleges funded? - Tuition, government support, combination? Public Colleges and Universities – Combination of state dollars, tuition and research grants (from both private and state/federal sources) Private Universities – Tuition and research grants (private and state/federal) Tuition at most public universities continues to increase. Student pay more. Support from the states continues to shrink

19. Higher Education in the U.S. – An Overview Current challenges/issues facing higher education in your country? Cost continues to top the list of concerns for the President, Congress and, most importantly, the public. Much of the cost increase over the past five years can be attributed to reduced state tax support for public institutions which has forced an offset through increases in tuition and fees. Workforce development is taking on greater importance as employers are once again hiring but they are still having difficulty finding applicants with needed skills and the need for higher education to do a better job of preparing future workers. Assessment has become a major concern for higher education. Increasingly, regulators and accreditors are asking, “What is the country receiving in return for the billions being spent on higher education and how do we know if it is effective?” Learning outcome-assessment has become the basis for determining institutional effectiveness. However, the availability of valid, widely accepted tools and methods for quality assurance have provded hard to come by. Student bodies are changing. While higher education has seen a dramatic shift in student demographics, neither the media nor the policy community appear to fully recognize that today’s typical student is no longer an 18 to 24 year old studying full-time on a campus. In fact, there is data which shows that fewer than 20% of the roughly 20 million now enrolled fit this traditional description. The rest are “post- traditional” students who are older, working part-time, and often commuting, either by car or, increasingly, the Internet. Yet, policies and programs still make assumptions based on the needs of a shrinking minority

20. Overview of Student Life and Student Involvement Describe the variety of student organizations, clubs, etc. Most institutions divide student organizations in to groups. Ex. Special interest, religious, social, greek, sports clubs, affiliated, political, etc. New student organizations and clubs start-up every year or semester, they are constantly changing Unique segment of student organizations that receive university support. ex. Programming & events board, student newspaper, student government association, etc. These organizations continue year after year How are student organizations, events and programs funded? Who makes funding decisions? University allocation or student activities fee Student Activities Fee - Paid by each student each year/semester. The fees are typically charged by the university, student organizations apply for funds annually. Funds are awarded by student government leaders and/or staff. Who advises and supports student organizations/clubs/societies? There are several different models. Some student organizations are advised by a faculty or staff member in a university department on campus. Others are advised by fulltime staff members in the Student Activities and/or union office. Most colleges and universities have a fulltime staff to support student involvement Describe leadership development programs or leadership training Most universities have a leadership development program to help students build leadership skills outside of the classroom. Credit for completing the leadership series and related classes may be offered Leadership development programs are frequently grounded in leadership theory or a leadership development model.

21. Overview of Student Life and Student Involvement What roles does alcohol play in campus life? How has that changed over the years? Pubs, bars and clubs (run by the union) and student events with alcohol were commonplace for decades. Most campuses changed in 1984 when congress passed the minimum drinking age act. Bars and pubs lost their revenue and dried up. For the next two decades campuses hired fulltime staff to run programs around alcohol, binge drinking and other drugs. Strict policies on alcohol use. Within the last decade many campuses have shifted to social norm education. Bars and pubs have resurfaced on some campuses and limited alcohol use is permitted at events where students are 21. Describe student government. How are leaders selected? Student government leaders are elected by the student body. Positions typically include a president, vice president, treasurer/budget manager, and senators that represent various colleges on campus (Ex. College of Management, College of Education, College of Engineering, etc.) A representative may also serve on the university board of trustees. They are advised by a fulltime staff member. Student government leaders continue to take classes while serving as an SGA executive officer, they do not take a year off while serving. What is the focus on student government? What decision making power do they hold? Responsibilities vary from campus-to-campus. Students serve on university committees, manage and distribute student activities fees, approve/discipline student organizations, advocate for change to campus policies and practices. They may occasionally take on larger state-wide issues. Efforts are typically campus-based, geared toward creating change at the university Students on many campuses struggle to encourage participation and complain about apathy

22. Students Union Operations & Services What is the role of the college union, building or student center? Student unions take many forms (campus center, university center, student commons, student union), however, most have adopted ACUI’s role statement: The college union is the community center of the university. It is not just a building, but a collection of programs and services, that when taken as a whole represent a well considered plan for community life of the college. How is the Student Union governed? Full-time staff, students, combination? Staff manage the day-to-day operation of the union, including budget, facility management, event services, student employee training and staff-initiated programming. Students employees frequently serve as student building managers, event assistants, AV support staff, information booth attendants and a variety of other support roles Staff take student employment seriously and consider student union employment to be an important co-curricular learning and leadership opportunity At some institutions the staff oversee both student activities/leadership and union operations. In others, these are completely separate offices. Who makes major decisions regarding operation, business, finances? Major decisions are ultimately made by staff members, including the budget, union operations, vendor/business agreements, policies and procedures. When possible staff strive to seek input and advice from students. Students often provide input via an advisory board or a sub-committee of student government.

23. Students Union Operations & Services Common student services (non-retail) offered in the union? Services vary widely from campus-to-campus and union-to-union. Departments/Offices – Union management, student activities, leadership development, community service, greek life, career services, dean of students, judicial affairs, student organization space Building Services – Computers, email check stations, wireless, meeting/event spaces, mail-drop, printing/copying, phone/device charging stations, lounge and study space, equipment check-out, event ticket sales, information booth and many more. Event Support: Event planning & reservations, AV support, event set-ups, event staffing, conference services Describe Common Retail Services Retail services also vary widely. Common retail services include: Conference services/sales, bookstore, food court, coffee shop, convenience store, vending machines, travel agency, hair salon and postal services. Bars or pubs are rare. Who oversees/manages student services and who manages retails services? Departments and offices are managed by staff. Occasionally retail services are contracted and managed by the union. In most cases, retail and revenue generating services are managed by a separate department on campus called Auxiliary Services - ncludes parking, conference services, food services, bookstore and shops. Current challenges/issues facing student unions and centers Certification of student union professionals. Should we develop a certification program? Assessment of programs and services, communicating the value/benefit to university administration Growing the profession, encouraging professionals from diverse backgrounds to join the profession Research in the field of student unions, student organizations and student life

24. Open Discussion – Similarities & Differences Higher Education What similarities do you see? Differences? Funding and government support? How does this differ, how is it the same? What similar challenges do we face? Other thoughts/questions/comments on similarities/differences of Higher Education? Student Life, Student Involvement, Clubs and Societies What general similarities do you see? Differences? Student Government, decision making and power? Types of student organizations, their funding and focus? What similar challenges do we face? Other thoughts/questions/comments on similarities/differences in Student Life? Student Union Operations and Services What general similarities do you see? Differences? Leadership and governance? Student Services and Retail Services offered? Union size and scope? General questions/comments?