Mandates Manual May 2019 Errors and Omissions Excepted. Version 1.0 USI Policy is passed at USI Congress each year. Policy has a life of three years at which time it may be extended for a further three years. All policy and policy extensions now have validity for 3 years. Whilst we are engaged in a process of standardisation, policies with novel formatting are preserved with that formatting in order to retain the integrity of the policy as considered at Congress. Nothing in the policy file should be taken to mean any mandate on the President of NUS-USI, who may only be mandated by NUS-USI Conference. Contents Contents ACADEMIC AFFAIRS & QUALITY ASSURANCE ........................................................................................................ 14 AA 19 - 1 Learning Outside of the Classroom ................................................................................................. 14 AA 19 - 2 College Awareness Week ..................................................................................................................... 15 AA 19 - 3 The creation of a Charter for Postgraduate Research Students .............................................. 15 AA 19 - 4 The creation of National Minimum Stipend rate. ...................................................................... 16 AA 19 – 5 Postgraduate Funding in Northern Ireland ..................................................................................... 16 AA 19 – 6 The legal status of a PhD student. .................................................................................................... 17 AA 19 – 7 Academic Calendars and Repeat Results implications ............................................................ 17 AA 19 - 8 The Future of the Irish Survey of Student Engagement .......................................................... 18 AA 19 – 9 Best practice for MO Council Meetings .......................................................................................... 19 AA 19 – 10 Student Representation in Accreditation and PSRBs .......................................................... 19 AA 19 – 11 HEI Student Success Strategies .................................................................................................... 20 AA 19 – 12 Grade Inflation .................................................................................................................................... 21 AA 19 – 13 Best Practice Framework for Student Rights ......................................................................... 21 AA 19 – 14 Student Feedback and TUI ............................................................................................................. 22 AA 19 – 15 Creative Arts Networking ............................................................................................................... 22 AA 19 – 16 Erasmus Rights ................................................................................................................................... 23 AA 19 – 17 Amendment to the FE Development Strategy ........................................................................ 23 AA 19 – 18 Clarity around the borrowing and recognition status of Technological Universities and Borrowing Models for IOTs ................................................................................................................................ 23 AA 19 – 19 Student Teacher Campaign ............................................................................................................ 24 AA (NC) 19 – 1 Open Access Policy ....................................................................................................................... 24 Proposed by: VP Postgraduate Affairs............................................................................................................... 24 AA (NC) 19 - 2 Career Guidance Review ............................................................................................................ 25 Proposed by: Vice President for Academic Affairs ....................................................................................... 25 NC18 AAQA 1 : Engaging Postgraduate Issues ................................................................................................... 26 Proposed by: Vice President for Academic Affairs ....................................................................................... 26 2018 AA 1 : Integrated Pharmacy Masters Campaign ..................................................................................... 26 Proposed by University College Cork Students’ Union ............................................................................... 26 2018 AA 2 : Back to Education Allowance Strategy......................................................................................... 27 Proposed by Galway - Mayo Institute of Technology Students’ Union ................................................ 27 2018 AA 3 : Placement and work based learning Strategy ............................................................................ 27 Proposed by the Vice President for Campaigns............................................................................................. 27 2018 AA 4 : Accreditation for Volunteering & Participation ........................................................................ 27 Proposed by IT Tallaght Students’ Union. ........................................................................................................ 27 2018 AA 7 : Class representative best practice .................................................................................................. 28 Proposed by IT Carlow Students’ Union ........................................................................................................... 28 2018 AA 8: USI Grant Reform Policy ....................................................................................................................... 28 Proposed by Vice President for the Southern Region ................................................................................. 28 2018 AA 9: Further Education and Training Strategy ..................................................................................... 28 Proposed by Union Development Working Group ....................................................................................... 28 2018 AA 11 : Academic Supports for International Students ...................................................................... 28 Proposed by the Vice President Equality and Citizenship ........................................................................ 28 2018 AA 12 : Anonymous Marking .......................................................................................................................... 29 Proposed by: Institute of Technology, Sligo Students’ Union .................................................................. 29 2018 AA 13 : Postgraduate Students Strategy .................................................................................................... 29 Proposed by the Postgraduate Affairs Working Group .............................................................................. 29 2018 AA 15 : The Marketisation of Third-Level Education ........................................................................... 29 Proposed by the Vice President Academic Affairs ....................................................................................... 29 2018 AA 16 : The Quality of Teaching in Irish Higher Education ............................................................... 30 Proposed by the Vice President Academic Affairs ....................................................................................... 30 2018 AA 17 : European Education Area ................................................................................................................ 30 Proposed by: Vice President Academic Affairs .............................................................................................. 30 2018 AA 18 : National Student Partnership Agreement ................................................................................. 31 Proposed by: Academic Affairs Working Group ............................................................................................ 31 2018 AA 19: Class Rep Recognition ........................................................................................................................ 32 Proposed by Academic Affairs Working Group ............................................................................................. 32 2018 AA 20 : Postgraduate Student Funding ...................................................................................................... 32 Proposed by Dublin City University Students’ Union ................................................................................. 32 17 AA2 Fees Sanctions ......................................................................................................................................... 33 17 AA3 Borrowing model of IOTs ................................................................................................................... 34 17 AA4 Student Participation in Governance ............................................................................................. 34 17 AA6 Class Rep Best Practice ........................................................................................................................ 35 17 AA7 Class Rep Accreditation ......................................................................................................................