Vol. 461 No. 8
107 Mr. Sargent asked the Minister for Education if student representatives on college and university governing bodies can have ex officio status to ensure the best opportunities for full student representation on these governing bodies. [3938/96]
108 Mr. Sargent asked the Minister for Education if an alternate member system could be in place for the student representatives as well as being nominated as members on college and university governing bodies as is often the case where committees are made up of volunteers. [3939/96]
In the case of the governing bodies in the Regional Technical Colleges and the Dublin Institute of Technology, the Regional Technical Colleges (Amendment) Act, 1994, and the Dublin Institute of Technology (Amendment) Act, 1994 stipulate that
...two persons, one of whom shall be a women and one a man, being registered students of the college (Institute), shall be chosen in accordance with regulations made by the governing body; and for the purposes of this provision registered students shall include full-time officers of the Students Union or other student representative body recognised by the governing body for that purpose.
Under this provision, the governing body is charged with making regulations determining how student representatives are chosen.
In the case of colleges of education — primary and home economics teachers — sector, my Department does not have a specific regulatory role in relation to governing bodies. However, I understand that, generally in this sector, student representatives have ex officio status on governing bodies.
In the case of universities, I intend to introduce legislation to broaden the composition of their governing bodies. The White Paper on Education makes it clear that student representation on governing bodies will be provided for in that context, thus giving students a statutory right to representation.
The legislation will determine the method of selection, election or nomination of the members, including the tenure of membership from student constituencies.
