Queen's University Belfast Students' Union
Encyclopedia
Queen's University Belfast Students' Union (QUBSU) is the official representative body for students at Queen's University Belfast. Membership in the Union is automatic and currently totals 24,560, making it the largest single campus Union on the island of Ireland
, and one of the largest in the United Kingdom
. The Students’ Union derives its existence and authority from the University’s Statutes, and so is not entirely independent of it, and must have amendments to its constitution
approved by the University Senate. It aims to represent students' interests both with the University and the wider community, to create a sense of student spirit and provide services that aid the students during their time at the University. The Students' Union can trace its origins to the nineteenth century, and has been based on University Road, directly opposite the University's main 'Lanyon Building
', since the 1960s.
, George Cadogan, 5th Earl Cadogan
during celebrations to mark the College's Golden Jubilee
and had been built at a cost of £8,000. The facilities offered by the Students' Union included a shop, cloakroom, billiards and smoking room and meeting and debating chambers as well as a dining room, which was the only part of building always opened to women students. Women had first been admitted to Queen's in September 1889 and in response to the male make-up of the SUS, the Women Students' Hall Society (WSH) was established in 1927 and became based in numbers 20 and 21 on the opposite side of University Square to the Students' Union building.
In 1900, the Students' Representative Council (SRC) was established to provide representation to the institution's students in relations with management and staff, this was in contrast to the mainly social activities of the SUS and the WSH, who were both recognised societies of the SRC. The SRC had offices on University Square, close to the WSH premises and held its meetings in the Union building. These three student organisations came together in 1965 to address ways that they could work better and be more inclusive of all students at the University, in advance of the opening of a new Union building opposite the main Lanyon Building on University Road. This resulted in the establishment of a combined constitution for the three which were to be known as the Students' Representative Council of the Students' Union, which took effect from 1 October 1966. Its name was shortened to the Students' Union in 1975, with the SRC renamed the Students' Union Council in the early 2000s.
As student numbers grew throughout the twentieth century (reaching 2,500 by the 1950s), the University tried to procure a new location for the Union and purchased a premises adjacent to Belfast City Hospital
which had formally been the Deaf and Blind Institution, but the state of the building meant that another alternative had to be found. The University then decided to demolish the Queen's Elms building at the corner of University Road and Elmwood Avenue, and build a new Union from scratch, which was opened in 1967. A plan to demolish the Union building and replace it with what was called 'Lanyon II' three decades later was denied planning permission and so the decision was taken to redevelop the existing building and bring it up to modern standards. The original building had been constructed to cater for 6,000 and was struggling to cope with a student population that had reached almost 25,000 by 2005. The result was a £9 million facelift which began in 2005, and officially reopened on 21 March 2007. The work had been funded through donations from the University and Alumni, but the bulk came in the form of large loans being taken out by the Union.
(SUC). In the past, the SU had gained a reputation for being highly politicised and sectarian through the nature of debates and motions before the SRC, and through official policies. In recent years, sectarianism has become less of an issue as Northern Ireland society becomes progressively more normalised.
Elections for the SUC take place in October and seats are filled through proportional representation (PR), with constituencies representing each faculty. The elections in 2007, saw the use of online voting for the first time, resulting in a substantial rise in the number of people who both sought election and voted. Following the changes made to the constitution and constitutional rules in 2007, the number of Councillors was reduced to one hundred from around 160; the move is an attempt to streamline the process and increase competition for seats. The SUC also elects the membership of several committees which oversee the work of the relevant elected officers and formulate Union policy. The Union Speaker
is elected at the inaugural meeting of the SUC each year.
The sabbaticals are elected in March every year, take office from 1 July and represent the students in dealings with the University and other groups.
The current officers are:
(QUB Hockey
), boating
(QUB Boat Club
) and Gaelic games
. As well as this there are more than one hundred non-sporting societies
, including cultural groups like An Cumann Gaelach
and the Ulster-Scots
Society, gaming societies such as the Dragonslayers, activism societies like Amnesty International and debating groups such as QUB Model UN, while most of the University's schools and departments also have a corresponding society such as the Law Society and the BMSA. Clubs and societies receive annual grants from the University via the VP Clubs and Services to carry out their educational roles; however, although political clubs and religious societies (such as the Christian Union and the Humanist Society) receive official recognition from the SRC, they do not receive money from the Union. Most of the main political groups on the island are present at Queen's including the Young Greens
Queens's Alliance
(part of Alliance Youth
the Northern Ireland branch of European Liberal Youth
) , Ógra Fhianna Fáil (the first branch in Northern Ireland
), the Democratic Unionist Association
, the Young Unionists
, SDLP Youth
, Ógra Shinn Féin
, the Socialist Party and the Socialist Workers Party.
Queen's Students' Union is the long term venue of Q-Con, one of the largest gaming conventions in the UK and the largest in Ireland. It is an event critically acclaimed by members of the gaming industry, in particular because it is organised exclusively by the members of the Queen's University Dragonslayers society.
The Union also provides facilities for these societies within the Union, including several club rooms and a resource centre, while the former Snack Bar is used by the larger societies. The Space (formerly the Beech Room) can be partitioned to allow clubs and societies to use parts of it.
branch and a used bookshop.
However, the main bulk of commercial activity is carried out by the Union itself, including:
The Mandela Hall is ones of Belfast's most popular live music venues. In the 2009-10 academic year, it hosted Slash, Feeder, Mumford & Sons, Ocean Colour Scene, Little Boots and Airbourne. The Union promotes live music under the "RADAR" brand. Thursday nights in the Speakeasy are home to "RADAR LIVE", the Union's local music night.
The Union provides a year long entertainment calendar, focusing on the two Queen's University semesters. Entertainment includes multi-venue club nights, traditional music, quizzes, Queen's Comedy Club and theme nights. The Students' Union provides a value offering for its members, with drink prices and promotions remaining consistently cheaper than local competitors. It has, however, come under criticism for being more expensive than Unions in Great Britain. It is one of the cheapest Union's in Ireland.
is seen as the paper of record of the Union although it is entirely independent and relies solely on advertising revenues. The Union has also funded its own publication for several decades, but following the failure of several different papers in previous years, the SU Mag was launched in September 2007 by former Deputy President Sarah McCaffrey. The SU Magazine went on to win the Best Student Magazine of the Year and Best Design and Layout at the annual Student Media Awards in Dublin. Plans were also announced by Sarah McCaffrey in November 2007 to launch a Union television station called 'SU TV' which would initially be broadcast in the Union and on a re-launched 'SU Website', it is expected to be up and running in early 2008 and will use the studio in the Union building built by the University's Film Studies Department. The Union is also home to the student station, Queen's Radio
(QR) who broadcast on 1134MW in a 12-mile radius from a transmitter based in the Student's Union, as well as online via their website. Unlike SU TV, Queen's Radio
is an official society and independent of the Union. The station is the only one of its kind in Northern Ireland and has one of the largest membership of any QUB society. All four media outlets, regardless of their status, are, or will be based, primarily in the Union building.
(Raise and Give) is the official money raising wing of the SU, although it is operated in a similar way to societies, it is monitored by the SUC and the constitution states that the Vice President Community is the group's treasurer. RAG chooses several local charities on an annual basis and raises money through a variety of fund raising events and coordinates 'RAG Week'. The group also raises money through the publication of its annual joke book, 'PTQ'. This years Chairman of RAG is Lara Ellis, the Secretary is Charlotte Moughan and the treasurer is Jay Downs. Editor of this year's annual edition of PTQ is Derek Crosby.
, which was set up at the height of the Troubles in 1972. The group brings together the Students' Unions from across Northern Ireland and its unique set-up means that Unions are members of both the National Union of Students of the United Kingdom (NUS) and the Union of Students in Ireland
(USI). In 2007 Queen's officially became a member of the Russell Group
, (an alliance of twenty prestigious research universities across the UK) following this, the Students' Union joined the Aldwych Group
(an alliance of the Unions whose universities belong to the Russell Group). In October 2008 the Students' Union held its tri-annual referendum on membership of NUS-USI.Results of NUS/USI Referendum However, the actual result was overshadowed by the fact that less than 2% of students voted, indicative of the disinterest towards the national unions.
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
, and one of the largest in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
. The Students’ Union derives its existence and authority from the University’s Statutes, and so is not entirely independent of it, and must have amendments to its constitution
Constitution
A constitution is a set of fundamental principles or established precedents according to which a state or other organization is governed. These rules together make up, i.e. constitute, what the entity is...
approved by the University Senate. It aims to represent students' interests both with the University and the wider community, to create a sense of student spirit and provide services that aid the students during their time at the University. The Students' Union can trace its origins to the nineteenth century, and has been based on University Road, directly opposite the University's main 'Lanyon Building
Charles Lanyon
Sir Charles Lanyon DL, JP was an English architect of the 19th century. His work is most closely associated with Belfast, Northern Ireland.-Biography:Lanyon was born in Eastbourne, Sussex in 1813...
', since the 1960s.
History
The history of the Students' Union can be traced back to the late nineteenth century and to what was then Queen's College, Belfast, which was founded in 1845 and became a separate university in 1908. Student facilities at the College remained minimal until the establishment of the all-male Students' Union Society (SUS), which began fundraising with the support of the College's management to build a dedicated Students' Union building providing services to the College's 400 students. The SUS was responsible for managing the Students' Union building which was located on University Square and was opened on 19 January 1897 by the Lord Lieutenant of IrelandLord Lieutenant of Ireland
The Lord Lieutenant of Ireland was the British King's representative and head of the Irish executive during the Lordship of Ireland , the Kingdom of Ireland and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland...
, George Cadogan, 5th Earl Cadogan
George Cadogan, 5th Earl Cadogan
George Henry Cadogan, 5th Earl Cadogan KG, PC, JP was a British Conservative politician.-Background and education:...
during celebrations to mark the College's Golden Jubilee
Golden Jubilee
A Golden Jubilee is a celebration held to mark a 50th anniversary.- In Thailand :King Bhumibol Adulyadej, the world's longest-reigning monarch, celebrated his Golden Jubilee on 9 June 1996.- In the Commonwealth Realms :...
and had been built at a cost of £8,000. The facilities offered by the Students' Union included a shop, cloakroom, billiards and smoking room and meeting and debating chambers as well as a dining room, which was the only part of building always opened to women students. Women had first been admitted to Queen's in September 1889 and in response to the male make-up of the SUS, the Women Students' Hall Society (WSH) was established in 1927 and became based in numbers 20 and 21 on the opposite side of University Square to the Students' Union building.
In 1900, the Students' Representative Council (SRC) was established to provide representation to the institution's students in relations with management and staff, this was in contrast to the mainly social activities of the SUS and the WSH, who were both recognised societies of the SRC. The SRC had offices on University Square, close to the WSH premises and held its meetings in the Union building. These three student organisations came together in 1965 to address ways that they could work better and be more inclusive of all students at the University, in advance of the opening of a new Union building opposite the main Lanyon Building on University Road. This resulted in the establishment of a combined constitution for the three which were to be known as the Students' Representative Council of the Students' Union, which took effect from 1 October 1966. Its name was shortened to the Students' Union in 1975, with the SRC renamed the Students' Union Council in the early 2000s.
Belfast City Hospital
The Belfast City Hospital located in Belfast, Northern Ireland, is a 900-bed modern university teaching hospital providing local acute services and key regional specialities. Its distinctive tower block dominates the Belfast skyline being the fourth tallest storeyed building in Ireland...
which had formally been the Deaf and Blind Institution, but the state of the building meant that another alternative had to be found. The University then decided to demolish the Queen's Elms building at the corner of University Road and Elmwood Avenue, and build a new Union from scratch, which was opened in 1967. A plan to demolish the Union building and replace it with what was called 'Lanyon II' three decades later was denied planning permission and so the decision was taken to redevelop the existing building and bring it up to modern standards. The original building had been constructed to cater for 6,000 and was struggling to cope with a student population that had reached almost 25,000 by 2005. The result was a £9 million facelift which began in 2005, and officially reopened on 21 March 2007. The work had been funded through donations from the University and Alumni, but the bulk came in the form of large loans being taken out by the Union.
Students' Union Council (SUC)
Currently, the Union is governed by an Executive Committee who are aided by a number of full time staff, and answerable to the Students' Union CouncilStudents' Representative Council
A Students' Representative Council represents student interests in the government of a university, school or other educational institution. Generally the SRC forms part of a broader Students' Association which may include other functions such as societies, entertainments and sports Universities...
(SUC). In the past, the SU had gained a reputation for being highly politicised and sectarian through the nature of debates and motions before the SRC, and through official policies. In recent years, sectarianism has become less of an issue as Northern Ireland society becomes progressively more normalised.
Elections for the SUC take place in October and seats are filled through proportional representation (PR), with constituencies representing each faculty. The elections in 2007, saw the use of online voting for the first time, resulting in a substantial rise in the number of people who both sought election and voted. Following the changes made to the constitution and constitutional rules in 2007, the number of Councillors was reduced to one hundred from around 160; the move is an attempt to streamline the process and increase competition for seats. The SUC also elects the membership of several committees which oversee the work of the relevant elected officers and formulate Union policy. The Union Speaker
Speaker (politics)
The term speaker is a title often given to the presiding officer of a deliberative assembly, especially a legislative body. The speaker's official role is to moderate debate, make rulings on procedure, announce the results of votes, and the like. The speaker decides who may speak and has the...
is elected at the inaugural meeting of the SUC each year.
Executive
The Executive Management Committee of the Union comprises the seven sabbatical (full-time) officers and the Director and Deputy Director. The Union Speaker is elected at the first meeting of the SUC in November and also sits on the Executive. The Committee is responsible for overseeing the day to day work of the Union and works with the Management Board in setting strategy and measuring outputs, with the Board also having a number of external 'trustees' and representatives from the University.The sabbaticals are elected in March every year, take office from 1 July and represent the students in dealings with the University and other groups.
The current officers are:
- President and Chief Executive Officer: Jason O'Neill
- Vice-President Campaigns and Communications: Fiona Kidd
- Vice-President Clubs and Societies: Niall McShane
- Vice-President Community: Aidan Hughes
- Vice-President Education: Nuala McAdams
- Vice-President Equality and Diversity: Treasa Harkin
- Vice-President Welfare: Adam McGibbon
- Union Speaker: Joe Corina
Advice Centre
The Union provides an 'Advice Centre' that offers guidance to students in the areas of accommodation, academic affairs, student finance, counselling and welfare. These services are provided by the executive officers in addition to a permanent team of advisors.Clubs and Societies
There are more than 50 sporting clubs, including Football (QUB AFC), hockeyHockey
Hockey is a family of sports in which two teams play against each other by trying to maneuver a ball or a puck into the opponent's goal using a hockey stick.-Etymology:...
(QUB Hockey
Queen's University Hockey Club
Queen's University Hockey Club Men's Section was formed at Queen's in the latter part of the nineteenth Century. The Belfast News Letter reported the Ulster Hockey Union AGM of 19 September 1898, and recorded that "a committee meeting was held afterwards when Queen's College Hockey Club was...
), boating
Boating
Boating is the leisurely activity of travelling by boat, or the recreational use of a boat whether powerboats, sailboats, or man-powered vessels , focused on the travel itself, as well as sports activities, such as fishing or water skiing...
(QUB Boat Club
Queen's University Belfast Boat Club
Queen's University Belfast Boat Club is the Boat Club of Queen's University Belfast which is in Belfast, Northern Ireland. It is based on the River Lagan in the Stranmillis area of the city, about 10 minutes walk from the university.-1931–1951:...
) and Gaelic games
Gaelic games
Gaelic games are sports played in Ireland under the auspices of the Gaelic Athletic Association. The two main games are Gaelic football and hurling...
. As well as this there are more than one hundred non-sporting societies
University society
In colleges and universities, societies are organizations founded and ran by students to practice and propagate a certain professional hobby or cause, or to promote professional development....
, including cultural groups like An Cumann Gaelach
An Cumann Gaelach, QUB
An Cumann Gaelach is the Irish Language Society at Queen's University Belfast . Established in 1906, it is the third oldest society still in existence at the University, after the BMSA and Christian Union. The first meeting of the society was held on 30 January 1906, with William Mac Arthur being...
and the Ulster-Scots
Ulster-Scots
The Ulster Scots are an ethnic group in Ireland, descended from Lowland Scots and English from the border of those two countries, many from the "Border Reivers" culture...
Society, gaming societies such as the Dragonslayers, activism societies like Amnesty International and debating groups such as QUB Model UN, while most of the University's schools and departments also have a corresponding society such as the Law Society and the BMSA. Clubs and societies receive annual grants from the University via the VP Clubs and Services to carry out their educational roles; however, although political clubs and religious societies (such as the Christian Union and the Humanist Society) receive official recognition from the SRC, they do not receive money from the Union. Most of the main political groups on the island are present at Queen's including the Young Greens
Green Party in Northern Ireland
The Green Party in Northern Ireland is the Northern Ireland subdivision of the Irish Green Party, based on the principles of Green politics. It works in co-operation with Green parties across Europe, and was formerly a party in its own right...
Queens's Alliance
Alliance Party of Northern Ireland
The Alliance Party of Northern Ireland is a liberal and nonsectarian political party in Northern Ireland. It is Northern Ireland's fifth-largest party overall, with eight seats in the Northern Ireland Assembly and one in the House of Commons....
(part of Alliance Youth
Alliance Party of Northern Ireland
The Alliance Party of Northern Ireland is a liberal and nonsectarian political party in Northern Ireland. It is Northern Ireland's fifth-largest party overall, with eight seats in the Northern Ireland Assembly and one in the House of Commons....
the Northern Ireland branch of European Liberal Youth
European Liberal Youth
European Liberal Youth is an international organisation of Liberal youth movements - mostly the youth wings of members of the European Liberal, Democrat and Reform Party....
) , Ógra Fhianna Fáil (the first branch in Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland is one of the four countries of the United Kingdom. Situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, it shares a border with the Republic of Ireland to the south and west...
), the Democratic Unionist Association
Democratic Unionist Party
The Democratic Unionist Party is the larger of the two main unionist political parties in Northern Ireland. Founded by Ian Paisley and currently led by Peter Robinson, it is currently the largest party in the Northern Ireland Assembly and the fourth-largest party in the House of Commons of the...
, the Young Unionists
Young Unionists
The Young Unionists, formally known as the Ulster Young Unionist Council , is the youth wing of the Ulster Unionist Party . It has in its present incarnation been in existence since 2004...
, SDLP Youth
SDLP Youth
SDLP Youth is the youth group of the Northern Ireland political party the Social Democratic and Labour Party . It is organised throughout Northern Ireland and plays an active role within the SDLP at all levels of the organisation....
, Ógra Shinn Féin
Ógra Shinn Féin
Ógra Shinn Féin is the youth wing of the Irish political party Sinn Féin. ÓSF is active and organised throughout Ireland. It is often considered the most prominent incarnation of Fianna Éireann. Upon its establishment in 1997 it was originally known as Sinn Féin Youth, it changed to Ógra Shinn...
, the Socialist Party and the Socialist Workers Party.
Queen's Students' Union is the long term venue of Q-Con, one of the largest gaming conventions in the UK and the largest in Ireland. It is an event critically acclaimed by members of the gaming industry, in particular because it is organised exclusively by the members of the Queen's University Dragonslayers society.
The Union also provides facilities for these societies within the Union, including several club rooms and a resource centre, while the former Snack Bar is used by the larger societies. The Space (formerly the Beech Room) can be partitioned to allow clubs and societies to use parts of it.
Commercial Services
The commercial services of the Union have changed since it first opened, and once included a laundrette and even baths. There are several different businesses based in the actual building, space is rented to a coffee chain franchise, a pharmacy, a SantanderGrupo Santander
The Santander Group is a banking group centered on Banco Santander, S.A., the largest bank in the Eurozone and one of the largest banks in the world in terms of market capitalisation. According to Forbes Magazine Global 2000, it is the 13th largest public company in the world...
branch and a used bookshop.
However, the main bulk of commercial activity is carried out by the Union itself, including:
- BarSub
- Bunatee Bar
- Relish (canteen area)
- Starbucks
- MandelaNelson MandelaNelson Rolihlahla Mandela served as President of South Africa from 1994 to 1999, and was the first South African president to be elected in a fully representative democratic election. Before his presidency, Mandela was an anti-apartheid activist, and the leader of Umkhonto we Sizwe, the armed wing...
Hall - Snooker Rooms
- The Speakeasy Bar
- SU Shop (including Ticketmaster)
Entertainment
The Students' Union has four licensed entertainment venues; Mandela Hall, Speakeasy Bar, Bunatee Bar & Bar Sub. The combined capacity of the building's entertainment venues is over 2000, dwarfing that of its nearby private competitors. The Students' Union's Freshers Ball, Halloween Ball and St Paddy's Party are the biggest student nights in Belfast with all these venues sold out.The Mandela Hall is ones of Belfast's most popular live music venues. In the 2009-10 academic year, it hosted Slash, Feeder, Mumford & Sons, Ocean Colour Scene, Little Boots and Airbourne. The Union promotes live music under the "RADAR" brand. Thursday nights in the Speakeasy are home to "RADAR LIVE", the Union's local music night.
The Union provides a year long entertainment calendar, focusing on the two Queen's University semesters. Entertainment includes multi-venue club nights, traditional music, quizzes, Queen's Comedy Club and theme nights. The Students' Union provides a value offering for its members, with drink prices and promotions remaining consistently cheaper than local competitors. It has, however, come under criticism for being more expensive than Unions in Great Britain. It is one of the cheapest Union's in Ireland.
Media
The past several years have seen the growth of student media within the Union, which now includes print, web and broadcast. The GownThe Gown
The Gown is the independent student newspaper at Queen's University, Belfast, and is the longest running independent student newspaper in the UK. It was formed by Richard Herman, a medical student, in April 1955. In 2005 Dr Herman was able to attend the papers 50th Anniversary...
is seen as the paper of record of the Union although it is entirely independent and relies solely on advertising revenues. The Union has also funded its own publication for several decades, but following the failure of several different papers in previous years, the SU Mag was launched in September 2007 by former Deputy President Sarah McCaffrey. The SU Magazine went on to win the Best Student Magazine of the Year and Best Design and Layout at the annual Student Media Awards in Dublin. Plans were also announced by Sarah McCaffrey in November 2007 to launch a Union television station called 'SU TV' which would initially be broadcast in the Union and on a re-launched 'SU Website', it is expected to be up and running in early 2008 and will use the studio in the Union building built by the University's Film Studies Department. The Union is also home to the student station, Queen's Radio
Queen's Radio
Queen's Radio is a student radio station, broadcasting a wide variety of , based at Queen's University, Belfast, Northern Ireland, currently broadcasting via Its studios are located in the Students' Union building...
(QR) who broadcast on 1134MW in a 12-mile radius from a transmitter based in the Student's Union, as well as online via their website. Unlike SU TV, Queen's Radio
Queen's Radio
Queen's Radio is a student radio station, broadcasting a wide variety of , based at Queen's University, Belfast, Northern Ireland, currently broadcasting via Its studios are located in the Students' Union building...
is an official society and independent of the Union. The station is the only one of its kind in Northern Ireland and has one of the largest membership of any QUB society. All four media outlets, regardless of their status, are, or will be based, primarily in the Union building.
RAG
RAGRAG (student society)
University Rag societies are student-run charitable fundraising organisations that are widespread in the United Kingdom and Ireland. Most universities in the UK and Ireland, as well as some in South Africa and the Netherlands have a Rag...
(Raise and Give) is the official money raising wing of the SU, although it is operated in a similar way to societies, it is monitored by the SUC and the constitution states that the Vice President Community is the group's treasurer. RAG chooses several local charities on an annual basis and raises money through a variety of fund raising events and coordinates 'RAG Week'. The group also raises money through the publication of its annual joke book, 'PTQ'. This years Chairman of RAG is Lara Ellis, the Secretary is Charlotte Moughan and the treasurer is Jay Downs. Editor of this year's annual edition of PTQ is Derek Crosby.
Affiliations
The Students' Union at Queen's is affiliated with two major groups, the oldest of these is NUS-USINUS-USI
NUS-USI, the student movement in Northern Ireland was formed in 1972 by bilateral agreement between the National Union of Students of the United Kingdom and the Union of Students in Ireland , to address the particular problems of macro-representation of students in the Northern Ireland.Students at...
, which was set up at the height of the Troubles in 1972. The group brings together the Students' Unions from across Northern Ireland and its unique set-up means that Unions are members of both the National Union of Students of the United Kingdom (NUS) and the Union of Students in Ireland
Union of Students in Ireland
The Union of Students in Ireland is the national representative body for third-level students' unions in Ireland. The Union of Students in Ireland is the sole national representative body for students in Ireland but does not represent students from two of the seven Irish Universities, namely...
(USI). In 2007 Queen's officially became a member of the Russell Group
Russell Group
The Russell Group is a collaboration of twenty UK universities that together receive two-thirds of research grant and contract funding in the United Kingdom. It was established in 1994 to represent their interests to the government, parliament and other similar bodies...
, (an alliance of twenty prestigious research universities across the UK) following this, the Students' Union joined the Aldwych Group
Aldwych Group
The Aldwych Group is the group of students' unions of the members of the Russell Group of Universities in the United Kingdom. It was established in 1994, as a watchdog in response to the creation of the Russell Group....
(an alliance of the Unions whose universities belong to the Russell Group). In October 2008 the Students' Union held its tri-annual referendum on membership of NUS-USI.Results of NUS/USI Referendum However, the actual result was overshadowed by the fact that less than 2% of students voted, indicative of the disinterest towards the national unions.
Former Presidents
Until the establishment of the Students' Union in 1966, there were three main student organisations at Queen's. The first of these was the Students' Representative Council which was located on University Square and was responsible for representing all students to the University's management. There were also two other groups who served a more social function in student life, the Students' Union Society was based in the Union building and was for male students only, while the Women Students' Hall provided some of the same services to female students and was located on University Squares. In 1966 these three were merged to form Queen's University Belfast Students' Union.Women Students' Hall (1927-66)
- 1927-28: K.M. Kirkpatrick
- 1928-29: M.K.M. Aicken
- 1929-30: D. Maybin
- 1930-31: A. Robertson
- 1931-32: M. McMeekin
- 1932-33: O. Corkey
- 1933-34: L. Skillen
- 1934-35: M. Irwin
- 1935-36: E.F. Perry
- 1936-37: N. Haughton
- 1937-38: R.M. Burke
- 1938-39: Kathleen Burrows
- 1939-40: Mary Robertson
- 1940-41: M. Nevin Lyons
- 1941-42: Sally C. McManus
- 1942-43: Muriel Jackson
- 1943-44: Mary Thompson
- 1944-45: Moira Gilmore
- 1945-46: Moya Cole
- 1946-47: Helen Given
- 1947-48: Betty Mann
- 1948-49: Mary Uprichard
- 1949-50: Norah Rottger
- 1950-51: Mabel Stevenson
- 1951-52: D.M. Stevenson
- 1952-53: Lavina Loughridge
- 1953-54: Irene McCormack
- 1954-55: Alexandra Wilkie
- 1955-56: Bridget S. McGarvey
- 1956-57: Dinah Kohner
- 1957-58: Joan Logan
- 1958-59: Olga Woodhouse
- 1959-60: Priscilla Copeland
- 1960-61: D. Jane Bell
- 1961-62: Helen Kirkpatrick
- 1962-63: Elizabeth Auld
- 1963-64: Christine M. Harte
- 1964-65: Rosalind Cameron
- 1965-66: Elizabeth A. Thompson
Students' Representative Council (1900-66)
- 1900-01: O.M. Praeger
- 1901-02: S.T. Irwin
- 1902-03: C.G. Lowry
- 1903-04: R.H. Leighton
- 1904-05: W.H. Davey
- 1905-06: W.H. Davey
- 1906-07: J. Ferguson
- 1907-08: C.R. Crymbal
- 1908-09: W.W.D. Thompson
- 1909-10: R.M. Beath
- 1910-11: W.S. Lynd
- 1911-12: W.H. Martin
- 1912-13: J.W. Megaw
- 1913-14: S. Millar
- 1914-15: James Boyd
- 1915-16: James Boyd
- 1916-17: J.P. Martin
- 1917-18: A. Cromie
- 1918-19: G.D.F. McFadden
- 1918-19: M. Harper Turnball
- 1919-20: J.A. Smyth
- 1920-21: J.B. O'Neill
- 1921-22: J. Beattie
- 1922-23: H.W. Johnston
- 1923-24: H.W. Johnston
- 1924-25: Cyril Breene
- 1925-26: H.G. Calwell
- 1926-27: John H. Biggart
- 1927-28: James S. Baxter
- 1928-29: W.A.W Sheldon
- 1929-30: H.A. McVeigh
- 1930-31: H.S. McMeekin
- 1931-32: S.D. Donnan
- 1932-33: T.F. Glass
- 1933-34: J. Leslie Flack
- 1934-35: R.I.G. McCrudden
- 1935-36: W.J.K. Millar
- 1936-37: J.E.J. Bereen
- 1937-38: F.A. Reid
- 1938-39: B.J.P. Kelly
- 1939-40: G. Glynn Davies
- 1940-41: J.M. Hunter
- 1941-42: E. Howard
- 1942-43: A.M. Epstein
- 1943-44: H.M. McClatchey
- 1944-45: D.L. McLaughlin
- 1945-46: B.T. Crymble
- 1946-47: M. Mawhinney
- 1947-48: C.T. Wilson
- 1948-49: C.T. Wilson
- 1949-50: S.J. Cox
- 1950-51: R.W. Porter
- 1950-51: G.W.R. Drennan
- 1951: S.J. Cox
- 1951-52: Edith L. McDermott
- 1952-53: J.A. Patterson
- 1953-54: J.S.C. McKee
- 1954-55: J.P. Savage
- 1955-56: C. Ritchie
- 1956: J.P. Savage
- 1956-57: John C. Gates
- 1957-58: R.D. Abernethy
- 1958-59: R.J. Huston
- 1959-60: J. Verner Wheelock
- 1960-61: T.W. Savage
- 1961-62: Andrew C. Duffin
- 1962-63: T. Geoffrey Martin
- 1963-64: S. Craig
- 1964-65: P.D. Smith
- 1965-66: R.S. Martin
Students' Union (1966-Present)
The following is a list of Presidents of Queen's University Belfast Students' Union from the creation of a single Union in 1966 with the merger of the Students' Representative Council, the Students' Union Society and the Women Students' Hall. The one year term of office follows the academic year, beginning on 1 July and ending on 30 June the following year.- 1966-1967: C.J. McKeown
- 1967-1968: Ian Brick
- 1968-1969: P.R. McShane
- 1969-1970: Fred Taggart
- 1970-1971: K.J. Finnegan
- 1971-1972: J.F. Houston
- 1972-1973: Gerry Lewis
- 1973-1974: Alastair McDowell
- 1974-1975: Bronagh Hinds
- 1975-1976: Hugh Cox
- 1976-1977: Mark S Worrell
- 1977-1978: David McAughey
- 1978-1979: T.G. Lynch
- 1979-1980: T.G. Lynch
- 1980-1981: H.F. McCrea
- 1981-1982: Adrian Coulton
- 1982-1983: Alex AttwoodAlex AttwoodAlex Attwood, MLA is an Irish politician, currently serving in the Northern Ireland Executive, and is the Social Democratic and Labour Party MLA for Belfast West....
- 1983-1984: Peter O’Neill
- 1984-1985: Kieran McKernan
- 1985-1986: Carmel Ferguson
- 1986-1987: Anne Maguire
- 1987-1988: Tim Attwood
- 1988-1989: David Maguire
- 1989-1990: Dominic Doherty
- 1990-1991: Mark Quinn
- 1991-1992: Cathal Smyth
- 1992-1993: Kate Fearon
- 1993-1994: Paul McMenamin
- 1994-1995: Paul McMenamin
- 1995-1996: Colm McGivern
- 1996-1997: Michelle McCauley
- 1997-1998: Cormac Bakewell
- 1998-1999: Paul McGarrity
- 1999-2000: John McAuley
- 2000-2001: Paul Callaghan
- 2001-2002: John Mackell
- 2002-2003: Mary Durkan
- 2003-2004: Jonathan Hill
- 2004-2005: Maria McCloskey
- 2005-2006: Ben Preston
- 2006-2007: Ben Preston
- 2007-2008: John Roger
- 2008-2009: Ciarnan Helferty
- 2009-2010: Shane Brogan
- 2010-2011: Gareth McGreevy
- 2011-2012: Jason O’Neill