History

The National Institute of Higher Education (NIHE) was founded in Limerick in 1972. The first pioneering students numbered 113 and founded the NIHE Students’ Union during the academic year, with John Redington as their President. The oldest known document in the archive of the Union is his presidential report to an ordinary general meeting, dated 18th May 1973.

It reveals the raw nature of the first union and the experimental nature of structures and type of environment that these first students experienced. He highlighted the inefficiencies of members who did not fully carry out their duties and attacked those who sought to dominate business by proposing ill-informed motions.

He went on to mention the ‘hurlers on the ditch’, as he put it, who ‘love to knock everything they can’, as well as those members he termed dogmatic in that they refused to listen to other people’s points of view and thought their own judgement superior to others. While recognizing that diversity was good for any organisation he hoped that next year some thought would be given to those elected to represent students.

Clubs and societies formed the backbone of that first Union. The continuity of these organisations with so few students on campus was an issue of concern for the Union administration. It is difficult to identify the first clubs and societies of the NIHE, but we know there was a Dramatic and Arts Society, as well as an all encompassing Sports Club.

Another milestone of the Union was in 1989 when the first and only woman president of the Union was elected - Maura Adshead. Semesterisation and the move from s 3 term to a 2 term academic year was one of the main discussion topics during this period and remained so until it was finally introduced in 1994.

Repeat examinations were also a bone of contention during the early 1990s, with the battle eventually going in favour of the Union.

The Union of Students’ in Ireland (USI) further created much debate and discussion. The NIHE had been a member of USI since 1972 and had received loans from the national body during the 1980s. However, most universities, including UL, left USI by 1992.

In 1992 the Union had accumulated several services providing for student needs. A second-hand bookshop, operating since the late 1970s, evolved into a grocery and confectionery shop. The campus laundrette had come under Union guidance while a reprographics unit was also established. Thus the Union constituted its first company – Students’ Union Services Ltd. Consequently the Union hired Gerry Barry, as its first general manager, to oversee the running of the company on behalf of the Union later that year.

In 1998 a full time Clubs and Societies Development Officer was appointed. The building of the student centre and its completion in 1999 was yet another achievement by successive Union administrations. In 2000 the Union created its fourth sabbatical officer position with sole responsibility for education.
In 2006 the Union created its fifth sabbatical officer: Campaigns & Services Officer. Alannah Turner was the first officer elected to this position. Campaigns were taken from the Communications & Campaigns Officer (C.C.O) and services from the President. The CCO position then became Publicity & Publications Officer. Deirdre O`Shaughnessy was the first elected to this position.
In March 2007 the Students` Union held a referendum to leave the University Alcohol Policy if this was not enforced adequately by November 2007. The referendum passed with a 95% majority. This year also saw the Students` Union shop move from its old premises beside the Paddocks to the old Scholars bar.

Interesting facts about ULSU:

2006/07 ULSU had the largest proportion of female to male sabbatical officers nationwide
There has only been one female president of ULSU
In 2005/06 ULSU released a cheeky calendar... in which only 3 officers appeared to be naked.
At least 3 former ULSU Presidents are now local politicians.
Former ULSU President Diarmuid Scully was also Mayor of Limerick.
ULSU is the only Students` Union nationally to administer Clubs and Societies, and also the only SU to have external Entertainments coordinators.
Paul Lee, Clubs and Societies Development Officer, is the longest-serving staff member in ULSU.
Incoming sabbats fear putting on the `sabbat stone` during their year of office which sees them wolfing down muffins, crisps, sandwiches and cakes at an astonishing rate in an effort to keep energy levels up. It`s also probably because they now get wages and the novelty of affording food is overwhelming.