Dundalk Institute of Technology students have voted by seven to one to change the student union position of women's rights officer to equality officer.
The move was one of a package of reforms to the student union's constitution voted on by the students last week. Miles McDonnell, students' union president, says the position was regarded as "slightly outdated, slightly sexist and slightly patronising . . . It was only when the person who was elected last year couldn't take up the position that we thought about what the position was supposed to achieve. "People started saying that the need for a women's rights officer no longer existed - that we were all on an even keel and we should be looking after the people who really need special attention."
The outline of the duties of the new equality officer in the amended constitution leaves no one out. It promises "to represent all members of the students' union so as to promote equality of treatment and in particular to ensure they are not discriminated against or harassed arising from their gender, marital status, family status, sexual orientation, religion, political beliefs, age, physical or mental disability, race, colour, nationality, ethnic or national origins or membership of the travelling community". Only 300 of Dundalk's 2,700 students voted on the reforms, which largely dealt with procedural issues to help the union cope with the large increase in student numbers.
Students at Tralee IT will vote on a similar package in March; theirs will also include a proposal to change the position of women's rights officer to equality officer.RO'S
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