A working group setup to redraft a section of the draft Terms of Reference for the Capitation Committee is to recommend that the Capitation Committee not have the power to confiscate copies of publications. 

The working group was established at a meeting of the Capitation Committee on November 12 to review section 4.6  of the draft Terms of Reference that would have given the Capitation Committee the power to confiscate any publication produced by a body that receive funding from Capitation. This power was then delegated to the Senior Dean who could exercise it on behalf of the Committee. 

The draft Terms of Reference were written by the Senior Dean, Junior Dean, Dean of Students, and the College Secretary. The draft Terms of Reference were added to the agenda of the Capitation Committee the day before.

A Students’ Union spokesman said that the ‘Students’ Union was deeply unhappy that there was no consultation prior to this motion being brought to Capitations,’ continuing he said ‘the Union was very concerned with the ad hoc nature it was added to the agenda.’    

The Capitation Committee currently does not have the power to seize publications. The Senior Dean has previously seized copies of a publication acting in his capacity as Senior Dean not as Chair of Capitations. 

Section 4.6 also required all bodies receiving money from the Committee and that produced any publication including books, newspapers, leaflets, and posters to become members of the Press Council of Ireland.

Robert Kearns, Chair of the Central Societies Committee said ‘the wording of section 4.6 suggested that anyone producing a poster on campus would have to be a member of the Press Council. From a CSC point of view, this would be highly impractical as we have over 100 societies producing such materials.’

After objections from the Committee about section it was agreed that a working group be established to redraft section 4.6. The working group to be chaired by Joseph O’Gorman, Honorary Treasurer of the Central Societies Committee (CSC) consists of a member from each of the capitated bodies namely the Students’ Union (SU), Graduate Students’ Union (GSU), Publications, Dublin University Central Athletics Committee (Ducac), and the CSC.

A spokesman said that the ‘Students’ Union always values student freedom of expression and looks forward to the working group returning a draft section that better reflects the core principles of freedom of expression.’  

Luke Maishman, Chair of Publication said that he ‘was concerned that the new proposed article did not appear to contain any student input, having been drafted by a committee of College staff members. That this addition was made known to the capitated bodies less than twenty-four hours before the meeting at which it was to be proposed hardly allowed time for a considered student response.’

The Capitation Committee apportions money it receives from students as part of the Student Service Charge to the five capitated bodies. 

The Committee at its meeting also approved the accounts of the capitated bodies and distributed this year’s grant.     

The working group for reviewing section 4.6 will present its recommendation to the next meeting of the Capitation Committee in December.