Administrative matters

Student helpdesk

The Student Information Desk, located in Áras Uí Chathail, is the ‘One Stop Shop’ for all student administration matters. It deals with issues including ID cards, exams, fees, official records, changing your name and address, and other matters. A number of services are also available online. See their website for further details.

ID cards

ID cards are issued during the student registration process at the beginning of the year. Subsequent replacement or re‐issue of cards is conducted in the Student Centre, where the following can be obtained:

• Replacement cards which have been lost/stolen/broken.
• ID cards for students who register late on their course.
• Replacement cards for students who are granted an extension to studies

There is a charge to replace lost ID cards, which is payable to the SID. If you have been a victim of crime and have had your ID card stolen, a replacement will be provided free of charge on production of a Garda (police) crime reference number.

Please note that you will need to bring your ID card with you in order to access the newsroom and television studio; the library and a number of other university services.

Transcripts

You can access your up to date results online at any stage while a student. Official student transcripts are available directly from the university. You can request a certified copy of your results, a replacement parchment or a translation of your parchment from the SID. The university changes a fee for this service. Full details here:

https://www.universityofgalway.ie/sid/our-services/transcripts/

Change of personal details

It is your responsibility to ensure that the university holds correct and up to date information for you. If you change your contact details (including mobile number) or your name, please make sure the changes are reflected on your student account.

Reference requests

Students often ask academic staff to act as referees when they apply to other programmes or for jobs, and academic staff will usually supply a reference to a current or former student. Please check with your academic referee that they are willing to provide a reference for you before nominating them. Academic references concerning your potential for further study or suitability for a particular job are best written by staff members who have taught you first‐hand. If you have not taken any modules from a particular lecturer you should consider first asking staff members who have taught you for these type of references. When asking for a reference, please supply your academic referee with an up‐to‐date Curriculum Vitae (CV) and a record of modules taken and marks achieved. Please let your referee know if you withdraw your application or are rejected before a reference is written. Finally, please let your referees know if you get the job or an offer of a place on a course.

Websites and official sources of information

It is your responsibility to keep yourself informed about changes in teaching arrangements, study requirements, examinations and so on. This handbook contains much of the information you need, so please refer to it continuously. We also expect all our students to keep up to date with regulations, policies and procedures and frequent updates will be posted on the university website and Canvas.

University:                                            www. universityofgalway.ie

Discipline of Journalism and Media:       www. universityofgalway.ie/journalism

Student Registry helpdesk:                    www.universityofgalway.ie/student-registry-helpdesk/

Canvas:                                                https://universityofgalway.instructure.com

Copyright and intellectual property rights

Copyright of a student’s work normally lies with the student and the student may refuse to allow others access to this work, although requirements for completing the programme must be met. However, any student’s work produced for the purpose of a taught programme of study may be retained by the programme. It is standard academic practice for student research projects or dissertations to be available for inspection by others within the library. Students should be mindful of the risk of work being copied if it is placed into the public domain electronically. Where a taught student has developed intellectual property (IP) that may have commercial value, the intellectual property will be managed in accordance with the university’s guidelines. The initial presumption is that the student owns the IP. However, there are exceptions.

Student Code of Conduct

Below is a summary of key points from the university’s code of conduct. The guidelines that follow have been drawn up with reference to Policies and Procedures established by the university. All students should familiarise themselves with these guidelines at:

University of Galway Student Code of Conduct

Main points from the Student Code of Conduct

• Any student who enrolls for any course in the university in doing so accepts the objectives of the university and is giving a commitment, as a responsible individual and as a member of the university community, to behave in an appropriate manner.
• The Student Code of Conduct offers guidelines as to the norms of behaviour that accord with the obligations of students, but where more specific requirements are in place, they are available on the university’s web site. It should be noted that Students of the university cannot claim any privileged position in regard to the general law of the land.

Rights and obligations of staff, students and others

• Every student and staff member has the right to be treated with dignity and respect.
• Students are expected to acknowledge the authority of the staff of the university, both academic and support staff, in the performance of their duties.

Academic conduct

• Every student is expected to approach his/her academic endeavours with honesty and integrity.
• Each student shall comply with his/her academic programme requirements in terms of lectures, practicals, assignments and assessments and with all university registration, fees, library, use of computer facilities and examination regulations associated therewith.
• No student shall provide false or misleading information to or withhold relevant information from any party regarding his/her academic achievements

General

• Every student is required to behave in a manner which enables and encourages participation in the educational activities of the university and does not disrupt the functioning of the university.
• The maintenance of the good name of the university is in the interests of all of the university community and, as the standing of the university depends largely on those who represent it, it is the duty of its students at all times to behave, both inside and outside of the university, in a way which does not bring discredit to the university.
• The observance of the Code, so far as it applies to the individual student, is his/her personal responsibility.
• Breach of any of the regulations of the university will be dealt with either under the appropriate approved university procedure or the Disciplinary Procedure. (The Disciplinary Procedure is laid out in Section 6.0 of the Code of Conduct)

Examples of code breaches

• Obstruction of members of the university staff or other students in the performance of their duties.
• Any violence or threats of violence or any abuse, either physical or verbal.
• Any behaviour that endangers the welfare of the individual or others.
• Making derogatory comments or allegations against a member of staff or other student either in person or utilising electronic media such as e-mail or social networking sites.
• Cheating, plagiarism and circumstances where a student submits the work of another as his/her own or allows another person to undertake an assessment or assignment for him/her.
• Failure, without reasonable explanation, to carry out all or any of the following to the satisfaction of the Academic Council: attend lectures; attend prescribed practical classes, or laboratory, drawing-office or clinical sessions; attend tutorial classes; meet requirements laid down for project-work, essay-writing, or any other prescribed course exercise.
• Conduct likely to disrupt teaching, examinations, study, research, or administration of the university.
• Failure to abide by the regulations governing enrolment on the academic programme, attendance at lectures and other prescribed exercises and the conduct of examinations.
• Abuse of alcohol or other substances on the campus, including contravention of the regulations which may be made from time to time relating to the consumption of alcohol or other substances on the campus.