MALCOLM BYRNE, former education officer with UCD students' union, is to contest the by election for the seat on UCD's governing body left vacant by the death of Professor Gus Martin.

Byrne, a postgraduate student of law, will be opposed by Professor Frank Bradley, dean of commerce, and Cliona Marsh, a lecturer in German.

"The governing body make the final decision with regard to fees and it is the governing body which decided to increase postgraduate fees by an average of 20 per cent last year, Byrne says. "One of the reasons I am running is to oppose any attempt to raise postgraduate fees again.

Byrne is also concerned at the governing body's decision this year to charge a fee of £2 for inter library loans. Some departments are absorbing the cost but have put a ceiling on the number of inter library loans of which a student may avail; others have simply left their students to pay.

Finally, the current governing body will also be responsible for making recommendations on the composition of future governing bodies. A number of groups do not have statutory representation on the body, including non professorial academic staff, non academic staff and undergraduate and postgraduate students.

"Coming from one of the disenfranchised groups I can relate to the other disenfranchised groups in the college," Byrne says.

The representation of the views of postgraduate students at governing body level suffered a blow last week when Professor Frank Hegarty, dean of postgraduate students, stepped down from this position. While Hegarty has a seat on the governing body as an academic council nominee, his successor, Professor Brian McKenna, does not.

Some 70,000 graduates are entitled to vote in the by election, though only 5,000 actually did so in the last election. Ballot papers have been sent to all UCD graduates. If you haven't received one by tomorrow or Thursday, contact the registrar's office in UCD. Ballots must be returned by February 17th.