Last week your elected NUS National Conference (NUSNC) 2013 delegates went to Sheffield.
Apurva, Dale, Gabbi, John, Lynne and I drove up to Sheffield with CUSU (Cambridge University Students' Union) and were greated at the Town Hall by t-shirt, flyer and sticker clad campaigners for those running in the national elections. There was a buzz in there air that only comes with that of a National Conference. Student Unions from across the UK all gathering together to vote on national policy, elect the new executive and learn more about what NUS are working on.
We are very lucky to have such a diverse group of delegates representing a range of our students, particularily Masters students, Nursing, FST and ALSS faculties as well as a good male:female ratio. with a delegate demographic like ours, it was easier to ensure we represent the views of our students to the best of our ability when voting on policy and candidates.
You can too be a Conference Delegate and represent ARU at a national level by standing in the next Representatives Election October 2013.
www.angliastudent.com/represent/studentreps
There were a number of contentious motions brought forward were 502c proposed by University College London and London School of Economics where Conference Resolves: To issue guidance that only elected students should be full voting members of the Trustee Boards. Externals should advise but should not have a say in the final decisions. We as a delegation voted down this amendment to 502 as our Students' Union has a strong and collaborative Trustee Board and we fully support the votes and views of our board members. We appreciate that some Students' Unions may not have as an effective board as we do however to make this national policy would be to a detriment to well functioning boards.
701 also brought many discussions throughout the conference. 701 Gender Balancing showed National Conference at full bloom to our delegates as this was a policy to explore the different views of our national student body. As the final vote was done by e-voting to anonymise voters we cannot disclose exactly how our delegates voted. As this motion was under 700-AGM it would have changed the governing documents of NUS - Articles and Rules. We are very proud that Gabbi our Academic Officer went up on stage in front of approx 700 people and spoke for the 701 motion. It is not an easy feat speaking at National Conference and Gabbi did a great job.
Typically with all NUSNC's Society & Citizenship and Welfare Zones do not recieve enough time for full debate on all the motions submitted by Students' Union. Therefore this conference had very few votes on these zones and as a result, motions not discussed will be taken to NEC (National Executive Committee) to vote.
Throughout the conference delegates can attend Fringe sessions which are break out events where NUS highlight key areas of interest. Our delegates attended sessions of Faith and Equal Marriage, Postgraduate Funding, NUS Student Green Fund and more.
The election results are:
Preside - Toni Pearce
VP Higher Education - Rachel Wenstone
VP Ffurther Education - Joe Vinson
VP Union Development - Raechel Mattey
VP Society & Citizenship - Dom Anderson
VP Welfare - Colum McGuire
If you have any questions about NUS National Conference please feel free to contact the Students' Union.
Francesca
President
