According to the Guardian, the NUS has undergone reform that will steer it in to more 'corporate Blairite waters.' Its hard to tell where the Guardian Education section has been all these years if it believes that it has only now embraced the Blairite way! When I was a student President at Aberystwyth, the NUS was a far cry from its left-wing placard waving days, and was an organisation dominated by Labour activists- both in the Bay and in London. We need only be reminded of the leadership of NUS Wales at the time, and their inability to announce their opposition to the recommendations of the Rees Review (which proposed top-up fees for Wales) as an example of how the Ministers sought to influence the student body.
We sought change then, and some of us bolder members tried to push for reform so that the NUS would be a body that would actually be run by students, and not by officers in Cardiff, but we did not succeed. Some Unions such as Cardiff ran a campaign to disaffiliate from the NUS (the fees to be a member are extortionate for each Student Union) but they were faced with a bus load of NUS officers from all over Britain, who had money and resources to ensure that no such disaffiliation campaign was successful.
For fear of undermining the NUS completely, and the people that work in the organisation, I know that a huge amount of effort has been put in to changing the organisation in Wales, and to making it more representative. It still has a long way to go, and I hope the current officers are aware of that- it must consult members much more efficiently, include them in decision-making, and provide a voice for all student groups. Not an easy task, I admit, but one that is underway. Lobbying the Assembly, and campaigning on a Welsh level is an area that is developing, and a much more rigorous scrutiny of Ministers and AMs is needed.
NUS on a national scale is an area that I am less familiar with presently. There are plans for a new executive board, and 'zone committees" of student officers and staff in students' unions which will act as working groups to develop policy. I sincerely hope that these reforms work, but if they are serious about reform they must tackle the dominance of specific groups of students on NUS policy, which is exemplified in its National Conference. It is intimidating for those students who turn up without any affiliation to a certain group- be it the Jewish students group or the Socialist Workers party, and often policy is skewed by the large scale representation of such groups. Reform is of course needed, but it will take some time.
9 comments:
Hey Bethan,
Nice blog. :)
As you might expect, I take some issue with part of your first paragraph :)
I think the stated opposition by NUS Wales was unequivocal - in fact, as a Labour Party Member and activist, even after NUS, I am still - as I was then - anti variable fees.
Naturally my take is somewhat different - I believe that a coalition of students from anti-Labour perspectives put party politics above student needs - student activists who were more concerned with bashing Labour than with winning for students.
My personal position then was - and remains - that the introduction of variable fees was entirely likely and almost necessary to ensure that there was no funding imbalance between Welsh and English universities, which, frankly, would have colossal repercussions, not just on students but on the thousands of workers employed in HE across Wales.
Note my opposition was sincere, but the cross border flows of students in Wales make the situation markedly different from in Scotland, where even there they are being forced to consider parity of funding, and where the SNP have ditched their flagship policy of abolishing student debt because it's too expensive...
My focus was on student support which, I am sure you will agree, is far more generous in Wales than in the UK - the National Bursary Scheme was a direct success of NUS Wales' campaign regarding student hardship.
Ministers didn't seek to influence the student body - it was quite the other way around. And there was increasing success up until a number of students' unions decided to pursue their own agenda - at which point the united campaign of NUS Wales - derived from policy submitted by those same students' unions who moved away from it - was compromised.
I think the current system is horrific. Whilst I have no particular objection to the National Assembly for Wales prioritising the spending of its money to support Welsh domiciled students, I find it repulsive - as a socialist - that funding is allocated to a middle class, well off student from Wales ahead of someone from a working class or less well off background from elsewhere in the UK.
The only objective of the Tory motion which Plaid "socialists" then backed was to defeat Labour. Fair enough - they were in opposition and that was, in part, their role.
But at NUS Wales I was more concerned with students and getting a decent student support package to offset the impact of fees on students - a goal that was scuppered by those in the student movement who put their own interests first.
Please note that I don't make this point specifically in reference to you, Bethan, but I find it highly amusing that Labour Students in NUS get all the stick for being so called "careerists" and yet it is people from other student political persuasions, including yourself, who are in political career-type jobs.
Anyhow, keep up the good blogging work - it's fun to reminisce and compare recollections of the same events. It's also interesting to speculate what Plaid's position would be on the subject if the debate were to happen now that they are in a coalition government...
JK
I thought you might reply to this post. We must agree to disagree James, because we did at the time and I see no reason why it will change now.
'And there was increasing success up until a number of students' unions decided to pursue their own agenda - at which point the united campaign of NUS Wales - derived from policy submitted by those same students' unions who moved away from it - was compromised.'
I dont agree with this quote at all. I don't believe that the leadership were successful in their campaign, and were failing to listen to students therefore many Students Unions felt they had no choice but to come out against what the leadership was doing.
It wasn't opportunism, but a chance to make a difference- and we have, as Welsh students do not have to pay top-up fees in Wales.
Your point on this is unfair to the National Assembly also. We cannot afford to fund those who study in Wales from other parts of the UK, and the UK Government passed a motion in support of top-up fees prior to the Assembly debate. This sealed the fate of thousands of students.
This issue will raise its head again in 2010, and we must all now work together to make sure that top-up fees are not introduced here in Wales.
Couldn't agree more with comment above. I find the Assembly's agenda dn some of the comments regarding English students and who pays for then when they study in Wales etc. totally disgraceful. But then again the political 'elite' has consumed itself with building barriers in Wales, a sad 'us' and 'them' mentality (NHS, Education, Social Services etc.)
I was at Cardiff Uni during the campaign to break from NUS, I wish Cardiff Union had. I have major issues with NUS - though from different reasons to Bethan. But in terms of costs to uni you are right they are extremely high.
"Your point on this is unfair to the National Assembly also. We cannot afford to fund those who study in Wales from other parts of the UK"
Thats an amazing comment but goes a long way to explaining the direction public policy has taken in Wales. What about all the students who have left Wales and are funded in England? What about the Welsh communities that are served by English hospitals and health provision? We are all part of the same country - The United Kingdom - and whether you like it or not tha vast majority of people support the UK and are totally mystified by the divisions that have and are continuing to be created between Wales and the rest of the country.
the last anon- that was our only option in terms of ruling out top-up fees as an Assembly. You seem to be suggesting that some people want such divisions! That is totally untrue. I campaigned as hard as the next person when the vote was in Westminster to try and stop top-up fees and their introduction, but it failed, and that is the sorry situation that Wales had to follow. What we have now is far from perfect I know that, but we have done our best for the students that we CAN support.
"For fear of undermining the NUS completely, and the people that work in the organisation, I know that a huge amount of effort has been put in to changing the organisation in Wales" You must be talking about the leadership setting the liberation campaigns against each other to get rid of the women's officer. You must be so proud.
"but they were faced with a bus load of NUS officers from all over Britain, who had money and resources to ensure that no such disaffiliation campaign was successful."
I was at Cardiff at the time of the affiliations referendum. We we're happy to have the debate.
Thanks for the reply, Bethan :)
"I thought you might reply to this post. We must agree to disagree James, because we did at the time and I see no reason why it will change now."
Aye, that's true! Mind you, I hope that now we've both left student politics we can at least dispense with the notion that each others' views are apocalytically bad and satanically-derived! I think (shhhh, don't tell anyone!!) that we are probably in agreement over this particular issue; we just disagree over how to handle it. /shrugs
"I dont agree with this quote at all. I don't believe that the leadership were successful in their campaign, and were failing to listen to students therefore many Students Unions felt they had no choice but to come out against what the leadership was doing.
It wasn't opportunism, but a chance to make a difference- and we have, as Welsh students do not have to pay top-up fees in Wales."
Efficacy of NUS Wales' campaigns is a relative perspective, evinced by the fact that many - non-Labour, I might add! - were very positive about it.
Note, I don't necessarily attribute the opportunism to you - although I do believe that your Plaid hat was definitely being worn at the time - I think we need both look no further than the then Cardiff sabbatical team for opportunism...
"Your point on this is unfair to the National Assembly also. We cannot afford to fund those who study in Wales from other parts of the UK, and the UK Government passed a motion in support of top-up fees prior to the Assembly debate. This sealed the fate of thousands of students."
I truthfully don't think it is unfair to demand that the Assembly caters for all of the people in Wales rather than half of the people from Wales - the policy is nationalist rather than socialist. If the priority was Welsh students the policy should have extended to Welsh students wherever they studied, rather than just Welsh students studying in Wales. If the focus was on students studying in Wales - who I believe are the real constituents, rather than those who have, for typically 3 years, left the country, then it should have extended to those from elsewhere in the UK.
It is a genuinely difficult issue. I have no doubt that your position now as an AM is different from your position then as a student activist - which is undoubtedly a good thing! But as someone who remains an activist (and, as it happens, also a student!), I feel able to be a little more demanding and a little less understanding.
"This issue will raise its head again in 2010, and we must all now work together to make sure that top-up fees are not introduced here in Wales."
Exactly as you say, excepting that I want to ensure that the entire notion of variability - my particular bugbear - is erradicated from the UK HE sector.
JK
As part of the 'current leadership setting one liberation against the other' (as one anonymous blogger so incorrectly comments) I thought I'd leave a couple of lines.
Firstly, I think it is great that NUS and NUS Wales is still being discussed by previous officers. It proves that some people are passionate and not all officers stand for a position because they think it is a cosy job! (some people do have the perception believe it or not). It also says to me that more people know what NUS is - whether it's by reading the Guardian or reading blogs... Is the national union perhaps regaining it's good profile? (Answers on a postcard please) :)
Secondly. I'm not going to comment on whether I agree with Bethan or JK or any of the anonymous comments left, but I will state a fact in relation to the Welsh Assembly offsetting the cost of tuition fees..
JK says "I truthfully don't think it is unfair to demand that the Assembly caters for all of the people in Wales rather than half of the people from Wales".
All I want to say here is that the figure of Welsh Domiciled Students (according to the HEFCW statistics) is closer to 75% than the 50% you state. So in reality the Welsh Assembly is assisting a much greater number of students in ales than you think.
As for affiliation referendums, or should I say DIS-affiliation referendums - I hate them! I am genuinely gutted when a union even thinks about leaving NUS, never mind having the vote. We do turn up by the bus load to campaign and we do put money into flyers and other materials. NUS Wales would find it very difficult to survive if a Welsh union left us - we are heavily subsidised by UK as it is!
However, I then get to thinking as to why unions want to leave. Is it because of the cost? Chances are it's not because their block grant covers it. The underlining problems lie with us as an organisation. NUS needs to ensure it is delivering for the students it represents and are currently undergoing a Governance review (along with NUS UK) to see whether this is happening.
NUS Wales didn't always deliver for me when I was a sabbatical officer at student union level, but I am confident in saying we are on the right path for delivering now!
Happy blogging
NUS Wales Deputy President
Post a Comment