By Joe Rukin
NUS Conference 2002
Conference Round-Up
NUS Conference=Democarcy- My Arse!
HE tells FE to F-Off (including FEUD Election)
Block of Twelve election
Presidental election
Other Elections
The NUS National Conference 2003 will take place over four days, starting on March 31st at the Winter Gardens in Blackpool. Here's all you need to know
Background
The NUS national conference is the sovereign body of the National Union of Students. Any student can go, but in reality, the majority of delegates are student union officers, which is exasperated by the fact that conference is during the term time of most colleges and many universities. Some unions elect delegates, whilst others are selected by individual student union executives.
It's main purpose is to set the policy of the union, whether this be on campaigning, internal arrangements or other issues relevant to students and to elect the bulk of the new National Executive Committee (NEC) for the next year. Nominations for these posts have closed. A full list of candidates appears below. There are other elections which take place at conference and nominations take place there. Details of these positions folow at the end. The conference is also meant to ratify reports, such as the NEC report and plan, which is meant to hold the NEC to account, but this did not happen again this year. There are also emergency motions (which were also not heard this year), guest speakers, sector (Higher Education [HE] and Further Education [FE]) conferences, elections to other committees and side-events.
Eighteen of the Twenty-Six NEC members are elected at Conference on one-year terms, starting on July 1st; President, Secretary, Treasurer, Vice-President (VP) Education, VP Welfare, VP Further Education & Union Development (FEUD) and twelve part-time officers without portfolio, known as the 'Block of Twelve'. Other members elected elsewhere are; convenors for Scotland, Northern Ireland & Wales, Womens Officer, Students with Disabilities Officer (SWD), Black Students Officer (BSO) and two Lesbian Gay & Bisexual (LGB) Officers.
The conference is dominated by political groupings or 'factions', which generally attempt to exert 'block votes' to achieve policy aims and electoral success. The main three are Labour Students (NOLS); Education not War (EnW, formerly Unite for Education (UfE)) which is a coalition of left groups; and the 'Organised Independents' (OI) or the Independent Right. In the past the OI slate has been a handy way of electing Labour party members, who due to not being members of NOLS, feel no problem in self-defining as 'Independent', such as previous president Owain James, though this is not the case with all OIs. In the past they have been identifiable by their bulk purchase of pastel stickers, but surely will figure something new out now this fact has been made so evident. There are also 'Real' Independents, though many invent new names, not wishing to use this partially tainted tag. The EnW slate is made up of the Campaign for Fee Education (CfE) which has some links with Alliance for Workers Liberty (AWL), Socialist Worker Student Society (SWSS) and Student Broad Left (also known as Socialist Action), which has connections with Student CND. Although these three field the EnW slate for the full-time elections, for the Block of Twelve they revert to individual factional candidates. Socialist Students are frozen out of EnW, despite the left motto 'Unity is Strength'. Other factions include Conservative Future (CF), Liberal Democrat Youth & Students (LDYS) and the Union of Jewish Students (UJS).
This year, possibly in response to the fact UJS have always been strong within NUS there are rumours of a Pro-Palestinian slate. Although FE students massively outnumber HE students in terms of numbers nationally, HE delegates are the majority at NUS Conference.
Policy
There will be information about the motions on the site at a later date, and surely a bit of discussion on the messageboard. There will also be a guide to help you understand what goes on during the debates. The result of the priority ballot is; Education Funding, Welfare, NUS Reform and Student Activities. That means debates on implementing the policies in these four motions (well probably about two and a half of them) will take up the majority of the action on conference floor. There will also be an oportunity to propose emergency motions at the start of conference, but these rarely get heard.
The date for final submissions for amendments is 14th Feburary, with a 240 word limit. Any policies passed become the official policy of NUS. Final motions documents will be sent to your student union president, as will a copy of the manifesto document. If you want to make sure you get one, ask your President to ask NUS to send out enough for your whole delegation (or at least more than they were going to), as NUS have a habit of not printing enough to give out at Conference, and they're both the sort of document you need to have read in advance.
Getting There
Every SU in NUS gets to send delegates to NUS Conference for FREE. The number you get is set by the number of students you have, though in reality a lot of the time it has nothing to do withthis, and more to do with how many students your union can afford to declare -higher student numbers mean a higher affiliation fee. Unions have to register to go to NUS Conference, but it is not too late if this has not been done. If your union has not been for a few years, you may well have to contact NUS Events on 0207 272 8900 to get a form.
Unions should hold elections for their delegation, and although many of the 'older' universities will have done this already, many will not. It is also always possible that even if elections have taken place, not all positions were filled or people have dropped out. The only way you will find out is to go to your SU President. If you are an SU President and don't know who is going, send the form back with 'To Be Confirmed' instead of a name. If you are an SU President and still don't know what is going on at all, you really should ring up NUS.
As for transport, well that is your problem. You have a set of options. Many areas hire coaches which (usually) will pick up from a couple of universities in your area. If this hasn't been done where you are for a few years, it may be worth while getting you President to ring round their President buddies and sort something out, as this is the best way to make sure that delegates from smaller FE colleges in your area which are often left out of NUS are able to go. If any union sabbs out there have loads of time on their hands, it might be helpful to ring round NOW to ask about travel details and encourage unions which don't even know about Conference. When I was at South Nottingham College, no-one, including to SSLO had even heard of NUS Conference, let alone knew they could send two people to it for the cost of getting them to the steps of Notts Trent Uni SU for the coach. Likewise, if a HE SU decides to take a minibus, it could be a lifeline for a college delegation.
Other Stuff
Everyone who goes gets Bed & Breakfast- most get an Evening Meal as well, but it depends where you end up staying and a packed lunch on conference. The prices in the Winter Gardens bar are a rip-off and it will take forever to get served as a couple of hundred people all head for the same point when conference closes. The wind coming in over the Irish Sea means it's bloody cold on that seafront- bring a jumper or two! In the past there has been an NUS Online internet cafe- but I wouldn't be too certain about that this year! Either way, you can become a temporary member at Blackpool Library for FREE* and surf there if you really have to. The library is set as far back from the sea as the Winter Gardens, walking towards the Metropole (sea on your left) and about two minutes walk. *You could last year.
If you are thinking about skiving conference and larging it up on the Pleasure Beach, forget it. It's shut- Conference usually happens a couple of weeks beofre the start of the season (which is why we've got all the central hotels). Most of Blackpool is shut. Before you really decide you want to go, conference starts at nine in the morning (well it would if the NEC could be bothered to turn up on time) and finishes past that time at night. It's heavy going and not for the unprepared. Read all the artciles on the links at the bottom of the page about NUS Conference 2002. If your brain doesn't melt then you might survive the farce.
Oh and don't get upset during the week, it is a farce.
Elections
Nominations for elections to the National Executive Committee, which will be held at Annual Conference 2003 (31 March-3rd April) closed on January 31st at 5pm. Posts open for election are; President, National Secretary,
National Treasurer, Vice
President (Welfare), Vice
President (Education), Vice
President (Further Education
Union Development) and Twelve Part-Time Executive Members (Block of Twelve).
During conference there will also be elections to other National and Sector Committees;
Five Members of Steering
Committee - 2 year term;
One Member of Elections
Committee - 2 year term;
Two Members of Finance
Committee - 3 year term;
Five Members of the Higher
Education National Committee
-plus one additional voluntary
sector representative - 1 year
term;
Five Members of the Further
Education National Committee
- 1 year term;
Two Members of the Rules
Revision Committee - 2 year
term;
Nominations for National and
Sector Committee elections will take place at conference.
For a more in-depth analysis, try Chris Neville-Smiths' website
The Full list of candidates standing for the NUS NEC follows. HOWEVER- there are currently ongoing appeals to elections committee as some nominations which were sent by registered delivery did not make it in time due to the snow around London the day before, so there may be more to come. The official date for the announcement of the list is was originally the 17th February, but this has been put back. As a result, details about some of the lesser-known candidates are not fully available yet and more candidates may be added. Any errors are not intentional or malicious, they are just errors! If you would like to submit information to update this list, please mail us. Other information will be added later, so remember to check back in case anything changes.
President
Omar Bachache - International Students' Officer at the University of Plymouth SU.
Sukant Chandan - Beleived to be on the Pro Palestinian Slate. Ran in last general election against Diane Abbot MP, was Education Officer at Sussex
Kat Fletcher - EnW from CFE/AWL. Current National Women's Officer.
Dervish Mertcan - independent centre, Current National Treasurer.
Joe Rukin. Editor of some obscure website or other. Postgrad at Coventry Uni. Told Tony Blair he was a 'Complete Bloody liar'
Mandy Telford - Labour Students (NOLS). Incumbent. The 13th President in a row to hope for a second term - unlucky this time?
Andre Walker - CF. Former ULU Council Chair and VP FEUD MkII candidate last year
National Secretary
Sam Dobbyn - CF. Treasurer, Bath SU
Penny Hollings - OI. Incumbent. Tipped to run for President next year if she makes it through without a big screw-up.
Helen Salmon - ENW - SWSS. Current Block of Twelve member
National Treasurer
Steve Bloomfield - Labour. Current NEC Block of 12, University of Liverpool.
Alan Cooke - CF. President, Manchester Metropolitan SU
Ross Renton - independent unaligned, Deputy President NUS Scotland. NUSSL Director, SEC member and former Strathclyde VP Finance and Commercial Services.
Believed to be Dervish Mertcan's preferred successor.
Omar Warraich - National Stop the War Coalition Steering Committee
Tom Whittaker - ENW - SWSS from LSE.
VP Education
Peter Bellini - CF. Treasurer LSE SU and former ULU Officer
Ralph Corkill - Beleived to be on the Pro Palestinian Slate. General Secretary of the University of East London.
Louise Hutchins - ENW - SBL. Current NEC Block of 12. Ran for VP Welfare last year.
Chris Weavers - OI. Incumbent. Labour party member but not in NOLS.
VP Welfare
Verity Coyle - OI. Incumbent.
John Dickinson-Lilley - ENW - CFE. Currently on FENC & exec at City College Norwich. Former member of LGB Committee and exec at Leicester College.
William Quince - CF. Deputy Welfare Officer Aberyswyth SU.
VP FEUD
Laura Brickwood-Tuesday - ENW - CFE. President Bournemouth and Poole FE College.
Luke Graham - CF. President Swindon FE SU
Katt Martin - Independent. Lib Dem party member but not in LDYS. Incumbent, previously Katt Price.
Block of 12
Luciana Berger - UJS
Ian Bruce - VP Student Development at Strathclyde, independent, Stadia Scotland Co-ordinator.
Mike Burke - Liberal Democrat Youth and Students (LDYS) Plymouth & involved in SWANUS
David Edgar Hendry Chillcott -
Alan Clarke - AWL/CFE. Ex SWSSer at Goldsmiths.
Alan Cooke - CF
Charlotte Dawkins - unaligned lefty/reformist? Current ULU president.
John Dickinson-Lilley - CFE
Sam Dobbyn - CF
Emily Fieran-Reid - LDYS. Ex-Durham President. Stood last year.
Kat Fletcher - AWL/CFE.
Rob Hayes - President of St Martin's College (Lancaster) and on National Council.
Louise Hutchins - SBL. Current NEC Block of 12. Topped the poll last time round.
Darren Jones - Labours Students. President at Essex
Joseph Kisolo-Ssonka - SWSS, at Sheffield Uni
James Lloyd - President on Buckingham Chilts UC and on National Council last year.
George McGlashan - Unaligned lefty? Stood for VP FEUD last year. Currently on NUS Scotland Exec and FENC.
Tom O'Hare - Acting President of De Montford University.
Simon Radford - Another LDYS.
Ben Rogers - President of King Alfred's College SU. Successor to Michelle Codrington (current BSO)
Joe Rukin - Editor of some obscure website
Helen Symons - Labour Current NEC Block of 12. Not standing for VP Welfare - she was *so* lined up for it!
Gemma Tumelty - Welfare sabb at Liverpool John Moores.
Tom Whittaker - SWSS, from LSE
Backed by Emu and the A-Team, one outsider who has thrown their hat into the ring for the race to become NUS President is the little-known former ambassador to the UN, Hugo Rudd;
NUS Conference 2002
NUS Conference Background
Conference Round-Up
NUS Conference=Democarcy- My Arse!
HE tells FE to F-Off
Block of Twelve
President
Other Elections
Funding Special
Top-Up fees via Grad Tax, what a surprise!
Not to say we told you so!
Another 'Huge Victory'- NUS
Participation watchdog to come
Why not GATS?
No Postgrads- coming soon to a uni near you
Mature Students want balanced funding
Straw Strikes Back
NUS National Demo against something....
Step up the offensive
Has NUS acknowledged Graduate Tax?
