1. Introduction to the Student Movement
SU Conference 2014
Amanda Stanford
Learning and Development Consultant

2. This session will cover:
What is a students’ union?
What is the student movement?
History of NUS
Recent student wins
Different parts of the NUS group
NUS Policy journey
National Conference
National Executive Council
NUS Connect website
Sharing and connecting with colleagues

3. Group activity
In small groups, discuss and record your thoughts on the following question:
“What is a students’ union?”
Be prepared to feedback in 5 minutes

4. What does your students’ union do?

5. Core purpose of a students’ union
“Representation and promote the needs and aspirations of students in the educational community”

6. Think of your union as a minibus…
Who are the passengers?
Who maintains the bus?
What represents the map?
Who decides the direction?
Who is driving?

7. Legal definition of a students’ union
Section 20, Education Act 1994 states:
“A body representing or promoting the general interests of students at a University or a College or a hall of a University”
It does not need to be called a “students’ union”

8. Any questions?

9. Students’ driving change

10. Group activity In small groups, discuss the following question:
“What is the student movement?”
Be prepared to feedback in 5 minutes

11. What is the student movement?
7 million student voices
600 students’ unions
Defending and extending the rights of students
Largest democratic gathering of students in Europe

12. 90 Years of NUS

13. Recent student wins… 1960-70’s 1990’s 2000’s 1980’s
Legislation to stop unions to running mini buses fails
Students not liable for council tax
1994 Education Act enshrines unions in law
Universities stopped from charging admin fee on collection of top-up fees
1990’s
Introduction of student grant system
Student fees abolished and stops government from charging overseas students more
Students get cheque cards and free banking ’s
1980’s
Housing benefit for students
No tuition fees and parent contributions
Student pressure forces Barclays to withdraw from South Africa
Students will only pay 20% of poll tax
2000’s
Child tax credit for students
Increase in EMA for FE
Tenancy deposit scheme for HMO’s
Abolition of tuition fees for Scotland
Unions become educational charities

14. NUS Today: our vision
Our Vision is of NUS as a pioneering, innovative and powerful campaigning organisation: the definitive national voice of students.
We will fight barriers to education, empower students to shape both a quality learning experience and the world around them, supporting influential, democratic and well-resourced students’ unions

15. Mission To make this vision a reality, we will:
Promote, defend and extend the rights of students
Develop and champion strong students’ unions

16. We achieve amazing things…
Securing on-going funding for ‘Care to Learn’
Protected 1000s of international students at London Met
Changed the environmental habits of 100,000’s of students
£100,000s scrapped as hidden course costs
Millions in increases to access to bursaries
Reversing the graduate overdraft fees at HSBC
Tenancy deposit scheme created in Scotland
Saved the EMA in Northern Ireland and Wales
Won Third Sector and Times Higher Education Awards for campaigning, democracy / governance and NUS Digital
90+ years of changing students’ lives.
NUS has been through significant change, growth and development over the last 6-7 years. We have undertaken a substantial review and reform of our governance, progressed substantial collaboration work to bring together a coherent structure for NUS Group and have built a solid and sustainable financial footing that puts the organisation in an optimistic position for the future.
During that time, we have also seen many campaigning victories: from reversing the graduate overdraft fees at HSBC, to securing the on-going funding for ‘Care to Learn’, enabling student parents to remain in education. We have successfully intervened in a Judicial Review ensuring international students are able to remain studying at London Met and changed the environmental habits of 100,000’s of students. Not only that but we have also seen hundreds of thousands of pounds scrapped as hidden course costs, millions in increases to access to bursaries and a tenancy deposit scheme secured and created in Scotland and in both Northern Ireland and Wales we have saved the EMA and stopped tuition fee rises in Higher Education.
We have also won two Third Sector Awards, one for our campaigning work and the other for our internal democracy and governance. This time also saw NUS Scotland win the SCVO Campaign of The Year for our ‘Budget for Bursaries’ campaign and NUS winning Sustainability Partner of the Year Award at the inaugural Stars of Sustainability Awards.
NUS has been campaigning for more than nine decades and winning victories for our members as well as wider society. See our range of Impact Reports for some of our recent successes:

17. Any questions?

18. Group activity In small groups, can you name the following:
The 3 different parts of the NUS Group
The 3 autonomous NUS nations
The sovereign body of NUS
The 4 liberation campaigns of NUS
The 3 section campaigns of NUS
Discuss for a few minutes

19. NUS Group NUS UK NUS Services NUS Charity
NUS - national campaigning body
Nations:
NUS Scotland
NUS Wales
NUS-USI
NUS UK
NUS Services
NUS Charity
NUS services - creates income for unions and NUS and delivers back office functions, e.g. HR, IT and finance for the NUS Group
NUS Charity – builds stronger students’ unions

20. National Conference Sets the policy of NUS for the year ahead
Elects the political leaders of NUS for the year ahead
Elects the Trustee Board and Democratic Procedures Committee
Holds the political leadership accountable for the work done over the past year

21. Who’s who: National Executive Council
Further Education –deals with things affecting academic provision in the FE sector (Joe Vinson)
Higher Education – deals with things affecting academic provision in the HE sector (Megan Dunn)
Society & Citizenship – deals with the world in which students live (Piers Telemacque )
Union Development – deals with students’ unions (Raechel Mattey)
Welfare – deals with student safety and wellbeing (Colum McGuire)

22. National Executive Council
Resolves conflicts between different areas of the organisation over resource or policy
Ensures Zones are fulfilling the mandates of National Conference
Sets interim emergency policy that affects the entire organisation
Consists of President (Chair), Vice Presidents and representatives of the 5 policy ‘Zones’, Officers and representatives from the Liberation campaigns and Sections, Presidents and representatives of the Nations and fifteen general councillors
Most full-time officers are members of the NEC

23. Who’s who: Liberation and Section campaigns
Black students’ officer: Malia Bouattia
Disabled students’ officer: Maddy Kirkman
Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual & Trans (LGBT) officers: Fran Cowley (Women’s Place) and Robbie Young (Open Place)
Women’s Officer: Susuana Antubum
International students section
Mature and Part time students section
Postgraduate students section

24. How does policy get made at NUS?
In your small groups, on a piece of flipchart draw a calendar timeline starting from July and ending in June
Post-it note ‘union activities’ and place them when you think that happens
Post-it note ‘NUS democratic processes’ and place them on the timeline when you think they take place

25. The policy journey July August September October November December
Students’ and Students’ Unions
Start their year and work for their students
Delegates attend Zone Conferences, discuss ideas and elect zone committee
Read through policy recommendations and discuss
Submit amendments or create new motions
Delegates attend National Conference – delegates vote on zone report and any amendments and motions
NUS democratic activities
Zone Committee writes report and policy recommendations
Zone Committee presents policy recommendations in CD5
Zone Committee updates report
Democratic Procedures Committee combine text
Zone report on their work and policy recommendations
July
August
September
October
November
December
January
February
March
April
May
June

26. Any questions?

31. Connect and share with colleagues from across the UK
ACSU: for research and welfare staff
Activities: This is aimed at sports, societies, volunteering and Rag officers and those with responsibility for supporting a range of student activities   
Diversity: for students’ union diversity issues
Education: aimed at education officers or those responsible for academic representation within unions 
Effective campaigns network
Environment and Ethics: for staff at Green Impact unions

32. Connect and share with colleagues from across the UK
Inspiring women: promotes and develops the work of women in students’ unions
MOMS: for managers of non-commercial services
NUS Scotland network
Presidents: primarily aimed at Presidents and lead officers in students' unions to enable them to network and share best practice
Welfare: aimed at Welfare Officers and those with responsibility for student support, equal opportunities or wellbeing issues within unions.

33. Awards and recognition for unions
NUS Awards
Students’ Unions Quality
Best Bar None
Green Impact

34. The evolution of the NUS logo
Show if time

35. This session will cover:
What is a students’ union?
What is the student movement?
History of NUS
Recent student wins
Different parts of the NUS group
NUS Policy journey
National Conference
National Executive Council
NUS Connect website
Sharing and connecting with colleagues

36. Thank you and enjoy the rest of your conference