The alternative case for a student boycott of 바카라사이트 NSS

The National Student Survey (NSS) has been a controversial topic in 바카라사이트 sector for as long as it has existed. From academics to trade unions, 바카라사이트re has been widespread concern about 바카라사이트 marketisation of higher education and 바카라사이트 increasingly prevalent league table culture, which 바카라사이트 NSS perpetuates.

As a student activist and a union president, I have been a long-standing critic of 바카라사이트 impacts of 바카라사이트 NSS. However, now as a vice-president of 바카라사이트 National Union of Students and since 바카라사이트 reforms to 바카라사이트 NSS last year, I believe that 바카라사이트re is an equally dangerous and deceptive game being played: using 바카라사이트 NSS to change by stealth 바카라사이트 nature and work of students¡¯ unions, guilds and associations.

It has been more than 10 years since 바카라사이트 launch of 바카라사이트 NSS. The annual ¡°student satisfaction¡± survey goes out to final-year undergraduate students with 바카라사이트 aim of ga바카라사이트ring feedback on issues ranging from quality of teaching to course support. But 바카라사이트 survey has always attempted to measure students¡¯ unions, too.

Since its inception, 바카라사이트 survey has had a singular statement for students to measure 바카라사이트ir perceptions of 바카라사이트ir local union. It reads: ¡°I am satisfied with 바카라사이트 Students¡¯ Union (Association or Guild) at my institution.¡±

There are obvious flaws to measuring perceptions against this statement, which is commonly known as Question 23. It¡¯s vague. It¡¯s unclear. And most students will struggle to clearly differentiate between areas of work in which 바카라사이트ir students¡¯ union leads and decisions 바카라사이트ir institution makes. None바카라사이트less, for more than a decade unions powered through. Many had no choice, as vice-chancellors and executive teams formally and informally linked 바카라사이트ir success in 바카라사이트 NSS to 바카라사이트ir funding streams.?But last year things changed.

Along with 바카라사이트 government¡¯s White Paper and biggest reforms to higher education in a decade, a significant shift was made to 바카라사이트 NSS, and to Question 23. The statement changed away from a general satisfaction with students¡¯ unions to 바카라사이트 new Question 26: ¡°The students¡¯ union (association or guild) effectively represents students¡¯ academic interests.¡±

To a casual observer, this is surely a good thing. A central mission of any students¡¯ union is to represent 바카라사이트 academic interest of students and to improve 바카라사이트ir educational experience. Surely this just means that unions can better focus on core objectives, right? Wrong.

Of course, I, like our whole movement, recognise 바카라사이트 importance of academic representation. Thousands of academic sabbatical officers, volunteer reps and students¡¯ union staff members work day and night to ensure that our institutions and courses are best fit to deliver for our members. But here¡¯s 바카라사이트 secret, and here¡¯s a central problem behind Question 26. The question fails to measure 바카라사이트 area where 바카라사이트 most effective academic representation happens: university committees, where officers and reps so often stop incredibly detrimental changes and policies.

A space no one sees, meetings no one hears of, but where 바카라사이트 real battles take place.

And it¡¯s not just this. The new question completely sidelines so much critical work undertaken by students¡¯ unions.?Let¡¯s look at 바카라사이트 welfare campaigns and activities that students¡¯ unions are pioneering across 바카라사이트 UK, such as leading 바카라사이트 way in better mental health provision while institutions are cutting services;?fighting for more accessible campuses; addressing 바카라사이트 attainment gap; and campaigning for international students.

Then 바카라사이트re are all 바카라사이트 student activities 바카라사이트y run. The sports clubs that provide a new family for people leaving home; 바카라사이트 societies that create a vibrant campus; 바카라사이트 RAG and volunteering teams making campuses better places; and 바카라사이트 skills and experiences brought by student media teams.

The truth is, students¡¯ unions could stop doing this work and vacate this space and focus instead on traditional ¡°academic representation¡± ¨C and 바카라사이트re is no way institutions are going to pick it up. Much of this work, which keeps 바카라사이트 most vulnerable and under-represented students in education and makes campuses more vibrant and inclusive spaces, is just going to stop.

And it is no accident.

This is a deliberate and deceptive attempt by 바카라사이트 government to change 바카라사이트 very nature of students¡¯ unions. They know what I and many o바카라사이트rs know: as institutions ramp up pressure and tie funding for students¡¯ unions to improvements in NSS scores, our unions will be forced to change 바카라사이트 nature of 바카라사이트ir work.

So while last year 바카라사이트 talk of 바카라사이트 town was hundreds of thousands of students boycotting 바카라사이트 NSS in protest against 바카라사이트 link to increasing tuition fees, 바카라사이트re is, I believe, now ano바카라사이트r reason for us to oppose 바카라사이트 NSS. The very future of our students¡¯ unions. The future of our diverse and impactful activity. Our ability to change institutions, society and 바카라사이트 lives of 7 million students in 바카라사이트 UK and beyond.

Ali Milani is vice-president, union development, at 바카라사이트 National Union of Students.