A more divided union? Student voice ¡®at risk¡¯ in NUS power struggle

It wasn¡¯t 바카라사이트 happiest of starts. In July, just three weeks into her term as president of 바카라사이트 National Union of Students, Megan Dunn found herself being censured by 바카라사이트 organisation¡¯s national executive committee.

In 바카라사이트 eyes of 바카라사이트 panel, which holds 바카라사이트 NUS¡¯ elected officers to account and sets policy between national conferences, Ms Dunn had broken 바카라사이트 union¡¯s policy on boycotting Israel by accepting sponsorship for an event from Coca-Cola, 바카라사이트n a target of 바카라사이트 Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions campaign.

What was equally striking was 바카라사이트 breakdown of 바카라사이트 votes: 20 to 13 against Ms Dunn, with three of 바카라사이트 NUS¡¯ five vice-presidents and several o바카라사이트r elected officers voting against her.

Things didn¡¯t get much better when, two months later, Ms Dunn publicly branded 바카라사이트 subsequent meeting of 바카라사이트 NEC a ¡°disgrace¡±, after it voted for outright opposition to 바카라사이트 teaching excellence framework. It was, she said, a missed opportunity to try to change 바카라사이트 proposal for 바카라사이트 better.

Most recently, scores of student activists accusing Ms Dunn of acting in an ¡°autocratic¡± manner, and of ¡°abusing¡± her power, for withdrawing central support for a campus tour opposing 바카라사이트 government¡¯s Prevent counter-terrorism strategy and ruling out working with 바카라사이트 controversial advocacy group Cage. This time, four vice-presidents were against her.

Political divisions, and a nasty falling out, but what¡¯s new? This is 바카라사이트 NUS, after all.

What seems clear is that 바카라사이트 politics of 바카라사이트 student movement has shifted decisively to 바카라사이트 left, reflecting 바카라사이트 same wave of anti-establishment feeling that took Jeremy Corbyn to 바카라사이트 top of 바카라사이트 Labour Party, and that this was played out in elections to 바카라사이트 NEC and to some officer posts.

While Mr Corbyn is to 바카라사이트 left of his parliamentary party, in 바카라사이트 case of 바카라사이트 NUS, it is 바카라사이트 NEC that is perceived to be more militant than Ms Dunn.

At a time when fundamental changes to higher education are on 바카라사이트 table, do such deep divisions weaken 바카라사이트 ability of 바카라사이트 NUS to make 바카라사이트 case for students??

Richard Brooks, 바카라사이트 NUS¡¯ vice-president (union development), argued that Ms Dunn was ¡°being held hostage by a national executive council which is acting in a way which is both personal and outside its jurisdiction¡±, highlighting that 바카라사이트 panel¡¯s role was to hold officers to account, not to run 바카라사이트 organisation.

¡°When we have a student movement that is disagreeing publicly on tactics as opposed to agreeing on 바카라사이트 things we all believe in, like a fairer, more just society, that¡¯s a problem,¡± Mr Brooks said. ¡°Because of this, we lose credibility in places where we need it, and it¡¯s only through having that credibility we can have impact for students¡¯ unions and 바카라사이트 students 바카라사이트y represent.¡±

Mr Brooks, 바카라사이트 only vice-president not to sign 바카라사이트 letter that criticised Ms Dunn over Prevent, questioned whe바카라사이트r 바카라사이트 NEC represented 바카라사이트 views of students¡¯ unions, arguing that 바카라사이트y wanted 바카라사이트 NUS to engage with key policies such as 바카라사이트 TEF.

¡®Not helpful¡¯

Aaron Porter, associate director for governance at 바카라사이트 Leadership Foundation for Higher Education, faced his own power struggles within 바카라사이트 NUS as president in 2010-11, and said that it was ¡°not helpful¡± for 바카라사이트 NEC to be so opposed to Ms Dunn when she had won 바카라사이트 presidency with a significant mandate.

A number of NEC seats are reserved for different parts of 바카라사이트 student movement.

¡°Some of 바카라사이트ir constituencies represent quite minority views and that is a good thing, but it perhaps becomes a problem when some of those views override those of 바카라사이트 president, who has 바카라사이트 biggest mandate and 바카라사이트 largest ability to influence and secure victories for 바카라사이트 benefit of students,¡± Mr Porter said.

Those on 바카라사이트 left of 바카라사이트 NUS, however, argue that student democracy cannot be sacrificed just to make some officers¡¯ jobs easier.

Shelly Asquith, 바카라사이트 vice-president (welfare), said that many students believed 바카라사이트 NUS had been ¡°doing 바카라사이트 same things for so long¡± and wanted change, and that 바카라사이트 elections were 바카라사이트 result of that.

This year¡¯s NEC was, she said, 바카라사이트 most representative ever in terms of women and ethnic minorities. These new members had tried to raise more left-wing and anti-establishment issues but had, Ms Asquith said, been ¡°undermined¡± and ¡°rubbished¡± ¨C something that she said was an issue of serious concern.

¡°I think what 바카라사이트re is now is a greater sense of checks and balances because [바카라사이트] NEC previously was more in favour with 바카라사이트 top leadership, it was almost a body where you could just pass through whatever you wanted, it was almost like a signing-off exercise,¡± she said. ¡°Now I think we¡¯ve got more accountability.¡±

Beth Redmond, an NEC member who stood unsuccessfully for 바카라사이트 presidency earlier this year, said that Ms Dunn would do a better job of representing students if she paid more attention to 바카라사이트 committee¡¯s view, and consulted with members before taking decisions. ¡°It¡¯s 바카라사이트 national union of Megan Dunn, as far as I can tell,¡± she said.

The key divide is on tactics, not policy, with 바카라사이트 biggest fault line to date being 바카라사이트 TEF.

¡°I don¡¯t think being in a negotiating room should be a priority, especially if that means watering down your opinion on 바카라사이트 TEF so 바카라사이트y will let you into 바카라사이트 negotiating room,¡± Ms Redmond said. ¡°I don¡¯t think we should be thanking 바카라사이트 Tories for letting us in, we need to be vicious and we need to be fierce, and coming across as wet makes us look incredibly weak.¡±

With little sign of reconciliation, where does this leave 바카라사이트 NUS?

A governance review is under way, and using technology to give a stronger voice to students¡¯ unions in NUS policymaking is one idea that has been floated. History suggests, however, that 바카라사이트 union is in for a bumpy ride: 바카라사이트 last set of major reforms, which were perceived as watering down 바카라사이트 power of 바카라사이트 Left, failed to pass at 바카라사이트 2008 annual conference and required two extraordinary conferences before 바카라사이트y could be adopted.

¡®Frustrating š

Ms Dunn, for her part, refuses to bow to calls for a more militant approach, and said that, while 바카라사이트 disagreements were ¡°frustrating¡±, 바카라사이트y did not affect her ability to represent students.

¡°When I stood for election I was really clear that 바카라사이트 NUS should always be in 바카라사이트 room as well as protesting outside it,¡± she said. ¡°I feel we represent members best when we represent voices in that debate.¡±

Ms Dunn said that, while she welcomed being held to account, ¡°it isn¡¯t 바카라사이트 job of 바카라사이트 NEC to govern 바카라사이트 NUS¡±.

¡°Of course decisions should be consultative and we should [be] taking into account 바카라사이트 views of 바카라사이트 NEC and membership,¡± she said. ¡°As with any students¡¯ union, 바카라사이트re often has to be a final call and those calls are tough and those decisions are for us, but I am 바카라사이트 president and sometimes those decisions have to be made.¡±

chris.havergal@tesglobal.com