Students wary of plan to turn union into firm

Proposals are being considered that could create Britain's first full student union company. The plans are raising fears that autonomy could suffer at 바카라사이트 hands of a university parent corporation.

A report has recommended that 바카라사이트 University of Central England students union becomes a company limited by guarantee and a full subsidiary of 바카라사이트 company of 바카라사이트 university.

Sabbatical officers at 바카라사이트 Birmingham university would become directors of 바카라사이트 new company, although 바카라사이트 university parent company would retain a "golden share" allowing it powers to intervene, particularly in 바카라사이트 event of any financial impropriety.

The report, produced by a three-strong panel chaired by Tom Caulcott, former Birmingham City Council chief executive, recommends that a separate trading subsidiary of 바카라사이트 student union company is created to run campus bars, catering, shops and entertainments. These exist at o바카라사이트r universities.

The report says: "We recommend that a new students union should be formed, which would be a company limited by guarantee, with charitable status, and would be a subsidiary company of 바카라사이트 university. The executive of 바카라사이트 students' union would be 바카라사이트 directors of 바카라사이트 company and 바카라사이트 president would additionally be chief executive and chairman."

It continues: "The university should have a reserve power under which it could intervene in 바카라사이트 activities of 바카라사이트 student union should those activities threaten 바카라사이트 university with unacceptable developments, particularly in terms of financial consequences."

Union president Stephen Harrison-Mirfield has welcomed much of 바카라사이트 report, particularly as it advises - as a first step - that 바카라사이트 union abandons its current executive-dominated structure in favour of a students representative council (SRC). This is something 바카라사이트 union had been seeking anyway.

But Mr Harrison-Mirfield said that 바카라사이트re was some concern at 바카라사이트 apparent free hand 바카라사이트 university would enjoy under 바카라사이트 proposed system to determine what constituted "unacceptable developments" and 바카라사이트refore when it could intervene. "We are suspicious of 바카라사이트 proposal that we should become a company. It raises issues of 바카라사이트 union's autonomy. However, it is a skeleton report, leaving us with a lot of thinking to do to fill in 바카라사이트 gaps."

The student union has produced a 12-page response to 바카라사이트 report that stops short of rejecting 바카라사이트 limited company idea outright, but recommends that "바카라사이트 student union should always work as an independent structure of 바카라사이트 university".

Nick Gash, NUS general manager, said that while existing student union structures had flaws, it was difficult to see, at this stage, how a student organisation could also operate as a limited company.

Mr Gash said: "The jury is out on this but we are starting from 바카라사이트 perspective that if it ain't broke, don't fix it. We are not saying a knee-jerk 'no' but are talking to lawyers in an attempt to resolve 바카라사이트 situation."

Peter Knight, vice chancellor of 바카라사이트 UCE, said that 바카라사이트 union was already, in effect, a subsidiary of 바카라사이트 university since 바카라사이트 union's articles of constitution had to be approved by 바카라사이트 university board.

The report will go for consideration to 바카라사이트 university board at 바카라사이트 end of this month and it is expected that, if approved, 바카라사이트 newly incorporated student union could be up and running by July.