At its Annual Conference in Blackpool this week, NUS endorsed a number of proposals which will improve the lives of students, including the replacement of the 'catastrophic' system of top-up fees, enhancing the student experience, making students’ unions and universities more ethical and environmentally friendly, and campaigning for improved employment rights for students and young people.
NUS also endorsed proposals to help individual students’ unions to regulate 'dangerous and reckless' initiation ceremonies in students’ union clubs, societies and premises.
Higher Education Funding
NUS voted to campaign for a fair and sustainable higher education funding system to replace top-up fees. The vote follows recent proposals from university vice chancellors to increase the cap on fees and unleash the full force of the market on higher education.
“The current recession is a stark reminder that excessive levels of debt are unhealthy, both for individuals and the economy," said NUS President Wes Streeting.
"We believe that higher education should be free at the point of use for students and their families, with graduates making a contribution according to how much they benefit financially after graduation."
Initiation ceremonies
NUS also voted to help individual students’ unions to regulate 'dangerous and reckless' initiation ceremonies in students’ union clubs, societies and premises.
The University of Gloucester made headline news in 2008 after the BBC obtained footage of student initiation ceremonies, featuring participants with bags over their heads, drinking excessively and vomiting. In 2003, 18-year-old Alex Doji choked on his own vomit and died as a result of a rugby club initiation ceremony at Staffordshire University, and in 2006, 18-year-old Gavin Britton died after attending a golf initiation ceremony at Exeter University.
Students’ unions across the UK have chosen to ban initiation ceremonies, while some have introduced policies that regulate the time, location and content of initiation ceremonies. NUS’ best practice guide for students’ unions will include ways to monitor and deal with initiations and how to educate students on the dangers of alcohol fuelled initiations. The organisation will seek input from British universities, Colleges Sport, students’ union officers and students’ union staff.
Ethical and environmentally friendly
Students’ unions will also be helped to develop ethical investment policies, become more environmentally friendly and lobby their universities to adopt socially responsible investment (SRI) policies.
“Students' unions have an impressive track record of campaigning on environmental and ethical issues," says Wes. "We need to make sure that we practice what we preach, and NUS will now help individual students’ unions to develop sustainable and ethical investment policies."
Apprentices
Research will be commissioned so that the interests and rights of apprentices are an integral part of NUS’ campaigning work. Apprentices will now also be better represented in NUS democracy.
“Because of the economic crisis, more and more people will have to take up apprenticeships to develop new skills," Wes explains. "I am pleased that NUS members have recognised that work based learners deserve better representation in their national union, and we are looking forward to fighting for the rights of apprentices more effectively and vociferously in the future.”
Student employment
NUS members also called for an increase in the minimum wage, for the current system’s age bands to be abolished, and for students in London to be given the London Living Wage.
“Many students take on paid employment to fund their studies, often at or near the minimum wage. NUS will work with the trade union movement to improve workplace rights and protections, especially for casual, temporary and agency workers," says the President.
Student experience
The first day of the conference also saw NUS call for the creation of a joined-up system of information, advice and guidance (IAG) to students from the age of 11 to ensure equality of information and to enable informed choices.
Delegates also voted to continue the NUS campaign against cuts to university contact hours, as well as to ensure quality contact and enhanced feedback.
NUS conference resolved to support a radical overhaul of the degree classification system and to support the roll-out of the Higher Education Achievement Record (HEAR) to ensure more detailed accounts of students’ experiences.
Proposals to undertake further research into the potential of e-learning, as well as research into the problems faced by students on placements and work-based learning were also approved.
Student delegates voted to pressure government departments and agencies to produce their own learner involvement strategies for further education to ensure meaningful engagement with students rather than to adopt the current model of the unelected and unrepresentative National Learner Panel.