[sas-announce] Petition to save NUS democracy

[Sofie Buckland]

Hi (again) everyone,

In response to the NUS governance review proposals (which, in brief
will decimate democracy - see more: www.free-education.org.uk/?p=393),
I've knocked up a petition. If you want to save NUS democracy please
email me at volsunga at gmail.com to sign, (with your
university/workplace and SU/union position if you have one). Thanks,
sorry to bombard people with emails today but this is really
important.

Solidarity,

Sofie B

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Defend NUS democracy! Please sign this statement...

We the undersigned believe that the changes to NUS structures proposed
in the Governance Review's report to NUS National Executive will
undermine democracy in our national union, radically narrowing the
already limited channels through which ordinary students and even most
student union officers can exercise a degree of control over the
direction and running of NUS.

They will lead to an NUS even more divorced from grassroots student
activity, and even more dominated by a small layer of sabbatical
officers and a small number of Labour Students and "independent"
national officers. This is in turn will mean a virtually monolithic
political culture and much less space for political and other
minorities. It will make it even more difficult to get the kind of
campaigning union students need. The result will be even less and even
less effective campaigning activity.

We have a variety of views on the reform of NUS, but we are united in
opposing the anti-democratic features of the Governance Review's
recommendations and supporting:

- Defence of a unified national conference, at least once a year, with
generous delegation sizes roughly proportional to numbers of students,
as NUS's supreme governing body.
- Maintenance of a single unified national executive committee, with
the Block of 12 or similar as a guarantee of plurality and
accountability, as the highest body of NUS between conferences.
- No external representatives on NUS governing bodies.

Positively, we also want:

- A longer conference and/or the restoration of a second national
conference in order to allow more extensive and effective debates.
- Restoration of the cuts in delegate entitlement made in 2004, so as
to have a larger and more inclusive conference.
- The NEC to meet at least every six weeks, with motions discussed every time.
- A redirection of resources to campaigning. An NUS that really takes
on the government.

Signed:

Sofie Buckland, NUS National Executive Committee