2022_10_24_nusref

We’re holding an all-student referendum to decide on our NUS (UK) membership so please go to ccsu.co.uk/referendum as the polls are now open until midday Monday 31 October 2022.

Vote YES if you think we should LEAVE the NUS (UK)

Vote NO if you think we should STAY in the NUS (UK)

You can also read the cases from both the YES and NO on the referendum website.

The National Union of Students aims to promote, defend, and extend the rights of students and the interests of students’ unions.  Most SU’s are affiliated to NUS, but some are not.  Decisions about Christ Church Students’ Union (CCSU) are made by students at Christ Church and not NUS.  

NUS is actually two separate organisations and CCSU is currently a member of both:

• NUS (UK) is the campaigning organisation that is responsible for championing student issues on a national level by working with and lobbying the Government in Westminster and sector bodies such as the Office for Students.  The affiliation fee for NUS (UK) is 2% of the annual grant an SU receives from their university.  For CCSU In 2021/22 that was £14,216.
• NUS Charity exists to support the development of SU’s.  The affiliation fee is 0.5% of the annual grant an SU receives from their university.  For CCSU in 2021/22 that was £3,554.

CCSU has signalled an intent to leave NUS (UK).  This was proposed by the Sabbatical Officer Leadership Team to the Union’s Board of Trustees who were in agreement with the proposal.  Notice to leave has been issued to NUS (UK) and the intention is to formally leave on 31st December 2022. 

However, as a democratic organisations, both CCSU and NUS (UK) think the final say should be with Christ Church students, and so CCSU is holding an all-student referendum on our NUS (UK) membership.  CCSU is proposing to remain affiliated to the NUS Charity.

NUS is conducting an independent investigation into antisemitism.  NUS have published a statement on this here.  As a response, the previous Education Secretary, under Boris Johnson’s leadership, announced that the DfE would be temporarily disengaging with NUS over antisemitism allegations.  This meant that students were missing this vital access to lobby and influence at a time of critical change in higher education and during the cost of living crisis that is severely affecting many students.  You can read the Union’s statement on this here.

NUS’s statement on this is “We were disappointed by this decision and have taken swift and significant action on the back of the allegations. When NUS announced the investigation we wrote directly to the Education Secretary and his Ministers, along with a wide range of NUS’ stakeholders, to make clear how seriously we are taking the allegations, what actions we are taking, and that we are open to scrutiny on this matter. Since then we have kept Government and sector colleagues updated at every step of the way. We look forward to working constructively with Government colleagues as we move forward.”

NUS says they have achieved a number of wins for students over recent years, which it has been able to do through the legitimacy it gains from being the representative body for 7 million students.  Things NUS has achieved for students include:

• 16-25 railcards;
• Council tax exemption for students; and
• Postgraduate loans

NUS also conducts research into key issues affecting students, which enables lobbying at a national scale, giving students’ unions resources and support for lobbying their university for change on issues such as housing, mental health, student poverty, gender recognition and the black attainment gap.  Here is a link to NUS’s latest impact report.

NUS Charity's primary purpose is to support the development of Students’ Unions and CCSU feels the majority of the direct benefits of NUS to CCSU and Christ Church students are from NUS Charity, which CCSU will remain affiliated to.   This includes:

• National and regional staff and sabbatical officer communities of practice and networking;
• The Quality Students’ Unions accreditation scheme; and 
  Advice and guidance on legal, governance, and HR matters specific to students’ unions.

The affiliation fee for all member students’ unions is 2% of the annual grant an SU receives from their university.  For CCSU In 2021/22 that was £14,216 and it is projected to rise to around £17,000 in 2023/24. 

The Sabbatical Officer Leadership Team and the Board of Trustees have serious concerns regarding the lived values, reputation, and effectiveness of NUS (UK).  CCSU is a values-led organisation that champions equality and diversity and the current alleged antisemitism in NUS (UK) is extremely concerning.  CCSU, as everyone must at this time, ensures it is utilising limited resources in the best interests of students and the belief is that the money currently allocated to affiliation of NUS (UK) could be more effectively utilised to deliver direct benefit to Christ Church students.  Which services this would be, would be decided by trustees, taking into account student feedback.

NUS is a collective of students’ unions, and it derives its legitimacy as a national student voice organisation from the fact that the vast majority (95%) of Students’ Unions are affiliated to NUS (UK).  The more students’ unions that disaffiliate from NUS, the weaker that national voice gets and NUS’s ability to achieve change for students diminishes.

Christ Church Students' Union
St George's Centre
41 St George's Place
Canterbury
Kent CT1 1UT