SU President elected onto NUS Council

As part of the National Union of Students National Conference 2011, Warwick Students’ Union President Daniel Stevens was voted onto NUS Block of 15, whilst Liam Burns was elected last week as the 55th NUS President. The 2011 conference was the first that students could watch live on the internet via UStream, and video recordings have been uploaded of the conference.

Stevens was voted onto Block by NUS delegates and will go on to represent students to vote on NUS policy later this year. “[I’m feeling] very overwhelmed. There was a lot of tough competition. I wasn’t expecting to do as well as I did” said Stevens. When asked about his goals, Stevens emphasised his main priority as improving international student representation within the NUS, “There’s a lot of room for improvement and I hope to help that by getting onto Block… I’m going to try to ensure that the NUS is more proactive with international issues, rather than reactive”.

First-year Philosophy, Politics and Economics student Gah-Kai Leung commented: “It’s terrific news. It’ll help raise Warwick [University]’s profile even further and consolidate its position as an important voice in the national student body. Particularly as Dan comes from abroad, this will be a positive step towards ensuring the international agenda is as well-represented and well-addressed as the domestic one.”

Liam Burns is currently the NUS Scotland President and managed to beat NUS Vice-President (Further Education) Shane Chowen in the final round with 446 votes to Chowen’s 279. Burns will take over the role from Aaron Porter from July 1. After elected, Burns said: “It’s going to be a hugely challenging year for both further and higher education. I am looking forward to working tirelessly to defend, extend and promote the rights of students… We have to ensure that we’re not won over by the temptation to act like the consumers the Government wants us to become. It might be justified to start demanding a better education under the guise of ‘value for money,’ but it would be the wrong thing to do.”

Student opinion is divided over Burns’ suitability as a President who has never had to pay tuition fees and has dealt only with the Scottish Parliament. Undergraduate Science Faculty Representative John Lapage told the _Boar_: “He derailed questioning about the student anti-fees movement so he could grind his axe on Scottish student pocket money. I don’t think that’s the kind of person we want leading the NUS… He bears all the hallmarks of a two-faced politician in the making.”

Leung commented: “As long as he is able to engage with students from across the UK, empathise with the predicament of those who don’t have the luxury of free University tuition and most importantly be an effective leader and public representative of the national student voice, I can’t see why he won’t be a successful replacement for Aaron Porter”.

Students’ Union Education Officer Sean Ruston, said: “Hopefully by using his track record… Liam can unite the student movement and successfully defend students… If you look at his record, he’s been extraordinarily successful. He’s sustained Education Maintenance Allowance and has pledges from all the major political parties [not to introduce tuition fees]… he has ample government lobbying experience.”

Porter announced earlier this year that he would not be seeking re-election after intense criticism over what was perceived as a lack of action against the rise in tuition fees. Ruston added, “Aaron Porter has massively raised the profile of the NUS and the role of National President… It’s a credit to Aaron that he successfully raised the profile of student issues. Mistakes were made. [However], Liam is perfectly placed to learn from those mistakes.”