To stay or not to stay with the NUS?

By now it should be no huge shock that Warwick are having a referendum on whether or not to remain a part of the NUS. Great. First Brexit and now this. As if I didn’t have enough choices to make already. Waltzing around the mean streets of campus or the feeds of Twitter to the tune of “the other guys are just f***ing idiots” isn’t going to get us very far. So let’s all remain civil for a few minutes and really have a think.

A union, at its core, is there to represent the members of a system whose voices may otherwise be lost. So at its base level, the NUS should be speaking to the government and our institutions on our behalf to discuss issues about which we care deeply. Credit where credit’s due, they often have done and do this.

A lengthy rummage on the NUS website will eventually reveal to you numerous causes – some 20 odd – which they are currently petitioning for. All of which are accompanied by a suitable hashtag, of course. Costs of living, equal marriage rights and a u-turn on condemned DSAs to name a few. On top of that all, they are well known for being passionate supporters of liberation societies across the country.

A union, at its core, is there to represent the members of a system whose voices may otherwise be lost.

I’m thrilled that I spent quality revision time searching for that information, I assure you. However, this doesn’t change the fact that the NUS has become a bit of a naughty word recently. Say it in a pub and 50 burly men will spit their beers out in disgust. Their reputation is tarred to say the least.

The catalyst of this was the controversial election of Malia Bouattia as NUS President. Under a thousand flaming arrows bearing claims of anti-Semitism, historic and present, the NUS fell like a battle steed. Subsequently, claims have been made that the NUS fails to serve anyone but the chosen, diamond-encrusted delegates from each university and that their agendas are too ‘hard-left’ for a lot of students to align with.

However, this doesn’t change the fact that the NUS has become a bit of a naughty word recently.

We have been assured that, as an SU, we gain money being in the NUS. However, there are still those who aggressively contest this. Personally, it’s too much maths. As long as I can get my Sex on the Beach from the Terrace bar at the end of a long, hard day, I’m content.

Calls have been made for the NUS to engage in some internal reforms prior to trying to change the world and, on that front, I agree completely. The NUS is not the place to foster representative democracy. I want to be able to vote on the president of what I’m repeatedly told is my national students union.

I want to be able to vote on the president of what I’m repeatedly told is my national students union.

I want to have a direct impact on policy and change. Call me sceptical but I’m not one to let others make decisions on my behalf. Of course, the argument can be made that a lot of people wouldn’t even bother to cast a vote given the opportunity. However, I don’t see why everyone should suffer at the hands of apathy.

In addition, apathy is often cultivated by a lack of easy access to information. A lot of people, no matter how old they are, will forever need information held up in front of their very eyes before they’re willing to take it in. So, at least in part, the blame for this has to be put on the shoulders of the NUS and their advertisement.

In addition, apathy is often cultivated by a lack of easy access to information.

Details of instances in which the NUS have made real change must be put forward. And don’t you dare call anyone lazy for refusing to trawl through hundreds of pages on the NUS website to find answers. It is exam season. For me, if not everyone at university, revision and a degree comes before educating myself about the exact whereabouts of the NUS for the last five years.

I’m not sure how I’m going to vote yet however if we do democratically decide to remain affiliated with the NUS then change is going to have to follow. Otherwise we’ll be right back here in a few years time again asking the question “sorry, what does the NUS do exactly?”.