Student Council motions: A critique

Following the University of Warwick’s long standing tradition of never making national news without it being something that makes us look ridiculous, you may have heard that our Student Council has submitted a motion to the NUS conference to ‘abolish the monarchy’.

Headlines from the Metro and Huffington Post are calling our students ‘out of touch’, with one comment calling the NUS ‘a kindergarten for liberal elites’. It’s a rough day when you find yourself agreeing with anonymous Internet commenters.

Quite frankly, motions like this delegitimize student politics. I’m not saying the student movement shouldn’t have goals, even if they seem a little unrealistic. However, of the four motions submitted by Warwick Student Council to be debated at NUS conference (for West Papua to be independent, opposing Trident renewal, education for resistance, and for the abolition of the British monarchy), I can’t say any of these are my priority as a student.

Warwick’s long standing tradition of never making national news without it being something that makes us look ridiculous

The NUS is a national institution, and whilst I’m sure it has huge potential, I really don’t see Indonesia relinquishing control simply because the NUS told it to. Of course students have a right to campaign and debate these issues, but why does it have to be under the auspices of the NUS?

When I think of issues facing students, I think about living costs, rising rents, mental health problems, sexual harassment on campus, homophobia, racism, anti-Semitism and an increasingly competitive graduate job market. These are the things affecting me and my friends on a day to day basis as we study and graduate. As self centred as this may sound, I’d rather we focused on doing more to help with those problems than getting rid of the monarchy.

Whilst I’m sure it has huge potential, I really don’t see Indonesia relinquishing control simply because the NUS told it to

Every year when SU elections come round, people complain that it has no effect on their lives, only to be met with counter statements from the sabbatical officers that the SU works for you and the issues you care about. I recognise the successes of the past few sabb teams. Securing a lecture fresher’s week and a 24 hour library are just some of the tangible differences the SU has made to the lives of students.

However, if you tried to cite the Student Council and NUS conference as the chance to have your voice heard, you would be laughed at after these recent motions. Even if they are passed, they will have no real effect on the average student’s experience at Warwick. I don’t think all those problems I listed earlier would be solved by abolishing the monarchy.

I recognise the successes of the past few sabb teams

I’m not even attempting to defend the monarchy here, and if this were a general opinion poll I’d be all in favour of getting rid of them. My point isn’t whether we agree or disagree with these motions, but that the suggestion these are the highest priorities for Warwick students is completely flawed.

The student movement is capable of so much, but suggesting our priorities are taking down the monarchy and giving nonsensical statements such as ‘education for resistance’ makes it a laughing stock. We should recognise the potential the NUS could have, if only it were used correctly.