NUS Regional Conference

Last Thursday, the Guild of Students sent delegates to the NUS Regional Conference at Leicester Students' Union.

hgh

The day began with meeting & greeting and 60-second round ups from all of the Unions who were attending.

kv

Gemma Tumelty, the National President, then gave us a presentation about the NUS Reform, which involves evolving the current structure of the NUS in order to make it more constructive and efficient. It will remove dated positions such as Secretary & Treasurer and replace Regional Conferences with Zone (issue-related) Conferences. We will be voting on whether to support or protest the NUS Reform this Thursday in Guild Council. Naushabah Khan (VPHC) will be presenting Gemma's presentation on Thursday evening to give you greater insight into the proposed change.

hk

After lunch, we debated the NUS' Higher Education Funding priorities and whether we should campaign for free education or compromise at focusing on 'Keeping the Cap' where it is. Arguments were put for both sides, however there was general agreement that there needs to be consistency in the NUS' messages, therefore regressing back to free education might not be the best idea.

jhk

Also after lunch, we elected Laura Sadler (VPEA) as a representative on NUS Council, who meet three times a year to hold the NUS to account in between Annual NUS Conferences.

jk

We ended the day by attending different workshops. I attended a workshop about Sexual Health Week campaigns, where each Union shared a variety of colourful (and in some cases, a little whacky) campaign ideas. These included hiring in a rocking-penis rodeo bull, using student radio to host a version of Radio One Sunday Surgery and also offering free club entry to students who have had a chlamydia test.

jk;

It was an beneifical day and most useful of all (as is always the case when visiting other Students' Unions) was the variety of ideas that are ripe for stealing :) I took a copy of their bar menu to help with our research for developing catering in the Building Redevelopment plans and took some of their publicity material for advertising their Council and AGM. Evidence-gathering like this always provides great inspiration for our own projects!

kko

Speak soon,

kp

Simon.