NU-yeS For CUSU In Election

‘YES’ campaign triumphs in referendum on the NUS.

affiliation Chigbo CUSU Lowry NUS referendum Towse YES

The CUSU referendum to decide Cambridge's membership of the National Union of Studnets (NUS) has been won by the 'YES' campaign.

In stark contrast to the referendums of past years which have fallen far short of the minimum requirement of 2,095 votes, this week's ballot attracted 3,714. 

65.39 per cent of votes were cast in favour of remaining affiliated with the NUS and 33.74 per cent against. In the other part of the referendum on the issue of providing CUSU with a Student Support Officer, the YES vote won with 91.45 per cent approval.

However the campaign for disafiliation from the NUS said they were satisfied with the outcome.

David Lowry, who debated for the 'NO' campaign against Tom Chigbo on Friday night, told The Tab that he was "impressed with the result".

Lowry said: "we managed to over triple the NO vote compared to 2009, whilst the YES vote went down by 23%, and it was the highest percentage achieved in the past few years at a university where the president was campaigning YES."

His views were echoed by 'NO' campaigner Ben Towse, who said that "while Cambridge students might not be quite ready to give up on the NUS, they've sent a clear message that there are some very serious problems."

He continued: "Those 'YES' campaigners who repeatedly insisted we were wrong to say the NUS won't be changed from within now need to show that this was more than campaign rhetoric. If they fail to prove us wrong, I expect the calls for disaffiliation to be even louder next year."

CUSU communications Officer Rahul Mansigani, who is rumoured to be preparing a leadership campaign for president in the upcoming CUSU elections, told The Tab that he was "thrilled".

David Lowry and CUSU president Tom Chigbo at a debate at Murray Edwards on Friday at which Chigbo assured the audience that rumours of him taking a job at the NUS were false.

 

He said: "I really think that affiliation to the NUS is beneficial to CUSU and Cambridge students generally, and could not be more pleased. The NUS provides a variety of services to Cambridge students as well as offering an opportunity for our voice to be heard nationally."

On the issue of the Student Support Officer, Mansigani said that "Cambridge can finally join the rest of the Russell group in having a full time student support caseworker, and it's about time!"

Last week The Tab revealed that Tom Chigbo had been reprimanded for breaking election rules in the run up to the referendum. An investigation into Chigbo's conduct continues.