Loughborough will have a referendum on whether we should leave the NUS

Loughborough is set to become the latest in a growing list of Student Unions questioning their futures as members of the National Union of Students (NUS). 

In a Student Forum meeting this evening, a proposal to hold a referendum on NUS membership passed unanimously.

Every student in Loughborough will now be asked whether or not they want Loughborough Students’ Union to remain part of the club of SUs known as the NUS.

Current chair of the LSU Union Affairs Committee, Matt Gill, proposed the motion  which required a two thirds majority of Forum voting members in order to pass.

Student Forum debating the proposal

It’s only a few weeks since 5,053 students voted to stay in the NUS in a vote that was part of the Exec Elections, but some feel as though it’s time to have a full debate.

Delegates from Loughborough including Matt, recently returned from a NUS Conference amid a barrage of media coverage surrounding the divisive election of Malia Bouattia.

Some of the LSU team backing Megan in her unsuccessful re-election campaign for NUS President

While at the conference, the team felt that the views of Luff students were not being represented. Lufbra is free of most party political activity, especially during executive elections.

NUS Conference in full swing

Meanwhile at their National Conference shindig in Brighton, the NUS voted on whether or not to “work independently from the Tory big-business-dominated” official EU ‘IN’ campaign, simply because members of the Conservative party are involved.

This is after 1/3 of students voted Conservative in the 2015 General Election. Where is their representation in the NUS?

At the conference, first time Loughborough delegate Lizzie Beale, spoke against a motion that called the NUS “to set up resources for student unions to use on how to lobby local Councillors and MP’s”, ensuring they “tailor them from party to party.” She argued that the NUS has become far too party political at the expense of most students, and could not be trusted to fairly create these resources without bias.

Discussions with the the current LSU executive and the Union director confirmed a desire to pursue the option of disaffiliation through a referendum.

Within hours of returning from the conference, the union was contacted by students on the very topic. LSU President Jess Excell commented:

“As a top Students’ Union, it is critical that we make the right decisions with regards to our affiliation with NUS. A number of students have been in touch with the Union concerning the issue of NUS membership and I want to facilitate students being able to have their say and voice their opinions.

Whatever we do, it needs to be right for our Union and for our students.”

Others argued that the NUS  does not provide value for money to Loughborough students, and with schemes such as UNiDAY, it seems as though the years of the NUS Extra Card are over.

In accordance with the LSU constitution, the referendum vote must take place between three and four weeks from today.