Apart from having several meetings with UKCOSA and other stakeholders on the visa extension charges, I was then faced with presenting to the NEC to vital documents relating to the international students campaign. One was on the Banking survey, which attracted so many contributions from international students and the other was on Tuition fees and Representation. Although the Tuition fees and Representation survey appeared straight forward, I was so disappointed that the motion was scrutinized in such a way that it clearly showed that there were forces trying to bring down the international students campaign. Even when the project plan was passed, it was done half-heartedly, with all the Labour students voting against the motion; making me wonder if this group of students are working for or against students. The minutes of the meeting are available for anyone to see.

The next plan was on the Banking survey, which again no-one recognized the significance of the huge response, decided to attack the survey by questioning the budget of the international students campaign. This action clearly goes contrary to the policy passed at national conference last year that stipulates that the budget of the international students’ campaign should not be controlled by the NEC but its committee. Again, I would like to thank all those that have emailed to provide support in this campaign and also got their international students to respond to the survey.

In the middle of January, I also set aside a period of organising my final handover of the CIS to a new committee and organised a International Students committee meeting. At this meeting, major decisions were made on our priority campaigns and dates for the next international students conference.

In as much as I do not like to use my blog to have a go at any NEC officer, it is often good for us all to accept self-criticism, otherwise we will be deceiving ourselves that all is well. I spoke at a Conference in November about the negative effects factions have on the progress of NUS and how we can make changes. This has since been criticized and was immediately informed by the “powers that be” that I would result to disciplinary action. Irrespective of what people or I think, we need to make changes and have the political will to do it. Factions can work for the progress of NUS, if only we can put our differences together and work for the common good of the people.

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