Many thanks.

You have made me very happy. For as much as National Conference needs to change your decision to elect me National Treasurer was both informed and inspired! The individuals who made the greatest impact upon my election and development from a disengaged student to a member of the NEC will have their chance in the spotlight in my farewell speech, but I wanted to begin my NEC blogs giving a unspecific thanks to the student officers and students who made my election possible. Without your input, commitment and votes I would not be writing this today; I find it really hard asking people for help and their nomination but the ease at which people were willing to support me to become National Treasurer was fantastic, my Gran is very excited about the new role.

Without the encouragement of Nickers, Ellie, VK and Bubble to run for election the task would have been impossible. Its fabulous for VK and Ellie to suggest that Beth and myself don’t owe anyone for our electoral success, but without these retired NEC members I would not have been determined to be elected, to change the culture of NUS to reward success, hardwork and commitment. When we have good officers we must all work together to ensure that they are elected and they are successful. VK and Ellie have been a success, its been eggs and bacon, and I hope they can reflect on leaving NUS in financially safe hands. But as I said earlier, I’m saving my thanks to everyone until its my time to leave the NEC!

I started as President of my union sceptical of NUS. The concept of an organisation that brings together students’ unions at a national level was a wonderful one, but I just couldn’t see how it was relevant to my students. It was unclear what they were trying to do, what they were good at, and what they were trying to improve for students. It would be unfair to blame NUS though, my union had never been good at communicating with the membership, the officers had not been relevant to me as a student, and apart from offering Snakey-B and a great night out, I wasn’t really sure what they were trying to achieve.

I would have loved to go on the demo to Cardiff (my home) or London to protest against variable fees, but no-one asked me if I wanted to go. There was a distinct lack of any buzz about it on campus, there were no clear opportunities to get involved in the students’ union and the benefits of NUS had always been sold as a discount card.

But it could be so much more.

Sure I was political, I voted in the union elections, I was annoyed that the union would even contemplate banning Coke in my shop (it should be up to the individual), I was the President of my Halls of Residence, but my union, and NUS as a result, seemed to imply that unless I was in a particular clique, unless I was willing to engage in over bureaucratic nonsense, unless I spent three hours at student council, unless I went to a demo, unless I changed the structures, it would not be political for me.

Goodbye to my Union

We have achieved a lot over the last two years at Reading, we have strengthened the democratic, campaigning and representation structure of the union through our Governance Review and the introduction of a Trustee Board. We have won on issues from better recycling and greater recognition within the local community, to increased funding from the University, a new building, more students involved in student activities, strengthened finances, more students than ever using our facilities, and a greater sense amongst the student community of what the union is. The Sabbatical team this year have been incredible, their commitment and perseverance has allowed me to fulfil my potential, many many thanks to Nickers, Emily, Sam, Ryan & Mike. With four of us returning for a second term in office, it meant we could achieve more this year than last, but if it had not been for Jenna & Andrew last year, I certainly would not have been challenged to ensure I was focused on what would make the greatest impact for the membership.

Only through drawing on the strengths of those around you within your union can you develop personally, that you fully able to create structures which people engage with, that you can truly focus your union on its core functions. He’ll no doubt tell me off for this, but without our faceless Chief Executive bureaucrat, and our staff, my union would not have the volunteer opportunities it has today, would not have the breadth and depth of independent advice, would not have facilities to support the student community, would not have empowered and inspired officers changing the world around them.

I’ve come a long way over the last two years, the first NEC member I met was the newly elected National Secretary, Gemma, who seems to remember me as sceptical and wary of NUS (she’s always been a good judge of character!) I wanted to change Reading, we needed to change the University, but I quickly recognised that unless we fully engaged with the National Union, our success on a local level would be of little value to our students. For my students to have a union which fulfilled its potential, it needed to work with other students’ unions at a national level, it needed to play an proactive and progressive role within NUS, but perhaps even more importantly, they fully supported the concept of NUS, but needed us to make it relevant to them.

I have great affinity for NUS and officers involved, but they are let down by inaccessible structures, a culture recognising failure more than it does success, a focus on the number of tasks it can undertake rather than the quality of the content of its outputs, an organisation where the bully or the person who shouts loudest can win a discussion rather than the thoughtful and reasonable type of person. Most people involved want to improve NUS, fully support the principles of NUS and recognise that the current culture is a barrier to success, they are as passionate as you about the need to change, but change isn’t easy, my experiences of NUS shape my vision of what NUS could become, campaigns and representation shaped and owned by students’ union officers, trust and confidence delivering progressive agendas, and a culture where we are all able to recognise the impact NUS has at a local level for your students.

We’re going national

The next year will be challenging but you have given us a clear mandate to review our governance so that we can better focus on our core principles, you want greater value for money, you want a more accessible NUS, you want stronger students’ unions, you want an environmentally supportive NUS, you want a stronger NUS. We can do this, but we’ll need your support and involvement, it's your National Union after all.

Let the good times begin!

dave x

dave.lewis@nus.org.uk

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