The following proposal was passed by the Welsh NEC at its last meeting on 12/08/05 at Glamorgan University. I look forward to meeting with as many officers and activists from Wales as possible to build on this framework prior to the campaign launch at the Big Welsh One (which will be held at Bangor University, 9-11th September).

However, I would be more than happy to receive suggestions on specific campaign objectives, including from activists outside of Wales, by email at james.knight@nus-wales.org.uk, although please forgive me if I don’t reply.

In solidarity,

JK

Campaign Proposal:
The Fight Goes On

Proposed Convenors:
James Knight, President
Sarah Brown, Deputy President

Policy:

• Education is a right not a privilege and should be free.
• Universities should be funded through progressive income tax by increasing the top rate of income tax.
• Additional funding should be sourced through corporation tax which should be increased.
• It is wrong for any student to be forced to graduate with debt.
• There should be a student loan available to all students that is reflective of the total cost of student life which will be offset by target grants where appropriate.
• Every student has the right to learn through Welsh or English or bilingually as they prefer.
• Every student with the ability and inclination to learn deserves full access to education.
• Further education is essential for widening access to education.
• All students deserve a high quality educational experience.

• Following the recent Assembly decision over student and HEI funding it is vital that:
      i) Students are empowered to make informed choices
      ii) Students’ unions pressure HEI’s to be student-friendly with implementation of their new powers.
• The fight for universal, quality, free education that is accessible to all must go on. A coalition must be built ahead of the top-up fees review in 2010.
• Demanding greater investment in the further education sector and real commitment to development of student representative structures.
• Linking in with the equality campaign to develop a diversity access strategy (working with the Reaching Wider initiative).
• Continued campaigning for a Welsh Federal College.

1. Informed choices
   The diverse student population of Wales means that students will reach higher education at different points in their lives and their personal development. This will have consequences for their support options. Moreover the initial domicility of students will have a further impact. Compounded with variable or flexible fees and students may face bewildering choices. NUS Wales must responsibly assist in informing students so that they are aware of the realities of their potential educational experience, rather than to scaremonger, and so as to enable students to make informed choices as to what and where they study.



2. Fair implementation
   Whilst variable fees are going to be introduced at Welsh HEI’s there is still much that students’ unions can achieve at a local level. NUS Wales is determined to win further concessions for students around the standards to which HEI’s charging variable fees will meet. NUS Wales will be working towards a student charter that will cover issues from varying fees between academic years, or even within cohorts, to really meeting student needs with the National Bursary Scheme.



3. The Fight Goes On
   Westminster will be re-examining the current fee cap of £3000 in 2009 with a vote brought before Parliament in 2010. It is essential that NUS Wales, working closely with NUS UK, starts to build opposition to any increase in the cap now. This is our opportunity not only to defeat any proposed increase, but also to score a win for students and eliminate variable fees altogether. Students’ unions must be given the tools they need to work with trade unions and other organisations on a local level and begin building a grassroots campaign now.



4. Further Education: Investment Now!
   The majority of students in Wales study in the FE sector, yet student support options are far less generous than for HE students. Increasingly, HE students study at FEI’s, often as franchise students from HEI’s that may even be across the other side of the country. This trend is likely to continue as the cost of top-up fees pushes many people out of universities.
   
   NUS Wales must work to develop FE-specific forms of student representation, such as Governors, and to support HE Unions’ in delivering real representation for franchise students. NUS Wales will also prioritise securing minimum union funding for FE unions.



5. Access for all
   The recent Rees Report uncovered evidence that the majority of students are part time. The Assembly has since launched an investigation into meeting the needs for part time students, who face many barriers to education, notably funding, assessment and accreditation.
   
   Access has historically been restricted by socio-economic background, partly as a result of aspiration, partly due to inadequate funding.
   
   With the increasing diversity of the swelling student population, inequalities are evident in access from specific minority groups, notably for black-minority-ethnic students and disabled students.
   
   The Fight Goes On will link in with the equality campaign to draw together a strategy for widening access along each of these criteria and promote this strategy to the Widening Access project.



6. Welsh Federal College
   Working with the NUS Wales autonomous Welsh Language Campaign will feature the prioritised Welsh Language Campaign (as chosen at the autonomous conference held at the Big Welsh One). Suggestions for the possible campaign include action on policy to campaign for a Welsh federal college. For the purposes of this plan the Welsh federal college will be referred to as the priority, although an alternative will be inserted and the plan amended following the decision at the Welsh Language Campaign conference.

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