Ok, you may not like this, but I feel compelled to be honest about Regional Conferences from my side of the table.

First up, an explanation. I was a student and a sabb at the University of Wales, Lampeter. I never got to do the regional conference thing as a student officer. So any perception I have of regional conferences are just from the p.o.v. of a member of the NEC.

One level, regional conferences are a great way of getting information out to CMs and allow student officers to question us on our work – as well as having a chance to make suggestions and offer a critique of our plans and campaigns.

But on the other hand, they are as dull as watching paint dry. Sorry, but once you’ve heard each presentation, it’s very hard to get enthusiastic about hearing each one again and again and again. In order to maintain that enthusiasm for what you’re doing, I think you need to have good acting skills. I don’t.

So, this is an apology to the student officers who were on the West stream last week. I do care about NUS and the future of the student movement. I just think there has to be a better way of achieving the good stuff whilst avoiding the mind-numbing boredom of the “tour”.

Another thing I dislike about regional conferences is the way it frequently ends up as a CM versus NEC slanging match. Time after time after time, I’ve seen student officers treat members of the NEC as something they would scrape off the bottom of their shoe. And I don’t understand it – yes, if there is something you don’t like or would prefer to see it done a different way, then please tell us (the only thing worse than unconstructive criticism is the criticism that’s whispered about but never spoken out loud) – but there’s no need to treat us as the enemy. Other than the size of the membership, what’s the difference between being a member of the NUS exec committee and a students’ union exec committee? Why is it that if you want to be involved in NUS, you must have some sort of evil ulterior motive that involves world domination or something? And pity the fool who decides to stand for National Council. They must be up to something…

And then there’s accountability and democracy. To become a delegate to National Conference, thou must be elected by the student body. To be a delegate to Regional Conferences (where you elect your NEC observer and National Council reps) thou must - is some cases - be in the right place at the right time. You hold us to account but who holds you to account?

At the end of the day, we need to find a way to communicate with you – and you need to be able to communicate with us. But are regional conferences in their current format really the best way to achieve this?

Jo xx

PS If you’ve got any thoughts on this, drop me an email on jo.salmon@nus.org.uk

The Blogs on this site represent the individual views of their authors and do not necessarily reflect the policies or practices of the National Union of Students.

All links in blogs will open in a new browser window.

The permanent URL for this specific blog entry is: http://www.officeronline.co.uk/blogs/josalmon/271616.aspx