It’s that time of year again, the last week, the leaving drinks, the doughnuts come out and the leaving blogs get written. I must admit, I haven’t read many leaving blogs so I don’t really know the protocol. I thought I’d put together a few thoughts about my time in the student movement.

I am so pleased to have been in office in the years where the policy was for free education and opposed to means-testing. I would have found it difficult to work with any other policy. I believe that financial support should be distributed and funded through progressive taxation. I am and will always be committed to free education. In higher education a ‘Buy now pay later’ philosophy will not work, it will not address the needs of those likely to be put off from going to university. Aspirations need to be raised in the early years and not dashed once you get to 18. The Government want more people in the HE but continue to put deterrents in place to stop them getting there. Debt does put people off and the poorest students are simply overlooked. Government do not understand that for many, university is not an option at all.

If the Government are serious about giving more people the opportunity to access post 16 education, if education is truly the key to social mobility then they must think again.

Defending the future of education

It’s strange to think that the way I entered into the student movement is the same way in which I leave it. Most of you who know me will know that one issue in particular has become a passion of mine. An issue that I became emotionally as well as professionally committed to, supporting lecturers in their industrial action.

As a first year student rep at Coventry University, having no knowledge about what a students’ union did, my course was affected by Industrial Action. I argued with other student reps on my course that we should support the lecturers, so I set to work. I organised nearly 400 letters to be written and printed, got every student on the Psychology course to sign one and sent them all to my vice chancellor. The letters expressed complete support of both staff and unions.

Two years later, as President at CUSU I was came across a memo. It was from the VC in 2001. Addressed to the President at the time, it expressed his concern and disappointment to have had one of the first year students organising 400 letters to be sent to his office, I thought ‘that was me’.

Four years on and I am proud to have driven the National Union through some extremely challenging times. The last 3 months have been tiring but exciting, for students to stand side by side with its teachers is something to be proud of. I truly believe that NUS has shown solidarity and support for all the right reasons.

I completely understand concerns of the students who have been affected by the recent events. I really feel for those who have screamed at me down the phone, those brothers, sisters, and parents of students who have been hardest hit.

The reason I wanted to support the trade unions is simple; I believe that although we represent students today, we also represent the needs of future students. I know now that it sounds like a cliché but we need to see the value of all education and, over recent months, we have helped to defend and secure a decent future and for me that takes priority.

We have to think outside of our own experiences sometimes. I became increasingly frustrated by the words and actions of those students and officers who were not just concerned for their students, but didn’t appear to believe in collectivism. I believe that the majority of students did support NUS and the Unions but unfortunately their voices were not heard. While we were being criticised for not listening to our members I’m not sure that certain students’ union officers were listening to theirs.

I want to thank the students and unions who did support their lecturers. The NEC who were united and supported Kat and I, thanks to you all. Thanks also to all NUS staff, you kept me sane.

After five years in the movement I’ve had mainly highs and not so many lows. I’ve enjoyed pretty much every minute of it. So here are a few highlights of the student movement for me:

Winning all my elections (obviously)

Securing anonymous marking in my university

Getting the most students down to the National Demo 2003 from my union ever

Being part of the first Coventry officer team in 19 years to send motions to NUS Conference

Handing over CUSU Presidency to the first Woman in 11 years

Helping our lecturers get a better deal

Becoming an NSLP student trainer

Appearing on the Daily Politics, Five News and News 24 (in fact I loved all media appearances)

That first Stadia conference

That first NUSSL Convention (so much free stuff)

LGBT Winter Conference 2004 at Leicester

Action through Advocacy 2005 (both of them)

LGBT Conference 2006 passing a motion opposing City Academies

Bringing the Government within 3 votes of losing a ‘New Labour’ flagship policy in 2004

+ all the walking, marching, flyering and campaigning that you do as an SU and NUS officer

Low points:

Standing in the Lobby til 8pm in January 2004 only to have our hopes of winning dashed by the Government on top-up fees and losing by three votes

Losing our free education policy by Annual Conference voting in favour of means-testing

Losing Rolle College to closure

I’ve met so many people who have affected me over the past few years so here are a few thank yous, thanks to:

Both NECs, especially my 2 co-vice presidents – Ellie and Veronica, we’ve had some brilliant times, gonna miss you, good luck!

All Staff at NUS – you’ve all been so supportive and made my years here a pleasure.

Dylan

Hannah Essex, Chris Weavers and Penny Hollings

Laurice Harris, although working at NUS now she was my predecessor at Coventry

Lisa Jenkins – I don’t know her now but she was a training officer at Coventry who told me about the part-time exec post that started it all

Jo Thomas and all the staff at Coventry SU

All three execs at Coventry particularly Abi Prime, Mike Price, Sam Wigg, Beccy Laurance, Tom Clift, Zoe Shaw, Benn Weller and Claire Matthews

Good Luck to all the new and continuing NEC

Gemma, Stephen, Joe R, Wes, Ellie, Veronica, Kat, Alex, Jimmy, Jamie, Ruquayyah, Scott, Claire

Those leaving – Good luck

Kat, Sian, Mel, Jo, Dylan, Damien, Pav, Kat Louis, James-J, Dan C, Flick, Jess, Peter, Judith, Derfel, Dan R.

That’s it then, thanks and goodbye! x

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