Now officially three months into the new role of Vice President Society & Citizenship I wanted to reflect on whether a new academic year, a new structure and a new NEC has brought any changes.

As someone who was firmly behind Governance/Reform, which ever one you choose to call it, I was excited about shaking out the stale outdated processes and helping NUS reach its full campaigning potential. But like some, I was also very wary of the determinism that accompanies significant change.

Returning to the NEC this time as a full timer the changes soon began to manifest. Whether it was the increased scrutiny of the finances by the Board, or the NEC discussions which were filled with feedback from the membership- progress was slowly but surely emerging. 

The most significant change I have witnessed since reform took place last week at the convenors budget meeting. Every officer in NUS had been dreading this meeting all summer, with our budget submissions collectively double that of the budget we had to divvy up speculation and suspicion was rife.

Yet this meeting could not have been further from the experiences of the past. Not only were officers submitting detailed accounts of how money was going to be spent, each officer had to really consider their priorities.

Of course for many the jury is still out on reform, and I appreciate that many will always hold an embedded opposition to such change. I am not seeking to shift those people’s opinions. What I am hoping to convey in this blog and in others is the gradual but important ways reform will ensure NUS’ becomes more accessible to students and students unions, how our methods of scrutiny and accountability ensure the organisation is not just fit for purpose today, but prepared to weather the storms of tomorrow, and most importantly how our structures assist not hinder our campaigning ability.  

Over the last three months we have seen a subtle breakdown of the old, and the development of a fresh new approach. There is still lots to do and there will be tweaks along the way, but the transformation I have witnessed given me tremendous hope and faith for the future.

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