I want to talk reform. NUS reform.

During the round of regional conferences earlier this term, I wanted to talk about reform then, too. When I volunteered to do so, the look on the face of one of my NEC colleagues (who shall remain nameless) was one of disbelief. “Are you sure?” the said NEC member asked. “Yes” came my reply. “Are you sure you’re going to do it properly”, they persisted. “Er, yeah”, came my insistent reply.

The implication was that because I’m a member of a political group in NUS, I couldn’t possibly be in favour of NUS reform, particularly democratic reform. Nothing could be further from the truth.

It may have conveniently slipped the minds of some of my colleagues on the NEC, but last year I was a member of the first Year of Change Steering Group. I was one of the National Council members tasked with pulling the reform debate away from the day-to-day noise of NUS politics to establish a longer-term vision for our National Union, with the input of our membership and the reflections of our stakeholders.

It’s true that I’m not some sort of reform junkie hell-bent on destroying the factions of NUS. If there’s one thing I’ve learned during my time on the NEC so far it’s that no one is truly independent. If we’re serious about collectivism and working together to achieve more with a united voice then we need to accept that in a union of over 5 million members that different strands of opinion will unite together around common positions, ideas and principles. Of course we want to defend the interests of students, but let’s understand and accept that there’s no magic recipe for doing that.

But I am interested in reforming NUS. To make it better. To make it more effective. And to make it more in touch with students.

Throughout my time at University, I was always active in my union. But from being an Ents officer through to campaigning against fees the opportunities to get involved in NUS – aside from taking part in the National Demo – were virtually non-existent. This must change.

And whilst I defend the right of political groups to organise, I also recognise that our democratic structures and processes can be confusing and even alienating to those who are not part of a particular group or faction, or those who don’t have an ‘independent’ mate on the NEC. This is unacceptable and I’m not happy to stand up for my principles in NUS if our members aren’t empowered to do the same. That’s not democracy. That’s a whitewash.

That’s why steps forward, like the Democracy Guide and workshops at conferences, are to be welcomed and applauded. When my group, Labour Students, for example, gets students on the ground involved in NUS, telling them how to submit motions, telling them how to stand for election, telling them how to composite motions, it’s not because we’re trying to screw over everyone else, it’s because we’re playing a role that NUS is NOT providing and definitely SHOULD be providing.

But our democracy cannot continue like this. We cannot continue to justify a system where participation is not based on what you have to say, but whether you know how to say it. That’s why I support more training, more explanation and more opportunities for involvement.

I also support financial reform. Some have recently suggested that the NEC have ignored the financial crisis, that we have buried our heads in the sand and that we are have been the roadblock to financial reform. This is disingenuous, self-promoting bullshit. Perhaps people have forgotten the NEC meetings where Mandy Telford (who had nothing like a majority on the NEC) had to impress on her colleagues the need for reform. Perhaps people have forgotten that the very first speech Kat Fletcher made to the membership, was at an Extraordinary Conference on financial reform, for which she received a standing ovation from the overwhelming majority of NEC members on the stage and members on conference floor. And perhaps they have forgotten that as recently as this year, this NEC took the steps to reform our own finances and expenses. We’ve taken the tough decisions and if they can’t see that, that’s their tough luck. We might not always agree, but it is an insult to our National President that her leadership has been misrepresented in such a cynical way. “Play it again, Sam”? I’d rather not.

And the NEC can only act when we are given the information we need. Earlier this term a reform paper went out to you without our knowledge, at best a discourtesy and at worst a sign of the contempt shown for the NEC by the management. This year, the quality of financial information presented to the NEC has been dire, aside from a couple of sides of A4 that even I could understand. So don’t always believe what you read in the papers. Give us the facts we need and successive NECs have shown they can take the tough decisions.

But the answer cannot always be to cut back, advice that the NEC heeded this year. If we fail to provide the representation, campaigns, support and services that our members expect, we will face disaffiliations and the financial crisis will worsen, compounded by a political crisis inspired by excessive cuts. That’s why I – and other colleagues – have supported the rollout of NUS Extra and made those proposals to Conference to decide. We recognise the difficulties encountered in the North West and we are acting through our representatives on the NUSSL Board to ensure that your feedback is taken on board.

And finally, for me reform is not just about tinkering with structures and budgets. It’s about changing the way we campaign for the better and for me this is the most important aspect of reform that we have failed to touch. I’m not attacking colleagues when I say this, but I am tired of paper-chasing awareness campaigns that fail to make any difference to the lives of the students we are here to serve and represent. On some landmark pieces of legislation we have witnessed recently, we have barely made an impact, let alone made a difference to Government policy. Our activists days suffered from a lack of activists and it seems that our Democracy day has suffered from a lack of democrats (er, or something like that!).

I’m not interested in attacking NUS from within, or painting a picture of a National Union that is ineffective and fails its members. To do, would detract from the vital role we perform and the achievements we gain on a weekly basis. I think there are few NEC members who end the year without being able to say that they’ve improved the lives of students in a certain way, by a certain action. But our movement is in danger of falling prey to apathy, or organisation is in danger of becoming terribly overstretched and the greatest risk of all is that we are not able to unveil a whole string of achievements that we have under our belt every time a disaffiliation debate crops up.

To improve, to succeed and to win for our members, our movement must constantly change and adapt to modern realities. I think one of the greatest ironies about NUS is that we talk about the ‘student movement’ but sometimes it doesn’t seem to be moving at all!

With talk increasingly turning to next year’s elections both inside and outside the NEC, this isn’t my pitch for the Presidency. But it does set out some of the broader issues that I think those seeking the offices of President, Secretary and Treasurer need to take on board. Actually, that’s not entirely true, I think it sets out some of the broader issues that the entire NEC needs to take on board.

I haven’t decided who I’m voting for next year, in spite of some of the behind the scenes bullying and badgering that’s been going on behind the scenes. But I’ll be more inclined to support those who have a vision for the organisation, ideas about how it can change and a genuine motivation to mobilise and engage our members.

The past five months have been a real learning curve and an eye-opening experience. Last year I was proud to play a role in the Year of Change project and even though I didn’t always agree with the decisions we made, I was happy to abide by collective responsibility.

As my colleague on the NEC saw back during the Regionals, I am committed to reform and am happy to abide by collective responsibility where I have been given a say in a collective forum.

It’s my year of change, too.

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