I know some people hate it when NEC members just list their diary commitments and other people get frustrated when NEC members seem to be breaking NUS conference mandates, so here’s my diary for my first few weeks as National President and my last week as VP Education.

Wes

Week Commencing Monday 2nd June:

2nd – Interview with Education Guardian for profile piece; recorded a film clip for NUS awards video; met with Dominic Scott, UKCISA Chief Executive to discuss possible PMI bid for an international student staff member; travelled to Nottingham for a debate I had with HE Minister Bill Rammell MP on academic freedom.
3rd – Office day, including a lunch with a Sky News journalist, meeting with new Executive Assistant and appraisal follow up for NUS Chief Executive.
4th – Education funding meeting in HQ and meetings with key NUS staff, followed by a meeting with Lib Dem Shadow Universities Secretary Stephen Williams MP, concerning Lib Dem HE policy review.
5th – Induction day in HQ for new NEC, followed by an interview on BBC News Channel and finally to Gemma Tumelty and Stephen Brown’s leaving do where there were many tears and many more bottles of wine consumed!
6th – Office day, including a meeting with Sue Harrison from the Student Gems website and a meeting with Hollie Williams. In the evening I attended the 1994 Group’s Annual Lecture and Dinner. The lecture was given by Sir Michael Barber, former advisor to Tony Blair on public service reform.
8th – Attended University of Manchester Students’ Union’s in house training to talk about NUS’ priorities for the year ahead

W/C 9/6/08

9th – Attended the NUS Awards in Birmingham, which were fantastic and received a huge number of high quality entries.
10th – Was on the silly o’clock train back from Birmingham to speak at the Satisfying Student Demand conference in London, where I delivered a speech and spoke on a panel. Then got the train to Cheltenham with Dave Lewis for a handover meeting with Endsleigh Insurance Services Ltd as I would soon be joining their board.
11th – On another silly o’clock train back from Cheltenham to attend my last meeting of the TQI/NSS Steering Group, followed by a roundtable discussion with Sir Jonathan Sacks, the Chief Rabbi, a reception hosted by education charity DEA and finally a meeting with >Iain Wright MP, DLCG minister, on students in the community.
12th – Telephone meeting with Angus McFarland, president of NUS Australia, followed by a meeting with Sophie Moullin of IPPR, my first meeting as a member of the Government’s Youth Citizenship Commission and then an affiliation debate at Imperial College London.
13th – ½ day planning meeting with NUS Chief Executive and a meeting with a production company on a potential TV documentary opportunity.
14th – Spoke at an NUS fringe debate at the Compass National Conference alongside Baroness Helena Kennedy QC, Professor Claire Callendar and HE Minister Bill Rammell.

w/c 16/6/08

16th – Off sick
17th – Safeguarding Training in HQ, followed by a National Student Forum meeting and then finally the London Education Partnership Awards ceremony, where I spoke as a chair of the student judging panel.
18th – Students in the Community meetings in NUS HQ followed by a minivan trip to Leeds for…
19th – NUS North Regional Reception, followed by a minivan trip to Lincoln for…
20th – NUS Midlands and East Reception
21st – Attended Unite Against Fascism National March in London and spoke at the Trafalgar Square Rally alongside brand new NUS Black Students’ Officer Bell Ribeiro-Addy. Then got the train to Royal Holloway for Unions94 Handover meeting.
22nd – Unions94 Handover meeting followed by a (rum and champagne fuelled, don’t ask…) trip to Bristol for…

w/c 23/6/08

23rd – NUS South Regional Reception
24th – Attended NUS London Regional Reception, but could only attend for the afternoon because in the morning I had addressed a meeting of the vice-chancellors of the 1994 Group on HE funding and other issues.
25th – Meeting with NUS Fundraiser on our bid to the PMI fund for an international students staff member, catch up with NUS Chief Exec, a meeting of the NUS Trustees and finally a meeting with Dawn Butler MP, Labour Party Vice-Chair on Votes at 16 and other youth issues.
26th – Delivery Partnership admissions meeting at Universities UK then spoke at an FSA conference on HE funding (comments were picked up by Times Higher Education)
27th – Attended my last meeting of the OIA Board with Aaron Porter who will take my place, followed by meetings with Alex Belardinelli (Special Advisor to Children’s Secretary Ed Balls) and a meeting with Ian King, NUSSL Chief Executive. Ended the day with a leaving party for Pauline Brett, a true NUS legend
28th – Went up to Salford to speak at the Annual Conference of the Federation of Student Islamic Societies (FOSIS)

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