Anne's to split from NUS?
ST ANNE'S COLLEGE is to decide whether to remain affiliated to the NUS at a JCR meeting this Sunday.
The motion has been brought by JCR OUSU/NUS Officer, Pedro Wrobel, despite him being "completely pro-affiliation". Wrobel told the OxStu that he had been approached by members of the JCR who had asked him to justify the College's membership. He felt that, in the light of the doubts over membership, "it was the fairest thing to do - the JCR is here to represent the students."
Wrobel hopes the debate will inform students about what the NUS does and what its failings were, but remains firm in his belief that if people want to change the Union they will be more effective working from the inside.
National Secretary of the NUS, Ben Monks, has had to face at least two unsuccessful disaffiliation motions in the last year. He told the OxStu that he felt that St Anne's membership of the NUS, at £1000, was good value for money.
Monks also confirmed that NUS will be sending a representative to St Anne's JCR meeting. The NUS has reason to be concerned by this motion as, in sharp contrast to OUSU, around 95% of funding comes from subscriptions.
St Anne's JCR constitution dictates that a motion to disaffiliate from the NUS requires a two-thirds majority. A further requirement is that 15% of the JCR participate in the vote. Both the current and future NUS officers seem confident that the motion will be rejected. Yet Wrobel has expressed his hope that the motion will "appease the minority opposed to membership".
When asked whether St Anne's would follow some other Oxford JCRs in making it a constitutional requirement that affiliation be discussed annually, Andrew Thomas, OUSU/NUS Officer Elect, stated that it was not on his agenda, and noted that to do so if there was little objection to continuing membership "would waste students' time."
1st Jun 2001