As always the NUS have a lot planned this year in order to ensure the improved welfare of students – from beating global bank policies to wrestling with the government…
The National Union of Students is committed to making life better for its 7 million members. As one of the largest students representative organisations in the world, NUS works to improve the lives and experiences of further and higher education students in the UK by ensuring their voice is heard.Last October saw 15,000 students from all over the UK come on the NUS march through central London, demanding a fairer system of student funding. We work with the TUC on projects around students’ rights at work and we campaign for cheaper healthcare and transport, better complaints procedures and quality of learning experience.
We have had massive recent wins against HSBC who were threatening to end their interest-free period for graduate accounts. Had they have gotten away with this, I have no doubt that other banks would have followed. NUS mounted a campaign, which stopped them in their tracks, saving students millions of pounds in the long run. Furthermore, the new Department for Innovation for Universities and Skills has announced funding packages that will substantially increase the number of students entitled to a non-repayable maintenance grant from 2008/09. This additional £400 million is at least a step in the right direction.
This year, NUS will be campaigning equally hard on issues that matter to students. Read on to find out what they are…
Health
Research for 2004 showed that 79.2% of students did not apply for help with health care costs under the current low-income scheme, and one in seven students did not seek medical assistance went they needed it. This year NUS will be fighting to get prescriptions, dental care and eye test exemptions extended to cover all students.
Transport The cost of travel has risen dramatically over the last 20 years. Bus and coach fares rose by 168% between 1987 and 2006. Transport costs have a major impact upon access to employment and training opportunities for all people. We are campaigning to ensure that legislation going through parliament reflects this.
Part-time work
Students are continuing to rely on part-time jobs to finance their studies. In a recent NatWest survey, 82% of this year’s intake believes that they will have to get a part-time job and 44% of current students have to rely on their income from term-time work to get by. NUS are working with the TUC to ensure students’ rights at work.
Student rights
In order to offset the arrival of one-sided student contracts on campus and the creeping notion of ‘students as consumers’, NUS will be launching a campaign that opposes student contracts and consumerism by asserting a positive model for students’ rights through the development and promotion of Students’ Rights Charters.
Student fees
The new Secretary of State has confirmed that NUS will be fully involved in the review of top-up fees planned for 2009 and has promised a ‘major debate’ about the future of the higher education sector. We will fight for a fairer funding system for all students, and that the £3,000 cap on tuition fees is not raised.
And these campaigns are only the tip of the ice burg!! Take a look at our famous website, which will be revamped soon. It is a source of everything you need to know about NUS campaigns. However, for our campaigns to be successful we need students to be involved. The strength of all our campaigns relies entirely on the enormous commitment from students across the whole country.
To find out more, go to www.nus.org.uk
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