Comments on: Look before you leap http://www.nouse.co.uk/2007/05/08/look-before-you-leap/ Award-winning University of York Student Newspaper Fri, 16 May 2008 05:40:21 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.2.1 By: Nicky Gardner http://www.nouse.co.uk/2007/05/08/look-before-you-leap/#comment-43732 Nicky Gardner Thu, 07 Jun 2007 05:56:00 +0000 http://www.nouse.co.uk/2007/05/08/look-before-you-leap/#comment-43732 Thirty years ago I was heavily involved in a local students' union that contemplated disaffiliation from the NUS. Thankfully, we stepped back from the brink, mainly because they were some of us who argued that one should take a long view of the NUS, and not be unduly swayed by a minor spat that has arisen in the preceeding months (also over money, as in the current case with York). In the years since, I went on to become an academic and had many good links into national policy development in UK higher education. That long engagement with the HE sector alerted me to the very real contribution that the NUS makes to the well being of students in UK universities and colleges. For York to precipitately disaffiliate would savagely betray many generations of students who have fought to secure for themselves and their successors some betterment in the well being of British students. NUS membership is not a matter of small discounts at HMV and other high street stores. Rather it is an issue of supporting an organisation that has been in the forefront of defining, struggling for and protecting students' rights. The NUS is an organisation with a fine history. I hope that it will not be betrayed by York. Thirty years ago I was heavily involved in a local students’ union that contemplated disaffiliation from the NUS. Thankfully, we stepped back from the brink, mainly because they were some of us who argued that one should take a long view of the NUS, and not be unduly swayed by a minor spat that has arisen in the preceeding months (also over money, as in the current case with York).

In the years since, I went on to become an academic and had many good links into national policy development in UK higher education. That long engagement with the HE sector alerted me to the very real contribution that the NUS makes to the well being of students in UK universities and colleges.

For York to precipitately disaffiliate would savagely betray many generations of students who have fought to secure for themselves and their successors some betterment in the well being of British students.

NUS membership is not a matter of small discounts at HMV and other high street stores. Rather it is an issue of supporting an organisation that has been in the forefront of defining, struggling for and protecting students’ rights. The NUS is an organisation with a fine history. I hope that it will not be betrayed by York.

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