NUS Black Students’ Campaign’s long running support for the Sukula family has ended with success as the family has been granted indefinite leave to stay in the UK. The family have been living in Bolton in 2002 after fleeing persecution in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
The Black Students’ Campaign led the drive from the students' movement to persuade the Home Office to let them stay after they were initially refused asylum. Flores has spoken regularly at our national conferences and wishes to thank all the students who have helped. NUS wishes her the best of luck with her ambition to study health studies at Manchester Metropolitan University.
April 28, 2008
April 24, 2008
April 8, 2008
Government axes International students scholarship funding
Anthea Lipsett
Thursday March 20, 2008
EducationGuardian.co.uk
Vice-chancellors have attacked the government's decision to cut two major international scholarship schemes, warning that it could limit opportunities for UK students to study abroad.
The foreign secretary, David Miliband, announced a cut of around £10m a year to the funding of two well known scholarship programmes by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) in a written ministerial statement last week.
Funding for the Chevening scholarship programme will be cut from £27.3m in 2007/08 to £18.86m in 2008/09. And the FCO contribution to the Commonwealth Scholarship and Fellowship Plan from 2009/10 will be cut.
The funding for these scholarships enables over 1,500 international students to study in the UK each year. Many previous scholars have gone on to be leaders and decision-makers such as high court judges, university vice-chancellors and politicians.
The list of beneficiaries includes a current EU commissioner and also a deputy prime minister of a Commonwealth country.
Diana Warwick, chief executive of vice-chancellors' group Universities UK (UUK), said: "We are disappointed there was no discussion within government about these changes and no consultation with UUK prior to the announcement. "Scholarships are still viewed very positively by overseas governments and prospective students. Many scholarship students go on to be leaders in their fields, retaining valuable links with the UK and acting as ambassadors for our universities.
"Part of the justification for cutting one of the programmes relates to a catalogue of failings committed by the FCO in the direction and administration of the scheme. It seems unfortunate to respond to these failings by cutting funding for the programme rather than seeking advice from universities and relevant bodies about how the scheme could be improved."
UUK has called for a meeting with Miliband to discuss its concerns.
It said the decision contradicts the decisions of other government departments to put additional funding into the programmes and was likely to lead to developed Commonwealth countries cutting funding for UK students to study in their countries.
The decision reneges on the partnership between the FCO and universities dating from 1999 when universities agreed to a 20% discount on fees for Chevening scholars in return for an expansion of the scheme through additional government investment and private sector input, it said.
Warwick added: "The government has done a great deal to promote the UK as one of the leading destinations for international higher education, but a decision such as this risks sending mixed messages to universities and prospective students.
"These cuts will have an impact on a large number of universities across the sector and goes contrary to the commitment to attract the very best to the UK."
The shadow higher education minister, Rob Wilson, said: "Universities are fed up with the government cutting funding without any consultation.
"International students make a valuable contribution to British universities. At a time of global uncertainty, there is a danger that the UK will be seen as unfriendly or, at worst, hostile to international students if this knee-jerk policy making continues."
Thursday March 20, 2008
EducationGuardian.co.uk
Vice-chancellors have attacked the government's decision to cut two major international scholarship schemes, warning that it could limit opportunities for UK students to study abroad.
The foreign secretary, David Miliband, announced a cut of around £10m a year to the funding of two well known scholarship programmes by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) in a written ministerial statement last week.
Funding for the Chevening scholarship programme will be cut from £27.3m in 2007/08 to £18.86m in 2008/09. And the FCO contribution to the Commonwealth Scholarship and Fellowship Plan from 2009/10 will be cut.
The funding for these scholarships enables over 1,500 international students to study in the UK each year. Many previous scholars have gone on to be leaders and decision-makers such as high court judges, university vice-chancellors and politicians.
The list of beneficiaries includes a current EU commissioner and also a deputy prime minister of a Commonwealth country.
Diana Warwick, chief executive of vice-chancellors' group Universities UK (UUK), said: "We are disappointed there was no discussion within government about these changes and no consultation with UUK prior to the announcement. "Scholarships are still viewed very positively by overseas governments and prospective students. Many scholarship students go on to be leaders in their fields, retaining valuable links with the UK and acting as ambassadors for our universities.
"Part of the justification for cutting one of the programmes relates to a catalogue of failings committed by the FCO in the direction and administration of the scheme. It seems unfortunate to respond to these failings by cutting funding for the programme rather than seeking advice from universities and relevant bodies about how the scheme could be improved."
UUK has called for a meeting with Miliband to discuss its concerns.
It said the decision contradicts the decisions of other government departments to put additional funding into the programmes and was likely to lead to developed Commonwealth countries cutting funding for UK students to study in their countries.
The decision reneges on the partnership between the FCO and universities dating from 1999 when universities agreed to a 20% discount on fees for Chevening scholars in return for an expansion of the scheme through additional government investment and private sector input, it said.
Warwick added: "The government has done a great deal to promote the UK as one of the leading destinations for international higher education, but a decision such as this risks sending mixed messages to universities and prospective students.
"These cuts will have an impact on a large number of universities across the sector and goes contrary to the commitment to attract the very best to the UK."
The shadow higher education minister, Rob Wilson, said: "Universities are fed up with the government cutting funding without any consultation.
"International students make a valuable contribution to British universities. At a time of global uncertainty, there is a danger that the UK will be seen as unfriendly or, at worst, hostile to international students if this knee-jerk policy making continues."
April 7, 2008
Shorter exam period from next year ?
Last year in Academic Board the policy was passed by the university to shorten the exam period from 5 to 3 weeks as currently each faculty decides their own timescales for conducting exams. These change also claims to improve the student experience and centralise information. However the union does not believe that the proposed to the calendar achieve this and have been opposed to the introduction of a shorter examination period since the ideas was first raised in academic board.
A lot of University staff are not happy with this decision as its a major move for some faculties who previously and still currently need longer than 3 weeks to conduct the exams in optimum conditions.
The propose changes will have an adverse affect on students to achieve academic success at MMU due to the following factors.
A lot of University staff are not happy with this decision as its a major move for some faculties who previously and still currently need longer than 3 weeks to conduct the exams in optimum conditions.
The propose changes will have an adverse affect on students to achieve academic success at MMU due to the following factors.
- Less Revision time between exams
- More Exams in one day
- Evening exams
- Weekend Exams
- Reduction in teaching time
- Evening and weekend exams may result in some students risking losing permanent part time work.
- Students who commute and do not live near to the university will be put at risk due to evening exams as they will be travelling home late
- Students may be forced to choose a university that does not ask them to compromise their faith. Various faiths have different needs which needs consideration
- Students with children/dependants will require changes to childcare. As childcare is very much a daytime weekday provision this could present a barrier to student parents and be perceived as hidden course cost.
The students union fails to see the benefit to the individual students or the university in these changes. The union is proud of the diverse student demographic of our University and believe that we have an opportunity to demonstrate to current and future students that we put their experience first by tailoring our exam periods to suit their needs, rather than those of the university or space utilisation figures. This may prove to be a key differentiator to other universities who only pay lip service to the idea of putting students first.
We have put this message across to university through a working group which is currently looking into this issue and will aim to convince how damaging the proposed changes can be to their career prospects.
April 3, 2008
Students vote against NUS Governance in Annual Conference
Anthea LipsettTuesday April 1, 2008
EducationGuardian.co.uk
There were scenes of confusion and uproar at the National Union of Students' national conference in Blackpool as the leadership's plans to transform the union were narrowly rejected by delegates.
After a raucous debate it was announced that the scheme, backed by president Gemma Tumelty, and a majority of the national executive had been passed by a two-thirds majority of delegates.
Then the student representatives were told by the chairwoman, Kat Stark, that the vote had not in fact reached the figure needed for the sweeping constitutional reforms proposed and this was confirmed after a recount. The reformers needed 717 votes for a two-thirds majority, but only secured 692 for the executive's plan which would have gutted the power of left-wing groups.
The proposals would have replaced the 27-strong elected national executive committee with a board that would run the organisation, informed by a new senate made up of student representatives, to help direct policy.
The idea was to have "zone committees" of student officers and staff in student unions acting as working groups, led by NUS vice-presidents, that would develop interim policy and report to senate. A fiery debate with loud applause, cheers and boos, heard that the changes would transform the union for the benefit of students and make it more representative.
NUS president, Gemma Tumelty, told delegates: "You've heard from students from all political parties and none. These changes haven't been forced on you from up high. These are your ideas. Will you vote yes to an NUS of the future? Or, no, let's stick with irrelevant out of date structures?" To loud applause and cheers from the 1,450 delegates, Tumelty called on delegates to vote for a union that would better represent part-time, FE, international and mature students.
"When I first came to conference I was bewildered," she said. "Our structures and our culture are holding us back - you've got the opportunity to change that for good."
Stephen Brown, national secretary, said: "It's time to decide between the past and the future. Between empty slogans that fail our members and substantial policies that serve our students."
He called the union's democratic structure "useless" and said the changes would enable the union to deliver all the things asked of it. "We want a programme of work and campaigns that deliver real outcomes from students and unions, some don't," he said.
But hundreds of delegates were strongly against the motion, arguing it would make the union worse and less democratic. One accused the senior management team of paying delegates to wear orange T-shirts backing the motion.
The announcement of the result was met with howls of delight and a chant of "Students united, we'll never be defeated."
Sofie Buckland, from the national executive, said delegates voting against the motion were being unjustly labelled "extremist lefties". "A dirty war is being waged by leadership against anyone opposing them," she said to loud applause.
"The review was carried out behind closed doors over the summer when most of us weren't in the union. We already have structures to make decisions, it's called conference," she said.
Ruqayyah Collector, NUS black students officer, told EducationGuardian.co.uk: "There's a lot of propaganda out there saying people on the left don't want the NUS to change. I want NUS to change and people agree it's not effective, but some of the proposals that have been made would be detrimental to black students."
The changes would mean splitting the powers the NUS has now into a senate and a board with no guaranteed representative for black students, she said.
"It took 10 years of campaigning to get a full time officer for black students. It's a completely backwards step for us.
"I'm not against everything in the green paper but some of the changes and depends on the direction the NUS is taken in. Is it going to be a professional lobby group?
"Not having requirement for cross campus ballots would make it more difficult for black students to think about the national conference. Instead of focusing on policy it will become a lobby group."
"With the review of fees coming up in 2009, we need a national union willing to stand up to government rather than just becoming a lobby group without student involvement at every level," she said.
Collector said her attempts to hold a joint rally for those for and against the proposed changes before the motion debate had been blocked.
EducationGuardian.co.uk
There were scenes of confusion and uproar at the National Union of Students' national conference in Blackpool as the leadership's plans to transform the union were narrowly rejected by delegates.
After a raucous debate it was announced that the scheme, backed by president Gemma Tumelty, and a majority of the national executive had been passed by a two-thirds majority of delegates.
Then the student representatives were told by the chairwoman, Kat Stark, that the vote had not in fact reached the figure needed for the sweeping constitutional reforms proposed and this was confirmed after a recount. The reformers needed 717 votes for a two-thirds majority, but only secured 692 for the executive's plan which would have gutted the power of left-wing groups.
The proposals would have replaced the 27-strong elected national executive committee with a board that would run the organisation, informed by a new senate made up of student representatives, to help direct policy.
The idea was to have "zone committees" of student officers and staff in student unions acting as working groups, led by NUS vice-presidents, that would develop interim policy and report to senate. A fiery debate with loud applause, cheers and boos, heard that the changes would transform the union for the benefit of students and make it more representative.
NUS president, Gemma Tumelty, told delegates: "You've heard from students from all political parties and none. These changes haven't been forced on you from up high. These are your ideas. Will you vote yes to an NUS of the future? Or, no, let's stick with irrelevant out of date structures?" To loud applause and cheers from the 1,450 delegates, Tumelty called on delegates to vote for a union that would better represent part-time, FE, international and mature students.
"When I first came to conference I was bewildered," she said. "Our structures and our culture are holding us back - you've got the opportunity to change that for good."
Stephen Brown, national secretary, said: "It's time to decide between the past and the future. Between empty slogans that fail our members and substantial policies that serve our students."
He called the union's democratic structure "useless" and said the changes would enable the union to deliver all the things asked of it. "We want a programme of work and campaigns that deliver real outcomes from students and unions, some don't," he said.
But hundreds of delegates were strongly against the motion, arguing it would make the union worse and less democratic. One accused the senior management team of paying delegates to wear orange T-shirts backing the motion.
The announcement of the result was met with howls of delight and a chant of "Students united, we'll never be defeated."
Sofie Buckland, from the national executive, said delegates voting against the motion were being unjustly labelled "extremist lefties". "A dirty war is being waged by leadership against anyone opposing them," she said to loud applause.
"The review was carried out behind closed doors over the summer when most of us weren't in the union. We already have structures to make decisions, it's called conference," she said.
Ruqayyah Collector, NUS black students officer, told EducationGuardian.co.uk: "There's a lot of propaganda out there saying people on the left don't want the NUS to change. I want NUS to change and people agree it's not effective, but some of the proposals that have been made would be detrimental to black students."
The changes would mean splitting the powers the NUS has now into a senate and a board with no guaranteed representative for black students, she said.
"It took 10 years of campaigning to get a full time officer for black students. It's a completely backwards step for us.
"I'm not against everything in the green paper but some of the changes and depends on the direction the NUS is taken in. Is it going to be a professional lobby group?
"Not having requirement for cross campus ballots would make it more difficult for black students to think about the national conference. Instead of focusing on policy it will become a lobby group."
"With the review of fees coming up in 2009, we need a national union willing to stand up to government rather than just becoming a lobby group without student involvement at every level," she said.
Collector said her attempts to hold a joint rally for those for and against the proposed changes before the motion debate had been blocked.
April 1, 2008
Library Hours Extended
The major longstanding issues which our student in Manchester campuses face is restriction of access to learning resources i.e. extended library hours, 24 hrs access to drop in centres. MMU student population not only constitutes of undergraduates but part time, postgraduate and students with various other commitments who are not able to use the library resources extensively due to limited opening hours, which are not suitable to them. Also some courses require students to self-study large numbers of hours; similarly during exam time’s students tend to study long hours and want to put all their efforts in to get good grades.
In order to tackle this serious issue your Students Union campaigned long and hard on this, we raised this matter on various platforms/meetings from Board of Governors to informal meetings and at last the university agreed to extend the All Saints library hours from Monday 7th April. The timings are Mon to Thursday until 11:30pm and until 9:30pm on Sunday.
However we have not stopped here, we do understand that 24hr drop-in-centre is an invaluable resourse for students and should be provided if MMU wishes to claim that it is the University for World Class Professionals therefore we will continue to push this forward.
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