NUS Conference
Total Page：16
File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb
Issue No 811 iBare &[facts University of Surrey Students' Union Newspaper NUS Conference fter anolher change in délé- were a major group who could be Agation, we finally set off for victims of racial abuse and yel Blackpool to attend the 1994 na- they were not getting a fair hear- tional conférence. One ten-inile ing at the conference. The debate tailback, some skilful navigation continued in its new order follow- and nine hours later, we arrived ing this speech. The resolutions and checked in. Clare Harrison agreed during the debate are listed (observer) and myself went to below: register and met with the first NUS should defend against ail gauntlet of politicai activists. fonns of racism and fascism and ' This can best he described as a mobilise others to do the same. guard of honour all waving leaf- It should organise training for lets supporting their specific Student Union Officers concem- cause, usually extreme left wing. ing anti-racism and anti-fascism. As you may be aware, NIIS is an s II should monitor and publicise essentially left wing organisa- the activity of known racist and tion. For the past two years, the fascisi organisations. main leadership has come from the mod- conceming student financial support. NUS should re-affinn its policy of not erate group NOLS (National (!)rgainsa- The main tiirust of this policy was to giving a platfonn to known racisls and tion of Labour Students) with opposition continue to prioritise ail woric on student fascists. fonn the far left groups, Left Unity and hardship aiid inadequate financial sup- NUS should combat tiie rise of an ex- Socialist Workers Students Society port at every level. It also resolved to tremist group call Hizb Ul-tahrir, who (SWS). support the national démonstration have been accused of being homophobic, Next the hotel. I üiink l'd describe it which took place in London on May 4th. anti-semitic and racisL more as B 'n' B than a hotel, but that's This was a very quick debate which had NUS should support any non-aligned just my opinion. The rooms were small, very few contentions points. campaigns fighting the rise of far right üie food unappetising and the beds un- The third policy discussed concemed the groups and should work around the cam- comfortable; that aside, ihey served their Education Bill and Government attacks paigns for the May local council élec- purpose. on Student Unions. This was again a tions. Conference had already begun by the non-contentious debate, and it was ques- The only real point of contention was ihe time we ail hit conférence floor. The tioned on several occasions as to why it idea of affiliating to the ANL and Youtii national executive committee (NEC) took place at ail, considering the effective Against Racism in Europe. There were were ail seated on the stage with Dermot climbdown by the Government. concems raised that the ANL was in fact Kehoe (VP Education) in the chair. Most Saving the best tili last, finally came Üie a front organisation for the Socialist of the first evening session and second debate on aiiti-racism and anti-fascism. Workers Party. The feeling of confer- moniing were devoted to NUS refonn. Until this point, the conférence had been ence was that NUS should not affiliate to This is a favourite within NUS and seems very productive. (It is rare to get time for them until they had proved themselvCvS to appear on the agenda every year. The a fourth debate at conference.) This was independent from SWP. A discussion main point that came from this debate obviously a very sensitive topic, and tem- also ensued about the Liberal Démocratie was that whiist conférence was very im- pers were frayed very quickly. There Party and their alleged use of racist litera- portant and should remain the sovereign was concem that the order of debate had ture in a Tower Hamlets by-election. body of NUS, il could be coiifusing, in- been altered by üie NEC without any By tiie lime these resolutions had been tiinidaüng and ineffective. It was also prior consultation. The amendments had agreed, the allotted time for the debate agreed to be an inefficient use of the been ordered in such a way as to put the had passed and so conference attempted money which we subscribe to NUS. Pol- question of affiliation to the Ami Nazi to move omo other business. The same icy was passed that délégation sizes League (ANL) at the very end of the caucus of black students and SWS mem- should be reduced so that each institution debate. A caucus of black students and bers, however, complained that the Chair sends one delegate per full time équiva- SWS members demonsü"ated about tiiis of conference (lan Moss, NOLS) had eut lent Student This policy will effectively at the platfonn unül conference agreed to the debate short by iwenty minutes and reduce the size of the national confér- hear a one minute statement conceming demanded that extra time be given lo the ence, thus reducing the costs, and it will the changes. This took four hours of debate. The Chair ruled that conference enable Further Education Colleges to be conference lime to get through, during had been in order to close the debate al better represented. A greater onus will which time the only productive thing the allotted lime and so tried to proceed. be put on institutions, however, in their conference managed was a Mexican selection of delegates. wave around the conference floor. The The second policy under discussion was caucus were very concemed tiiat they (continued on page 4) Established 1968 Itel: (0483) 259275 Fax: (0483) 34749 In thìs week... Dear Mr Porter VP's bit 4 We are writing in response to your letter Music Mania 6-7 of 23 Aprii 1994 addressed to Mr Culture Shock 8-9 Watling and copied to Miss Bell Video Box 10 (amongst others). At the Movies 11 Jobspot 12 The arrangements for incoming calls to Rag-Time 13 those Student résidences which have in- Personals & Careers 14 ternai extensions are based on an auto- AGMs & Notices 15 maticanswering service on 259393. Itis Campusport 16 made clear to students in such résidences Sport 17-18 thiU their callers need to have either a touch tone phone or tone generator in From the Editor... The views expressed <in this pa^e are order to be able to get through at any personal \ ie^vs and do not necessariiy time, 24 hours per day. Düring normal represent tiiose <>!' the editoria! board switchboard oi^rating hours (0845 to asn't the weaüier gorgeous for a or the Students' Union. Wwhile, especially over the Bank 1740, Monday to Friday) the operators Holiday when we had a long weekend. are able to put calls through to the rési- Shame il has to rain now thougb. Mmd The Kditor reserves the right to edit dences, and in addition the résidences you it's probably easier to study for finals ali letters. employ staff every evening between when you aren't wishing you could go Dear Editor 1800 and 2300 to assist callers who do sunbaiheinstead! Ap{wently, accOTding not have touch tone facUities. to Chris Tarrant on Capital (Chris Pye assures me of this fact) May is the time We are writing to express our concem, Outside the above times, callers who do^^ for outdoor sex ! Just beware of the pry- over some graffiti in the men's toilets. not bave a touch tone phone are advised ing security caméras! We are not concemed about graffiti, we that the system will try to transfer the are dismayed ai the fact that someone is Caller to a receptionist If the reception- responsible for writing 'Combat 18*. Congi^ to the 13 of US who managed to ist is busy, wûch may happen at times What is 'Combat 18' we hear you cry. make it to the demo against grant cuts in during the evenings, the Caller is asked to Combat 18 is a para-military organisa- London - three sabbaticals, two union try again later and told that if the cali is tion which threatens and persecutes eth- officiais and eight ordinary students! I an emergency tiiey should ring 0483 nie minorities. won' t bother to ask what happened to the 300800. The same message is giva» to restof you. There'll be the full story plus It has been known to attack individuals call^ ringing at times when no recep- photos in next week's issue. from ethnie minorities, and its primary tionist is on duty, ie, between 2300 and objective is to drive ethnie minorities 0845, plus between 0845 and 1800 on from this country. Saüirdays, Sundays and public holidays. One final note, will people We should not be so complacent to think please réalisé that the deadiine that as students we ali have the common sense to not be racist; the person who As a result of your comments, the system of 9.30am on a Tuesday applies wrote this could be your friend, your has been reprogrammed, so th;u óuiers to everyone! No matter which next door neighbour or someone on your who are unable to get through to the club, society or organisation you course. receptionist because the line is busy are We do noi think thfU the person who aske^ to hold cm while the line is tried are, unless you bave arranged again, and callers who ring during the with US BEFORE THE DEAD- wrote this will have the bollox to stand Up and say they did it, but we have the times when there is no receptionist on LINE to submìt sometbing late, bollox to stand up and fìght fw what we duty recei ve a différent message, indicat- tben the chances are we will not believe in! ing that unless their cali is an emergency ^^ accept it for that week's issue.