NUS no-platform policy is hypocritical

A few hours before the deadline for this comment piece, I was going to write a piece slating the NUS’s no-platform for the BNP policy. I started writing it, but then realised that this hot potato was too complex to give justice to here, so I’m going to write a piece slating the NUS instead.

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A* proves problematic for professionals

Leading universities throughout the country are arguing over whether to include the new A* grade as part of their new admission criteria. The newly introduced grade will be awarded to the most successful A-level students, scoring above 90% in their exams, at the end of this academic year.

The A* is already accepted by Cambridge University and Imperial College London, as a compulsory requirement for admission. However, secondary school teachers are conflicted because other top universities, including Oxford University, are not accepting the grade for at least the next 2 years. The grade has been introduced amid fears that as so many students achieve straight As, it would be too hard to differentiate between the elite of academia and the other high-achieving students.

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New law attempts to clear out students

Students in Sussex could be seriously affected by a new law that would see undergraduates in groups of 3 or more unable to rent shared accommodation. The contentious government legislation was proposed earlier this year and is currently being considered by John Denham, the communities and local government secretary. The law would apply nationwide, specifically concerning areas in the country which have a dense student population.

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Lecturer’s strike may cause standstill in UK unis

Students could be faced with exam chaos this summer and may even be unable to graduate if a lecturer’s strike is not averted. In response to recent job cuts, the University and College Union (UCU), the largest trade union for academics, lecturers, and researchers in the UK, is balloting this week about whether to endorse future industrial action – meaning that the executive can call a strike whenever they wish. If passed, the UCU executive will be able to call a strike at only a few days notice, potentially causing havoc for Universities and students.
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NUS might boost booze prices

It may come as a shock but cheap alcohol on campus could soon be a distant memory as the NUS consider imposing a minimum price on alcohol.

The issue was discussed at the NUS annual conference in Blackpool at the beginning of last month where the NUS voted to begin debating a minimum price on all alcohol sold in students’ unions. In a bid to prevent binge-drinking on campuses the NUS feels that this course of action will be the most effective way of reducing the high level of binge drinking amongst students across the country. Although the issue is still under consideration the move could not only significantly increase the price of alcohol on campus bars but also in shops.
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Jobseekers allowance extended to internships

In the current economic downturn unemployment rates are steadily rising and it’s the university graduates who are expected to feel the brunt of it. Currently the unemployment rate of Graduates with a degree is higher than the average for the rest of the UK. Recent research by the National Union for Students (NUS) has also shown that 80% of undergraduate students are either “concerned” or “very concerned” about their job prospects after leaving university.
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Lecturers threaten strike

Universities across the country could potentially be facing a disruptive summer as it has been declared that lecturers are to ballot on strike action. The University and College Union (UCU) are threatening widespread strikes unless lecturers receive an 8 percent pay increase. Read more

30,000 missing opportunities

Around 30,000 students will be denied places at university next year, according to the University and College Admissions Service (UCAS). Read more

Students suspended for impersonating Nazis

Students who were involved in a ‘Nazi style’ sports initiation have been suspended from the University of Gloucester for their actions. The suspended students dressed up in Nazi uniforms and paraded up and down in front of a line of a line of ‘new recruits’ who were made to wear plastic bags over their heads. The initiation was brought to the University’s attention through the film that was made by fellow student, Natalie Sutton. Miss Sutton used the footage as part of an assignment for her broadcast journalism course.
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State of the Union

In the past couple of weeks I am sure you have read about several allegations made against the Union: It is not representative; it disregards students’ opinions; it is too political; it campaigns too much. I am not writing this piece to ignore these allegations, but precisely because I want to acknowledge them, even though I believe that they, unfortunately, depict a very incomplete image of the union.�
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