| Practically
all further education colleges in the United Kingdom
have students unions in theory, all though at any
one time many of them will not be in operation. This
may be because the college has not held elections
or failed to find anybody who wants to run as student
leader to operate the students union. The National
Union of Students (NUS) would encourage and support
student’s attempts to resurrect their students union
and make them fully operational. |
How to start
If you want to find your students union, or find out why your
student union is not operating, you need to find the Clerk
of Corporation, (college reception will be able to put you
in touch). They can give you the following which you need
to set up a student’s union:
* The students’ union constitution
* The college learner involvement strategy
* The contact details for the member of staff, whose job
it is to run elections on behalf of the college corporation
* The contact details of the student members of the corporation,
(there should be between two and three). They should be
involved in any attempts to set up the students union
and should automatically be on the student union executive
committee in the first instance.
* Q: What is a student’s union constitution?
* A: The constitution is an agreement between the college
and the students at the college on what the students union
should do and how?
more information .... 
Holding elections
A students union is the term for the whole student community
in the college, but elections are needed to decide who will
be for the leaders of the student community. Those who are
elected are often called the students union executive committee.
The elections need to be held so the executive can claim
legitimately to represent the student community. The college
corporation is legally responsible to ensure the elections
are free, fair and cross campus.
The details of how to do the elections should be in
the students’ union constitution and could include:
* The opportunity for all students to participate, regardless
of site or how few hours they attend college
* A candidates pack for those interested in standing to
become a student leader
* A question time session with voters and those wanting
to become a student leader
* A photocopying allowance for candidates wanting to become
a student leader to distribute publicity during the election
* The opportunity to vote across a whole college week
* A secure way of voting to ensure the election is fair
* Q: What if the college will not hold elections?
* A: Make a complaint through the corporation complaints
procedure, (not the colleges complaints procedure), that
they are breach of the Education Act 1994 section 22,
where it is there duty “to
ensure free and fair elections”.
more information ....
Setting up
If elected, you should prepare properly for your time as
a student’s union officer, this should include:
* Obtaining the students union constitution
* Any handover information with the from the previous student
leaders
* A college calendar of meeting dates
* College procedures including complaints, appeals (EMA,
Disciplinary, Academic, Admissions) and Bullying & Harassment
You should also arrange as soon as possible:
* Introductory meeting with the senior management meeting
* A student union calendar with dates for executive meeting,
student parliament and student union elections
* Training for the new student leaders
* Staff support from the college
* IT support including common students union email address.
* Register for the student
leaders website for access to lots more assistance
and resources
more information ....
Doing things Once
the student leaders are elected, they should make decisions
concerning what they want to say to the college and the
services they want to provide in either the executive committee
meeting (smaller operational decisions) or the student parliament
(bigger strategic decisions). All decisions (particularly
financial) should be recorded in minutes of meetings that
are available to the public.
* Q: What is a student’s parliament??
* A: Quite often called student’s council, the student
parliament is a cross section of the college community
sometimes consisting course reps sometimes. It should
be chaired by students.
more information ....
Money Students
union in further education colleges raises funding in two
principal ways. The first, which accounts for most of the
funding, is the block grant. This is a sum of money granted
from college corporation funds for students union activity
annually, which currently ranges from £50 to £125
000.
The second funding stream which can provide money is
the NUS Extra card. This discount card is generating funding
for your students union, as each sale to one of your students
raises revenue for your students union. This money belongs
to your students union, not the college.
* Q: Does a college corporation have to give you a block
grant?
* A: No it does not, all though would have to give you
anything outlined in the Learner Involvement Strategy,
(in terms of resources).
more information ....
What happens if the college
does not co-operate? Most colleges will be supportive
of your efforts and will be glad that you have expressed
an interest. However some colleges will not understand what
a student’s union is and as a result may be failing
to comply with the legal obligations placed upon them. Many
of these will have a Students Council or Student Associations,
which the college may think are different from a student
unions, but actually these are the same, under
the definition of section 20 1994 Education Act.
If your college is not supporting your efforts, you
might want to consider the following:
* Write a complaint against the college corporation
for failing to comply with Part Two of the 1994 Education
Act
* If the college continue to be uncooperative, contact
the regional director of the Learning and Skills Council
to complain about the college
* Contact NUS for more help
more information ....
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