Student RESPECT - NUS

NUS

Student RESPECT is one of the biggest of the left factions in NUS and traditionally stands a slate alongside Student Broad Left. At the 2007 conference Student RESPECT played a far larger role both because of its increased involvement in national student politics and because of the increasing crisis amongst the rest of the left since the collapse of the Campaign for Free Education (CFE) and its successors around Kat Fletcher.

Student RESPECT stood four members for the National Executive. Assed Baig took 193 votes for National Secretary – Student RESPECT's biggest score to date. It was the most prominent organisation speaking against means testing and in favour of free education, anti-imperialism and anti-racism.

The left within NUS is noted for a fundamental split over anti-imperialism and Islamophobia dating back to the Socialist Workers' Student Society walking out of the United for Education slate a number of years ago over what it regarded as the Alliance for Workers' Liberty’s (now Education Not for Sale, ENS) Islamophobic reaction to the war in Iraq. This is a difference which has been increased over the attitude of the left to Federation of Student Islamic Societies and Muslim students in general. Student RESPECT and Student Broad Left generally came out ahead at the last two conferences finishing above ENS in the full-time elections, with bigger presence on campuses and having a greater say in the policy debate within NUS.

Currently Student RESPECT is involved in the campaign to 'Defend' NUS Democracy (along with Education Not for Sale and Student Broad Left) against the NUS Governance Review. It has four of its members elected to the Steering Committee.

Student RESPECT currently has Rob Owen on the NUS NEC and Dan Swain on the NUS Steering Committee.

The 2008 NUS Annual Conference saw success for Student RESPECT, with the proposed Governance Review, failing to reach the required two-thirds majority by fewer than 20 votes, and with two members of Student RESPECT - Rob Owen and Hind Hassan - being elected to the Block of Twelve.

There was however controversy at the NUS Black Students Campaign Conference 2008 where Student Respect were accused by other factions of trying to stitch-up the election of Black Students Officer although this accusation has been strongly countered by members of the faction.