The National Union of Students (NUS) is facing severe financial difficulties with over £3m deficit to cover. In October 2018 NUS advised its members and staff that it was facing bankruptcy by March 2019 and needed to reform.

The NUS has reduced its staff by nearly half and interim budget measures are being put in place for 2019/2020. As part of this “Turnaround Board” their London office is also up for sale and they are moving all operations to Macclesfield.

On the 10th of April, NUS delegates voted at the National Conference in Glasgow to reform the organisation. These reforms include:

• A requirement for the NUS board to ensure it has corporate expertise from outside the student movement on the board moving forward
• Introduction of a National Scrutiny Council to ensure transparency and accountability of student officers
• If NUS is able to afford more officers in future there should be full-time Liberation Officers elected in caucuses

Due to the move, key ‘diversity posts’ due for re-election have been suspended for 2019.

The financial problems facing the NUS has occurred during the two-year presidency of Shakira Martin. The Student Left Network, a newly formed group, called for a ‘no confidence’ vote in Martin, whose term will end this year.

Former NUS President Shakira Martin. Source: FE Week

Her replacement, Zamzam Ibrahim, was elected at the Glasgow conference in April. She said, “our national union and our education sector are facing some of the biggest challenges it has had to confront in living memory and is in dire need of transformation.” Ibrahim’s manifesto promised to “fight for liberation campaigns, including reversing the defunding of the NUS Trans Campaign.”

NUS’ new President Zamzam Ibrahim. Source: Nouse

Find out more about what the NUS does for you here.

Header image credit: Huff Post UK.