NUS National Conference 2014 Day 3

courtesy of the National Union of Students

  Here we are after three very intensive, yet incredible, days at conference.  Each day has brought a new insight into the inner workings of the NUS and what their delegates want from the people that represent students to the outside world.

   Today was a more easy going day, with only three elections; for the Block of 15 (the people who make up the National Executive Committee), the new Democratic Procedures Committee (those who make sure the conference is fair and democratic), as well as the new Student Trustees (those who ensure the NUS is compliant in all its responsibilities to Student Unions and the Government as an organisation).  Results of these elections will be posted at a later date, as the counting is still ongoing  and should be available by Monday.

  After the elections NUS National President, Toni Pearce, gave a speech that highlighted all of the amazing and valuable work done these past days, and to bring the union forward into the next year with a focus on the needs of the students it serves.

  So until the results are released, it is a goodbye to the conference and a return to my home and my dear bed where I will be spending the next day sleeping off three wonderful days in Liverpool.

  Remember to follow me on Twitter and  if you still wish to mention something about the conference, use the hashtag #nusnc14 :D

NUS National Conference 2014 Day 2

courtesy of the National Union of Students

   And here we are at the end of another very important, yet long day at the NUS National Conference.   Today was probably the most important day of the entire conference since it was the start of elections.  The first election of the day was the biggie of them all: President of the National Union of Students.  This role is the leader of the union, the person who represents us as students in all matters.  They become the face of the union, so it's very important for us guys to carefully chose this role.  After listening to all of the manifestos from candidates, and a very tense half hour whilst the votes were counted (wherein we all dashed for the nearest coffee machine), the Conference decided with a landslide victory to re-elect the incumbent President, Toni Pearce.  All this excitement, and we haven't even had lunch!!

  Other seats were contested throughout the day, including the Vice-Presidents for both Further and Higher Education (VPFE and VPHE), and the Vice-Presidents for Welfare, Society and Citizenship, and Union Development.  For all of the FE students, the new VPFE is incumbent Joe Vinson, whilst the HE students elected Megan Dunn as their new VPHE.  VP Welfare was another new election, in the form of Colum McGuire, along with Piers Telemacque for VP Society and Citizenship and Raechel Mattey for VP Union Development.

  All in all it was a very exciting day, all culminating with some heated debates on the representation of women in both Leadership and Delegates of the Conference and Union as a whole.  This resulted in the passing of a motion that insists all Delegations sent to the Conference must contain at least 50% female delegates.  All in all a very exciting and interesting second day! :D

NUS National Conference 2014 Day 1

courtesy of the National Union of Students

  So hi all!!  It seems my many journeys have landed me in the NUS National Conference in Liverpool.  It was such an exciting and exhausting first day, what with the arriving to Liverpool, getting used to the Conference, and then voting on what seemed like countless motions in the Education and Priority Zone.

  So why are we all here?  Well it's all to do with the elections and voting, where we vote on the policy of the NUS for the coming year and the very important Presidential and Vice Presidential elections.  What this means for us students, is that we are voting on who represents us to all sectors of society: the Government, the Trade Unions, and even the Institutions which we have chosen to study at.

  I know I told all you guys on Twitter that I will be posting this last night, but we students need some sleep ;)  I shall be posting tonight (or hopefully throughout the day) and be sure to check twitter for updates throughout the conference.  If you want to take part, just use the hashtag #nusnc14

Happy Conference everyone!! :D