A SHORT HISTORY OF THE NATONAL UNION

OF STUDENTS
1922 - 2011

Mike Day

A SHORT HISTORY OF THE

He saw the University as a useful

NATIONAL UNION OF

ally in his campaign. He listened

STUDENTS

to the students concerns and

granted them powers of self

1. The Origins of Student

government set out in an edict

Representation

known as Authentica Habita,

placing the control of University

The idea of student

affairs in their hands, he also

representation finds its origins in

extended his protection to them

the establishment of the first

Therefore we promulgate a law,

European University at Bologna in

applicable universally and

the C12th. The students who

eternally, so that nobody will dare

gathered at Bologna had a

cause harm to students. Let them

number of grievances, they were

not suffer any damage1.

charged too much for their

Control was exercised by the

accommodation and they often

Dominus Rector, elected by the

suffered assault at the hands of

students, who was in charge of

the local population whose city

hiring and firing academics2.

had seemingly been invaded by

Bologna was a genuinely student

groups of young men who

led institution. This form of

appeared to do very little for a

organisation was in complete

living. The students appealed to

contrast with those universities

the King of the Germans,

that had been established at

Frederick Barbarossa whose chief

Oxford and Cambridge which

ambition was to be crowned Holy

were very much led by the

Roman Emperor.

Masters. However it was the

Italian Model that was adopted
when St. Andrews University was
established in 1411, the other
Scottish Ancient Universities were
established in much the same

Frederick Barbarossa

Quoted in The University in Mediaeval Life

1179 - 1499 by Hunt Janin (Macfarlane and
Company 2008) page 57
2
Scottish University Burns and Sutherland Graeme Page 89

way and each institution had a

wide elections were held in each

Rector who seen as the voice of

Scottish University. It is

the students, a post that

interesting to note that whilst

continues to this day. The

Scottish Universities made

concept of a student led

submissions to the Royal

university did not last very long;

Commissions students in England

the Rector was to become a

and Wales did not4.

largely ceremonial post with a

theoretical role as the mouthpiece

2. The First Student

of students. A number of Royal

Representative Council

Commissions were established in

the C19th to examine university

The students union, as we know

education and in Scotland the

it today, finds its antecedents in

outcome was the Act to make

the student societies of Edinburgh

Provision for the better

University founded between 1737

Government and Discipline of the

and 1787. They met, initially, in

Universities of Scotland in 18583.

local bars and university rooms.

The Commission recommended

In 1833 they formed the

that there be a student

Associated Societies5 which saw

representative on each University

two representatives of each

Court and this clause was

society meeting on a regular

enshrined in the Scottish

basis. It was from this body, that

Education Act of 1858. There

Robert Fitzroy Bell, went on to

were not, as yet, any formal

establish the first SRC in the

student representative bodies and

country, and consequently; he

it was thought the Rector was the

deserves a place in history as the

most appropriate person to take

founder of student representative

on the role. The condition was

government in Britain6. There is

that undergraduates choose, by

some evidence to suggest that

election, a Rector and an

Bell developed the idea after a

Assessor (nominated by the

visit to the University of

Rector), and from 1859 campus

4
3

Scottish University Studies Alexander

Morgan (Oxford University Press 1933) pages
80 83

The Rise of the Student Estate Ashby and

Anderson (Macmillan 1968) Page 17
5
ibid
6
ibid

Strasbourg in 18837, where he

pretty well the same as those of

came across a building known as

students unions today. So quick

a Studenten Anschluss or

was the development of SRCs

students union.

that by 1889, Bell had secured

parliamentary recognition for the
four SRCs in the Act for the
better Administration and
Endowment of the Universities of
Scotland Act 1889. The Act
stated that there had to be an
SRC in each University institution
and that representatives from the

Robert Fitzroy Bell

SRC had the right to make

representations to University

He certainly wasted no time upon

Court. The Act also allowed for

his return. The first Student

the SRC to be consulted over the

Representative Council (SRC) was

appointment of an Assessor, an

founded at Edinburgh University

assistant to the Rector. Bell also

in January 1884, at a meeting in

persuaded the university to build

Fitzroy Bells chambers in Walker

the first purpose built students

Street. It was agreed by those

union building in Britain at Teviot

present that the new organisation

Row; it still services this purpose

should represent students in

today.

matters affecting their interest;

provide a channel of
communication between students
and college authorities and to
promote the social and academic
life of the University. It proved to
be a prototype for similar bodies
that were established in the other
Scottish Universities, and these
original aims and objects are

Teviot Row at Edinburgh

University

ibid

One of the first successes of the

and then Oxford. He was

Edinburgh SRC was to establish a

concerned about the lack of

staff-student committee to

common life and corporate

examine teaching methods in

feeling: students came in from

medicine. Students began to take

all quarters of the compass in the

an interest in examination

morning, and went home at

methods, assessment,

night, carrying with them at the

overcrowding and tutorials. The

best the little conventional

four SRCs came together on a

packets of orthodox information

regular basis as the Student

which they came to the

Representative Councils of

knowledge shop to purchase8

Scotland (SRCS) where they

It was this deadness of student

successfully lobbied for

life that prompted him to

regulations that gave SRCs the

establish a student organisation

right to revenue, the right to

based on the Scottish SRC model.

petition the Senate as well as the

He founded the Guild in 1892 at

Court and the right to be

University College, Liverpool

consulted on draft ordinances.

which at that time was a

The SRCS met until 1935, when it

constituent part of Victoria

evolved into the Scottish Union of

University. Development was

Students (SUS), which took on a

patchy in comparison to Scotland.

broader base of membership.

University College, London

Students union was the first

Developments in England and

students union to receive official

Wales were a good deal slower.

recognition in 1893. Birmingham

Union Societies had been formed

Guild of Undergraduates was

at Cambridge (1815) and Oxford

granted three representatives on

(1823), they had premises, but

their University Court in 1900.

were primarily social in nature

Access to decision making bodies

and did not see themselves as

was very limited and tended to be

representative bodies. The

committees that dealt with

initiative to establish student

catering, library services, student

representative bodies in England

residences and sports. In 1908

came from Ramsay Muir, a Scot,

who studied initially at Liverpool

Quote from speech by Ramsay Muir quoted

in Redbrick University Truscott. Page 161

Queens University, Belfast were

cessation of hostilities at an

the first to be granted student

informal conference held at the

representatives on Senate; an

University of Strasbourg in 1919.

NUS Survey published in 1966

The conference agreed that a

revealed that it was still the only

student international should be

institution to have done so sixty

established, a draft constitution

two years later.

was agreed that emphasised

regular contact between
students and thinkers, the coordination of intellectual
activities, the study of issues
relating to Higher Education and
to contribute towards the

University College London

broadening of culture
independent of any political or

3. The Foundation of NUS

religious view9. Francis Sidney

Milligan represented Birmingham

The students who founded NUS

University Guild of Students at

were mainly ex servicemen who,

the conference, he returned

on their return from the Great

determined to establish a national

War were determined that such a

union, expressing the hope that:

tragedy would not be repeated,

by establishing an intellectual

their aim was to achieve greater

brotherhood among the students

international understanding and it

of the world, from who will

was this internationalism that

naturally be drawn the rulers of

dominated the early years of

another generation (it) will

NUS. NUS had, in fact, been

contribute greatly towards the

established so that students from

peace of the world10. Drawing on

the United Kingdom could be

the support of the redbrick

formally represented at

universities a series of meetings

conferences of the Confederation

Internationale des Etudiants

(CIE). Backed by French
students, work to establish the
CIE had begun following the

Minutes of Strasbourg Conference of the

International Confederation of Students
(International Students Bureau 1920 Quoted in
Rhodes The National Union of Students
(1968)
10

The Mermaid, March 1920 a report of a meeting of the

Birmingham Guild of Undergraduates held on 9 February
1920

in 1920 1921 established the

Scandinavians were keen for

Inter-Varity Association (IVA),

there to be a formal British

Milligan was elected as its first

presence within the CIE, partly

President. Meanwhile an

because Britain was still seen as a

organisation known as the

world power but mainly to

International Students Bureau,

counter French influence. The

was also trying to secure

main debate that dominated early

recognition as the representative

meetings was whether to allow a

of British students, both

representative body of German

organisations sent delegates to

students to participate. The

the inaugural conference in

French were set against it, the

Prague of the CIE in April 1921.

British felt it to be essential if the

The CIE stated that membership

stated aims of the CIE were to

would be based on a

become a reality.

representative national union,

and that there would only be one
recognised union for each
country. Scotland already had a
national organisation that brought
together the four student
representative councils; there
had been an attempt to establish

CIE Logo

a national body throughout the

UK, from 1906 1913 the British
Universities Congress held annual
meetings, they were
predominantly social affairs, but
there were discussions on

On returning, the IVA and ISB

held months of negotiation before
finally agreeing a basis for
coming together.

academic affairs and on the

organisation of student sport, it
was from these meetings that the
Universities Athletics Union was
developed; however there had
been a reluctance to establish a

The inaugural meeting of NUS

was from the 10th to the 11th of
February 1922 in the Council
Chamber of the University of
London Club, Gower Street, and

representative body. The

had 27 Universities and colleges

their student members

in attendance. The meeting

automatically received the

agreed that the objectives of NUS

benefits of membership from both

were to: "To represent past and

parties. Each students union sent

present students from a national

delegates to an annual Council

and an international point of view

meeting which consisted of

and to render possible the co-

delegations led by the president

operation of the body of students

of the students union. Council

in ENGLAND, WALES, SCOTLAND

elected an Executive Committee

and IRELAND with students of

which was to meet once a term

other lands11. Ivison S. Macadam

and this body had the power to

of Kings College London was

call general conferences of

elected as the first President.

students from time to time.

Macadam did not see NUS as a
campaigning organisation, rather
one that brought students of the
world together: The Union is in
no way a propagandist
organisation, it is an association
of students for the furtherance of
students interests. But the spirit
of service permeates the
movement and no one can fail to
see how direct a bearing this
national and international student
co-operation must have on the

Ivison S. Macadam Founding

great and pressing problems of

President

reconstruction in Europe. If the

students are co-operating today

The new organisation was to be a

surely there is hope for

federal one, students unions

tomorrow12. By 1924 every

were the affiliated members and

university union in England and

11

Minutes of the Inaugural Meeting it should

be noted that the aspiration to represent
Scotland and Ireland did not materialise at this
stage

12

From Youth and Universities address by I

Macadam to the British Association for the
Advancement of Science, September 1922

Wales was an affiliated member

enabled NUS to develop the

of NUS, however at this stage it

secure financial base, students

was very clear that NUS was an

unions paid an affiliation fee to

exclusively university club: The

NUS, which they had collected

inspiration of the National Union

from students, but it was not a

of Students must always come

significant amount. The main

from the Universities and its spirit

sources that Macadam sought to

must be spirit of the Universities13

tap were income from travel and

public subscription. Using his
contacts an appeal was launched
which had the support of many
prominent people of the day and
with the proceeds a headquarters
was purchased in Endsleigh
Street, it was opened in 1935.

Agenda paper fro Annual Council

1923
4. Developing a
representative role
A schematic of Endsleigh Street
Macadam stepped down as
President in December 1922;

International affairs were in these

however he continued to be

the first years, the main focus of

involved and served as Honorary

NUS work as efforts were made

Organising Secretary (in effect

to make the practical co-

the senior staff member) until

operation of students across a

1930. It was his efforts that

reality. The membership was

13

primarily European, NUS used its

NUS Year Book 1927 - 28, p.2. (Quoted in

Rhodes The National Union of Students
1968)

contacts throughout the Empire

to try and persuade them to

Travel Commission that led to

establish national unions that

NUS establishing its' own travel

could participate in the CIE, even

department and taking on

hosting an Imperial Conference of

professional staff to help run the

Students in 1924, agreements

operation, by 1930 NUS travel

were reached on sporting links

was a well established feature of

and debates but costs prevented

student life. One member of the

the non Europeans from

team, May Hermes travelled

participating in any realistic

extensively throughout the world

way14. Sadly, within ten years the

negotiating the conditions for

CIE was not, in the opinion of the

what was to become the

NUS Executive, operating as an

International Student Identity

effective organisation for

Card (ISIC). A debating tour was

fostering positive international

organised in 1925 when an NUS

relations, the tensions over

team visited South Africa and

German membership continued to

there were regular tours to other

fester and towards the middle of

Dominions and the Empire. This

the thirties the CIEs ambiguous

work was all administered by the

stance in relation to anti-

NUS Travel Department and this

Semitism in Romania led NUS to

was soon was expanded to

terminate its membership.

include a Vacation Work

Adopting a pragmatic approach

Department as well.

NUS decided to concentrate on

To promote the wide range of

educational and travel issues.

NUS activities it was decide to

Travel was the main source of

produce an NUS journal, a first

income for NUS. In 1924 NUS

attempt was "National Union

assumed responsibility for the

News" which was a duplicated

International Travel Commission

bulletin. This was followed by the

of the CIE. Exchanges, cheap rail

publication of a termly magazine

travel, walking holidays and

called "The University", the paper

language courses were all

ceased publication in 1932, but

arranged under the auspices of

was relaunched as "The New

NUS. It was this work with the

University" which adopted a

14

The National Union of Students The First

Forty Years T.W. Savage (NUS 1962)

policy of promoting discussion on

student issues in contrast to its

10

predecessor which had been of

establishment and given this

more interest to academics.

social background it is hardly

Decisions relating to the overall

surprising that some students

development and direction of NUS

took a part in helping to break

were made at NUS Council and by

the General Strike of 1926.

the executive committee which at

However, in the decade that

this stage consisted of all

followed NUS began to involve

university presidents. To engage

itself in representing student

students in general NUS

views and pressure grew to widen

organised a series of Congress

the membership. In 1937 the first

meetings which any student was

technical college was admitted

entitled to attend to discuss

into membership, joining six

issues of the day. The first NUS

training colleges who had made

Congress took place in 1925, at

succesful applications.

Oxford and attracted around 500

students. The meetings did not
pass policies as such and were
very much in the character of a
summer school, however the
executive were always mindful of
the discussions that had taken
place when representing the
student case. Despite the desire
to promote understanding
between students, NUS made a
decision to exclude training
colleges and other non University

The Club Rooms at Endsleigh

Street

institutions from membership, the

Executive Committee meeting of

The first NUS Executive had, in

November 1923 were anxious to

1922, decided that it was no

avoid the impression that they

part of the functions of the

were trying to establish a

National Union to concern itself in

students Trade Union. Students

any way with questions touching

at this time were in the main the

the academic administration of

sons and daughters of the

11

Universities15. Despite this NUS

associated with the Communist

found it could not ignore such

Party16. 1934 saw the launch of

concerns. In 1927 NUS met

the first major research

representatives of the Association

document produced by NUS. "The

of University Teachers (AUT) to

Student Health Report" was

discuss teaching methods and

circulated to institutions and

examination systems of the

comments on strategies that

Universities. The NUS Congress of

could be implemented improve

1928 discussed University

student health were invited. The

Education and from that time

final report was published in 1937

discussions at NUS Council came

and contained recommendations

to consider such areas as

on the provision of health

teaching methods, assessment,

services on campus as well as

student life and access to a

developing student insurance and

university education. The

health schemes. The years that

depression had hit students from

followed saw university

poorer backgrounds hard and

authorities placing a greater

NUS made some attempts to

priority on promoting healthy

secure a national loan system as

living and health services. NUS

well as organising work for

also supported an initiative to

students. By 1932 the Congress

establish an International Student

was to discuss The Future of

Sanatorium in Switzerland which

Britain examining economic and

enabled student sufferers from

industrial decline. Congress in

tuberculosis to continue their

1933 went under the title "World

studies whilst recuperating.

Chaos and the Student". As the

thirties progressed Congress

In 1938 the Congress published

meetings took on an increasingly

The Challenge to the University,

political tone. The economic

an analysis of the relationship

situation of the country and the

between the university and wider

rise of fascism led significant

society the document declared

numbers of students to join or be

that: We are confident that

15

these national and international

Executive Minutes 28 - 30 September 1922.

Quoted in Ashby and Anderson The Rise of
the Student Estate in Britain (Macmillan
1968)

16

The Student Movement in the 1930s

Brian Simon

12

problems may be solved in large

student exchanges and university

measure by the extension of free

refectories. Students with

education based upon democratic

common academic interests were

principles. Upon students who

encouraged to meet together to

have received a University

discuss issues of mutual concern,

education there devolves a

these groups included an

special responsibility to tackle the

Education Committee, a Medical

problems of the modern world17

Students Committee and

Engineering Students Committee.
Those who were politically active
within NUS came together to
publish a newspaper called
"Student Forum" which
spearheaded discussion and
practical help for those who were
involved in the war against the

A Challenge to the Universities

1938

fascists in Spain. NUS sent a

delegation (which included the
future Prime Minister Edward

The same report recommended

Heath) to Republican Spain in

that ability be the only criteria for

1938. NUS co-ordinated relief

University entrance and that the

work for the Republicans and was

Treasury grant to the universities

very much involved in anti -

should be increased. NUS were

Fascist work. The Congress of

beginning to articulate

1939 examined the issue of

progressive ideas about

student apathy, concerned that

education, ideas which although

non involvement with political

they were not originally accepted

debate allowed extremist groups

were to come into play at a later

to flourish.

date. Other reports were also

prepared on student finance,

5. NUS during the War

17

Fascism, the involvement of

Twenty One Years 1922 - 1943 (NUS

1943) quoting The Challenge to the
University (1938)

students in the Spanish Civil War

13

and social conditions in the

Universities and a concern that

country led to greater concern

freedom of speech was attacked

with corporate social concerns.

in some institutions. Agreement

The views of the various

was also reached on the text of a

meetings of Congress are

Charter of Student Rights and

summarised in a book A

Responsibilities which was later to

Students view of the

be adopted by the NUS Council.

Universities by Brian Simon who

The Charter stated that students

was President from 1939 - 1940

had a right to free expression of

and who undertook to collate

opinion by speech and press,

materials and discussions that

organise meetings, discussion

had taken place within NUS.

and study on all subjects within

the university and college
precincts, belong to any
organisation, whether cultural,
religious or political; participate
to the full in all activities outside
the university and to collaborate
with extra university
organisations and to a share in
the government and

Brian Simon President 1939 1940

It was he who published a
pamphlet Defend the
Universities in 1940 which was
critical of call up procedures.
The Congress of 1940 held at
Leeds went under the title of
Students, Society and War and
chose as the main subject areas
for discussion the future of the

administration of the
universities18. Later
commentators were critical of the
Charter it would be very difficult
for any liberal minded person to
deny them the first four rights,
very few would ever dream of
doing so. The fifth, however
shows an entire misconception of
the nature of the university,
essentially a body of mature
seekers after knowledge who
18

A Students View of the Universities

Brian Simon (1943)

14

have accepted as part of their

work, the training of the
immature, so that in time they
may join them or other bodiesif
the discipuli are to have the same
privileges of the socii before they
have in fact obtained the maturity
of the socii; there seems to be no
reason why schoolboys elected by
their fellows should not have full
representation on masters
meetings or one child elected by
every family should not sit in

George Matthews (Standing)

debates with HG Wells (Centre)
at Leeds Congress 1940

conclave with Father and Mother

to determine the penalty for

The motion was carried along

every breach of nursery

with others that condemned

19

discipline . The author, Bruce

imperialism and private wealth.

Truscott was in fact a pseudonym

NUS were attacked in the press

for Professor E. Allison Pears,

for the statement and no amount

whose view of student

of explanation of the non binding

representation was shared by

nature of Congress resolutions

many academics at the time. The

could assuage the fury of the

Charters impact was minimised

press. NUS Council sought

by the publicity given to a debate

distance itself from the view but

between the author H.G.Wells

by that time it was too late. The

and NUS Vice President George

resolution led to a chain of events

Matthews in which the motion

that were to plunge NUS into a

was "the continuance of the

crisis.

present war is not in the interests

of the people of any country."20

At the outbreak of war Macadam

had been appointed Principal
Assistant Secretary to the

19

Redbrick University Bruce Truscott

(1944) page 166
20
Proceedings of Easter Congress, Leeds 1940
Quoted in "Twenty One Years" (NUS 1943)

Ministry of Information and he

was joined by all but a few NUS
staff who had been seconded to

15

the new ministry. In fact his

now it was a war against

involvement went back somewhat

imperialism; this change of line

further. From his position as

influenced the vote at Congress.

Director of the Royal Institute for

Brian Simon who was President

International Affairs (Chatham

from 1939 1940 was also a

House) he had developed a plan

Communist Party member and as

that would establish the

such distrusted by the trustees

Ministry in advance of

and a number of the national

hostilities, to that end various

executive. There was a real

groups of people were earmarked

danger that had NUS been closed

for immediate recruitment and

down at this point it might not

NUS staff with their expertise in

have re-opened after the war, it

travel and contacts in other

was not anticipated that the

countries were of great value. Of

support and fundraising carried

course the Ministry was

out by the British establishment

responsible for boosting morale,

would evolve into an organisation

so to have an organisation which

dominated by the left. The

he had helped to create and of

autumn of 1940 saw a

which he was still a trustee was

constitutional struggle between

an embarrassment. Macadam and

Simon and his supporters, the

his fellow trustees proposed that

trustees and theirs. Simon was

NUS be closed down for the

consistently supported by NUS

duration of the war. There was,

Council who passed a motion

however, a hidden agenda. NUS

stating that "there is a great deal

Congress had taken the position

of work to be done to co-ordinate

it had because the majority of

the activities of the students in

delegates were members or

this countrywe reaffirm our

supporters of the Communist

belief in the value of the past

Party. Following the Molotov

work of the NUS including the

Ribbentrop Pact in which Hitler

campaign for the preservation of

and Stalin had declared

the Universities, the

themselves to be allies, the CP

encouragement of discussion on

had had to rethink their approach

political and university problems

to the war previously it had been

and the organisation of Congress.

declared a war against fascism,

We reaffirm our opinion that this

16

work should be continued and

years before another woman was

extended"21.

to be elected to the position.

Despite the constitutional
problems work to support the war
effort was carried out effectively.
Students were organised into
teams of helpers by Marie
Corsellis, NUS Vice President to
provide support during the Blitz.
She wrote a pamphlet entitled
"Students and the Blitz" which
gave an indication of the
conditions people were facing in

Peter Rivett (centre) with Brian

air raid shelters and made

Simon (Right)

suggestions of things that

In the end a spirit of compromise

students could do to help.

prevailed, it was suggested that

Students provided support for

the crisis might be resolved if

those trying to run shelters and

members of the executive

distribute supplies, seminars and

committee and trustee board all

discussion groups were organised

resigned and sought re-election.

in shelters and a survey of

This was agreed and almost

shelters was carried out. Similar

everyone was re-elected, apart

work took place in other cities.

from Marie Corsellis of Bedford

Students also helped out by

College who the month before

joining farm camps, an activity

had been elected as first female

that was to continue with some

President of NUS; as a

success after the war as well.

consequence she never took

office and her place was taken by
Peter Rivett of Leeds University, it
was to be another thirty-seven

21

Minutes of NUS Council June 1940 quoted

in "Twenty One Years" (NUS 1943)

17

threat as of no use to the overall

war effort. Indeed the
government proposed that only
men who were not physically fit
should be admitted to arts
courses. NUS urged that there be
a recruitment drive in girls
schools to ensure that there were
adequate supplies of teachers; it
was argued that they would be
needed in greater numbers after
the war. It was also suggested
that universities temporarily
create a fourth term so that
students could obtain their
qualifications quickly and
Students and war work
By 1942 over 3,000 students had
been placed on a farm by the
Ministry of Labour. In 1943 NUS
published the Outline for
discussion on the Reform of
University Education which
amongst other things called for a
system of student grants to be
established as well as a level of
representation and self
government for students unions.
The key objective for NUS
throughout the war was to ensure
that education continued to
function; some arts and non
technical courses were under

contribute to post war

reconstruction, the idea was
piloted at Manchester University
and adopted as NUS policy at the
Council meeting in November
1942. The Congress of 1942 also
saw 1,500 students from all over
the country pledging to build a
better world, it is our task, in
firm friendship with the freedom
loving students of the world , to
find with the rest of our
generation an answer to Fascism
which will be the foundation of a
more just a peaceful world - we
believe that the surest answer to
the fascist challenge lies in the
building of a society which is free
from all forms of subjugation and

18

is based on a vital democracy and

with various students from other

an economic system in which the

countries who had escaped to

resources of the world are used

Britain.

to the full for the benefit of all by building up our student

organisations, in maintaining
perpetual vigilance on behalf of
our democratic tradition and by
seeking by every means in our
power to make our education
system as effective and
satisfactory as possible, we shall
be helping in our own sphere not
merely to put our Universities and
colleges to the fullest service of
the community but find a lasting
answer to Fascism and all it
22

represents .

NUS Pamphlet celebrating

International Students day 1942
It was during these meetings that
it was agreed that November the
17th be named International
Students Day. It was on this day
that the Nazis had closed down
the universities in Czechoslovakia
and proscribed student
organisations there, executing
student leaders and academics. A

NUS Congress Report 1942

As early as 1941 NUS began to
discuss the future of the
international student movement
22

NUS Congress 1942 quoted in Twenty One

Years (NUS 1943)

conference was held in

Cambridge in 1941 and the
International Council of Students
in Great Britain was established
with the prime purpose of
fostering international

19

understanding and to continue

Executive was quoted as saying;

that work when the war was

if the Cardiff Technical College

over.

were admitted it would mean that

their people could take part in

Throughout the war, NUS

NUS tourswhich would lead to a

membership had been expanding.

further deterioration of

In 1937 a new clause in the

standards24. This was not a

constitution had opened

dominant view, Cardiff was

membership to non university

admitted and the Executive held

institutions, followed in July 1938

a meeting there, the first time

by a motion calling upon NUS to

they had not held a meeting in a

take Training Colleges into

University.

membership and that if no

students unions existed to help
set them up. In 1940 the name
was changed from The National
Union of Students of the
Universities and University
Colleges and Schools and
Colleges of a Similar Status to
the National Union of Students
of the Universities and Colleges of
England and Wales23. It had
been a hard fight, whereas

NUS Congress Report 1943

attitudes towards Teacher

Training Colleges were quite
welcoming, there were those who
were concerned about the
admission of technical colleges.
Cardiff Technical College applied
for Associate Membership in
1937, a member of the NUS
23

NUS Executive Minutes February 1941.

Quoted in The National Union of Students: A
Contributor to Educational Policy Making?
S.N. Appleton (NUS 1987)

At the outbreak of war there were

52 Universities in membership.
By the end of the War they had
been joined by 40 Training
Colleges, 27 Technical Colleges in
all a total of 119 institutions

24

Report on the Membership of Cardiff

Technical College, Appendix to Council
Minutes November 1937. Quoted in Rhodes ibid.p.26

20

representing 50,000 students.

been the NUS representative to

Hereafter NUS actively sought to

the organisation.

encourage membership and with

the post war developments in
education was about to embark
upon a further period of
expansion.
6. Students and the Cold War
The immediate post war period
saw NUS once again playing a
role on the international stage in

Tom Madden General Secretary

of the IUS

helping to establish the

International Union of Students

He spoke to NUS Council in March

(IUS). The new student

and as a result Stanley Jenkins

international agreed a

was despatched to Prague to find

constitution at a World Student

out what was going on, he

Congress in Prague in 1946. As

reported a somewhat different

with the establishment of the CIE

view to that put forward by

the IUS project had been pursued

Madden, however Jenkins

with a sense of hope for the

recommended that NUS remain

future however, the organisation

affiliated. There was a strong

soon fell victim to cold war

desire to make the organisation

divisions. The first crisis occurred

work despite the misgivings of

in February 1948 with the

some NUS leaders. The IUS

Communist coup in

organised impressive events,

Czechoslovakia, NUS were critical

John Clews of Birmingham

of the silence of IUS leaders on

University wrote of a:

the matter. The Scottish Union of

magnificent show, excellent

Students withdrew in protest. The

organisation (on the whole),

General Secretary of the IUS at

wonderful hospitality both official

this time was Tom Madden of the

and private, for all these I am

student wing of the British

truly grateful. But not for the high

Medical Association, who had

powered politics, the monotonous

21

slanging of the West, the

Stanley Jenkins who chaired the

sickening adulation of a particular

meeting: we in Britain believe

system to the exclusion of all

that International Co-operation at

others, the interminable blaring

student level can do so much in

of loud speakers from morning

the service of mankind, peace an

shave to bedtime and the

understanding between nations

mechanical chanting of slogans !

that we are prepared to go to a

It was difficult to delineate the

very great length in order to

line between culture and

preserve that international link

politics25. Another view was

which we still see possible

summed up by Jean Thurman of

through the IUS27

the Socialist Labour Federation:

the majority of students in the
British delegation disagreed with
that section of the NUS leadership
which refused to participate in
the closing ceremony because it
was -political- . The question is
not whether an activity is political
but whether it is in the interests
of the students. The slogans of

Stanley Jenkins President 1949

the Festival are, I believe, aims

1951, he was the first

which British students

sabbatical officer

26

everywhere support . It was the

domination of these events by

The desire to avoid another war

the Eastern Bloc that led NUS to

was deep felt and genuine, but

question their continued

preserving any semblance of

membership. Attempts had been

unity was proving very difficult.

made at reform in November

The Second IUS Congress in

1949, NUS held a meeting of non

Prague 1950 was a case in point.

affiliates the motives for the

The British found themselves

conference were summed up by

under attack for colonialism and

their attitude towards the peace

25

Student Chronicle Youth from 84 Nations

Attend World Festival October 1949 Page 3.
26
Ibid.

27

Student Chronicle 17 Nations Discuss IUS

in London January 1950. Page 4

22

campaign (they had taken a

resignation of all but one of the

multi-lateral stance refusing to

Executive elect. The compromise

condemn the accumulation of

was that there was to be

weapons by the West unless

referendum on membership in

similar practices were condemned

the colleges, Jenkins agreed to

in the East), delegates were

stay on as a caretaker president

intimidated: as we sat still in the

until after the result of the

midst of all this the sound of the

referendum was known, he did

chant became more and more

not want the vote to become

menacing, the crowd pressed

clouded by whether or not he

closer and closer against our

should remain in office. The

chairs , until we could feel the

referendum called upon NUS to

breath of the almost hysterical

leave the IUS. It was, however,

mob on our necks. And then quite

still hard to sever ties a motion

suddenly the demonstration

was passed in March Council

would die down, the delegates

1951 which urged NUS to remain

would troop back to their

fraternally associated retaining

respective tables, and Grohman

links on travel, sports and

(the IUS President) would

cultural exchanges. NUS joined

continue with his report, while

forces with the Swedish NUS to

the delegates recovered from

establish an International Student

their exertions and awaited the

Conference, a regular meeting for

signal for the next

students of the world, they were

28

demonstration. . The NUS

adamant that it should not be a

delegation returned, determined

formal organisation; however it

to urge disaffiliation, however the

was boycotted by the Eastern

motion which was presented to

Bloc and eventually evolved into

NUS Council in Liverpool

a western alternative, a co-

November 1950 was defeated by

ordinating secretariat COSEC was

767 to 622. This led to the

created to co-ordinate the

resignation of Stanley Jenkins

activities of the national unions

and all but two of the executive

and carry out the decisions of the

committee, followed by the

conferences, but not to speak on

28

Communists and Students - Ralph Blumenau

- Batchworth Press 1954 p.31

behalf of the members; by the

10th meeting of the ISC at

23

Quebec in July 1962 there were

helped but after the formal

eighty national unions in

breach a series of NUS Presidents

membership.

fought their way back to the

negotiating table. NUS responded
to the 1944 Education Act which
placed a duty on local authorities
to provide an education service
for the community, it was
proposed by R.A. Butler,
Secretary of State for Education
who, in 1924, had served as a

Bill Rust President 1947 1949

at an IUS social event (middle
row second from right)

Vice President of NUS. In 1946

the Barlow Committee proposed a
ten year expansion of higher
education from 50,000 students

7. Improving student life

in 1945 to 80,000 by 1955, in

1956 the Government created

Whilst NUS leaders engaged in a

Colleges of Advanced Technology

political war of words on the

(CATS), these institutions met the

international stage, debates

demand for skilled technicians

around domestic matters were

and in 1967 most of them were

approached in a very different

awarded university status,

way, the NUS constitution had a

Loughborough and Aston being

no politics clause which forbade

typical examples.

discussion on matters that did not

concern students as such. The
post war executive members
were keen to distance themselves
from the communist reputation
they had earned during the war
and to boost their credibility with
civil servants so that they could
influence legislation on student
finance and living conditions. The
involvement with IUS had not

Stella Greenall NUS Researcher

In 1947 the Grants and Welfare
dept was established to research
into available grants and provide

24

advice for students. The

appointment of David Eccles MP

department came to be led by

as Minister of Education who was

Stella Greenall who was to be at

prepared to discuss issues

the forefront of NUS research and

surrounding student participation,

public affairs work for the next

which allowed NUS to develop its

thirty years. At that time the

capacity as an educational

Government did not have a

pressure group. The NUS

statistics department, so the

Education and Welfare

meticulous research carried out

Department made contributions,

by Greenall on awards made to

based on conference policy to the

students by local authorities was

Hale committee into University

the only authoritative source,

Teaching Methods and the

needless to say this strengthened

Robbins committee, which was to

NUS hand. 1947 also saw the

publish the Robbins report that

publication of another Student

called for expansion of Higher

Charter which called for a

Education and held regular

student grant to cover 52 weeks

meeting with the University

of the year, allowances for

Grants Committee.

student dependants and more

assistance for colleges of further
education. The research was
backed up with a campaign
Where are the Ghost Students
in which over 400 students
lobbied their MPs on NUS
demands. NUS began to demand
direct meetings with the Minister
of Education, but were rebuffed.

Lord Robbins

To strengthen its case NUS

commissioned a survey of

The NUS Memorandum to

student finances a strategy that

Robbins called for access to

continues to be a well respected

University to be based on ability,

feature of NUS campaign work.

an increase in halls of residence,

Relations with the ministry of

an expansion of higher education,

education improved with the

25

more sandwich courses in

of the colleges disciplinary code

industry and degrees to be

public. NUS took up her case and

awarded at colleges of education.

initiated a letter writing campaign

to MPs.

Apart from trying to secure

greater financial independence for
students, NUS also concerned
itself with some of the more
restrictive rules and regulations
to be found in colleges, in
particular institutions for teacher
education. In the immediate post
war period students who had
served in the forces tended to be
a bit older, some of them had
commanded troops in battle, they
were not prepared to put up with
some of the petty rules and
regulations that they were faced
with. Of course to judge the

Fred Jarvis President 1952

1954, he did much to improve the
conditions in Teacher Training
Colleges

college authorities by the

standards of today would be

The issue was the subject of an

wrong the age of majority was

adjournment debate in House of

21, so significant numbers of

Commons, and this led to a

students were still classed as

statement from the Minister of

children and the college acted in

Education that the college had

loco parentis i.e. in the place of

been wrong to take the action

parents, restrictions were placed

they did, it was a significant

on visits to the local town,

victory, NUS had taken up the

contact with the opposite sex and

case of an individual student and

the length of time a student could

won. The training colleges were

stay out at night. I 1952 Sheila

by far the most restrictive, any

Davies, the President of Bangor

supposed moral laxity on the part

Normal Training College was

of the educators of tomorrows

expelled for making her criticisms

youth was frowned upon. Female

26

students in college residences

found themselves required to
carry out domestic work, male
were not expected to do this. One
female student studying at
Weymouth Teacher Training
College was refused a reference
because she had got married in
secret29. NUS published a survey
on conditions in Training Colleges
in October 195930. Officials in the
Department of Education and
Science took heed of NUS
research and some of the
draconian regulations were lifted,
in a lecture delivered to students
at the LSE in 1965, the academic
Sir Eric Ashby summarised the
extent to which attitudes were
changing: Twenty years ago we
were prepared to trust boys of
this age with guns and bombs; it
seems hardly reasonable nit to
trust them today with liberty31
NUS continued to provide a focus
for activities that brought
students together.

NUS Introductory Pamphlet

1950s
The NUS Congress evolved into
an Arts festival, celebrating
student achievement and this in
turn became the NUS Student
Drama Festival with a mixture of
plays, workshops and lectures it
was sponsored by the Sunday
Times. It still runs today but has
long since lost any connection
with NUS, likewise the National
Student Debating Tournament
sponsored by The Observer, this
was run for many years by NUS
but it did not sit comfortably with
the leadership of NUS in the
seventies and it too carried on
under its own steam, the
Observer Mace (purchased by

29

Western Gazette 22nd of January 1965

Reported in the Daily Telegraph (TNA:
ED86/374)
31
Masters and Scholars: An oration delivered
at the LSE in 1965 quoted in Students:
Changing Roles Changing Lives Silver and
Silver (SRHE 1997) page 90.
30

Endsleigh Insurance is still hotly

contested. The events were
organised by the NUS events
department, who also worked on

27

NUS conferences as well as

and NUS withdrew citing financial

continuing the vacation work

pressure in 1966; NUS persisted

service. In 1965 Mike Naylor

and supported the early

founded Endsleigh Insurance in

development of student

the basement of NUSHQ; at that

community action32.

time students found it almost

impossible to find insurance, NUS

Meetings of NUS Council also

backed the move and the

called for more progress on

company grew rapidly. NUS

student representation. The

travel had been dormant during

catalyst for these demands was

the war but started up again in

the Anderson Report (1962)

1945, the Travel Manager Harry

which by agreeing to the creation

Baum pioneered the use of

of a statutory student grant

charter flights in the UK, the

fostered the financial

company continued to provide

independence of students, (NUS

tours, organise student

evidence was seen as flawless

exchanges and acted a host for

and did much to secure this

visiting international students

decision to introduce grants, it

who often stayed at the NUS

was a very significant victory),

International Hostel which was

the Latey report (1967) which

initially on Tavistock Place, but

reduced the age of majority to 18

which moved in 1956 to Gordon

and the expansion of higher

Street. In 1962 NUS helped

education as a result of the

develop a scheme that

Robbins Report (1963). Robbins

encouraged students to volunteer

recommended that access should

their skills in developing countries

be made available to all those

in partnership with Voluntary

who were qualified to enter

Service Overseas (VSO) and

higher education and wished to

others, this was backed by a

do so, this became known as the

Government announcement that

Robbins Principle. Following

funds would be made available

Robbins student numbers

for graduate volunteering, in

increased from 100,000 in 1960

what was to be called the British

Volunteer Programme, the
scheme failed to meet its targets

32

Students, volunteering and social action in

Britain: 1880s 1980s Dr. Georgina Brewis
of the Institute of Volunteer Research (2010)

28

to 750,000 in 1980, eight new

universities were created, for
example Lancaster and Essex.
Students now had a level of
financial independence and were
demanding that they be treated
as adults. The idea that a college
or university stood in loco
NUS Report on participation in

parentis (in place of the parent)

College government

for students was increasingly

unpopular. In May 1965 NUS
petitioned the Privy Council on

solving the problems created by

the matter of student

expansion33. The report found

representation in the new

that students only had basic

University of Surrey, and secured

levels of representation on

agreement that all Charters

committees that dealt with the

would include joint committees

library, health and catering. NUS

with senates and councils, the

argued that unless more formal

right for a student to be heard

channels of communication were

before being suspended or

established at all levels unrest on

expelled and that there be a

campus would only increase.

requirement that universities had

Student representation formed an

students unions. Of course these

important part of NUS response

measures only applied to the new

to the Government white paper

universities created by the

that proposed to establish the

Robbins Report, older institutions

Polytechnics, thirty institutions,

did not have these measures

funded by local authorities were

prescribed by law it was entirely

opened in the late sixties and

up to the University Council. In

early seventies. 1966 also saw

April 1966 NUS published a

the first stirrings of student

pamphlet Student Participation

unrest in the UK.

in College Government which

stated that: that full student
representation can make a vital
and positive contribution to

33

Student Participation in College Government

(NUS 1966)

29

8. The Student Revolt

is that it was a world wide

phenomenon, in many ways

The events of the late sixties and

British students were better off

early seventies came to define

which explains why events were

students, students unions and

so low key when compared with

NUS for generations to come,

events in the USA, Mexico, France

creating stereotypes that have

or Germany.

never truly gone away. Students

of today are roundly criticised for
being apathetic and for not taking
an interest in politics, successive
generations of NUS Presidents
find themselves patronised by
cynical Guardian journalists for
being careerist politicians rather
than passionate Marxists; equally
when action is taken the events
are usually misrepresented and
an outraged media look for
scapegoats preferably from
comfortable middle class families.

Students demonstrating Paris

1968
With the possible exception of
Northern Ireland the unrest never
reached the intensity of parallel
events abroad. Not only were
British students more
conservative than their colleagues
on continental Europe and
America, they had a lot less to
complain about. They were not
subject to conscription, they had
a level of financial support and

A student occupation

they were not being shot on

campus. In the United States

There are numerous theories as

there had been student unrest on

to why there was student unrest

campuses and students had been

the first and most important point

shot at Berkeley, in Germany

30

student leader Rudi Deutchske

their case and if necessary appeal

has been shot; in Czechoslovakia

against the decision. Where

students were at the forefront of

disputes like this arose NUS

opposition to Soviet tanks. The

officers helped to negotiate a

occupations at the LSE from 1966

solution and in particular

1968 were the most

emphasised the need for proper

commented on and written about

disciplinary procedures. There

it all started when Walter Adams

were also sit - ins at Essex,

of University College, Rhodesia

Hornsey School of Art, Guildford

was appointed as Director of the

School of Art over issues covering

LSE. The students union had

academic freedom, student

demanded a role in the

discipline, union autonomy and

appointment, but this had been

lack of representation.

denied. A general meeting of the

students union condemned the
appointment expressing concern
that Smith had a prestigious
institution in what was an
apartheid regime. The President
was instructed to write a letter to
The Times. On publication he was
expelled from the University.

President Trevor Fisk (right in

Students who would not

front of the banner) and Deputy

ordinarily have involved

Jack Straw (left of Fisk) on a

themselves in political discussions

were outraged at this arbitrary

demo in support of Hornsey and

Guildford Schools of Art

treatment arguing it was the

Presidents right to express his

Those on the left of student

views. It was this that led to the

politics sensed an opportunity, to

first occupation, which like any

raise student consciousness and

action of its type accumulated

bring about a radical change in

additional demands for greater

society. In the long term they

representation, better facilities

were to be disappointed, students

and a disciplinary process that

were prepared to stand up

allowed a student the right to put

31

against injustice; they were not

students and the Government, he

committed in sufficient numbers

expressed irritation at student

to revolutionary change, as one

leaders, like Tariq Ali who

commentator put it: Very few

achieved a great deal of publicity

students unless intolerably

from a press eager to find reds

provoked, itch to build

under the beds.

barricades, but a great many

students look with distaste at the
values of the modern state and
fear they will be sucked into a
consumer society which can offer
them no motive for living except
success34 An alliance of
Communist Party members,
Labour activists and independent
socialists came together to form
the Radical Students Alliance
Geoff Martin, President 1966 -

(RSA) in 1966, amongst other

1968

objectives they were committed

to changing NUS from within by
getting the organisation to drop

Martin condemned the very anti-

the no politics clause and to

Vietnam war demonstrations that

change the method through

Ali supported claiming the

which the executive committee

participants were

were elected; debates between

unrepresentative of the student

RSA activists and the NUS

movement: "ignore the

leadership were a common

demonstration it will not help the

feature of NUS Conferences in the

Vietnamese people35". NUS were

late sixties. Geoff Martin,

not against demonstrations as

President 1966 1968 was

such, indeed they organised

concerned that a return to an

demonstrations against proposed

overtly political NUS would

rises in overseas student fees

damage its credibility with both

that were announced in

December 1966, but were further

34

The Rise of the Student Estate Ashby and

Anderson (Macmillan 1968) page 126

35

The Times 24th of October 1968.

32

irritated by the RSA organising

participation but still held on to

separate events and claiming

the idea that students were junior

greater success. Martin and his

members, excluding students

colleagues were intensely

from certain decisions, which

suspicious of those it was felt,

became reserved business.

had other motives for

encouraging students to take to

The Radical Students Alliance

the streets, it is a debate that

broke up in 1968, but this did not

continues to this day. Some

prevent its former supporters

students union leaders were

challenging the NUS leadership. It

openly critical of the NUS

was in this environment that in

leadership who faced further

1969 the March Conference of

embarrassment when it was

NUS elected Jack Straw President

revealed in a magazine published

defeating the incumbent

in California Ramparts that the

President Trevor Fisk the only

International Student Conference

time in NUS history that this has

had been in receipt of funds from

happened.

the CIA. Whilst perhaps not

surprising, combined with other
events, the NUS leadership,
effective though they were, were
under pressure. In an attempt to
head off student unrest on
campus NUS held its first ever
meeting with the Committee of
Vice Chancellors and Principals
which led to a published
agreement on the 7th of October
1968. A similar document was
also agreed with the Local

Jack Straw President 1969 1971

Authorities who were responsible

for public sector funded

Some years later when Straw was

education. The agreement

asked what he wanted to achieve

established the idea of joint

he replied: "what I tried to do

committees and called for student

33

was make the NUSrespected

With their new found freedom

but not respectable.36" The same

delegates to NUS Conferences

conference also broadened the

developed policies on NUS

aims and objectives of the

relationship with trade unions,

constitution to include political

womens rights, anti apartheid,

discussion. More support was

gay rights and racialism, policies

given to colleges in dispute with

for which it was much vilified at

their authorities, backed up by

the time but which now find wide

the establishment of the NUS

acceptance. There was a good

legal aid fund, NUS began to

deal of hostility from the Press

organise national campaigning

which only increased with the

actions, the first of which was the

election of Communist Party

campaign to preserve union

member, Digby Jacks as

autonomy in 1970. The newly

President in March 1971.

elected Secretary of State for

Education, Margaret Thatcher
attempted to impose a Registrar
of Students on students union
with the aim of restricting both
their activities and their finances,
but in the face of an intense NUS
campaign she was forced to back
down, she was, however, not one
to forget.

Digby Jacks President 1971

1973 with Ivison Macadam
President 1922 at NUS 50th
anniversary
NUS Autonomy Demo 1971
36

Interview with Jack Straw on 18th of March

1991 conducted by N.J. Thorn for his M.Phil.
thesis "Revolutionaries and Reformists - A
History of the national Union of Students 1968
- 1988"

34

9. A growing membership

the seventies students were not

always welcomed in a towns pubs

The post Robbins expansion of

and clubs, they had to make their

further and higher education

own entertainment. NUS provided

increased the numbers of

support for developing students

students that NUS represented

unions though a network of Field

through the member students

Officers (Peter Hanafin was the

unions. Membership doubled from

first one appointed in 1973 to

500,000 students in affiliated

work in the North East of

colleges in 1960 to over 1m by

England). The FOs provided

the end of the seventies. The

guidance on a wide range of

membership expansion was also

issues as well as developing

a result of large numbers of

national training programmes;

further education students

they in turn were backed up by a

unions joining after NUS had

team of development officers at

negotiated an agreement with the

headquarters who specialised

DES that students unions should

organisational issues and

be established and that a student

entertainments.

should sit on the governing body

(DES 7/70). In addition Scottish
students unions were leaving the
failing SUS to join NUS in 1971,
the constitution was changed to
accommodate their membership
and NUS changes its name to
The National Union of Students
of the Universities and Colleges of
the United Kingdom (NUSUK).
Students unions themselves were
also changing, the General
Meeting became the sovereign
body and at the same time
commercial activity and

Peter Hanafin, first Field Officer

when serving on Finance
Committee 2000

entertainments began to expand,

it should be remembered that in

35

NUS had some success in

undercapitalised. NUS Services

extending financial support to a

collapsed in 1976, brought down

wider number of students shifting

by NUS Travel which in turn had

from Discretionary to mandatory

been brought down by the

grants and fought numerous

general crisis in the travel

battles to keep Teacher Education

industry. To meet the demands of

Colleges open. By 1975 NUS was

creditors, NUS was forced to sell

a force to be reckoned with sound

off their other companies. Only

research, alliances with key

swift action by Neville Ealden, the

organisations (shelter and hosing

Finance Manager prevented NUS

campaign) and widespread

itself being declared bankrupt.

respect within the education

sector, those who believed that
by allowing political discussion
NUS would lose credibility and
collapse were proved wrong,
however it was a financial crisis
that nearly brought an end to
NUS.
10. Crisis and response
Whilst the profile of NUS was high
and membership was increasing
things were well financially. Apart
from the affiliation fees the main
source of income was derived
from the various NUS companies;
NUS travel, Endsleigh Insurance
and two printing companies. The
surpluses from these companies
were used to offset over
expenditure on non commercial
activity and consequently the

Neville Ealden (left) at NUSHQ

NUS survived, but only just.
Easter Conference mandated the
executive committee to bring
forward a development plan to
deal with the new circumstances.
NUS no longer had any income
from services, students union
income was in decline and by

commercial services were

36

1979 a Government hostile to

proposals that sought to change

NUS had just been elected.

the way in which students unions

were funded.

Sue Slipman President 1977

Trevor Phillips President 1978-

1978, NUS first woman President

1980 NUS first Black President

who started negotiations on

students union financing

Not only was Margaret Thatcher's

Government about to bring about

The reform process took a while

radical changes to student life

with delegates unwilling to face

and circumstances, she was a

financial realities. The February

known opponent of NUS. The

1980 edition of "National

proposals put forward by Dr.

Student" reported that the union

Rhodes Boyson, Minister of State

faced a "Cash Crisis because of

for Higher Education and a public

the failure to agree a new

opponent of NUS, sought to

subscription system and an

incorporate the students union

unfavourable VAT reassessment

fee into the tuition fee. The

by the Customs and Excise.

system at the time was that a

Despite the warnings of President

local education authority paid a

Trevor Phillips, Conference got

students grant, tuition and

nowhere near passing anything

student union fee as separate

that would address the problems.

items. The idea originated under

The situation was exacerbated by

the previous Labour Government

37

which had drafted a blueprint for

proposed legislation of the 1994

reforms in 1978 in response to

Education Bill.

criticisms from the Public

Accounts Committee. The

A development plan The Shape

proposals were being discussed

of Things to Come was

with NUS when the 1979 General

presented to NUS Conference in

Election intervened and

March 1980, the purpose was

discussions were cut short. The

made clear in the introduction:

bill which eventually became law

"As the Union enters the 1980's

placed the decision of the level of

the consequences of rapid

funding to be allocated to the

growth, financial pressures and

students union in the hands of

changes in Britains political

the college authorities. The

climate demand a complete

Government made the

review of priorities and

assumption that faced with hard

organisation37.

funding choices institutions would

reduce the level of funds they
made available to their students
unions and that this in the long
term would have an effect on
NUS finance. The worst
predictions did not happen and
local deals were agreed; the
Government announcement of
what would be available to fund

The Shape of Things to Come

students unions fell 3.8m short,

1980

but NUS successfully negotiated

its restitution thus maintaining
the resources available in the
student movement as a whole.
The episode demonstrated the
value colleges placed upon their
students unions, support that
was to remain throughout the
eighties culminating in the

Perversely Conference delegates

rejected the document, but went
on to pass a motion that
implemented all the proposals.
The plan outlined strategies that
would help NUS to meet the
37

"The Shape of Things to Come a

development plan for NUS" (1980)

38

challenges that lay ahead. Priority

organisation or another, on

was given to national

sectarian lines, they would be

representation; services and

required to join both, from this

advice to students unions;

platform NUS-USI was able to

providing information to students

engage in community

and campaigning for social

development work bringing

change. Changes in membership

students from both communities

were also recognised and

together. The organisation was

proposals were outlined to would

facing both structural and political

ensure a greater level of service

change. About the same time the

for further education college

political groups active within NUS

students unions. One

were undergoing changes as well

consequence of the plan was the

the Broad Left which had

relocation of NUS headquarters to

dominated elections since the mid

Holloway Road from Endsleigh

seventies broke up when the

Street. The NUS Training Unit

National Organisation of Labour

was established and the network

Students (NOLS) decided to stand

of Field Officers became a

on its own, in 1982 Neil Stewart

network of Regional Officers. All

was elected on the NOLS

the changes and restructuring

platform, a position that NOLS

were not achieved without some

was to hold until 2000, he was

difficulties both internally and

also the first President to come

externally. With Scottish

from a Scottish institution.

students unions joining in 1971,

it was agreed that NUS Scotland
would be able to discuss and
agree its affairs autonomously; a
similar arrangement was made
with NUS Wales in 1973. In 1975
a historic bi-lateral agreement
was agreed between NUS and the
Union of Students in Ireland
(USI). It was agreed that in order
to prevent students unions in
Northern Ireland from joining one

Neil Stewart President 1982 1984

39

11. Attacks on student living

successfully against, utilising the

standards and education

research document the Case

against Student Loans (1985).

Between 1982 and 1994 NUS

Loans eventually became a reality

found it self having to defend

by 1990; it had become clear that

some of the advances that the

none of the political parties

student movement had made

believed that the grant system

during the previous decade as

was sustainable, leaving NUS the

well as justifying its own

only voice calling for their

existence, in fact student leaders

restoration.

were in the unfamiliar position of

arguing in favour of the status

The Jarratt Committee set up in

quo faced as they were with an

1985 by the CVCP to study

all out attack on the funding and

efficiency universities, had the

structure of further and higher

effect of reducing student

education. The attacks on student

influence within universities,

finance occurred bit by bit. An

whilst not specifically dealing with

NUS campaign to encourage

student representation it

students to claim housing

recommended that smaller more

benefits was a great success,

streamline decision making

however it was not long before

bodies, in which student

Government legislation removed

representatives were often the

that right. Attempts by Sir Keith

first casualty. The 1986 (No2)

Joseph, Secretary of State for

Education Act reduced student

Education to introduce tuition

representation on key

fees were defeated, to

committees and expanded the

compensate he reduced the level

definition of reserved business.

of student grant. The NUS

The 1988 Education Reform Act

Income and Expenditure Survey

reduced student representation

(1984) made clear the plight of

on the governing body from two

students and NUS policy at this

to one, it also took control of

time was that full grants were to

public sector higher education

be restored. There were

away from local authorities,

numerous attempts to introduce

effectively nationalising them;

student loans which NUS argued

funding was channelled through

40

the Polytechnics and Colleges

quality mechanisms into further

Funding Council (PCFC), the Act

and higher education that relied

also abolished the University

upon student feedback. NUS was

Grants Committee replacing with

able to capitalise on the concept

the Universities Funding Council,

of the student as an important

both were heavily influenced by

stakeholder in education by

representatives from the

publishing a Students Charter in

commercial world focussed on the

1992 and encouraging student

needs of industry. It was all

unions to develop their course

change again in 1992, the

rep systems. By 2002 NUS

funding councils were merged (in

Scotland had won the tender to

1993) and the binary divide

establish sparqs, student

removed allowing polytechnics

participation in quality Scotland

and colleges to seek university

which works with students and

status, Liverpool John Moores and

staff to enhance student

Leeds Metropolitan universities

engagement with quality

for example, the focus was still

processes.

on expanding student numbers

but without the additional
resources required. The 1992 Act
had originally proposed that
students would not have an
automatic right of representation;
NUS successfully campaigned for
an amendment that maintained
that right and put the numbers of
students who could serve on a
governing body back up to two.

NUS Campaign publicity against

The almost annual legislation on

the apartheid regime in South

education forced NUS and

Africa

students unions to make the

case for student participation in

NUS had not lost its commitment

college government all over

to internationalism. The biggest

again; it was made easier by

success of the eighties was the

Government policies to introduce

41

campaign to persuade students

participation in the European

not to bank with Barclays Bank

Students information Bureau

unless they withdrew their

(ESIB), which was to evolve into

investments from the apartheid

the European Students Union.

regime of South Africa. The

campaign had been a key part of

NUS evolved to meet new

NUS' work from the early

circumstances. A higher level of

seventies working closely with the

support was given to the

anti apartheid movement, whose

liberation campaigns holding

chief officer Mike Terry, had

pioneering discussions on a wide

served as NUS National

range of issues. Delegates

Secretary. Nelson Mandela was

successfully argued for

made an honorary Vice President

autonomous conferences for

of NUS and the Holloway Road

women, lesbian and gay students

headquarters was renamed

(bisexual and trans students were

Nelson Mandela House. When

added at a later date), disabled

Barclays did withdraw the high

students and black students.

profile campaign amongst

students was seen as the key
factor and of course it was part of
a chain of events that led to the
eventual dismantling of
apartheid. In particular South
African papers noted the NUS
"Boerclay Bank" posters which
were a pastiche on the Barclays
student recruitment materials.

The opening of the Womens Unit

in 1984 L- R Lesley Smith (VP
Education), Chrissie Oldfield

NUS international work focussed

(Staff Womens Officer), ? Steele

on solidarity activity, in addition

(NEC), Michele Wicket (Womens

to Southern Africa, NUS

promoted human rights in Chile,

Assistant) and Vicky Philips

(President 1984 1986)

Palestine, Iraq and for Soviet

Jewry. Contacts with other

Today, there are full time officers

national unions were increased

for each of the liberation

and developed through

campaigns, furthermore specialist

42

sections of the student

to stick together had produced

movement, international

spectacular savings, the

students, mature and part time

willingness of individual members

students and postgraduates also

to reject a brewer at some

have an infrastructure of support.

inconvenience to themselves, but

for the good of the organisation

Since the collapse of the NUS

as whole, has not been forgotten

Services Companies, NUS

by the brewers.38 By 1988 NSSO

Marketing had kept a modest

was speaking on behalf of 130

level of commercial activity alive.

organisations together purchasing

This company was merged with

75,000 barrels. Given the

some students union purchasing

collapse of NUS commercial

consortia to form the National

empire in the seventies there was

Student Services Organisation

a lack of willingness on the part

(NSSO) in 1986 to allow for

of students unions to involve

greater student control and

NUS in NSSOs activities. For NUS

influence in the market place

it was seen as crucial that there

through bulk purchasing and by

was some student control over

creating a central billing scheme.

purchasing and that they were

At the Annual General Meeting of

perceived to be the chief voice of

NSSO Ltd held at the University

students. The deadlock was

of Sheffield Students Union in

broken in 1989 and NUS Services

April 1987 two significant events

Ltd (NUSSL) came into being. The

occurred, apart from the usual

services to the membership

raft of annual policy decisions on

continue to develop with priority

purchasing arrangements, The

given to communications, training

AGM approved a motion inviting

and development support and

NSSO to join with NUS in seeking

advice to students unions.

to promote a merger between

NSSO Ltd and NUS Services Ltd.
The power of collective
purchasing was demonstrated in
1987 when there was an agreed
change in beer suppliers, the
ability of the student movement

38

NUS Services Food and Drink Report,

1994/95 p27

43

Opposition stretched back to

articles published in the late
sixties in an occasional
publication called Black Papers,
they launched an all out assault
on progressive education and the
collectivism of the student
An early attempt at marketing

movement was particularly

from the Bars Working Party

resented. Many of the ideas

expressed found their way into

12. NUS under attack

Conservative education policies

and hostility to students unions

The Parliamentary lobby hostile

was no exception. Conservative

to students unions and NUS was

MPs had placed parliamentary

growing stronger throughout the

questions and tabled early day

eighties.

motions calling for the

membership of students unions
to be made voluntary (students
were automatically made
members upon registration). To
increase the pressure the
Federation of Conservative
Students (FCS) was taken over
by strident right wingers who
took any opportunity to call for
NUS to be abolished, they
published a pamphlet called The

The first Black Paper which

spearheaded many attacks on the
student movement

Forgotten Closed Shop which

listed alleged abuses. In 1986 the
Conservative Government
published a Green Paper Higher
Education in the 1990's" it
appeared that they believed the
FCS assertions suggesting that

44

unless universities did something

to curb students unions,
legislation would follow. A
particular bone of contention was
the NUS no platform policy, this
had been developed in 1975 in
response to the rise of fascism
and racist hatred following Enoch
Powells rivers of blood speech.
The policy clearly stated that NUS
(and students unions if they

Student protest against Patrick

Harrington a member of the

passed a similar policy) would not

National Front who was studying

give a platform to racist or fascist

at the Polytechnic of North

speakers, opponents portrayed

London

this as a restriction on freedom of

speech which of course

In 1986 a private members bill

completely ignored the rights of

was incorporated into the

the minority students who were

Education (No2) Act and a duty

under attack. Some students

placed on universities to ensure

unions went too far defining

freedom of speech, the irony of

democratically elected

the legislation was that

Conservative ministers as subject

universities were permitted not to

to the policy, Conservative

hold an event if they believed it

students piled on the pressure by

might lead to trouble, the

inviting controversial speakers

consequence was that fewer

who when faced with counter

controversial speakers were

demonstrations claimed that the

invited to campuses. The Green

no platform policy had been

Paper had also asserted that

used to prevent them speaking, it

some students served as

was rarely true, but the subtleties

sabbaticals for years on end, that

of the argument were of no

Conservative clubs were denied

interest to a hostile media.

funding and that monies were

channelled to left wing causes
and terrorist organisations, to

45

address this, an enquiry into

through the National union of

students unions and NUS was

Students in supporting dubious

initiated in 1987 by the DES, the

causes of no interest to other

results showed there was no

students.40. The battle lines were

cause for concern. However,

drawn, the proposed legislation

despite the evidence to the

sought to limit the purposes for

contrary there were two further

which students union monies

reviews and continued references

could be spent, including a ban

in proposed legislation to a

on external affiliations, and to

perceived lack of financial

allow students to opt into

accountability, an increase in the

membership of their students

number of sabbaticals and

union. It was also proposed that

continued concerns about

sports clubs would no longer

freedom of speech. The

receive funds and that students

pressure for voluntary

union commercial services be put

membership was growing. In

out to tender. It was clear that

1993 John Patten, Secretary of

the target was NUS itself; indeed

State for Education announced

a leaked document from the

proposed legislation to

Cabinet Office confirmed that

Conservative Party Conference:

Ministers wanted to see an end to

"the approach I have outlined will

NUS. One Cabinet member was

avoid public funds being used for

concerned that the move might

affiliations to organisations such

constitute a breach of European

as the NUS.if campus unions

legislation on freedom of

wish to affiliate the fees may be

association, he was reassured

39

paid by private sources ." He

that if the funds to NUS were cut

went on to explain his reasons

off by the time the European

Most students who go on to

Court of Human Rights had ruled

college or to university do so

on the matter NUS would have

because they want a good

collapsed.

education and a qualification that

they can use to get on in life, it is
only a few who get involved
39

Announcement by the Secretary of State for

Education, John Patten on the 1st of July 1993

40

John Patten Speech to Conservative Party

Conference 1992

46

the right of students to opt out of

membership of their students
union, the Government had failed
in their initial objective of
destroying NUS. A positive
benefit of the legislation was the
way in which NUS and students
unions emerged with a renewed
sense of purpose as they had to
be clear about why the current
structures were of benefit to
Lorna Fitzsimons President

students and education as a

1992 1994 who led the

whole. The student movement

effective lobbying campaign

had survived intact, however it

against anti students union

was about to embark upon a

legislation

debate on the funding available

to students and education.

It became clear that the draft

13. Putting the case for

proposals were in the main

students

unworkable since much of what

was suggested was in place

In 1995 NUS succeeded in tabling

already and the remainder

amendments to the Education

difficult to administer. The

(Student Loans) Bill that was

lobbying campaign that NUS and

designed to privatise the Student

students unions mounted,

Loans Company, after some

supported by numerous NUS

intense lobbying and high profile

friends and alumni was one of the

media work most financial

most effective in the history of

institutions refused to tender for

the student movement. The Act

the contract, bids were received

that followed in 1994 was

from Barclays and Clydesdale

fundamentally different from the

banks only after they had agreed

original proposals; it gave legal

to every single one of NUS

weight to practices that were

demands; the Government

already common place and added

abandoned the plans. To seize

47

the initiative on funding NUS

actions and demonstrations

called for a Government inquiry

throughout the country under the

and in 1996 a National

slogan Stop Fees Now.

Committee of Inquiry into Higher

Education was established
chaired by Sir Ron Dearing who
held regular meetings with NUS
who were acting as the official
conduit between the Inquiry and
students unions. NUS organised
a series of seminars, conferences
and submissions throughout the

Delivering a petition on student

UK to ensure maximum feedback.

hardship Andrew Pakes President

Before Dearing finished his report

Richard Baker NUS Scotland, Ben

a General Election was called. As

Monks National Secretary and Matt

in previous years NUS organised

Hyde then President of ULU now

a voter registration campaign to

Group CEO of NUS

ensure an additional 300,000

students were enfranchised.
There were hopes that the
election of a Labour Government
might bring about more
favourable conditions for
students, but as with the loans
debate all the major political
parties were coming to the
conclusion that charging tuition
fees was now inevitable,
proposals were introduced
despite the fact that they had not
formed part of the Labour

It was not succesful and tuition

fees became a reality. NUS
managed to win an exemption
from tuition fees for gap year
students entering higher
education in 1998, in Northern
Ireland NUS-USI successfully
lobbied the new Assembly to end
tuition fees and to bring back the
grant in 2000, in the same year
the Scottish Government
reintroduced grants in response
to pressure from NUS Scotland.

manifesto in 1998, the student

grant was abolished and
completely replaced by student
loans. NUS organised a series of

In the lead up to the 2001

General Election NUS successfully
secured manifesto commitments

48

from all major political parties

danger that this review will pave

that they would introduce top

the way for higher fees and a

up fees for students in England.

market in prices that would see

Meanwhile NUS Scotlands

poorer students priced out of

lobbying resulted in the abolition

more prestigious universities and

of up front tuition fees in

other students and universities

Scotland. Once again, despite

consigned to the 'bargain

commitments a Higher Education

basement'.

Bill was tabled that called for top

up fees, the campaign against
managed to force the biggest
revolt against a Government on a
three line whip in over fifty years,
it was a tribute to some highly
effective campaigning but it was
still a better blow for students.
NUS Scotland managed to head
off proposals to introduce variable

Wes Streeting President 2008 2010

fees in 2005 as well as securing

an 11% increase in bursaries for
college students, having already
successfully argued for
Educational Maintenance
Allowances the year before. It
was felt that the issue of higher
education funding had not been
resolved. The Labour Government
set up another review of
university funding in 2009, it was

It was agreed across all parties

that the review would report after
the 2010 General Election during
the election campaign NUS set
about securing pledges from
parliamentary candidates that
they would not increase tuition
fees; every single Liberal
Democrat elected to Parliament
had signed the pledge.

chaired by Lord John Browne, the

former Chair of BP. NUS
expressed concern that business
interests were over-represented
on the board, NUS President Wes
Streeting said "there is a real

49

but most of them were watered

down in the subsequent debates
through compromises to get
specific changes made. In 1992 it
was agreed to reduce the number
of NUS Conferences from two to
one, in the place of Winter
Scottish students demonstrating
against tuition fees in London
When the Liberal Democrats
joined with the Conservatives to
form the Coalition Government it
was hoped that they would stick
to the principles, sadly they did
not. NUS organised a massive
demonstration, over 50,000
students marched through
London to express their
opposition to the fee rise, despite
this and a lobby of parliament the
legislation was passed by a
majority of 21. Despite
Government assertions that very
few institutions would charge as
much as 9,000 it is looking like
almost all of them will.
14. NUS reform
Throughout the nineties there
had been widespread calls for
NUS to reform its structures. A
number of plans were introduced

Conference an NUS Council was

introduced with delegates elected
from regional conferences, the
purpose was to hold the National
Executive to account. In 2000 a
Democracy Commission
received submissions and heard
evidence, but failed to change
NUS in any meaningful way. It
was clear that was significant
demand amongst students
unions for changes to NUS
structures, indeed the issue of
reform reappeared year on year.
The need was all the more acute
by a looming financial crisis, this
was caused by deficit budgeting
combined with an overestimation
of income, not improved by the
refusal of conference delegates or
indeed some NEC members to
take the figures seriously;
eventually it was clear that NUS
was facing a deficit of over 1m,
a figure that no-one could ignore.
A process started by President
Kat Fletcher, continued by her
successor Gemma Tumelty and

50

hers Wes Streeting, finally

throughout its history it is what

introduced a series of reforms

NUS has done and with the hard

that created our current

work and commitment of elected

structures, elected officers linked

officers and full time staff it is

to zones covering higher

what NUS will continue to do.

education, further education,

welfare, union development and
society and citizenship; a National
Executive Council that could
provide greater scrutiny and a
Trustee Board that could provide
the advice, support and expertise
to ensure that NUS was never
again at risk from massive
deficits.

3 -4 Endsleigh Street NUS

Headquarters 1925 - 1983

Kat Fletcher President 2004

2006 (left) and Gemma Tumelty
President 2006 - 2008
The idea was to stop trying to do
everything, for everyone all the
time and focus on making student
lives better; the mission
statement was changed from a
list of fifteen statements to just
two, promote defend and extend
the rights of students, champion
and build strong students unions

51

52

NUS PRESIDENTS 1922 - 1998

President

Dates

Institution

Career

Ivison S.

1922

Cambridge and Kings, London

Director of the

Macadam

Royal Institute of
International
Affairs

A Gordon

1922 - 1923

Oxford

Bagnall
Ralph Nunn

Journalist in
South Africa

1923 - 1924

Birmingham

May

Permanent
Secretary at NUS

F.G.G. Carr

1924 - 1925

Cambridge

W.J. Langford

1925 - 1926

Reading

J.E. Meredith

1926 - 1927

Bangor

Frank Ongley

1927 - 1929

Reading

Darvall

Ministry of
Information

Sam Cohen

1929 - 1930

Cardiff university

H. Trevor

1930 - 1931

Bristol University

Academic

1931 - 1933

Nottingham University

Secretary of the

Lloyd
Denis Follows

Football
Association
Charles G.

1933 - 1934

London

Gilmore
F. Lincoln

1934 - 1936

Sheffield University

Ralphs

Senior Education
Officer for
Norfolk

J.Fraser Milne

1936 - 1938

London

R.R.S. Ward

1938 - 1939

Sheffield University

Brian Simon

1939 - 1940

Cambridge University

Peter A.H.

1940 - 1941

Leeds University

1941 - 1942

Birmingham University

Academic

J.T. Allanson

1942 - 1944

Manchester University

Academic

A.T. James

1944 - 1946

London

G. McLeavy

1946 - 1947

Leeds University

Academic

Rivett
S.G.
Checkland

53

President

Dates

Institution

Career

William

1947 - 1949

London

College Principal

1949 - 1951

Cardiff Technical College

Diplomatic

Bonney Rust
Stanley K.
Jenkins
John M.

Service
1951 - 1952

Manchester University

Thompson

General
Secretary of the
ISC

Fred Jarvis

1952 - 1954

Oxford University

General
Secretary of the
NUT

Frank H.

1954 - 1956

Nottingham University

Copplestone
Roland

ITN
1956 - 1958

London School of Economics

Freeman
Dennis J.

Head of News at
Local politician
and composer

1958 - 1960

Southampton university

1960 - 1962

Aberystwyth University

A.R. Hughes

1962 - 1964

Aberystwyth University

T.W. Savage

1964 - 1966

Queens University Belfast

Geoff Martin

1966 - 1968

Queen University Belfast

Trevor A. Fisk

1968 - 1969

Inner Temple London

Jack Straw

1969 - 1971

Leeds University

Politician

Digby Jacks

1971 - 1973

Institute of Education

Trade Unionist

John Randall

1973 - 1975

York University

Chief Executive

Grennan
J. Gwyn
Morgan

Civil Servant

of the QAA
Charles Clarke

1975 - 1977

Cambridge University

Politician

Sue Slipman

1977 - 1978

St. Davids Lampeter

Head of various
NGOs

Trevor Phillips

1978 - 1980

Imperial College, London

Chair of the
Equality and
Human Rights
Commission

David
Aaronovitch

1980 - 1982

Manchester University

Broadcaster and
Author

54

President

Dates

Institution

Career

Neil Stewart

1982 - 1984

Aberdeen University

CEO Neil Stewart

Associates

Phil Woolas

1984 - 1986

Manchester University

Politician

Vicky Phillips

1986 - 1988

University of East Anglia

Solicitor

Maeve

1988 - 1990

Liverpool University

Head of various

Sherlock

NGOs now
training for the
clergy

Stephen

1990 - 1992

Oxford University

Politician

1992 - 1994

Loughborough Students Union

Politician

Jim Murphy

1994 - 1996

Strathclyde University

Politician

Douglas

1996 - 1998

Strathclyde University

Senior officer in

Twigg
Lorna
Fitzsimmons

Trainer

a Local Authority

Andrew Pakes

1998 2000

Hull University

Trade Unionist

Owain James

2000 2002

Warwick University

Third Sector

Mandy Telford

2002 2004

Strathclyde University

Trade Unionist

Kat Fletcher

2004 - 2006

Leeds University

Gemma

2006 2008

Liverpool John Moores

Wes Streeting

2008 2010

Cambridge University

Aaron Porter

2010 2011

Leicester University

Tumelty

Current
President

Liam Burns

2011

Heriot-Watt University

President elect

NUS Officers in 1997 at NUS 75th Anniversary L R Fred Gee former President of
UCLSU, Stanley Jenkins, Fred Jarvis, Roland Freeman, Bill Rust, Ralph Blumenau
and Sir Norman Lindop

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