A referendum on the ‘free education’ motion, which was proposed at last moth’s Union Council, is due to take place in the week commencing Monday 17th November.
The motion, which has been rephrased in the form of a question, reads: “Should the Students’ Union adopt a position which strives for free education?”
Students will be asked to answer this question via a link on the University of Nottingham Students’ Union (UoNSU) website.
“NUS has a free education policy, a vote for yes in the SU referendum will strengthen that policy and strengthen our fight as students for free and fair access to higher education”
If students vote to support the motion, the Students’ Union would adopt a position which and lobby Nottingham MPs to support free education.
Scott Jennings, a member of the UoN Campaign for Free Education, told Impact: “NUS has a free education policy, a vote for yes in the SU referendum will strengthen that policy and strengthen our fight as students for free and fair access to higher education.
England has the highest university fees in Europe, yet we have free education in Scotland and this year Germany abolished all tuition fees including for international students.
SU officers felt that this change in the wording of the motion would give them greater flexibility to lobby for a reduction in tuition fees
Free education is possible and we must join the growing national demand of students for a better and fair funding system for higher education”.
At Union Council, an amendment was proposed and then accepted to change the motion from ‘adopt a Union position which supports free education’ to ‘adopt a Union position which strives towards free education’.
SU officers felt that this change in the wording of the motion would give them greater flexibility to lobby for a reduction in tuition fees.
Voting on this motion will be open from 9am on Monday 17th November to 3pm Monday on 24th November via the UoN Elections App.
Quorum for this referendum is 10% of the Full Members of the Union.
The motion shall pass if the referendum is quorate and a simple majority is obtained in favour.
Image: Philippa Willetts via Flickr
