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So the ministerial foreword for the gov& #39;s restructuring regime for HE contains the atrocious sentence: "The funding of student unions should be proportionate and focused on serving the needs of the wider student population rather than subsidising niche activism and campaigns" 1/8
I am disappointed and angry that this portrays "serving the needs of the wider student population" as mutually exclusive with "subsidising niche activism and campaigns". What the hell does the word & #39;wider& #39; mean here? And what exactly constitutes niche activism and campaigns? 2/8
Are the campaigns that secure better online provision for disabled students considered & #39;niche activism& #39;? Are the enriching and important campaigns around Black Lives Matter that make black students feel seen, heard and valued considered & #39;niche campaigns& #39;? 3/8
Are This Girl Can campaigns that encourage women students to engage in sporting opportunities delivered by SUs that improves their wellbeing considered & #39;niche campaigns& #39;? Is the decolonisation of the curriculum considered & #39;niche activism& #39;? 4/8
Are Good Lad initiatives that tackle toxic masculinity and lad culture in sports teams to create more inclusive sports culture & #39;niche campaigns& #39;? Is lobbying our Universities to commit to carbon neutrality and declare climate emergency & #39;niche activism& #39;? 5/8
It strikes me that the Ministers& #39; sentence is telling Universities "give SUs enough money to provide extra curricular stuff for students, but not enough that they start to make your lives difficult by lobbying for a better holistic student experience" 6/8
SUs play a vital role in the continuous improvement of Universities to & #39;serve the need of the wider student population& #39;, and this is achieved through activism and campaigns, all of which require money and resource. 7/8
This sentence is a dangerous signal that could allow Universities to merely fund SUs to deliver what they see as & #39;icing on the cake& #39; of a student experience (sports & societies), rather than viewing an SUs role in its fulness as deserving of money to improve students& #39; lives. 8/8
