NUS RALLY DESCENDS INTO FARCE :: Wessex Scene Online

NUS RALLY DESCENDS INTO FARCE

NUS Rally: Well at least some people showed up.

27th January 2002

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Nov 02 - NUS Debate
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May 02 - NUS Disaffiliation Press Release
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At Ł50 per person... was it really worth it?

The NUS Regional Rally in Southampton City Centre descended into farce as the Southampton University turnout amounted to less than 30 people and the total cost to SUSU of the event tops a whopping Ł1400.

The majority of the marchers were made up of sabbatical and executive officers with a few loyal friends and a motley band of Socialist Students. The combination of Student Unions from all over the South East region boosted the total turnout to a slightly more convincing 200.

The rally, one of many held in regions all over the country, was organised by the NUS to bring attention to Student debt in time for the comprehensive spending review by the Government. As students marched through Southampton to some amusing chants, bemused shoppers looked on and the Police looked thoroughly bored. The march finished with speakers including the NUS President, the Institute President, and our very own Union President - Stephen Edwards. Giving a wholly unconvincing attempt at being a left wing speaker he tried to catch out the marchers’ chanting with the cry “down with the grant and up with fees”!

One person who took the SUSU minibus down to the city was asked what he thought of the rally and said “I don’t really know but I found a bargain pair of trainers!”.

Although the NUS paid for placards, the PA system and sent out press releases it was down to individual Student Unions to foot the bill to get their members to attend the rally. Many Unions, who did not wish to be quoted, commented that the rally was “an expensive waste of time”.

Enquiring about the cost of the event the Wessex Scene has discovered that Ł1150 was spent on flags by the former Union Vice President (Communications) back in September. The Union President - Stephen Edwards was unavailable for comment but in his report to the Union Council to be held on Monday 10th December, he writes “Hopefully in future we can cease from wasting Officers’ time and Union money on events that simply do not interest the Students of this University. If we had offered everyone Ł50 to turn up we would have spent less money and had more people from the University present. ”

This was not a protest to be written about in the history books.
The best bit about the rally, and certainly the bit at which the students were most united, was at the Destitute bar afterwards. A drinking circle started by Portsmouth University soon contained delegates from all other Universities involved. A sense of quasi - camaraderie that had not been apparent the whole day was solved by 2 - 4 - 1 offers at the bar and a member of the Southampton delegation getting them out for the lads...

Did it add up?
Flags   Ł1150
Flyers   Ł150
Posters   Ł50
Coach   Ł150
(from Winchester)
Minibuses Ł30

TOTAL Ł1430
or ~ Ł50/person

The Union could have....

- Given each person a fiver at the end of the rally: 260 people
- Paid free entry to Academy for each protester: 433 people
- Bought each participant a MacDonalds Happy Meal: 653 people
- Bought a packet of Malboro Lights: 288 people
- A Pint for the lads and a Smirnoff Ice for the ladies: 585 people

Just some ideas for the future...