Black students demand fair representation

By Rachel Earlington, NUS Black Students Committee

The NUS Black Students Campaign has renewed its call for increased Black representation throughout the student movement.

Whilst Black students — those from African, Arab, Asian and Caribbean backgrounds make up 20% of all students, Black students remain under-represented at all levels of the student movement’s decision making structures.

Although significant steps forward have been made since two years ago when the NUS Black Students’ Campaign found that only 4% of all student officers were Black, many students’ unions are still failing to adequately represent all of their members.

The NUS Black Students Campaign is calling for a Black Students’ Officer in every students union to provide dedicated representation. The Campaign is also encouraging increased participation of Black students in students’ union elections to demand that students’ unions tackle inequality and address the concerns of their Black members.

For information on how to launch a campaign for a Black Students’ Officer in your union or for help or advice on standing for election contact the NUS Black Students Officer at ruqayyah.collector@nus.org.uk.

• The NUS Black Students Campaign Winter Conference will take place on 18th and 19th November in Wolverhampton. The conference is open to all African, Arab, Asian and Caribbean students and will provide an opportunity to hear high profile speakers from the Black community, attend training workshops and network with Black students from colleges and universities across Britain. Each students’ union can send up to four delegates and will pay for the cost of travel and accommodation. For more information contact your students’ union or ruqayyah.collector@nus.org.uk.