NUS

What is it?

The National Union of Students (NUS) is an organisation made up of local students' unions and associations at colleges and universities around the country. Not all unions are members of the national union: those that are choose to affiliate to the NUS by paying a membership fee. At present there are almost 750 constituent members.

The NUS currently represents somewhere in the region of five million students, making it one the world's largest student organisations. At its heart is a commitment to represent, train and advise both individual students and their unions as a whole. However, critics say that it wastes money and has been ineffective in campaigning against tuition fees.

Who are the constituent members?

The core part of the NUS is the local students' unions at educational institutions. It is these local groupings that provide welfare support, put on social events, promote community action, raise money for charities and run sports teams and other societies. Many also represent students on committees at all levels from departments to the ultimate governing bodies of an institution.

The constituent member unions are usually run by a team of elected 'sabbatical' officers, also known as 'sabbaticals' or 'sabbs'. These are students taking a year out – often after their final years - to ensure the smooth running of their unions and provide those services mentioned above, working alongside the paid professional staff.

All members of a students' union or association have the ability to contribute to its policy making process through general meetings or elected councils, the "governors" of such organisations.

How do they join the NUS?

If a union wishes to affiliate to the NUS, it must pay an annual subscription, worked out by the number of members whom are full and part-time students, as well as the money received from their particular college or university. Funds raised through affiliation fees are used nationally for administration, campaigning and other activities.

What is National Conference?

Once a year, the NUS holds its annual National Conference (often known just as 'Conference'). It is the sovereign body of the movement where policies are debated and voted on and the National Executive Committee is elected following weeks of campaigning.

Each constituent member is allowed to send a certain number of delegates to represent their students. The number of delegates a constituent member is allowed to send is worked out based on the size of its membership, and most must be specially elected.

What is the National Executive Committee

There are 27 members of the National Executive Committee (NEC), elected at either the National Conference or from one the liberation campaign conferences such as the LGBT. The group is guided by the NUS constitution and are responsible for implementing policies and providing leadership to members and staff.

The full-time members of the NEC are the public face of the NUS, taking a key role in lobbying for students' interests and often appearing in the media. Past presidents in particular often go on to careers in politics – examples include the government ministers Charles Clarke, Jack Straw and Stephen Twigg. Cynics suggest that some are more interested in furthering their political ambitions than representing students: several former presidents became MPs and voted for top-up fees.

Meetings of the NEC must be held at least three times every financial year. They can be held at the request of either the President or at the written request of at least four executive committee members. The quorum for meetings is currently at least half of the NEC membership.

Members of the NEC are expected to attend all meetings and conferences, and can be removed from office on the basis of a vote of no confidence at a National Conference. However, there are mechanisms for stripping an individual member of the NEC of parts of their areas of responsibility.

The current make-up of the NUS NEC is as follows:

• National President

• Vice President for Education

• Officer for Students with Disabilities

• National Secretary

• National Treasurer

• Vice President for Welfare

• Women's Officer

• Black Students Officer

• Two Lesbian, Gay and Bisexual Officers

• President, NUS Wales

• International Students Officer

• President, NUS Scotland

• Convenor for NUS-USI (Northern Ireland)

• 12 part time executive members, responsible for particular campaigning areas