Edinburgh votes to rejoin NUS
Students at Edinburgh have voted to reaffiliate with the NUS after a 25-year absence. The Association's president, Steve Cockburn, argued that students were isolated and missing out on national representation, particularly over tuition fees.
Although Edinburgh originally left the NUS partly over financial disagreements, it is claimed that rejoining will make them £57,000 a year from buying through the NUS consortium. Taking into account the £50,000 affiliation fee, that's still a profit.
The NUS was naturally rather pleased with the result – Melanie Ward, NUS Scotland President, called it "fantastic news for students at Edinburgh, for NUS, and for the national student movement has a whole".
However, despite campaigns by two societies – 'Yes 2 NUS' and 'Students Against NUS at Edinburgh (SANE)' – and campaigners being bussed in from other universities, Edinburgh students were less enthusiastic. The result was close – 52% for versus 48% against - and the turnout was just 15%.
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