Student unionism in the United Kingdom
In universities in the United Kingdom students' unions are constituted under Section 2 of the Education Act 1994. The ultimate purpose of students' unions is to democratically represent the interests of their members. Students who resign their membership may still use union social facilities provided (often the main or only such facilities available) since they are for the benefit of the students of the institution, not just union members. The vast majority of UK students' unions are affiliated with the National Union of Students (NUS).
History[edit]
The first students' union in the UK was the Student Representative Council formed at the University of Edinburgh in 1884. The Universities (Scotland) Act 1889 secured the existence of students' representative councils (SRCs) at the four Scottish universities then in existence and their right to make representations to the university courts.[1]
In England, primarily social "union societies" came into existence earlier, such as the Cambridge Union (1815) and the Oxford Union (1823), but these were not representative bodies. The first students' union to develop in England was the Liverpool Guild of Students in 1892, although the UCL Student Union was the first to receive official recognition, in 1893.[1] In some cases, the union society transformed into the students' union, e.g. at King's College London where the Union Society of King's College London (established in 1873) became the King's College London Students' Union in 1908, [2] while in others an entirely new body was established alongside the existing society, e.g. at Durham University where the Durham Colleges Students' Representative Council was established in 1899 separately from the Durham Union Society.[3] The National Union of Students was established in 1922.[1]
Britain's first students' union building was built at the University of Liverpool in 1910–1913.[4] This was again predated by buildings built for union societies, including the Oxford Union in 1857, the Cambridge Union in 1866, and the Edinburgh University Union's Teviot Row House in 1889.
Activities[edit]
In addition to lobbying, campaigning, debating and carrying out other representative activities, most students' unions facilitate 'student activities' (societies, volunteering opportunities, and sport) peer-led support (through advice centres, helplines, job shops and more), and social venues to bring their members together. Most unions receive some funding through an annual allocation, also called the block grant, from their educational institution.[5] Many unions supplement this income from commercial sales from their venues, shops, and marketing revenue.
Law relating to students' unions[edit]
The role of students' unions is enshrined in the Education Act 1994, which requires educational institutions to have a code of practice and publicise the ability to opt-out from membership without forfeiting access to the majority of union services. The Act also requires that unions have a written constitution and that elections to major union offices are held by a secret ballot of the membership. The Act states that if a petition signed by a minimum number of students (the threshold cannot exceed 5 per cent) is lodged then a referendum must be held on whether or not to end one of the union's affiliations. Money donated to a students' union is subject to ultra vires law and can only be spent to further this charitable purpose. A major source of funding for most unions are 'block grant' donations given by their colleges or universities. Historically, the majority of students' unions were exempt charities however a change to the law means that unions became registered charities during 2010.[6][7] Students' unions are required to act in the interests of their members as students.
In general, a students' union is a separate legal person from the university or college which it is associated with,[8] however in some cases the union is regarded as an integral part of the university.[9]