Brasenose College JCR has voted to disaffiliate from the Oxford Student Union (SU), and by extension from the National Union of Students (NUS).
In an email seen by Cherwell, the Brasenose JCR Secretary told students that “[f]ollowing the referenda a couple of weeks ago, I am now able to announce that Brasenose JCR has voted to disaffiliate from both Oxford SU and the National Union of Students”. The email continued, reassuring students that “the JCR’s disaffiliation from both organisations will not affect your individual rights to interact with the SU or the NUS, nor to make use of their services”.
While Brasenose College JCR is not directly affiliated with the NUS, the motion for disaffiliation that was passed was titled “Disaffiliation from the SU and the NUS”. The motion noted that “[a]ffiliation with the NUS costs the SU, and therefore the collective student body, over £20,000 a year”, and added that the JCR “should not stand for the unaccountability of the NUS regarding its structural failure to efficiently combat antisemitism”, referencing Rebecca Tuck KC’s independent report into antisemitism within the NUS. Regarding the SU, the motion said it was “structurally unsound … the Sabbatical Trustees are ineffective, unaccountable … and at times uncooperative, whilst being paid around £25k”.
The Brasenose JCR Committee told Cherwell that during the meeting to discuss affiliation it had to be explained what the SU actually does, which they think “clearly shows that the SU is neither active nor vocal enough to garner the attention of our students”. The Committee said that the “absence of a working relationship” between the JCR and the SU meant members of the JCR Committee “have had to resort to consulting with the Vice Chancellor directly, which negates the founding purpose of the SU as an intermediary”. The Committee also criticised the SU’s decision to retract a statement against Kathleen Stock, claiming that “the SU leadership does not do enough to defend the voices of the student body, and those of vulnerable minority groups in particular”. The Committee concluded: “The SU does not work for our students. As such, we see no reason to remain affiliated.”
Joel Bassett, Brasenose JCR Secretary, emphasised to Cherwell that the referendum had been held purely because the JCR is bound to propose a motion considering its affiliation every Trinity Term. However, Bassett added that he “personally put forward a case in favour of disaffiliating from both organisations”. He thought the SU “has not made enough of an effort to effect change at a university level, and has not made an effort to work with our JCR”, and also cited Rebecca Tuck KC’s report. Bassett added that “[b]y disaffiliating, we hope that both organisations will feel greater pressure to change how they run, and to foster better relations with other Common Rooms”.
The disaffiliation will stand at least until Brasenose JCR reconsiders their affiliations again in a year’s time. The email sent to students added that the JCR would “soon be writing to both organisations to confirm this and to express our discontent”.
The SU told Cherwell: “[We aim] to ensure that all students feel represented by us. A common room choosing to disaffiliate is therefore a clear sign that we must work hard to improve our support, and listening to the student body about how we can develop a better SU is an absolute priority going forward.
“The SU President has reached out to Brasenose to discuss students’ discontents and how we can work with them to address any issues.”
Just last term, the SU itself held a referendum on affiliation with the NUS and voted to remain affiliated by 791 to 589, but with a turnout of only 5% of the student body.
This article was updated at 1pm on 14/06/2023.
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