So, after nine long years as a student activist, I'm finally leaving NUS for pastures new. Looking back over my time as a student, an elected officer and a member of the NUS NEC, it’s hard to believe that so much has happened and so much has changed; yet the battles and the principles remain the same.

I believe in free education where access to education is based on your ability to study, not your ability to pay.

I believe that the women’s campaign is a vital part of our movement. Sexism still exists on our campuses and in our communities and every time someone challenges the existence of the women’s campaign, you divert our attention away from our vital work. Thanks. Not.

I believe that ultra vires is a big pile of poop, introduced by the Tories to stop students organising on the issues that the Tories were scared they’d lose. If your members want to discuss or spend money on a particular issue, then your democratic structures should come first, not an outdated bit of legislation designed to inhibit our work. Stop defending it and start organising to over-turn it!

I believe that our no platform policy is essential and should be put into practice on every campus in the country. Bigotry and fascism have no place in our movement and it is up to each and every one of us to ensure that messages of hate and incitement to violence and death and never heard on our campuses.

I believe that, despite my disagreements with certain government policies, the Labour party is the true home for all of us who believe in socialism, in equality, in social justice, in trade unions and workers’ rights. (It’s not all about Blair and Brown!)

So, this is it.

Thanks to everyone who has helped me, inspired me and been a mate throughout my time as a student activist. And those of who that have done the opposite, screw the lot of you!

Good luck to next year’s NEC. It’s gonna be a tough year – see you in London for the demo.

And good luck to Kat Stark, who will be an amazing NUS Women’s Officer and will do this campaign proud.

If you want to keep in touch, then you can get hold of me through my blog - www.josalmon.co.uk

For the last time,
Jo Salmon
Proud to have been your NUS National Women’s Officer 2004-2006

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