CUSU Council renews affiliation to NUS despite fee questions and bullying controversy
A statutory motion to re-affiliate passed without major controversy, with sabbatical officers voicing their support for the national body

CUSU Council voted to remain affiliated to the NUS at a meeting this evening.
With CUSU President Daisy Eyre absent from the meeting, Florence Oulds and Lola Olufemi, CUSU Disabled Student’s and Women’s Officers respectively, proposed the motion to remain affiliated to Council. Eyre did not provide a statement.
Olufemi argued that it was “important to have a stake” in the national organisation, amid “potentially life-changing” recent ructions in the higher education sector.
The vote, which CUSU’s constitution dictates must be held annually, attracted considerably less controversy this year than in previous years, despite continued ambiguities over the cost of affiliation, and ongoing controversies within the NUS.
Olufemi did not offer new information on NUS affiliation fees – which have so far been charged at more than £10,000 below the expected figure – saying Daisy Eyre was “in talks with people from the NUS” but that she had “no information at the moment.”
In light of accusations of bullying and intimidation against current NUS President, Shakira Martin, Olufemi emphasised the importance of remaining a part of the NUS, saying: “Current drama is sexy and people like to pick and choose what they take from the organisation” but that CUSU “promised as a union to push for change, and that’s exactly that we’re going to do”
Last year, following an unexpected rise in the affiliation fee, former CUSU president Amatey Doku, postponed the statutory vote to Easter term, when it was approved.
The year before, controversy following the appointment of Malia Bouattia as NUS president led to a referendum of all students, with 51.2% voting to remain affiliated after a heated referendum.
The meeting, which was attended by only three of the six sabbatical officers, appointed Joe Cotton as a chair. After no Council members nominated themselves to fill the role for this Council, CUSU General Manager Mark McCormack volunteered to lead proceedings.
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31 March 2025