Student Activist Diary

A member of the NUS’s National Executive Committee, the most senior policy making body in the organisation outside of National Conference, has been stripped of his position after a Disciplinary Panel was convened to consider a breach of the NUS Code of Conduct.

Joshua McKenzie was elected to represent part time students at the Mature and Part Time Students Conference in May of this year. Soon after a complaint was raised regarding the veracity of his nomination. This was then referred to the NUS Code of Conduct for investigation.

On the 5th of August, a Disciplinary Panel was formed to consider a contravention of section 9.6 of the Code, which details a breach of discipline to be “acting with dishonesty or intent to defraud”. The Panel upheld the assertion that “Joshua knowingly registered himself at NUS events as a student at Harrow College, when he was not in fact a member of that educational institution”. The Panel believed that he “acted fraudulently in an attempt to gain office on the National Executive Council” and that this action was “very severe and at odds with the values of NUS”.

The Panel, which comprises an NUS Trustee, a student union officer and a student union staff member, levied several sanctions against Mr McKenzie, including the termination of his positions on all committees within NUS and disqualification from standing in NUS elections until July 1st 2011. The decision of the Disciplinary Panel has since been upheld at an appeal.

Discussions are now taking place between the Chief Returning Officer of NUS, and the Mature and Part Time Students Committee to find an appropriate way to fill the vacancy on the National Executive Committee.