NUS Yexit poll on June 1

1464019304-NUSReferendumWebsiteBannerYUSU have announced a referendum on their continued affiliation with the National Union of Students (NUS) will take place from Wednesday June 1 to Thursday June 9.

The move comes after a policy to dissafiliate from the NUS submitted to YUSU was deemed too controversial to be decided internally triggering the referendum.

Students will be asked the question 'Should YUSU remain affiliated with the NUS?" with a simple majority for NO required for YUSU not to reaffiliate after the current YUSU affiliation contract expires in 2017.

YUSU activities officer Chris Wall will be leading the YES campaign and PhD student Robin Brabham, Chair of the University's Green party society, will head the NO campaign.

Brabham said: "YUSU has done the right thing and given York students a voice.

"We can now have a considered debate on whether or not the NUS is an organisation we feel comfortable allowing to representing us."

A grand coalition of student politicos, including the incoming YUSU activities officer Alex Lusty, launched a campaign to disaffiliate earlier this term, after a widely criticised NUS national conference.

The referendum is part of a nationwide mass dissafiliation campaign after the controversial election of Malia Bouattia, condemned as an Anti-semite by over 40 university Jewish societies, as NUS President.

Wall said York students are "rightly dissatisfied" with elements of the NUS and it's "encouraging" that many students are engaged in the matter.

He went on to say that "hopefully York students will make an informed decision." 

Due to accusations of misconduct at the University of Exeter by the remain campaign during their dissafiliation referendum no third party groups will be allowed to campaign on campus during the referendum.