After almost two years as LUSU President, Michael Payne is running for the Vice President Higher Education, for the National Union of Students.
Currently, Payne has launched his campaign for VP Higher Education with a website and Facebook campaign site accompanied by videos a well as sending his full manifesto to all Presidents of students’ unions across the UK. Payne will be running against five other people in the election, which will take place at the NUS Conference in April.
“The next stages of my campaign will utilise other social networking tools and hopefully bring a more innovative approach to the traditional campaign approach of reliance on a few speeches at NUS Annual Conference,” said Payne.
Payne’s manifesto places major emphasis on supporting unions locally in order to win nationally. Payne commented, “I would also continue to lead the way on campaigning for a fairer fees and funding system for students in Higher Education.”
He added: “My manifesto focuses on the need to protect one of the few remaining world class sectors in the UK – that of Higher Education; significant cuts in HE compared to other sectors is not and should not be acceptable”.
The NUS position of VP Higher Education, currently held by Aaron Porter, will give Payne the outlet and facilities to make a difference for students across the country and get their voices heard. “The next few years are arguably the most crucial in generations for Higher Education, the increased respect for the National Union of Students and its improved capability to contribute effectively to the sector is a project I’d relish the opportunity to contribute to” said Payne.
Throughout his time as President, Payne stated that it had been an “honour and privilege” serving the student of Lancaster and that he found “the passion and energy of Lancaster students to be unparalleled.”
