Student union plea silenced

The student union at London Metropolitan University has become embroiled in the row between lecturers and managers.

Last month, members of lecturers' union Natfhe staged a five-day strike over the imposition of new contracts on staff working at the university's City campus. The dispute began more than a year ago.

After the strike, a nine-strong executive committee of the student union issued a statement supporting Natfhe's call for both parties to enter into negotiations with the Advisory Conciliation and Arbitration Service (Acas).

It reads: "The Students' Union executive support Natfhe in their call for guided negotiated discussion with the university's management via Acas with a strong recommendation that the dispute is resolved by 31 August 2005.

"In addition, the Students' Union executive calls upon the university's board of governors to endorse and support our policy thereby bringing an end to this dispute."

The students' statement of support was deemed unconstitutional by John McParland, secretary of the university, and was removed from the student union website by staff employed by the university.

Mr McParland sent an email to the head of campus services that implied that the executive committee is not permitted to form a view on behalf of the student union. Only the student council, which comprises the executive committee plus the heads of all the student societies, has this power.

The message, seen by The Times Higher , reads: "The only view that the (student) union can have is one arrived at by the council. Therefore any comment can only be personal unless the council have taken a policy decision."

The message has since been replaced by a "London Met Students' Union statement on the Natfhe dispute (altered for legal reasons)" that makes no reference to Acas.

Orhan Tsolak, president of the student union, said: "I think it is unacceptable that the university interfered with our position on a technicality.

"To my knowledge, the constitution was never approved by the student body.

It now appears that we, the students, do not have a position on the dispute between the lecturers' union Natfhe and the university."

He added: "The current dispute between Natfhe and the university's management is substantially affecting the student experience.

"This dispute has dragged on far too long and both the students and the reputation of the university have suffered as a result. It is time that this dispute is settled in a reasonable fashion. The university as a whole needs a result and needs it now."

alison.goddard@thes.co.uk