London students vote overwhelmingly to keep their union in the face of management plans to shut it down

University of London Union faces closure later in the year

(Sadie Hale)

Students at the University of London have overwhelmingly rejected plans that would see its student union (ULU) turned into a management-run student services centre.

In a referendum, students were asked “should ULU’s buildings, activities and campaigns continue to be run democratically by students?”, and 86 per cent of respondents backed a democratically run union.

ULU, which represents more than 120,000 students, is due to be scrapped in August 2014 after college leaders decided last year that it had become obsolete.

It will be replaced with a centrally managed student centre that comes complete with its own shops, cafes, bars and fitness centre.

Campaigners say that following the referendum their fight will focus on preserving democratic control over the building as part of a pan-London student union.

A demonstration, planned by “Occupy Senate House” is to take place outside ULU this Friday and follows last December’s occupation of the Senate House Building.

Michael Chessum, President of ULU, told the Independent he expected “hundreds” to turn out.

He said: "The referendum proven what we already knew: that the proposals to abolish ULU have no legitimacy and that management are running out of credibility. The fight to keep the ULU building in student hands isn't just about ensuring the continuation of vital campaigns and services, it's also about what kind of education system we want to see: one in which students and workers are part of a genuine community and have the freedom and space to organise, or one in which campuses are run by unaccountable managers like big businesses."

Shelly Asquith, Chair of NUS London said: "It is clear that students are rejecting the university's proposals, and the University of London must respect that. We are committed to working together to keep the ULU building in student hands and create a pan-London union."

A spokesperson for the University of London said the results of the referendum were noted but it doesn’t change their view “at all”.

They added: “We are not planning on removing any of the services the students’ value. What we are interested in is working with the wider student body to ensure the student services provided are the ones the students want.”