The Wire

The future direction of universities have been in the headlines again this week, with Federal Education Minister Brendan Nelson putting forward several ideas of reform. One of the areas he wants to address is the compulsory membership of student unions. The National Union of Students President Jodie Jansen says the services unions provide would be severely threatened by this move, while President of the South Australian Young Liberals James Stevens says students should have the right to choose whether or not they join, and the onus is on the unions to provide services which would attract membership.