Socialist Students:
Preparing for the new term
SOCIALIST STUDENTS is planning its campaigning activity in colleges
and universities across the country for the next term.
Matt Dobson Socialist Students national co-ordinator
Events in the Middle East and the need for Socialist Students to play
a major role in the anti-war movement mean there are fantastic
opportunities for Socialist Students to build this year.
In the last academic year we had a presence in 40 colleges and
universities. 900 new young people joined us, with many becoming leading
campaigners on their campuses.
We want to increase our membership and increase the strength of our
organisation by preparing in the next few weeks for the Freshers’ Fairs
where we get the chance to meet thousands of youth who may be interested
in socialist ideas.
Many areas have detailed plans for campaigning in their universities
and colleges. In Exeter University and College, a whole week of activity
has been planned including films, political discussions and campaign
stalls outside the halls of residence. In Manchester, Socialist Students
will be planning activity around the Time for Blair to go demonstration
on 23 September organised by the Stop the War Coalition.
In Sussex, our members are continuing to play a major role in the
anti-cuts and closures campaign while planning meetings on international
issues such as the Middle East and Venezuela. At Goldsmiths College,
Socialist Students will organise their first meeting on What is
Socialism? and later in the term will invite Socialist Party councillors
from Lewisham to speak on campus.
We are producing material for our work in universities and colleges,
including leaflets, posters and the Student Socialist magazine.
Socialist Students has a consistent campaigning record on fighting
tuition fees, cuts and closures and the war – all of these will continue
into the new year but with the added responsibility of explaining the
need for socialist solutions to the Middle East crisis, environmental
destruction and discussing the mass movements in Latin America and
Europe. That is why Socialist Students societies need to plan now how
they are going to reach as many young people with socialist ideas as
possible.
