Union of Kingston Students
| Motto | Support Empower Enrich |
|---|---|
| Institution | Kingston University |
| Location | Penrhyn Road, Kingston upon Thames, KT1 2EE |
| Established | 1947 |
| Members | 19 000 |
| Affiliations | National Union of Students |
| Website | http://www.kingstonstudents.net |
The Union of Kingston Students (UKS) is a students' union that represents and provides services to the near 19 000 students of Kingston University a former polytechnic and now large comprehensive university based in South West London. It is a registered charity and employs around 40 staff and has an annual turnover of nearly £1m.
The Students' Union was first founded in 1947 by soldiers returning from fighting in the Second World War attending the then Kingston Technical Institute. Initially there was little interest in the activities of the Students' Union however by 1955 it had become more active with the Freshers Ball attracting 350 guests. In 1958 students chose to disaffiliate from the NUS due to their strong left wing politics and held their own conference in Bournemouth, but like many students' unions it would later re-affiliate and remains as a member today.
As social activities became more important, a Drama Society was founded in 1959 which continues to operate to this day. Throughout this period Charity week stunts gained press attention following "Screams, roaring rockets, explosions and shouts for help." In 1959 students built a motorized cast-iron bath which they named 'Sambo'. In 1961 they successfully drove it from John O'Groats in Scotland to Land's End in Cornwall, albeit with a slight mishap on the A6 near Penrith where they scraped the sides of two cars standing at traffic lights. Despite the evasive action taken by bath-driver Peter Lackenby; villagers crowded round as two police motor patrolmen, summoned to the scene of the collision, checked the bath’s controls, which included motor cycle handlebars, brakes, a horn, windshield, as well as the more usual fittings of plughole and hot and cold taps! The students successfully completed the journey and earned international notoriety as they raised £1000 for the British Empire Cancer Research Fund (almost £18,000 in 2014).
In 1965 another RAG week stunt brought media attention to Kingston when five students raided Benenden in Kent (the private school where Princess Anne was being educated), in order to put up RAG week posters. Following the ensuing outrage the students apologised and were suspended for a week. Further negative attention came when students set up their own pirate radio station "Shameless". Unfortunately the students were identified, arrested and the equipment was smashed. RAG week stunts were ended by the Union and the Principal Dr Lawley shortly thereafter.
In the mid- to late 1960s, Union activities started to become more political. In 1965, 300 students staged a sit down strike over deficiencies in the refectory after not being able to get afternoon tea. In 1968 another protest was held at Tolworth tower and the Students' Union president was later forced to resign after a no confidence vote for failure to secure improved catering from the guildhall was successful. It was also this year that saw the Union's first full-time President elected when Mr Subir Das was elected in 1968 and in January of this year, the Union was first allowed representation on the Institution's Academic Board. The following year a row over regulations on student representation from the Department of Education and Science was forced, when Kingston Students found that they did not include polytechnic students. Students threatened a vast militant campaign and the Department quickly backed down.
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