The University of Birmingham Christian Union (UBCU) has been reaffiliated to the Guild of Students after being expelled over seven years ago.
In 2006 the Christian Union had its bank accounts frozen and was ejected from the Guild for being in breach of the university’s equal opportunities policy by refusing to allow non-Christians on to its executive committee. However, after several years of negotiation, the Guild has readmitted the Christian Union, also allowing it to continue to restrict the leadership team to those students who are in sympathy and agreement with the CU’s Basis of Faith. Cara Forster, UBCU President, said: ‘UBCU is delighted to announce its readmission into the Guild of Students. After years of negotiation with the Guild, the UBCU constitution was approved on terms agreeable to both parties, whereby leadership of the executive committee can be restricted to those who wholeheartedly agree with the aims of the society (aka the doctrinal basis). We are thankful for the more recent favour towards the CU in the Guild leadership and their recognition that the CU has a positive contribution to make to the campus and to the Guild itself — this being evidenced, for example, by the holding of an English Club for international students and water-bottle distribution after the Guild's club night each week. The CU is excited and praises God for this new opportunity to further the gospel on campus’.
University is a marketplace of ideas and it’s thrilling to see that, after all these years, Christian students have a voice at the heart of the University of Birmingham once again.
