Cambridge Students' Union, known as Cambridge SU, is the university-wide representative body for students at the University of Cambridge, England. Its predecessor union was known as Cambridge University Students' Union or CUSU until its dissolution in July 2020.[1]
Cambridge SU should not be confused with the Cambridge Union Society (often referred to as simply 'the Union'); membership of both is open to all students at Cambridge, but the Cambridge Union Society is a private society, whereas all students at the University of Cambridge are automatically members of Cambridge SU (although they can opt-out), and Cambridge SU is partially funded by grants from the university.
Until 2020, graduate students at Cambridge University were eligible for membership of CUSU as well as the University of Cambridge Graduate Union, specifically for graduate student affairs. In November 2019, students voted by referendum to dissolve both CUSU and the Graduate Union to form one student union, Cambridge SU.[2] The new single Students' Union was established on 13 July 2020.[1]
CUSU was founded as the Cambridge Students' Union (CSU) in 1971 to represent all higher education students studying in Cambridge, that is students attending the University of Cambridge plus undergraduates at CCAT (the then Cambridgeshire College of Arts and Technology, which in 1993 became Anglia Polytechnic University, Cambridge, renamed to Anglia Ruskin University in 2005). CSU also represented students at Homerton College, then a separate teacher training college in the city.
CSU during its early years from 1971 to 1974 received support from CCAT Students' Union as CCATSU was from the 1960s the only large NUS-affiliated, and conventionally funded, students' union in Cambridge. CSU in turn supported CCATSU in its campaigns to get more student housing provided for CCAT degree students, a serious issue for the college by the early 1970s. CCATSU and CSU went their separate ways after 1974.
CSU was formally recognised by the Cambridge University authorities on 25 May 1984 and renamed, following a student referendum in March 1985, as CUSU – Cambridge University Students Union. CSU's second president, in 1972, was Charles Clarke, later a LabourMP, Secretary of State for Education and Home Secretary.
There had been previous university-wide groups, such as CAMNUS (Cambridge NUS), which was founded in 1964 by Gordon Heald, John Bibby and others. CAMNUS arranged certain university-wide student facilities, such as 'CAMNUS Coaches' (an end-of-term bus service to all parts of the country), and an inter-collegiate mail service.
Following a referendum of members of CUSU and the University of Cambridge Graduate Union in 2019, the two agreed to merge. The new union, Cambridge SU, was established in July 2020.[1]
OfficersEdit
Cambridge SU holds elections annually for 8 full-time officers, several part-time officers and a number of delegates to the National Union of Students (NUS) Annual Conference.
The full-time officers take a one-year sabbatical from their studies (or directly after they have graduated) and are:
President (PG)
President (UG)
Access, Education and Participation Officer (PG)
Access, Education and Participation Officer (UG)
Disabled Students' Officer
Welfare & Community Officer
Women's Officer
BME Officer
There are also seven SU Campaigns, which are free to differ from the central SU on policy matters, with six of which representing a particular subset of students. They are:
Class Act, representing students from working-class and disadvantaged educational backgrounds
Ethical Affairs Campaign, which leads Cambridge SU's work on ethical and environmental issues in the university and wider society
The Chairs of the SU campaigns may only be elected by members of that campaign.
ControversyEdit
In March 2006, the largest Cambridge college students' union, Trinity College Students' Union voted to disaffiliate from CUSU for the academic year 2006/2007. Several other colleges were reported to be also considering the option.[3] Trinity College Students' Union reaffiliated in early 2007, following re-engagement work by the incumbent sabbatical officers. On 14 November 2010, both the JCR and MCR of Corpus Christi College disaffiliated, following a college-wide ballot in which 71% of undergraduates and 86% of postgraduates voted in favour of disaffiliation.[4] Also, in November 2013 Gonville and Caius College disaffiliated following a referendum which saw a result of 213 votes for disaffiliation and 91 votes against.[5]
In 2015 the university had to give CUSU a £100,000 bailout, but incumbent president Priscilla Mensah denied that this was due to financial mismanagement.[6][7]
In 2019, CUSU presented a surplus budget, ending what the Union described as “a few difficult years in recent history” with regards to its financial situation.[8]
^"CUSU in cash crisis". varsity.co.uk. Retrieved 15 April 2018.
^"Another £100,000 please! CUSU is CU-Screwed after finance goes astray". thetab.com. 2 October 2015. Retrieved 15 April 2018.
^"CUSU 2019–20 budget predicts surplus for first time in recent years". varsity.co.uk. Retrieved 1 April 2019.
External linksEdit
Official website
October 24, 2023
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Not to be confused with Cambridge Union Cambridge Students Union known as Cambridge SU is the university wide representative body for students at the University of Cambridge England Its predecessor union was known as Cambridge University Students Union or CUSU until its dissolution in July 2020 1 Cambridge Students UnionInstitutionUniversity of CambridgeLocationStudents Union 3rd Floor University Centre Granta Pl Mill Lane Cambridge CB2 1RUEstablished1971 as CSU later CUSU 2020 as Cambridge SU Sabbatical officersPresident PG Amelia Jabry Lucy Cavendish President UG Zaynab Ahmed Newnham Access Education amp Participation PG Savannah Phillips Magdalene Access Education amp Participation UG Neve Atkinson Murray Edwards BME Kefeshe Bernard Jesus Disabled Students Elia Chitwa Clare Welfare amp Community Daisy Thomas Robinson Women s Eseosa Akojie Queens MembersApprox 24 000AffiliationsNational Union of Students UKCISAWebsitecambridgesu wbr co wbr ukCambridge SU should not be confused with the Cambridge Union Society often referred to as simply the Union membership of both is open to all students at Cambridge but the Cambridge Union Society is a private society whereas all students at the University of Cambridge are automatically members of Cambridge SU although they can opt out and Cambridge SU is partially funded by grants from the university Until 2020 graduate students at Cambridge University were eligible for membership of CUSU as well as the University of Cambridge Graduate Union specifically for graduate student affairs In November 2019 students voted by referendum to dissolve both CUSU and the Graduate Union to form one student union Cambridge SU 2 The new single Students Union was established on 13 July 2020 1 Contents 1 History 2 Officers 3 Controversy 4 Former officers 5 References 6 External linksHistory EditCUSU was founded as the Cambridge Students Union CSU in 1971 to represent all higher education students studying in Cambridge that is students attending the University of Cambridge plus undergraduates at CCAT the then Cambridgeshire College of Arts and Technology which in 1993 became Anglia Polytechnic University Cambridge renamed to Anglia Ruskin University in 2005 CSU also represented students at Homerton College then a separate teacher training college in the city CSU during its early years from 1971 to 1974 received support from CCAT Students Union as CCATSU was from the 1960s the only large NUS affiliated and conventionally funded students union in Cambridge CSU in turn supported CCATSU in its campaigns to get more student housing provided for CCAT degree students a serious issue for the college by the early 1970s CCATSU and CSU went their separate ways after 1974 CSU was formally recognised by the Cambridge University authorities on 25 May 1984 and renamed following a student referendum in March 1985 as CUSU Cambridge University Students Union CSU s second president in 1972 was Charles Clarke later a Labour MP Secretary of State for Education and Home Secretary There had been previous university wide groups such as CAMNUS Cambridge NUS which was founded in 1964 by Gordon Heald John Bibby and others CAMNUS arranged certain university wide student facilities such as CAMNUS Coaches an end of term bus service to all parts of the country and an inter collegiate mail service Following a referendum of members of CUSU and the University of Cambridge Graduate Union in 2019 the two agreed to merge The new union Cambridge SU was established in July 2020 1 Officers EditCambridge SU holds elections annually for 8 full time officers several part time officers and a number of delegates to the National Union of Students NUS Annual Conference The full time officers take a one year sabbatical from their studies or directly after they have graduated and are President PG President UG Access Education and Participation Officer PG Access Education and Participation Officer UG Disabled Students Officer Welfare amp Community Officer Women s Officer BME OfficerThere are also seven SU Campaigns which are free to differ from the central SU on policy matters with six of which representing a particular subset of students They are LGBT Lesbian Gay Bisexual and Transgender International Students Campaign international students Black and Minority Ethnic BME Campaign Black and minority ethnic students Women s Campaign known as WomCam Disabled Students Campaign Class Act representing students from working class and disadvantaged educational backgrounds Ethical Affairs Campaign which leads Cambridge SU s work on ethical and environmental issues in the university and wider societyThe Chairs of the SU campaigns may only be elected by members of that campaign Controversy EditIn March 2006 the largest Cambridge college students union Trinity College Students Union voted to disaffiliate from CUSU for the academic year 2006 2007 Several other colleges were reported to be also considering the option 3 Trinity College Students Union reaffiliated in early 2007 following re engagement work by the incumbent sabbatical officers On 14 November 2010 both the JCR and MCR of Corpus Christi College disaffiliated following a college wide ballot in which 71 of undergraduates and 86 of postgraduates voted in favour of disaffiliation 4 Also in November 2013 Gonville and Caius College disaffiliated following a referendum which saw a result of 213 votes for disaffiliation and 91 votes against 5 In 2015 the university had to give CUSU a 100 000 bailout but incumbent president Priscilla Mensah denied that this was due to financial mismanagement 6 7 In 2019 CUSU presented a surplus budget ending what the Union described as a few difficult years in recent history with regards to its financial situation 8 Former officers EditNotable former officers and sabbaticals include Charles Clarke King s former Labour Member of Parliament MP for Norwich South and Home Secretary President 1971 72 Mike Gapes Fitzwilliam former Labour and Co operative and subsequently Change UK Member of Parliament MP for Ilford South Secretary 1973 Tom Hayhoe Corpus Christi Chairman of West London NHS Trust President 1977 78 David Lidington Sidney Sussex former Conservative Member of Parliament MP for Aylesbury and Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster Deputy President 1977 78 Natalie Ceeney Newnham senior civil servant and businessperson President 1990 91 Paul Lewis King s journalist at The Guardian President 2002 03 Wes Streeting Selwyn Labour Member of Parliament MP for Ilford North and former President of the National Union of Students NUS President 2004 05 Mark Fletcher Jesus Conservative Member of Parliament MP for Bolsover President 2007 09 Lola Olufemi Selwyn writer and activist Women s Officer 2017 18References Edit a b c Welcome we are your new Students Union Cambridge SU Retrieved 13 July 2020 Cambridge Students voted yes to a new single students union CUSU CUSU Retrieved 22 November 2019 Trinity reaffiliation greeted with absolute apathy Varsity Online Varsity co uk Archived from the original on 23 May 2023 Retrieved 23 May 2023 corpusJCR News article cam ac uk Archived from the original on 19 January 2014 Retrieved 15 April 2018 Caius votes to disaffiliate CUSU in cash crisis varsity co uk Retrieved 15 April 2018 Another 100 000 please CUSU is CU Screwed after finance goes astray thetab com 2 October 2015 Retrieved 15 April 2018 CUSU 2019 20 budget predicts surplus for first time in recent years varsity co uk Retrieved 1 April 2019 External links EditOfficial website nbsp Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Cambridge Students 27 Union amp oldid 1180183218, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
