Cambridge University Students' Union
Encyclopedia
Cambridge University Students' Union (CUSU) is the university-wide representative body for students at the University of Cambridge
University of Cambridge
The University of Cambridge is a public research university located in Cambridge, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest university in both the United Kingdom and the English-speaking world , and the seventh-oldest globally...

, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...

. CUSU is a federal body made up of individual college student unions (known as JCR
JCR
JCR may refer to:* Revolutionary Coordinating Junta of 1970s urban guerrilla communist parties in South America* Content repository API for Java * Junior Common Room...

s and MCRs).

CUSU was founded as the Cambridge Students' Union (CSU) in 1971 and formally recognised by the university authorities on May 25, 1984 and renamed, following a student referendum in March 1985, as CUSU - Cambridge University Students Union. Its second president was Charles Clarke
Charles Clarke
Charles Rodway Clarke is a British Labour Party politician, who was the Member of Parliament for Norwich South from 1997 until 2010, and served as Home Secretary from December 2004 until May 2006.-Early life:...

, later a Labour
Labour Party (UK)
The Labour Party is a centre-left democratic socialist party in the United Kingdom. It surpassed the Liberal Party in general elections during the early 1920s, forming minority governments under Ramsay MacDonald in 1924 and 1929-1931. The party was in a wartime coalition from 1940 to 1945, after...

 MP
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...

, Secretary of State for Education
Secretary of State for Education and Skills
The Secretary of State for Education is the chief minister of the Department for Education in the United Kingdom government. The position was re-established on 12 May 2010, held by Michael Gove....

 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
Cyril Bibby
Cyril Bibby was a biologist and educator. He was also one of the first sexologists.-Early life, family, etc. :...

 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.

CUSU should not be confused with the Cambridge Union Society
Cambridge Union Society
The Cambridge Union Society, commonly referred to as simply "the Cambridge Union" or "the Union," is a debating society in Cambridge, England and is the largest society at the University of Cambridge. Since its founding in 1815, the Union has developed a worldwide reputation as a noted symbol of...

; membership to both is open to all students at Cambridge, but the Cambridge Union Society is a private society and membership is dependent on payment of a subscription.

Although graduate students at Cambridge University are members of CUSU, there is also a students' union specifically for graduate student affairs, the University of Cambridge Graduate Union
University of Cambridge Graduate Union
The University of Cambridge Graduate Union is the official graduate students' union at the University of Cambridge, England. It is responsible for supporting graduate students and advocating issues via University committees and beyond....

.

Officers

CUSU holds elections annually for 6 or 7 full-time officers, several part-time officers and a number of delegates (5 in 2011, with the President making the 6th delegate ex officio) 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
  • Access and Funding Officer
  • Coordinator
  • Education Officer
  • Welfare & Rights Officer (joint with the Graduate Union
    University of Cambridge Graduate Union
    The University of Cambridge Graduate Union is the official graduate students' union at the University of Cambridge, England. It is responsible for supporting graduate students and advocating issues via University committees and beyond....

    )
  • Women's Officer
  • Ethical Affairs Officer (only when funding is available)


There are also five "Autonomous Campaigns" of the CUSU, which are semi-independent bodies dealing with a particular subset of students. They are:
  • CUSU LBGT (Lesbian, Bisexual, Gay and Transgender)
  • CUSU International
  • Black Students Campaign
  • CUSU Women's Union (the Chair of which is the sabbatical Women's Officer)
  • Disabled Students' Liberation Campaign


The chairs of the autonomous campaigns may only be elected by members of that campaign.

Controversy

In March 2006, the largest Cambridge college students' union, Trinity College Students' Union
Trinity College, Cambridge
Trinity College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge. Trinity has more members than any other college in Cambridge or Oxford, with around 700 undergraduates, 430 graduates, and over 170 Fellows...

 voted to disaffiliate from CUSU for the academic year 2006/2007. Several other colleges were reported to be also considering the option. Trinity College Students' Union reaffiliated in early 2007, following re-engagement work by the incumbent sabbatical officers. On November 14 2010, both the JCR and MCR of Corpus Christi College
Corpus Christi College, Cambridge
Corpus Christi College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge. It is notable as the only college founded by Cambridge townspeople: it was established in 1352 by the Guilds of Corpus Christi and the Blessed Virgin Mary...

 disaffiliated, following a college-wide ballot in which 71% of undergraduates and 86% of postgraduates voted in favour of disaffiliation.

Former CSU/CUSU Presidents and Sabbatical Officers

Notable former sabbaticals include:
  • Charles Clarke
    Charles Clarke
    Charles Rodway Clarke is a British Labour Party politician, who was the Member of Parliament for Norwich South from 1997 until 2010, and served as Home Secretary from December 2004 until May 2006.-Early life:...

    , President 1971-72.
  • David Lidington
    David Lidington
    David Roy Lidington PC is a British Conservative Party politician, who has been Member of Parliament for Aylesbury since 1992...

    , Deputy-President 1977-78.
  • Natalie Ceeney, President 1990-1991.
  • Pav Akhtar
    Pav Akhtar
    Pav Akhtar is a British Labour Party activist. Among his many and varied jobs he used to work for the trade union UNISON and was councillor for Stockwell in the London Borough of Lambeth. Along with Waheed Alli, Baron Alli, he is one of very few out gay Muslim politicians in the world.Akhtar...

    , President 2001-2.
  • Wes Streeting
    Wes Streeting
    Wesley "Wes" Paul William Streeting is Chief Executive of the Helena Kennedy Foundation, an educational charity that promotes access to higher education to students from further education colleges through bursaries, mentoring and work placements...

    , President 2004-5

Table of former CSU/CUSU Presidents and Sabbatical Officers
Year Title Name College
1970-71 President John Newbigin Queens'
Queens' College, Cambridge
Queens' College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge, England.The college was founded in 1448 by Margaret of Anjou , and refounded in 1465 by Elizabeth Woodville...

1971-72 President Charles Clarke
Charles Clarke
Charles Rodway Clarke is a British Labour Party politician, who was the Member of Parliament for Norwich South from 1997 until 2010, and served as Home Secretary from December 2004 until May 2006.-Early life:...

King's
King's College, Cambridge
King's College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge, England. The college's full name is "The King's College of our Lady and Saint Nicholas in Cambridge", but it is usually referred to simply as "King's" within the University....

1972-73 President Mike Grabiner King's
1973-74 President Neville Walton St. John's
Jill Lewis Newnham
Newnham College, Cambridge
Newnham College is a women-only constituent college of the University of Cambridge, England.The college was founded in 1871 by Henry Sidgwick, and was the second Cambridge college to admit women after Girton College...

1974-75 President Tony Allen Mills Jesus
Jesus College, Cambridge
Jesus College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge, England.The College was founded in 1496 on the site of a Benedictine nunnery by John Alcock, then Bishop of Ely...

Deputy President Robert Breare Pembroke
Pembroke College, Cambridge
Pembroke College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge, England.The college has over seven hundred students and fellows, and is the third oldest college of the university. Physically, it is one of the university's larger colleges, with buildings from almost every century since its...

1975-76 President Alastair Begg Sidney Sussex
Sidney Sussex College, Cambridge
Sidney Sussex College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge in England.The college was founded in 1596 and named after its foundress, Frances Sidney, Countess of Sussex. It was from its inception an avowedly Puritan foundation: some good and godlie moniment for the mainteynance...

Deputy President Pippa Berry King's
1976-77 President John Stewart Downing
Downing College, Cambridge
Downing College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge. The college was founded in 1800 and currently has around 650 students.- History :...

Deputy President Simon Turner Sidney Sussex
Sidney Sussex College, Cambridge
Sidney Sussex College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge in England.The college was founded in 1596 and named after its foundress, Frances Sidney, Countess of Sussex. It was from its inception an avowedly Puritan foundation: some good and godlie moniment for the mainteynance...

1977-78 President Tom Hayhoe
Tom Hayhoe
Tom Hayhoe is a director of health sector organisations in the UK including West Middlesex University Hospital where he is currently chairman, a former student union politician and parliamentary candidate, and a prominent offshore racing sailor...

Corpus Christi
Corpus Christi College, Cambridge
Corpus Christi College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge. It is notable as the only college founded by Cambridge townspeople: it was established in 1352 by the Guilds of Corpus Christi and the Blessed Virgin Mary...

Deputy President David Lidington
David Lidington
David Roy Lidington PC is a British Conservative Party politician, who has been Member of Parliament for Aylesbury since 1992...

Sidney Sussex
Sidney Sussex College, Cambridge
Sidney Sussex College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge in England.The college was founded in 1596 and named after its foundress, Frances Sidney, Countess of Sussex. It was from its inception an avowedly Puritan foundation: some good and godlie moniment for the mainteynance...

1978-79 President Charles Burch Trinity
Trinity College, Cambridge
Trinity College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge. Trinity has more members than any other college in Cambridge or Oxford, with around 700 undergraduates, 430 graduates, and over 170 Fellows...

Deputy President Alan Newman Emmanuel
Emmanuel College, Cambridge
Emmanuel College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge.The college was founded in 1584 by Sir Walter Mildmay on the site of a Dominican friary...

1979-80 President Jon Hunt St John's
Deputy President Tom Fish Churchill
Churchill College, Cambridge
Churchill College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge, England.In 1958, a Trust was established with Sir Winston Churchill as its Chairman of Trustees, to build and endow a college for 60 fellows and 540 Students as a national and Commonwealth memorial to Winston Churchill; its...

1980-81 President Ian Wright St Catharine's
St Catharine's College, Cambridge
St. Catharine’s College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge. Founded in 1473, the college is often referred to informally by the nickname "Catz".-History:...

Deputy President Sarah Rowland Jones Newnham
1981-82 President Nick Alexander Downing
Deputy President Anne Clift-Hill Newnham
1982-83 President Ann Robinson Newnham
Deputy President Nick Holgate Trinity
1983-84 President Martin Markus Trinity Hall
Trinity Hall, Cambridge
Trinity Hall is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge, England. It is the fifth-oldest college of the university, having been founded in 1350 by William Bateman, Bishop of Norwich.- Foundation :...

Deputy President Mike Thursfield Emmanuel
1984-85 President Chris Thornton Clare
Clare College, Cambridge
Clare College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge in Cambridge, England.The college was founded in 1326, making it the second-oldest surviving college of the University after Peterhouse. Clare is famous for its chapel choir and for its gardens on "the Backs"...

Deputy President Martin Tod  St. John's
1985-86 President Mary Browning King's
Deputy President (Services) Andy Loader Christ's
Christ's College, Cambridge
Christ's College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge.With a reputation for high academic standards, Christ's College averaged top place in the Tompkins Table from 1980-2000 . In 2011, Christ's was placed sixth.-College history:...

Deputy President (Welfare) Tanya Pein Churchill
1986-87 President Michael Black Selwyn
Selwyn College, Cambridge
Selwyn College is a constituent college in the University of Cambridge in England, United Kingdom.The college was founded by the Selwyn Memorial Committee in memory of the Rt Reverend George Selwyn , who rowed on the Cambridge crew in the first Varsity Boat Race in 1829, and went on to become the...

Deputy President (Services) Louis Bezodis St. Catharine's
Deputy President (Welfare) Satnam Virdi King's
1987-88 President Sian Griffiths New Hall
New Hall, Cambridge
Murray Edwards College is a women-only constituent college of the University of Cambridge. It was founded as "New Hall" in 1954, at a time when Cambridge had the lowest proportion of women undergraduates of any university in the United Kingdom, and when only two other colleges admitted women...

Deputy President (Services) Chris Lowe St. Catharine's
Deputy President (Welfare) Dave Lees Girton
Girton College, Cambridge
Girton College is one of the 31 constituent colleges of the University of Cambridge. It was England's first residential women's college, established in 1869 by Emily Davies and Barbara Bodichon. The full college status was only received in 1948 and marked the official admittance of women to the...

1988-89 President Gillian Wilson St John's
Deputy President (Services) Lee Berridge Clare
Deputy President (Welfare) Fiona Caldwell Emmanuel
1989-90 President Kathryn Robinson New Hall
Deputy President (Services) Nicholas Whyte Clare
Deputy President (Welfare) David Derbyshire Clare
Deputy President (Communications) Suzanne Gill New Hall
1990-91 President Natalie Ceeney Newnham
Deputy President (Services) Kathryn Packer Emmanuel
Deputy President (Welfare) Bill Hayton Downing
Deputy President (Communications) Duncan Ross Queens'
Queens' College, Cambridge
Queens' College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge, England.The college was founded in 1448 by Margaret of Anjou , and refounded in 1465 by Elizabeth Woodville...

1991-92 President Bridget Martindale Selwyn
Deputy President (Services) Matt Young Clare
Deputy President (Welfare) Simon Chaplin Fitzwilliam
Deputy President (Communications) Siwan Hayward Girton
1992-93 President Mark Watson St. Catharine's
Deputy President (Services) Caterina Tzortzi Robinson
Robinson College, Cambridge
Robinson College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge.Robinson is the newest of the Cambridge colleges, and is unique in being the only one to have been intended, from its inception, for both undergraduate and graduate students of either sex.- History :The college was founded...

Deputy President (Welfare) Mel Wood Queens'
Deputy President (Communications) Matthew White Clare
1993-94 President Barney Hamilton St. John's
Deputy President (Services) David Blunt Emmanuel
Deputy President (Welfare) Mark Goodrich Trinity Hall
Deputy President (Communications) Chris Measures Fitzwilliam
Fitzwilliam College, Cambridge
Fitzwilliam College is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Cambridge in England.The college traces its origins back to 1869 and the foundation of the Non-Collegiate Students Board, a venture intended to offer students from less financially privileged backgrounds a chance to study...

Women's Officer Mel Barlow New Hall
1994-95 President Anna Dixon Trinity Hall
Deputy President (Services) Russell Smith St. Catharine's
Deputy President (Welfare) Doug Lynch Gonville & Caius
Gonville and Caius College, Cambridge
Gonville and Caius College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge in Cambridge, England. The college is often referred to simply as "Caius" , after its second founder, John Keys, who fashionably latinised the spelling of his name after studying in Italy.- Outline :Gonville and...

Deputy President (Communications) Eduardo Reyes Clare
Women's Officer Lucy Cartwright Trinity Hall
1995-96 President Nick Forbes Selwyn
Services Officer Neil Bentley Gonville & Caius
Welfare Officer Francesca Holland Jesus
Academic Affairs Officer Ceri Smith Emmanuel
Women's Officer Jenny Reindorp Clare
1996-97 President Ben Jackson Emmanuel
Services Officer James Vaccaro King's
Welfare Officer Ben Griffiths Clare
Academic Affairs Officer Neil McInnes Jesus
Women's Officer Denise Burford Emmanuel
1997-98 President Sarah Bonnett Sidney Sussex
Sidney Sussex College, Cambridge
Sidney Sussex College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge in England.The college was founded in 1596 and named after its foundress, Frances Sidney, Countess of Sussex. It was from its inception an avowedly Puritan foundation: some good and godlie moniment for the mainteynance...

Services Officer Dave Strachan Emmanuel
Welfare Officer Elliot Vaughn Clare
Academic Affairs Officer Colin Horswell Clare
Women's Officer Penny Pereira King's
1998-99 President Holly Linklater Jesus
Services Officer Chris Timms Pembroke
Welfare Officer Mark Jones Parry Churchill
Academic Affairs Officer Alix Langley Churchill
Women's Officer Ruth Scott King's
1999-00 President Tristan Jones Emmanuel
Services Officer Alan Bird Trinity Hall
Welfare Officer Mary Webber Jesus
Academic Affairs Officer Daniel Blaney King's
Women's Officer Katie McClymont King's
2000-01 President Mat Coakley King's
Services Officer Martin Lucas-Smith King's
Welfare Officer Isabel Hudson King's
Academic Affairs Officer Louise Capel-Cure Newnham
Women's Officer Laura Timms King's
2001-02 President Pav Akhtar
Pav Akhtar
Pav Akhtar is a British Labour Party activist. Among his many and varied jobs he used to work for the trade union UNISON and was councillor for Stockwell in the London Borough of Lambeth. Along with Waheed Alli, Baron Alli, he is one of very few out gay Muslim politicians in the world.Akhtar...

Homerton
Homerton College, Cambridge
Homerton College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge in England.With around 1,200 students, Homerton has more students than any other Cambridge college, although less than half of these live in the college. The college has a long and complex history dating back to the...

Services Officer Stewart Morris Christ's
Welfare Officer Helen Evans St John's
Academic Affairs Officer Mike Bourke Christ's
Women's Officer Alison Ismail Emmanuel
Access Officer Rachel Tripp Girton
2002-03 President Paul Lewis King's
Services Officer Craig Wilkie Christ's
Welfare & Graduates Officer Alice Pennington Christ's
Academic Affairs Officer Katie Childs Girton
Women's Officer Chris Holly Trinity
Access Officer Steph Hawryla Newnham
2003-04 President Ben Brinded Gonville & Caius
Services Officer Keith Collantine Selwyn
Welfare & Graduates Officer Lizz Waller Girton
Academic Affairs Officer Jessica Childs King's
Women's Officer Jo Read Newnham
Access Officer Suzy Butler Pembroke
2004-05 President Wes Streeting
Wes Streeting
Wesley "Wes" Paul William Streeting is Chief Executive of the Helena Kennedy Foundation, an educational charity that promotes access to higher education to students from further education colleges through bursaries, mentoring and work placements...

 
Selwyn
Services Officer Edward Shattock Fitzwilliam
Welfare & Graduates Officer Richard Reid Pembroke
Academic Affairs Officer Drew Livingston Peterhouse
Women's Officer Jo Read♦ Newnham
Access Officer Naveed Anwar Selwyn
2005-06 President Laura Walsh Fitzwilliam
Services Officer Jennifer Cooper Newnham
Welfare & Graduates Officer Vicki Mann Sidney Sussex
Sidney Sussex College, Cambridge
Sidney Sussex College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge in England.The college was founded in 1596 and named after its foundress, Frances Sidney, Countess of Sussex. It was from its inception an avowedly Puritan foundation: some good and godlie moniment for the mainteynance...

Academic Affairs Officer Drew Livingston♦ Peterhouse
Women's Officer Michelle Nuttall King's
Access Officer Zen Jelenje Clare
2006-07 President Mark Ferguson Robinson
Services Officer Ashley Aarons Girton
Welfare & Graduates Officer Samuel Rose St John's
Academic Affairs Officer '06 David Ewings Queens'
Academic Affairs Officer '07 Patrick Leonard Girton
Women's Officer Harriet Boulding Newnham
Access Officer Luke Pickering Girton
2007-08 President Mark Fletcher Jesus
Services Officer Adam Colligan Selwyn
Welfare & Graduates Officer Andrea Walko Kings
Academic Affairs Officer Peter Coulthard St John's
Women's Officer Elly Shepherd Fitzwilliam
Access Officer Charlotte Richer Jesus
2008-09 President Mark Fletcher♦ Jesus
Education Officer & Deputy President Ant Bagshaw Jesus
Access & Funding Officer Charlotte Richer♦ Jesus
Coordinator Adam Colligan♦ Selwyn
Welfare & Graduates Officer Andrea Walko♦ King's
Women's Officer Natalie Szarek Newnham
2009-10 President Tom Chigbo St John's
Education Officer & Deputy President Sam Wakeford Trinity Hall
Access & Funding Officer Joe Farish Trinity
Coordinator Clare Tyson Murray Edwards
Welfare & Graduates Officer (until 9th February) Amiya Bhatia St John's
Student Support Officer (after 10th February)
Women's Officer Natalie Szarek♦ Newnham
2010-11 President Rahul Mansigani Robinson
Education Officer & Deputy President Maria Helmling Corpus Christi
Access & Funding Officer Andy McGowan Trinity Hall
Coordinator Chris Lillycrop St Catharine's
Student Support Officer Morgan Wild Sidney Sussex
Sidney Sussex College, Cambridge
Sidney Sussex College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge in England.The college was founded in 1596 and named after its foundress, Frances Sidney, Countess of Sussex. It was from its inception an avowedly Puritan foundation: some good and godlie moniment for the mainteynance...

Women's Officer Sarah Peters-Harrison Murray Edwards
2011-12 President Gerard Tully Trinity Hall
Trinity Hall, Cambridge
Trinity Hall is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge, England. It is the fifth-oldest college of the university, having been founded in 1350 by William Bateman, Bishop of Norwich.- Foundation :...

Education Officer & Deputy President Morgan Wild♦ Sidney Sussex
Sidney Sussex College, Cambridge
Sidney Sussex College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge in England.The college was founded in 1596 and named after its foundress, Frances Sidney, Countess of Sussex. It was from its inception an avowedly Puritan foundation: some good and godlie moniment for the mainteynance...

Access & Funding Officer Taz Rasul Selwyn
Selwyn College, Cambridge
Selwyn College is a constituent college in the University of Cambridge in England, United Kingdom.The college was founded by the Selwyn Memorial Committee in memory of the Rt Reverend George Selwyn , who rowed on the Cambridge crew in the first Varsity Boat Race in 1829, and went on to become the...

Coordinator Harriet Flower Homerton
Homerton College, Cambridge
Homerton College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge in England.With around 1,200 students, Homerton has more students than any other Cambridge college, although less than half of these live in the college. The college has a long and complex history dating back to the...

Student Support Officer Rosa O'Neill Robinson
Robinson College, Cambridge
Robinson College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge.Robinson is the newest of the Cambridge colleges, and is unique in being the only one to have been intended, from its inception, for both undergraduate and graduate students of either sex.- History :The college was founded...

Women's Officer Ruth Graham Christ's
Christ's College, Cambridge
Christ's College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge.With a reputation for high academic standards, Christ's College averaged top place in the Tompkins Table from 1980-2000 . In 2011, Christ's was placed sixth.-College history:...


♦ — Officers elected after seeking a second term

External links

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