Cambridge Student Union Elections: Voter Turnout And Engagement

Cambridge Students' Union, also known as Cambridge SU, is the university-wide representative body for students at the University of Cambridge. All students at the University of Cambridge are automatically members of Cambridge SU and are given the option to opt out. The SU provides advice, information, resources, and support on all matters of student life, from access through education to welfare. 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. In 2023, Cambridge University student union voted in support of fully vegan menus in its cafes and canteens.

Cambridge SU is the university-wide representative body for students at the University of Cambridge

Cambridge Students' Union, or Cambridge SU, is the official representative body for all students at the University of Cambridge. It is distinct from the Cambridge Union Society, or 'the Union', which is a private society. All students at Cambridge are automatically members of Cambridge SU, though they can opt out, and the SU is partially funded by grants from the university. The SU provides advice, information, resources, and support on all matters of student life, from access through education to welfare.

The SU is the successor to the Cambridge University Students' Union, or CUSU, which dissolved in July 2020. CUSU was founded in 1971 to represent all higher education students in Cambridge, including undergraduates at Cambridgeshire College of Arts and Technology (now Anglia Ruskin University) and students at Homerton College, then a separate teacher training college. In 1984, CUSU was formally recognised by the University of Cambridge authorities, and in 1985 it was renamed following a student referendum.

In November 2019, students voted by referendum to dissolve both CUSU and the University of Cambridge Graduate Union, which had previously represented graduate students, and to form a single student union, Cambridge SU. The new union was established on 13 July 2020.

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 include:

• Access, Education and Participation Officer (PG)
• Access, Education and Participation Officer (UG)
• Disabled Students' Officer
• Welfare & Community Officer

There are also seven SU Campaigns, which are free to differ from the central SU on policy matters. 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 society

The SU's campaigns are led by elected chairs, who may only be elected by members of that campaign.

Cambridge SU provides advice, information, resources, and support on matters of student life

Cambridge Students' Union, also known as Cambridge SU, is the university-wide representative body for students at the University of Cambridge. All students at the University of Cambridge are automatically members of Cambridge SU (although they can opt out). Cambridge SU is partially funded by grants from the university.

Cambridge SU's predecessor, Cambridge University Students' Union (CUSU), was dissolved in July 2020. CUSU was founded in 1971 to represent all higher education students studying in Cambridge, including students at the University of Cambridge and undergraduates at CCAT (the then Cambridgeshire College of Arts and Technology, later Anglia Polytechnic University, Cambridge, and renamed Anglia Ruskin University in 2005). CUSU also represented students at Homerton College, then a separate teacher training college in the city.

In November 2019, students voted by referendum to dissolve both CUSU and the University of Cambridge Graduate Union, which was specifically for graduate student affairs, to form a single student union, Cambridge SU. The new union was established on 13 July 2020.

Cambridge SU holds elections annually for eight full-time officers, several part-time officers, and 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 include the Access, Education, and Participation Officer (for both postgraduate and undergraduate students), and the Disabled Students' Officer and Welfare & Community Officer.

There are also seven SU Campaigns, which are free to differ from the central SU on policy matters. Six of these campaigns represent a particular subset of students, including the LGBT+ Campaign, the International Students' Campaign, the Black and Minority Ethnic (BME) Campaign, the Women's Campaign (known as "WomCam"), the Disabled Students' Campaign, and Class Act, which represents students from working-class and disadvantaged educational backgrounds. The seventh campaign, the Ethical Affairs Campaign, leads Cambridge SU's work on ethical and environmental issues in the university and wider society. The Chairs of the SU campaigns are elected only by members of that campaign.

In addition to Cambridge SU, each college at the University of Cambridge has its own student union or unions: the JCR (Junior Common Room) for undergraduates and the MCR (Middle Common Room) for graduates. In some colleges, there is a combined JCR and MCR. Like CUSU and the GU, JCR and MCR officers are elected by the student body.

Cambridge SU is partially funded by grants from the university

The Cambridge Students' Union, or Cambridge SU, is the representative body for all students at the University of Cambridge. It was formed in July 2020 following a referendum in which students voted to dissolve the two previous unions, CUSU and the Graduate Union, and replace them with a single student union.

All students at the University of Cambridge are automatically members of Cambridge SU, although they can choose to opt out. Cambridge SU is funded in part by grants from the university, and it holds elections annually for eight full-time officers, several part-time officers, and delegates to the National Union of Students (NUS) Annual Conference. The full-time officers take a one-year sabbatical from their studies and include positions such as Access, Education, and Participation Officers for both postgraduate and undergraduate students, as well as a Disabled Students' Officer and a Welfare and Community Officer.

In addition to the central SU, each college at Cambridge has its own student union, known as the JCR (Junior Common Room) for undergraduates and the MCR (Middle Common Room) for graduates. These college-level unions also elect their own officers.

The Cambridge SU provides advice, information, resources, and support on a wide range of topics related to student life, from access and education to welfare. It also plays a role in shaping university policies, such as lobbying for a fully vegan menu across the university's catering services.

Cambridge SU is the result of a merger between CUSU and the Graduate Union

Cambridge Students' Union, or Cambridge SU, is the university-wide representative body for students at the University of Cambridge. All students at the University of Cambridge are automatically members of Cambridge SU, though they can opt out. Cambridge SU is the result of a merger between CUSU (Cambridge University Students' Union) and the Graduate Union.

CUSU was founded in 1971 as the Cambridge Students' Union (CSU) to represent all higher education students in Cambridge, including undergraduates at CCAT (Cambridgeshire College of Arts and Technology) and students at Homerton College, then a separate teacher training college. In 1985, following a student referendum, CSU was renamed CUSU. Until 2020, graduate students at the University of Cambridge were eligible for membership of both CUSU and the University of Cambridge Graduate Union.

In November 2019, students voted by referendum to dissolve both CUSU and the Graduate Union to form a single student union, Cambridge SU, which was established on 13 July 2020. Cambridge SU now holds elections annually for 8 full-time officers, several part-time officers, and delegates to the National Union of Students (NUS) Annual Conference.

It is important to distinguish Cambridge SU from the Cambridge Union Society, often referred to simply as 'the Union'. The Cambridge Union Society is a historic private debating society founded in 1815 and is completely separate from Cambridge SU. Membership in the Cambridge Union Society is open to all students at Cambridge University and Anglia Ruskin University.

The Cambridge Union Society is a private society and a debating and free speech society

The Cambridge Union Society, also known as the Cambridge Union, is a private society and a debating and free speech society. It was founded in 1815, making it the oldest continuously running debating society in the world. The Cambridge Union is a registered charity and is completely separate from the Cambridge University Students' Union (Cambridge SU). Membership of the Cambridge Union Society is open to all students at Cambridge University and Anglia Ruskin University, but members must buy a membership. The Cambridge SU, on the other hand, is the university-wide representative body for students at the University of Cambridge, and all students at the University of Cambridge are automatically members (although they can opt out).

The Cambridge Union has a long tradition of hosting prominent figures from all areas of public life, including US presidents, UK prime ministers, Nobel Prize winners, and other distinguished individuals. The society is famous for its debates, which receive national and international media attention. The Cambridge Union's building is located on Bridge Street in Cambridge and includes a debating chamber, a dining room, a bar, a snooker room, the Keynes Library, and various offices. The Union is legally a self-funded charity that owns and has full control over its private property and buildings in the Cambridge city centre. It has strong relations with the university and allows other student societies to hire rooms for a nominal cost.

The Cambridge Union Society is governed by its Constitution and managed by a Standing Committee of 15 members, consisting of the current President, Vice-President, Officers, the President-Elect, Officers-Elect, and various other elected and appointed officers. The Board of Trustees oversees the long-term development of the Union's finances and property and maintains ultimate legal responsibility for the organisation.

The Cambridge Union has faced some controversy over its choice of speakers, with protests arranged by students against the appearance of certain individuals. The Union has responded to these criticisms by upholding the universal right to free speech.

Frequently asked questions