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CUSU history

Former CUSU Sabbatical Officers

A list of former CUSU Sabbatical Officers is available.

A brief history of CUSU

The history of student representation at the University of Cambridge can be traced back as far as at least 1922, when Cambridge students were involved in the creation of the National Union of Students (NUS). By the 1940s, most colleges had a JCR, money for which came from Amalgamated Clubs Committees, upon which sat representatives of all the college societies and, in particular, sports clubs.

In 1964, the Student Representative Council (SRC) was set up, containing one representative for each of the JCRs, which by that time had become the recipients of funds instead of the Amal Clubs. In 1969 this became the Student Representative Assembly (1969) with a greater number of representatives. In 1970, its name changed to the Cambridge Student Union (CSU). In 1975, the CSU successfully obtained representation on the University Council. The creation of a 'working relationship' was put to the University's Student Matters Committee in 1979, which was then formally established in 1980.

In 1984, the CSU was at last recognised officially by the University, and in 1985 thus became the Cambridge University Students' Union. In 1990, CUSU moved to its current premises at 11-12 Trumpington Street. Since then, its representation on University Committees, and its range of areas of interest and services provided have steadily increased.

CUSU has had a sabbatical President since 1971, shortly followed by the creation of a Deputy President (Services) in 1973. In 1985 a Welfare sabbatical was created, and in 1989, a fourth sabbatical for Communications was added. The Women's Officer sabbatical position was created in 1994. For a few years in the mid-1990s, the Executive (including the Sabbaticals,surprisingly) were elected as a block, although this was reversed in a major constitutional reform of 1998-9 which, among other things, instituted the post of Academic Affairs Officer.

Most recently, the creation of an Access Officer sabbatical was approved overwhelmingly by referendum in 2000, taking the total number of sabbaticals to six. The staff position of Entertainments manager, created in 2000, was suspended for a year before being re-created in Easter 2003.

Students and the University

The following is a summarised version of the history of student representation outlined in 'From our Cambridge Correspondent', published by Varsity Publications Ltd, ISBN 0-902240-18-8.

  • Students from Cambridge were involved in NUS from its inception in 1922.
  • The Union Society disaffiliated from NUS in 1930.
  • The few JCRs that did affiliate had disaffiliated by the 1950s, since most student concern based around college facilities.
  • Cambridge University Students' Association (CUSA) was formed by NUS in 1952 as a collective body of students who were NUS members. By 1964 all Colleges were NUS-affiliated, but this not recognised by the University.
  • In 1964, Students' Representative Council (SRC) set up, with one representative from each of the 24 colleges, and 6 cross-campus 'University representatives'.
  • Societies Syndicate formed in 1966, funded by Amal Clubs.
  • SRC became the (larger) Student Representative Assembly (SRA) in 1969.
  • In 1970, this became the Cambridge Students' Union (CSU), reducing the SRA's 200 representatives back to one per College. The CSU swung between Moderate (right-wing) students and left-wingers.
  • In 1971 the CSU resurrected attempts in 1965 to get a central union building (a task which continues to this day).
  • In 1975 the University Council agreed with the CSU that student reps could sit on the Council of the Senate.
  • CSU was still not officially recognised formally as late as 1979, when this proposition was put to SACSMS (the student matters committee). A 'working relationship' was agreed in 1980.
  • In 1984, the CSU was at last formally recognised by the University.
  • In 1985, the CSU was renamed to the Cambridge University Students' Union (CUSU). Its premises were in Round Church Street, with Varsity next door.
  • CUSU moved to Trumpington Street in 1990, along with Varsity at the same time.
  • CUSU's presence on Varsity's Board was removed in the mid 1980s.
  • CUSU's two Sabbaticals became three in 1985 to concentrate on 'the services and information provided to students, to maintain CUSU's filing systems and to liaise with bodies such as the NUS'. In 1989, a fourth Sabbatical for Communications was added, and the Women's Officer in 1994.