Downing and CUSU

The Questions

• Is Downing affiliated to CUSU? Answer
• What does CUSU offer Downing? Answer
• How can I get help from CUSU? Answer
• Do Downing students campaign for change in CUSU? Answer
• What's all the talk about disaffiliation? Answer

The Answers

Is Downing affiliated to CUSU?

Despite what you may have read, the Downing JCR is affiliated to CUSU - the Cambridge University Students' Union.

Downing JCR pay subscription fees anually, and our president and vice-president sit on the CUSU council.

What does CUSU offer Downing?

CUSU provide welfare advice, NUS cards, societies fairs, training for our JCR officers, university-scale ents and much, much more.

A very useful report for Downing has been composed on what CUSU does for us.

How can I get help from CUSU?

This really depends on the type of help you would like. For welfare advice you can contact: welfare@cusu.cam.ac.uk.

They are independent from your college and the University so no one will know that you've contacted them unless you tell do.

If you are having problems with your tutor / supervisor, or if you have any ideas of education campagins you would like to see CUSU working on you should contact: academic@cusu.cam.ac.uk.

Remember that your JCR officer will always be in contact with their respective CUSU officer, and so is a good first point of contact.

The president is also able to raise issues at CUSU council regarding any issues from the student body, and you yourseleves are able to go to CUSU Open Meetings, where you can submit motions to discuss you ideas, issues or general opinons on how CUSU should be working.

Do Downing students campaign for change in CUSU?

Yes. Of course Downing students are not all completely satisfied with CUSU, and where change is needed there are Downing students campaigning for it.

If you have any ideas along similar lines, take them to a CUSU Open Meeting, or else pass them on to the president who is continuing Downing's move to change CUSU.

What's all the talk about disaffiliation?

Last year, Downing JCR held a referendum on our affiliation to CUSU, and decided to remain affiliated.

Every so often the issue is raised again on our website forums by dissatisfied students.

The JCR committee would encourage you to campain to change CUSU from the inside.

Page last updated 02/07/06 (bml25)