The Cambridge Students' Union, known as Cambridge SU, is the students' union of the University of Cambridge. Its predecessor union was known as Cambridge University Students' Union or CUSU until its dissolution in July 2020.
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 debating 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 the University of Cambridge 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. The new single Students' Union was established on 13 July 2020.
Officers
Cambridge SU holds elections annually for 5 full-time officers.
The full-time officers take a one-year sabbatical from their studies (or directly after they have graduated) and are:
- President (PG)
- President (UG)
- Vice-President for Education and Widening Participation
- Vice-President for Liberation and Welfare
- Vice-President for Student Community and Societies
Previously Cambridge SU had 8 full time sabbatical roles, with this number placing it at the highest end of all UK students' unions in terms of number of full-time, elected officers. This was reduced to five for 2025-26 onwards as part of the 2024 Governance Review.
Controversy
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. 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. Also, in November 2013 Gonville and Caius College unaffiliated following a referendum which saw a result of 213 votes for disaffiliation and 91 votes against.
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.
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.
Former officers
Notable 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
Sabbatical Officers
Between 2020-21 and 2024-25, the 8 Sabbatical Officer roles elected at Cambridge SU were: President (UG), President (PG), Access, Education and Participation Officer (UG), Access, Education and Participation Officer (PG), BME Officer, Disabled Students' Officer, Welfare and Community Officer, and Women's Officer.
{| class="wikitable"
|+ Cambridge SU Sabbatical Officers
|-
! Year !! President (UG)!! President (PG) !! Access, Education and Participation Officer (UG) !! Education and Participation Officer (PG) !! BME Officer !! Disabled Students' Officer !! Welfare and Community Officer !! Women's Officer
|-
| 2020-21 || Ben Margolis || Aastha Dahal || Esme Cavendish || Siyang Wei || Howard Chae || Kerensa Gaunt || Alice Gilderdale || Chloe Newbold
|-
| 2021-22 || Zak Coleman || Anjum Nahar || Zaynab Ahmed || Amelia Jabry || Tara Choudhury || Anna Ward || Ben Dalitz || Milo Eyre-Morgan
|-
| 2022-23 || Zaynab Ahmed || Amelia Jabry || Neve Atkinson || Savannah Phillips || Kefeshe Bernard || Elia Chitwa || Daisy Thomas || Eseosa Akojie
|-
| 2023-24 || Fergus Kirman || Vareesh Pratap || Caredig ap Tomos || Ani Perysinakis || Maroof Rafique || Ell Gardner-Thomas || Harvey Brown || Rosie Freeman
|-
| 2024-25 || Sarah Anderson || Sumouli Bhattacharjee || Katie Clarke || Neela Maadhuree || Maroof Rafique || Chalo Waya|| Elleni Eshete || Nowsha Farha
|}
In 2025, for the first time, 5 Sabbatical Officers were elected to serve (in 2025-26) in the new roles created in the 2024 Governance Review. These roles were: President (UG), President (PG), Vice-President (Education & Widening Participation), Vice-President (Liberation & Welfare), Vice-President (Student Community & Societies).
{| class="wikitable"
|+ Cambridge SU Sabbatical Officers
|-
! Year !! President (UG)!! President (PG) !! Vice-President (Education & Widening Participation) !! Vice-President (Liberation & Welfare) !! Vice-President (Student Community & Societies)
|-
| 2025-26 || Matthew Copeman || Augustin Denis || Jessica Asiedu-Kwatchey || Melanie Benedict || Olivia Ledger
|-
| 2026-27 || Melanie Benedict || TBC || Sarah Misraoui || Tallula Harris || Stella Wilkinson
|}