98-492: CUS may refer to: Cambridge Union Society Canadian Union of Students Critical university studies Catholic University School Chicago Union Station Commonwealth of Unrecognized States Concordia University System Confederation of Labour Unification (Spanish: Confederación de Unificación Sindical ) in Nicaragua Constitution of
196-629: A students' union in the modern sense, it did briefly affiliate to the UK's National Union of Students in 1924. In 2015 the Union celebrated its bicentenary; a committee composed of former and current Officers was put together to organise a range of events to mark the occasion. This included special debates, dinners and parties in Cambridge and, for the first time in its history, in London. In January 2015
294-644: A Bar on the ground floor, the Gladstone Room (a reception room) and the Morris Room (a meeting room) on the first floor, and a Members' TV Room on the second (uppermost) floor, along with separate offices for the President, Librarian, Treasurer and Secretary. Many of the rooms in the Union are named after figures from the Union's past, such as the Goodman Library with its oriel windows and
392-513: A Los Angeles jury of murdering his ex-wife Nicole Brown Simpson and her friend Ron Goldman in 1994. Speaking for 90 minutes in front of 1,300 students, Simpson spoke of racism in the Los Angeles Police Department , and said he was sorry for hitting his wife, Nicole. Paul Kenward had given O. J. Simpson assurances there would be no broadcast media at the union debate. However, Chris Philp , (now Conservative MP and then
490-614: A YouTube channel which has more than 1.8 million subscribers and has gained more than 250 million views across its videos. The Oxford Union's general conduct and management is governed by the Standing Committee. The voting members are: The non-voting members are: The Bursar, the Deputy Bursar and the Access Officers attend meetings of Standing Committee in an advisory capacity. Day-to-day management of
588-444: A debating society. In the 1920s, Viscount Ennismore of Magdalene tried three times to allow female guests to speak in debates. The issue continued to arise in the following decades, with Leonard Miall of St John's proposing a motion in 1935 that certain 'ladies of distinction' be permitted to speak in one debate per term, to no avail. By the early 1960s, formal votes were held to amend the constitution to allow women as members. Although
686-459: A fellow panelist, former CIA operative David Shedd . Oxford Union president Gui Cavalcanti replied that its agreement with Marsh and other panelists gave them the right but not the obligation to publish video of any events, adding that "just this academic year, we’ve had multiple events not uploaded, ranging from J. J. Abrams to Sir Patrick Stewart ." A transcript of the panel and its 22-minute audio are available online. In October 2019, before
784-420: A fictional character in the hit US series, The Newsroom . The Cambridge Union was famous within the university for having a very long and complicated constitution; it is a common rumour that the constitution is longer than the entire Constitution of Canada. This was in fact untrue, but only just: a quick count puts the old Union constitution in question at 31,309 words while the complete Constitution of Canada
882-544: A free-standing debating chamber in the gardens, which opened in 1879. This was about a decade after the completion of the Cambridge Union's premises (also designed by Waterhouse), and the exteriors of the two buildings are very similar. The original Woodward debating chamber is now known as "The Old Library". The Old Library is best known for its Pre-Raphaelite paintings by Dante Gabriel Rossetti , Edward Burne-Jones and William Morris , referred to collectively as
980-419: A lack of security personnel, a number of students from the audience eventually came to take on the responsibilities of controlling events, in one instance preventing a scuffle from breaking out between a protester and members of the audience, and eventually assisting police in herding protesters from the main hall. One student protester interviewed by BBC News reported that fellow protesters played ' jingles ' on
1078-402: A nominal cost. Guests are sometimes admitted to Union events for a charge. After more than 200 years, the Cambridge Union is best known for its debates, which receive national and international media attention. The top members of its debating team compete internationally against other top debating societies. The program also includes special events, such as a comedy debate in collaboration with
SECTION 10
#17327802624441176-684: A number of other institutions, together with those participating in some visiting study programmes in Oxford, are also eligible to apply for temporary membership. Guests staying at the Oxford Union Society/Landmark Trust flat in the Old Steward's House are deemed to be visiting members of the Society for the duration of their stay in the flat. Residential memberships are available to Oxford residents who are not from
1274-568: A permanent live streaming service, to be integrated with a new automatic multi-camera rig in the Main Chamber. The new service includes the ability for "virtual" attendees to contribute to debates via questions and comments to be read out on the floor of the Union. The streaming service is hosted on the Union's website and is available only to members. The Cambridge Union, like its Oxford counterpart, has faced controversy over its choice of speakers. Protests have been arranged by students against
1372-654: A poor Opposition and would, if returned to office, make an even poorer Government was broadcast live on the BBC Third Programme and drew a very large audience, concluding with the motion being defeated by 503 to 267. During this period, the society also endowed several honorary memberships upon significant figures, including the Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh who attended a debate to accept his membership status in 1952. By 1960, floor speeches had become an integral part of Union debates, facilitating
1470-491: A record number of new members joining. It is notable that the Union admitted women as full members before any of the colleges, as well as other societies such as the Footlights , did. 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 enjoys strong relations with the university, and allows other student societies to hire rooms for
1568-404: A second-year student at University College and features editor of the student magazine Cherwell ), was fined £50 for selling a written transcript of the debate and helping to sell an audio cassette to TV stations. In November 2007, President Luke Tryl sparked controversy by inviting Holocaust denier David Irving and British National Party leader Nick Griffin to speak at a Union forum on
1666-522: A tradition of hosting some of the world's most prominent individuals across politics, academia, and popular culture ranging from Albert Einstein and Michael Jackson to Sir Winston Churchill , Ronald Reagan , Queen Elizabeth II and Mahathir Mohamad . Many former Presidents of the Union have gone on to hold high office in the UK and the Commonwealth including William Gladstone , Ted Heath , Boris Johnson , and Benazir Bhutto . The Oxford Union
1764-434: Is 31,575 words long. If the university's rules on Single Transferable Voting are included, then this Constitution was indeed longer than that of Canada. These rules are referenced within this old constitution, but are not contained. On 9 May 2011, the Union launched its online public video service CUS-Connect , whereby recordings of past events and interviews were uploaded for free viewing. These have since been transferred
1862-484: Is a wonderful night for all women in Cambridge'. However, until the first female president, the decision to admit women had a negative effect on membership in the immediate term. In Michaelmas 1967, Ann Mallalieu of Newnham College became the first female president. The daughter of a Labour minister and ex-President of the Oxford Union , Mallalieu's term in office generated significant national publicity and saw
1960-626: Is also home to a grand piano, known as the "Bartlet-Jones Piano" after the Oxford University Music Society president who found it dusty and forgotten in a cupboard in the Holywell Music Room and placed it on permanent loan to the Union. The piano was unveiled by Vladimir Ashkenazy who famously refused to play it in front of the packed chamber because he "had not warmed up". The despatch boxes which continue to be used in Union debates are modelled on those in
2058-421: Is an organisation that was founded and is headed by students. Each term is planned and carried out by a mixture of elected officers and appointed student staff, with support from the organisation's non-student staff and trustees. The governance of the Cambridge Union is mandated by its Constitution. The Standing Committee (or 'Voting Members') is the Union's primary managerial body of 15 members, which consists of
SECTION 20
#17327802624442156-624: Is constitutionally bound to remain so. The first meeting of the Society was held illegally in a room in Peckwater Quad at Christ Church . The first recorded debate was about Parliamentarianism vs Royalism during the English Civil War . By the late 1820s, the Oxford Union was established enough to have regular elections, a growing collection of books, and formalized relations with its sister society The Cambridge Union . In
2254-608: Is different from Wikidata All article disambiguation pages All disambiguation pages Cambridge Union Society The Cambridge Union Society , also known as the Cambridge Union , is a historic debating and free speech society in Cambridge , England, and the largest society in the University of Cambridge . The society was founded in 1815 making it the oldest continuously running debating society in
2352-470: Is the largest schools' competition in the world, with over one thousand teams entering each year. There are chamber debates every Thursday evening during University terms. Experts for the proposition and opposition present paper speeches to the house. Members have an opportunity to deliver brief speeches from the floor. Following the style of the British Parliament, a motion is moved to "divide
2450-556: The Cambridge Footlights . The Union also organises talks by visiting speakers and a wide array of events throughout the academic year. The Cambridge Union is sometimes confused with the Cambridge University Students' Union , the student representative body set up in 1971; consequently, the term 'President of the Union' may cause confusion. Although the Cambridge Union has never functioned as
2548-568: The Cambridge University Students' Union . The Cambridge Union has a long and extensive tradition of hosting prominent figures from all areas of public life in its chamber, both state- and international-based, including the Dalai Lama , US presidents Theodore Roosevelt and Ronald Reagan , Bill Gates , Stephen Hawking , UK Prime Ministers Winston Churchill , Margaret Thatcher , and John Major , presidential candidate Bernie Sanders , as well as comedian Stephen Fry . Previous presidents of
2646-521: The House of Commons and were offered to the House during World War II . As recently as the 1970s the Oxford Union still provided a full silver service dining room for its members which, like its famous bar, was the afternoon and evening venue of choice for many of the university's leading undergraduate journalists and politicos. To be invited to dine at the large table in the bay window - the usual domain of
2744-579: The Oxford Union was founded in 1823. However, in the political climate of the Hundred Days which ended the Napoleonic Wars , controversial debate topics generated suspicion among university officials who sought to suppress potentially radical thought among students. On 24th March 1817, university proctors burst into a meeting of the society and the Cambridge Union was temporarily shut down, forbidding future debates from taking place. By 1821,
2842-509: The Oxford Union , is a debating society in the city of Oxford , England, whose membership is drawn primarily from the University of Oxford . Founded in 1823, it is one of Britain's oldest university unions and one of the world's most prestigious private students' societies. The Oxford Union exists independently from the university and is distinct from the Oxford University Student Union . The Oxford Union has
2940-534: The Oxford Union murals . The current debating chamber and several further extensions to the main buildings were added over the next forty years. The final extension was designed in a conventional Gothic Revival style by Walter Mills and Thorpe, and built in 1910–11. It provides the Macmillan Room (the Union dining room) and Snooker Room on the first floor above the Goodman Library, underneath which there are basement library stacks. The Union also consists of
3038-460: The University of Cambridge and Anglia Ruskin University . Members are able to bring guests to certain functions provided that the guests would not be allowed to purchase membership. Social events and events organised by external bodies are occasionally open to the public, with discounts for Union members. The Union launched online membership in late 2015, which allowed any student around
CUS - Misplaced Pages Continue
3136-418: The 1870s, the Society had grown too large for the chamber and commissioned a new chamber by Alfred Waterhouse . Finished in 1878 and opened the following year, the Union's new Debating Chamber was the largest purpose-built debating chamber in the world. The original chamber became the Society's library and is now home to over 60,000 volumes. A further period of building began in the early 1900s when an extension
3234-439: The 2015 General Election. The Counter Terrorism and Security Act 2015 eventually clarified that higher education institutions must retain particular regard to the duty to ensure freedom of speech and the importance of academic freedom within university societies, although it is unclear whether this applies to the Union. The union called a referendum on the hosting of Julian Assange on 22 October 2015, arguing that his residency in
3332-527: The 30th Army Corps commandeered the entire Union building for a week. It is rumoured that during this time the Union became one of a handful of buildings in Cambridge used to plan Operation Overlord and make preparations for the D-Day landings. Facing financial trouble and extensive rebuilding work, the Union launched a restoration appeal to its life members in October 1945, successfully raising over £3,000 by
3430-421: The Cambridge Union have included economist John Maynard Keynes , Robert Harris (novelist) , politician Kenneth Harry Clarke , and author Arianna Huffington . The society's origins lie in a dispute among the members of three pre-existing societies, one being a discussion group of which Lord Palmerston was a member. The inaugural meeting of the Cambridge Union was held on 13th February 1815, eight years before
3528-577: The Ecuadorian Embassy meant he was outside the jurisdiction of UK law, and thus required the consultation of its members considering a lack of past precedent. The referendum was more widely viewed as an opinion poll on the union's refusal to "no platform" speakers. It passed with 76.9% of the vote. Turnout was 1463. 52°12′31″N 0°07′10″E / 52.20861°N 0.11944°E / 52.20861; 0.11944 Oxford Union The Oxford Union Society , commonly referred to as
3626-526: The Events Management, Publicity, Guest Liaison and Audio-Visual departments, among others. Collectively, these positions are referred to as 'Full Committee'. The Board of Trustees, currently chaired by Mohamed A. El-Erian , is responsible for overseeing the long-term development of the Union's finances and property. Whilst the Trustees are not intimately involved with the day-to-day running of
3724-502: The House" in order to vote. Members in the chamber vote on the proposition with their feet by exiting the hall through a door designed to model the voting lobbies of the House of Commons , the right-hand side being marked 'ayes' and the left-hand side 'noes'. Oxford Union Society debates are filmed and licensed by Oxford Union Limited, a registered company controlled by the Oxford Union Society. Oxford Union Limited runs
3822-496: The Oxford Union Society's building) and formally opened on 30 October 1866. An additional wing was added several decades later. The future radical Liberal politician, Sir Charles Dilke , was the President chiefly responsible for construction. Included among the building's many rooms are the debating chamber, a dining room, bar, snooker room, the Keynes Library and various offices. Cambridge escaped virtually undamaged from
3920-836: The Oxford Union regularly fields successful teams at the World Universities Debating Championship (which the Union hosted in 1993) and the European Universities Debating Championship. The Union also runs the Oxford Schools' Debating Competition and the Oxford Intervarsity Debating Competition, each of which attracts schools and universities from around the world, as well as running a number of internal debating competitions. Oxford Schools' Debating Competition
4018-415: The Oxford Union. The admission of women to the Union required a 2/3 vote of its past and current members. The first vote to admit women failed, with 903 men voting to admit women and 459 voting against. The second vote, on 9 February 1963, succeeded, 1,039 to 427. Oxford student Judith Okely , who had led the campaign to admit women, then became the first woman member. Geraldine Jones of St Hugh's College
CUS - Misplaced Pages Continue
4116-498: The Union announced a £9.5m refurbishment project to begin in late 2016 to address major structural problems and to expand existing facilities, subject to approval by planners, to include a new Wine Bar on the ground floor and a Jazz & Comedy Club in the basement (in the old home of the Cambridge Footlights ). It also announced a plan to use the revenue generated from the new building to reduce membership fees to make
4214-483: The Union are elected a term in advance, allowing them to serve one term as an officer-elect to prepare for their following term in office. Termly elected officers serve a term (and its preceding vacation) as "officer-elect", during which time they are members of Standing Committee. During every term, the Standing Committee appoints a variety of positions within the Union. These range from the Secretary to positions in
4312-559: The Union is partly conducted by professional staff, principally the Bursar, the Deputy Bursar and the House Manager. Elections are held to fill the offices of President-elect, Librarian-elect, Treasurer-elect and Secretary, as well as 6 positions on the Standing Committee and 11 positions on the Secretary's Committee. In order to stand for election to the Secretary's Committee, members must make two speeches on different nights during
4410-400: The Union more accessible to students from lower income backgrounds, and to increase the size of its competitive debating activities for disadvantaged children and students. The development was to be partially financed through the leasing of disused parts of its site to Trinity College in a deal worth £4.5 million. Planning permission was received in 2016, and a fundraising campaign to cover
4508-493: The Union was permitted to resume debates under strict conditions, including that no political topics relevant to the last twenty years were to be discussed. In 1830, the Union regained its full freedom to debate all topics, excluding those of a strictly theological nature. The Cambridge Union's Bridge Street premises ( 52°12′31″N 0°07′10″E / 52.20861°N 0.11944°E / 52.20861; 0.11944 ) were designed by Alfred Waterhouse (who went on to design
4606-404: The Union's YouTube channel titled 'The Cambridge Union'. Before 2014, the Union only occasionally live-streamed popular events, with the first ever live stream held on 12 May 2011, in which Stephen Fry debated Radio 1 DJ Kissy Sell Out on the motion: "This House believes that classical music is irrelevant to today's youth". As part of its bicentennial celebrations in 2015, the Union launched
4704-457: The Union's president - was considered the acme of attainment in that particular sphere of the university. It was often said more plots were hatched around that particular table on a regular evening than in the Houses of Parliament on Bonfire Night . Similarly, the Union's two libraries were extensively used by that same cadre of undergraduates (principally humanities students) who were rushing at
4802-563: The Union, they maintain ultimate legal responsibility for the organisation, its assets and status as a registered charity. To maintain the link between the Student management and the Trustees, the President and the Vice President of the Union are traditionally appointed as Trustees for the duration of their term in office. The Review Committee of the Cambridge Union is a committee of former Officers appointed by Standing Committee under
4900-942: The United States Copper monosulfide (CuS) Urban Community of Strasbourg (French: Communauté urbaine de Strasbourg ) "C.U.S.", a song by Norther Cus D'Amato , American boxing manager and trainer who handled the careers of Mike Tyson, Floyd Patterson, and José Torres Centro Universitario Sportivo , Italian sport governing body (at university level). Locally version, in the various cities, of Centro Universitario Sportivo Italiano (for example CUS Rome, Cus Milan...) Custom House station , London, England (National Rail station code) Computer user satisfaction See also [ edit ] [REDACTED] Search for "cus" on Misplaced Pages. All pages with titles beginning with CUS All pages with titles containing CUS Cuss (disambiguation) Kus (disambiguation) Topics referred to by
4998-421: The University's AfriSoc society on Azmati's behalf, and soon gained national news media coverage. This was eventually followed by the resignation of standing committee members and other Union officials, and then by Union president Brendan McGrath on 19 November. Azmati was compensated an undisclosed amount. In April 2023, the union invited the gender-critical feminist philosopher Kathleen Stock . The invitation
SECTION 50
#17327802624445096-410: The annual 'No Confidence' debate, blind Ghanaian graduate student Ebenezer Azamati was violently removed from the hall for refusing to relinquish his seat, which had been reserved for a committee member. Azmati later had his membership revoked for two terms for 'violent misconduct'. Footage of the event was recorded by another member, and was subsequently uploaded to the internet. This led to protests from
5194-544: The appearance of Universities Minister David Willetts , Government Minister Eric Pickles , during which the building was broken into, former IMF chief Dominique Strauss-Kahn , French politician Marine Le Pen and Wikileaks Founder Julian Assange . In January 2015, the hosting of Germaine Greer caused a public row between the Union and the Cambridge Students' Union 's LGBT + group, due to Greer's alleged transmisogyny towards Rachael Padman . In June 2019,
5292-715: The buildings would not be lost. OLDUT's principal sources of funds are private donations and grant funding (including from the Mitsubishi UFJ Trust Oxford Foundation), rent on investment property and hiring fees. OLDUT uses these funds to provide financial support for the refurbishment and maintenance of the Union buildings and the operation of the Union's library and reading-rooms. The original Union buildings were designed by Benjamin Woodward and opened in 1857. The society soon outgrew these premises and commissioned Alfred Waterhouse to design
5390-499: The charity, Office Managers and a Bar Manager, amongst others. The Union also holds contracts for catering, cleaning, building maintenance, property management, IT services and legal advice. Members of staff are employed by the Union's subsidiary events company. The President, Vice-President, Bursar and other Trustees appointed on an ad-hoc basis serve as Directors of the company. Many of the Union's former Officers have gone on to considerable personal success after their time involved in
5488-442: The criterion for membership is being a fully matriculated member of the University of Oxford or a member of one of the Union's "kindred societies", namely: All those eligible for life membership can instead apply for long-term membership for a period of at least the duration of their course. Shorter membership is also extended to staff members of the University of Oxford or of any of its colleges or permanent private halls. Members of
5586-604: The current President, Vice-President and Officers, the President-Elect and Officers-Elect, and the Debating Officers, Communications Officer and Treasurer. All Officers of the Union are elected by its membership on a termly basis, with the exception of the Vice-President, Treasurer, Communications Officer, Membership Officer and two Debating Officers, who are appointed on an annual basis. Officers of
5684-664: The decision to proceed with the debate, saying that providing Irving and Griffin with a platform for their extreme views afforded them undue legitimacy. Following the event, some, including Oxford MP Evan Harris , criticised the No Platform Policy adopted by the Student Union. In February 2015, the Union invited Marine Le Pen , the leader of the Front National in France, to address the Union, in view of
5782-613: The early 1830s, the Union held its first debate on having confidence in HM Government, a tradition that is continued to this day. As the Society developed, it bought a plot of land by Frewin Court in central Oxford and commissioned Benjamin Woodward , who was then working on the University Museum, to design new buildings for the Society's use. These initial buildings opened in 1857, included the original debating chamber. By
5880-430: The emergence of a number of promising new faces. The 1960s is noted as a time in which a number of future cabinet ministers served as officers at the Union. The so-called Cambridge Mafia were a group of students who attended the university at roughly the same time, many of whom served as Union President, as well as Chairman of Cambridge University Conservative Association during their time at Cambridge. Several members of
5978-430: The end of Molly Mantle's term. It remains an ongoing point of discussion within the Society. Students running for election usually stand as part of a team, known as slates , enabling voters to support a designated candidate for each position and increase each candidate's vote count. In May 1996 President Paul Kenward invited O. J. Simpson to address the union, his first public address since his October acquittal by
SECTION 60
#17327802624446076-495: The end of the academic year. The postwar period saw a strong political atmosphere and a great many celebrated orators emerge from the Union, many of whom went on serve serve in senior government positions, notably Geoffrey Howe . On Armistice Day 1947, the Cambridge Union hosted what was the first university debate to be broadcast. The debate on the motion That this House considers that the Conservative Party makes
6174-488: The exclusion to argue that the passage of the Bill was too rapid and ill-thought out, whilst both the Oxford and Cambridge Union reaffirmed that they were not legally part of their respective Universities and thus were never subject to the bill in the first place. Strong opposition to the bill from Liberal Democrats and senior Conservative peers eventually resulted in the shelving of provisions regarding Universities' until after
6272-433: The group, including Norman Fowler , Michael Howard and Kenneth Clarke had attended Grammar schools, reflecting gradual changes in university admission at large. Though women had been allowed into the Union to watch debates from the gallery since at least 1866, the admission of women as full members was a contentious issue. For much of its history, the Cambridge Union was an exclusively all-male club, along with being
6370-414: The guidance of the Vice President. It is responsible for handling all disciplinary matters of the Union and may also be called upon to adjudicate on electoral malpractice. No member of Review Committee may serve as an elected officer for the duration of their term. In addition to these posts the Union also maintains an employed staff consisting of a Bursar, responsible for overseeing the long-term health of
6468-598: The hosting of Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad attracted criticism from the Union of Jewish Students , the Board of Deputies of British Jews , and several former Cambridge Union members including former President Adam Cannon due to the former's anti-Semitic remarks. In February 2022, the Union hosted the Israel ambassador Tzipi Hotovely in a high-security, balloted event, resulting in protests and minor vandalism of
6566-638: The last eight meetings of the Consultative Committee may either stand for election as Chair or vote. The number of elected positions on Standing Committee was increased from 5 to 7 in Michael Li's term (Trinity 2017) and implemented in Chris Zabilowicz's term (Michaelmas 2017). However, the number of elected positions was decreased back to 5 officers at the end of James Price's term (Hilary 2021) before being increased to six at
6664-558: The last minute to complete the obligatory weekly essay for their formal university education. The Union's buildings were used as a location for each of the films Oxford Blues (1984) and The Madness of King George (1994). Debating at the Oxford Union takes two forms: competitive debating and chamber debating. Competitive debating offers members of the Union debate workshops and a platform upon which to practise and improve their debating skills. The Union's best debaters compete internationally against other top debating societies , and
6762-440: The majority voted in favour, they failed to meet the 2/3 majority required to make constitutional change. On one occasion, a female student gate-crashed a debate and was removed, with the whole incident being reported in the national press. An amendment was finally passed by 71 per cent in 1965 to admit women to full membership of the Union. Almost immediately, five women had joined as full Union members, with one declaring that 'This
6860-685: The membership. Amongst the earliest individual addresses made to the Union were speeches given by Lord Randolph Churchill at the start of the 20th Century and Millicent Fawcett who became the first woman to address the Oxford Union in 1908. Since then notable speakers to have addressed the members of the Oxford Union include: Membership of the Oxford Union falls into four classes: life membership, long-term membership, temporary membership, and residential membership. Temporary membership can take four forms: course-length membership, termly membership, visiting membership, and (confusingly) permanent membership. The overwhelming majority of members are life members;
6958-483: The membership. One of the Union's most famous debates in recent years was between Richard Dawkins and Rowan Williams in February 2013, on the motion, 'This House Believes Religion has no place in the 21st Century', which was rejected by the assembled members. The Union's debates regarding religion have also created several controversial incidents, including in October 2014, when Peter Hitchens , speaking in favour of
7056-573: The motion ‘This House Regrets the Rise of New Atheism’ , appeared to break the rules of the House by physically intimidating Lord Desai after a heated exchange. Arguably the most notable debate to have been held at the Union was the 1965 Baldwin–Buckley debate . The debate, which was televised by the BBC, featured writer and civil rights activist James Baldwin and leading American conservative intellectual William F. Buckley . The motion under consideration
7154-567: The motion, "This House Believes Extremism in Defence of Liberty is no Vice; Moderation in the Pursuit of Justice is no Virtue". In 1975 the union debated the motion "That this House Would Say Yes to Europe" with Conservative leader Ted Heath, Liberal Party leader Jeremy Thorpe and senior Labour cabinet minister Barbara Castle speaking in the debate. It was televised live by the BBC shortly before
7252-498: The piano and danced on the President's chair though the truth of the latter assertion was seriously questioned by eyewitnesses. Smaller debates were eventually held with Irving and Griffin in separate rooms, amid criticism that the police and Union officials had not foreseen the degree of unrest which the controversial invitations would arouse. The President of Oxford University Student Union , Martin McCluskey, strongly criticised
7350-578: The popularity of the FN in the French polls at the time. This sparked considerable controversy, with allegations of Le Pen endorsing anti-Semitism and Islamophobia. The speech went ahead as planned, albeit delayed by the protesters blockading the Union's main entrance, and briefly breaking into the building. In all, over 400 people turned up to the demonstration. There was considerable controversy over OUSU's response, with allegations that OUSU had indirectly supported
7448-559: The premises. The hosting of technology entrepreneur Peter Thiel saw pro-Palestinian protestors gather outside the Union building and several inturuptions during the talk. Responding to these criticisms, the Union is often quoted as upholding the universal right to free speech, against the principles of No Platform passed by the National Union of Students and upheld by a few groups within Cambridge. Lobbying by former Union Presidents Lord Deben and Lord Lamont resulted in
7546-452: The premises. Around 20 protesters succeeded in breaching the poorly maintained security cordon and attempted to force their way through to the main chamber. Members of the waiting audience blocked access by pushing back against the chamber doors. After students were convinced to yield to the protesters by Union staff, a sit-in protest was staged in the debating chamber, preventing a full debate from occurring due to security concerns. Because of
7644-406: The protesters and not adequately condemned threats of violence against Union members who had attempted to attend the talk. In 2018, human rights activist Heather Marsh accused the Oxford Union of censorship and violating a contractual obligation when they failed to post video of a "Whistleblowing" panel in which she appeared to the official Oxford Union YouTube channel, allegedly at the request of
7742-680: The referendum, in June 3, 1975. In 1985, David Lange , prime minister of New Zealand, debated against the American evangelist Jerry Falwell the motion "This House Believes Nuclear Weapons are Morally Indefensible." Lange was invited to the debate by New Zealander Jeya Wilson , who was later elected president of the union. The Union puts on a wide variety of events for its members but is best known for its Thursday night debates and individual speaker events. In both of these, leading figures from public life are invited to discuss something of interest to
7840-485: The remaining cost was to be launched on 11 March 2017 with a special debate between Jon Snow and Nick Robinson . Construction on the major redevelopment project was scheduled to begin in Michaelmas 2018. The Cambridge Union receives no formal funding from the university and raises funds for event expenses and building maintenance through membership fees and sponsorship. Membership is now open to all students at
7938-465: The result of the debate from the union's minute book. This attempt was defeated in a meeting more attended than the original debate. Sir Edward Heath records in his memoirs that Churchill was then chased around Oxford by undergraduates who intended to debag him (i.e., humiliate him by removing his trousers), and was then fined by the police for being illegally parked. In 1964, the Oxford Union invited American civil rights activist Malcolm X to speak on
8036-496: The same term [REDACTED] This disambiguation page lists articles associated with the title CUS . If an internal link led you here, you may wish to change the link to point directly to the intended article. Retrieved from " https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=CUS&oldid=1241033371 " Category : Disambiguation pages Hidden categories: Articles containing Spanish-language text Articles containing French-language text Short description
8134-425: The society. Notable past Presidents and officers include: In addition to the long list of real life distinguished individuals that served as officers of the Cambridge Union during their time in Cambridge, Will Bailey , a fictional character on The West Wing , a US television drama series, claimed to have been a "former president of the Cambridge Union on a Marshall Scholarship " , as well as MacKenzie McHale ,
8232-458: The specific exclusion of the Cambridge and Oxford Unions from the Government's counter-terrorism bill, amid fears it could restrict free debate. Deben argued that the provisions within the bill would have prevented the hosting of British Union of Fascists' leader Oswald Mosley in the 1950s, concluding that the bill threatened "an essential British value". The National Union of Students used
8330-589: The subject of long leases, including an area of land around the rear of the debating chamber, part of the Union cellars (adjoining that now occupied by the LGBTQ+ venue Plush ), and part of what was formerly the Steward's house (now occupied by the Landmark Trust ). The creation of OLDUT secured the future of the Union's buildings such that even if the Oxford Union Society were to cease to be or fail financially
8428-456: The term they stand for election. For the other offices, candidates must have additionally made two such speeches in the previous term. Elections are always held on Friday of 7th Week of the university's Full Term . The election for the Chair of the Consultative Committee is held at the meeting of the Consultative Committee on Monday of 8th Week of each term. Only members who have attended four of
8526-459: The topic of free speech. The Student Population at a Council meeting voted to oppose the invitations. Following this and protests by other student groups, a poll of the Union's members was taken and resulted in a two-to-one majority in favour of the invitations. On the evening of the planned debate several hundred protesters gathered outside the Union buildings, chanting anti-fascist slogans and later preventing guests and Union members from entering
8624-586: The university, but only if they are deemed worthy by a full meeting of the Union's Standing Committee after submitting a written application to the Secretary and subsequent interview by a member of the Standing Committee. The Oxford Union buildings are located in Frewin Court (off Cornmarket Street ) and on St Michael's Street , and are owned by a separate charitable trust , the Oxford Literary and Debating Union Trust ("OLDUT"). The Oxford Union
8722-455: The widespread arial bombardment during World War II , ostensibly due to a quid pro quo arrangement with Heidelberg , another historic university city. However, the Union's building was hit during one attack in July 1942. The Union was the only building connected to the university to be directly hit during the war and the explosion caused extensive damage to the Union's library. In March 1944,
8820-490: The wood-panelled Macmillan Room with barrel ceiling. The buildings have gradually been added to with paintings and statues of past presidents and prominent members. The Old Library contains a fireplace situated in the middle of the floor with a concealed flue, a rare design of which only a handful of examples survive in the UK. The debating chamber features busts of such notables as Roy Jenkins , Edward Heath , Michael Heseltine , George Curzon and William Gladstone . It
8918-421: The world access to live streams of events for an annual subscription. The union awards honorary memberships to particularly distinguished individuals. Honorary members include: The Union puts on a wide variety of events for its members, but is best known for its Thursday night debates and individual speaker events. In both of these, leading figures from public life are invited to discuss something of interest to
9016-484: The world. Additionally, the Cambridge Union has served as a model for the foundation of similar societies at several other prominent universities, including the Oxford Union and the Yale Political Union . The Union is a private society with membership open to all students of Cambridge University and Anglia Ruskin University . The Cambridge Union is a registered charity and is completely separate from
9114-513: Was built between the Steward's House and the main premises of the Society. The Oxford Union is an unincorporated association ; its property is held in trust in favour of its objectives and members, and governed by its rules (which form a multipartite contract between the members). Its members are almost exclusively drawn from the University of Oxford with some provision for members who are resident in Oxford or attend Oxford Brookes University. Until 1963, women were excluded from membership of
9212-487: Was founded as the United Debating Society, an independent forum for unrestricted debate by junior members of Oxford University in 1823. At the time, the University prohibited junior members from discussing certain issues, such as matters of theology. Although restrictions of speech within the University have since been lifted, the Oxford Union has remained separate from and independent of the university and
9310-603: Was in 1967 the first woman to be elected President of the Oxford Union. The Oxford Union has long associated itself with freedom of speech , most famously by debating and passing the motion " That this House would under no circumstances fight for its King and country " in 1933. The debate polarized opinion across the country, with the Daily Telegraph running an article headlined "DISLOYALTY AT OXFORD: GESTURE TOWARDS THE REDS". Several prominent union members (including Randolph Churchill ) tried to expunge this motion and
9408-622: Was met with criticism from the Oxford University LGBTQ+ Society and the student union, who alleged Stock's views were transphobic and called upon the union to rescind the invitation. The union declined to disinvite Stock, saying in a statement that members would have the 'opportunity to respectfully engage and challenge' Stock. Letters both in support and in opposition to Stock's talk were published in national publications, signed by academics and students, and prompted intervention from prime minister Rishi Sunak , who told
9506-446: Was never financially secure and had a significant level of historic debt associated with the erection of its buildings. Following a particularly bad period in the 1970s, the Union buildings were sold to OLDUT (the Oxford Literary and Debating Union Trust), and the Oxford Union Society was granted a licence to occupy the building. Several parts of what were historically the Union buildings and grounds were subsequently either sold or made
9604-704: Was that ‘This House Believes The American Dream is at the Expense of the American Negro’ and the proposition won by a landslide. At the time the debate received extensive coverage on both sides of the Atlantic, and in subsequent years has come to be seen as a significant moment in the US Civil Rights Movement . The Union has a long history of receiving addresses from prominent figures. Past high profile speakers include: The Cambridge Union
#443556