Week one The debate

Welcome

Welcome to Cambridge!

The Union is the centre of a unique Cambridge experience. We are the largest so-ciety in the university, the oldest debating union in the world, and remain entirely student run.

From our beautiful grounds and historic building we welcome the biggest names, hold the greatest variation of social events, and run the only University-wide stu-dent bar in the city. Just over the past year Union members met world-class speak-ers like civil rights campaigner Jesse Jackson, Oscar-winning director Oliver Stone, comedienne Jo Brand, biologist and controversial author Richard Dawkins, and five former heads of government.

The Union is world famous for its debates – many of which receive a great deal of press attention. Within the last year our debating chamber witnessed Max Mos-ley debate press freedom, Edwina Currie take on feminism, and a Swedish pirate challenge the notion of copyright. As members you will have an exclusive chance to take part in these debates as a main speaker, or otherwise cross-examine these personalities from the audience.

Members gain access to our numerous free events, or else receive subsidized rates. Our beautiful fiction library has the best views of any in the city;

we alone have two full sized snooker tables; and our many rooms are available for our members to use – for free – when-

ever they want to run a private event or celebrate.

We hope the benefits of joining the Union are clear. It really is a unique chance to get involved, get elected, and make the decisions as to how our society is run – or sim-ply to enjoy all we have to offer.

As President during Michaelmas, I have the pleasure of running a team whose job it is to welcome you to Cam-

bridge. For the first two weeks after you arrive, our building and its events are open to all. Come visit, enjoy what

we have to offer, talk to the students who run the place, and maybe think about getting involved.

I look forward to welcoming as many of you as possible to our society. If you have any questions once you arrive, the officers and I will be eager to answer all of them.

James CounsellMichaelmas President

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Throughout the year, the Union holds some of the best social events in Cam-bridge. In Michaelmas term, the Union’s Freshers’ Ball is the climax of Freshers’ week; it is the first ball of the year, it’s free and freshers who sign up for life membership before the end of the first week of term will have an opportunity to attend. At the end of the term, the Winter Ball provides another chance for our Ents team to show that we throw the best parties outside of May Week. The Union then livens up Lent term with our Valentine’s Day Ball - a great excuse to get dressed up whether you’re loved up or resolutely single! Finally, in Easter, the Union kicks off May Week with the most extravagant Garden Party around.

ents

However, Union Ents consist of far more than just Balls. From pilates to pub

quizzes, Comedy Smokers to Casino & Cocktails nights, the sheer variety of

Ents means that there will be something that appeals to everyone. On top of

that, the Union is set to launch a regular club night this year - a unique privilege that no other student run organisation enjoys, and which will make use of the

fantastic facilities the Union has to offer.

With Ents being run almost every night of the week, membership of the Union

guarantees you a packed social calendar.

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Week one The debatespeakers

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The Union regularly welcomes some of the most powerful, in-fluential, best-known and best loved figures from around the world. Union members enjoy the exclusive privilege of hear-ing key decision makers talking about global events that have shaped the world as we know it.

In the past year alone, Union members met Civil Rights cam-paigner Jesse Jackson, comedi-enne Jo Brand, former British Prime Minister Sir John Major, former cabinet minister Edwina Currie and renowned biolo-gist and controversial author Richard Dawkins. This only reinforces the Union’s world-wide reputation for stimulating open minded discussions on a wide variety of topics.

In 1990, at the end of the Cold War, US President Ronald Reagan reflected candidly on his time in office. Soon after the Nelson Mandela’s release, F W de Klerk and Archbishop Desmond Tutu contemplated South Africa’s future in the Un-ion Chamber. The Dalai Lama spoke about human rights abuses, calling for international action and Tibetan independ-ence.

The debate WEEK ONE

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In 2004, the first elected President of Iraq expressed his hope for the country’s future to Union members.

A bastion for free speech, the Union never shies away from controversial issues and figures. A year after making it to the final round of the French Presi-dential elections, the leader of the French nationalist party, Jean-Marie Le Pen addressed the Union. In 2007, Colonel Gaddafi addressed the Union via satellite, issuing a defiant call for Western powers to stay out of Africa.

Members also enjoy the oppor-tunity to question our speakers in the unique environment of the Union chamber.

Take a look at our website for more details.

www.cus.org

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beneFIts

Membership of the Cambridge Union Society entitles members to various discounts and offers with local businesses. The Union has a wide range of deals available whether you want fine dining at Chez Gerard or a quick snack from Dorrington’s Bakery. Simply show your membership card at participating shops and restaurants to gain access to exclusive deals. The Union is constantly negotiating deals with more businesses so check the website regularly for new offers.

Our Societies room offers the ideal setting for clubs, general interest societies, and other student organizations to meet and to socialize

on a regular basis at no cost to the students.

treasurer’s treats

societies room

The Union opens its rooms to members throughout the day, and none is more pleasant than this beautiful drawing room. With magazines, music and comfy sofas, this room is a lovely place to relax with friends.

mountbatten room

The Union has the only two full-sized snooker tables in the centre ofCambridge for our members’ exclusive use.

snooker The Union also offers all members the chance to book rooms for private functions like birthday celebrations free of charge.

The debate WEEK ONEthe cambridgeunionbar

The Union Cafe

As the only bar in the city that caters to the whole University, it is the ideal place to meet people outside of the college bubble. Huge, airy and newly refurbished, this is the perfect space to warm up for the night ahead, or else wile away the evening. We offer heavily subsidised rates to members, including a week round £3 cocktail menu, and provide free mixing workshops. We have two 50” plasma TV’s, a free pool table, and a fire place that roars throughout the winter.

The ethical alternative to Starbucks, our coffee is all fair trade, we recycle just about everything we use, and all the profits are ploughed straight back in to your Union, a student run charity. We offer subsidised rates to members, and provide food all day round. The Union is the perfect place to work and play, and the Cafe ensures you’ve the fuel to see it through.

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Week one The debate

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The library’s diverse collection includes the largest selection of borrowable fiction in Cambridge out-side the University Library. Come in, sit down and dip into some classics or take a few minutes out of your busy day to read the latest best-sellers. The library also has sections of books for members to browse through in English literature; drama; poetry; classics; biogra-phy; politics; popular science; economics; philosophy; Oxford & Cambridge history; local history; sport; travel and humour, as well as having a comprehensive reference section.

One of Cambridge’s best kept secrets, the magnificent Fairfax Rhodes Reading Room was restored to its original finery

in the summer of 2009. It now houses the magnificent legacy of its antiquar-ian book collection bequeathed to the

Union by our benefactor, Colonel Fairfax Rhodes in 1929. The room houses a hand crafted oak confer-

ence table and is surrounded by leather crested chairs, and provides

an inspirational setting for mem-bers to study and read.

the Library

The Union library is a beautiful setting for members to read and relax in, with plenty of study space, power points and Wi-Fi connection for use with laptops.

The debate WEEK ONE

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our historic chamber

Jeremy Pa

xmanGeorge Galloway

Michael Parkinson Boris Johnson

Colonel Gaddafi

Week one The debatepublic speaking and debating

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The Cambridge Union Debat-ing teams compete at the highest level in the World and European Championships. We are the reigning English National Cham-pions and, over the last two years, have won more debating compe-titions than any other University in Britain or Ireland. Joining the Union gives you several opportunities to get involved. On Tuesday nights, hundreds of Union members participate in our weekly workshops. In these workshops you learn core debat-ing and public speaking skills from experienced debaters.

Further, Union members attend external competitions. The Union sends teams to represent Cam-bridge to competitions across the UK and abroad. Over the last few years, the Cambridge Union has sent teams to competitions in Thailand, Turkey, Orlando, New York, Amsterdam and Paris. This year we plan to send teams to Botswana, Galway, Paris and Boston.

The Union also runs the world’s largest schools debat-ing competition. Cambridge debaters have the opportu-nity to help spread debating to schools across the country. In particular, we financially support students from disadvan-taged backgrounds looking to take part in this activity

Competitive Debating at the Cambridge Union gives all its mem-bers the chance to improve their public speaking skills, participate in an enjoyable activity, represent Cambridge at competitions, and become part of a global debating community. Debating is a rewarding activity that we encourage all Cambridge students to try!

early membership offer

First name:.............................................................................Last name:.............................................................................DOB:.............................................................................University: Cambridge/Anglia Ruskin

College (for Cambridge students):.............................................................................Year of Graduation:.............................................................................Email:.............................................................................

Home address:.............................................................................House name/number:.............................................................................Street:.............................................................................Town:.............................................................................Postal code:.............................................................................Country:.............................................................................Contact Telephone Number:.............................................................................

Freshers’ Membership Fees: £120 Life (normal £150) £70 Annual (normal £80)

Methods of Payment & Administrative Fees:Personal Cheque made out to: “Cambridge Union Society” for £120. No admin charge!

Payment by Credit Card: Telephone Members’ Secretary on 01223 566421 with card details. An admin charge of £2.25p will be added to the transaction, totalling: £122.25p. Note: if you use a debit card there is no admin charge.

Online using PayPal: Enter Union Website and click on “Join the Union” An admin charge of £5.50p will be added to the transaction, totalling: £125.50p for life membership and £75.50p for annual (Note: if you join online, there is no need to complete and post this form back)

Newton Trust GrantsIf you are in receipt of a full Newton Trust Grant you can apply for a grant life membership at a cost of £75. All you need to do is present a copy of your grant confirmation letter to the Member’s Secretary in person and pay the fee. No students are involved in this transaction, so your confidentiality is assured.

Photograph for Membership Card:We will need a passport size photograph of you to complete your Membership Card. If you are using the Online PayPal option, there is a place where you can attach an electronic head and shoulders passport size photograph on the web page. For all other options, you will need to have a head and shoulder photograph taken at the Union office by the Member’s Secretary: ellie.starreveld@cus.org. Remember, the sooner we have your picture the faster we can get your card made up!

Please return the completed form to:Members’ Secretary Cambridge Union Society 9A Bridge Street Cambridge CB2 1UB

THIS OFFER ENDS OCTOBER 19th 201011

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