Vibrant Student Life

Update coming soon.

Update coming soon.

Background

Last year, the previous Undergraduate President Fergus, introduced SU society grants as another way that the SU can support the work of societies to improve student life.

What have we done?

I meet regularly with the activities team to allocate grant funding and we’ve already given out a huge amount this year. The scheme is still finding its feet and once applications have closed for Michaelmas we hope to take another look at the grant criteria to make the process clearer for all.

What do we want to achieve?

We want to fund fun projects and events for all registered societies so that students can have the best possible time at uni!

Background

Cambridge terms are unusually short at just 8 weeks, and incoming freshers do not have a traditional Freshers' Week for induction and settling in, unlike other universities. To address this, many colleges have introduced 'prep' or 'bridging' weeks with training, orientation sessions, and academic workshops. However, the level of support varies between colleges, leaving some students feeling less prepared or confident compared to their peers. These preparation sessions especially benefit students from underrepresented backgrounds who are less familiar with Cambridge, its jargon, and procedures.

What have we done?

The universities ‘What Works’ document, published in tandem with the Access and Participation plan, intends to collate information on what pre-term provisions each college provides. I will then collate this information and work with the OFIS on the next steps to equalise provisions.

What do we want to achieve?

A baseline level of provision of pre-term activities for incoming first-year students to ensure all students have the confidence to enter their first term feeling prepared.

Background

The Shadowing Scheme, the SU's flagship access programme, has been running for over two decades with minimal changes to its structure or objectives. However, university governance has expressed concerns that the programme is becoming outdated. To ensure the scheme’s longevity and continued funding, it requires reform to better align with the evolving landscape of outreach and the university’s current attitudes and practices.

What have we done?

Katie is currently in the process of developing a ‘theory of change’ document around the effectiveness of the current scheme, which will be completed following the end of the 2025 Shadowing scheme.

What do we want to achieve?

To develop a scheme that reflects current best practices within both the university and the wider sector for undergraduate outreach programmes. This will ensure that university funding is utilised as effectively as possible, delivering maximum benefit to prospective students.