On Sunday 28 January Trinity College voted to re-affiliate to CUSU. The twentieth vote, without which the quorum would have been invalid, was cast by the Varsity reporter sent to report on the outcome of the evening. The vote was passed by a margin of 17 in favour to 3 abstentions.

CUSU president Mark Ferguson claimed that the re-affiliation was “important for Trinity students”. “Through further engagement with the student body we can work on their greatest concerns”, he claimed. “TCSU are now directly funding the work that we do for Trinity Students - and with every JCR now funding CUSU, and the work we do for their students, the relationship between CUSU and the JCRs is obviously strengthened.”

Opinion seems split among Trinity members on the decision. Stuart Gooch, finalist engineer, was typical of a large percentage in describing his reaction as “absolute apathy”. Simon Morrell was “pleased”. First year philosopher John Young said he “didn’t know there was a vote” and that he was “disillusioned with [student] democracy”. SPS student Sophie Smith voiced concern at the loss of automatic NUS membership and ten per cent student discount at TopShop.

Mark Ferguson was delighted to have Trinity back on board. “Trinity’s re-affiliation is, of course, fantastic news for CUSU”, he said. “Within a year TCSU have been won back over to CUSU and I think that’s something that the whole exec can be proud of ... I hope that this is an indicator that we have taken the concerns of many students very seriously”.

TCSU president Gavin Johnstone explained what he thought caused Trinity to vote in favour of rejoining CUSU. “I think what carried the affiliation vote was the feeling that the new CUSU officers are much better than the last team.” Cited at the open meeting in support of TCSU’s affiliation motion were improved communication between CUSU sabbatical officers and JCR presidents, the decision of CUSU not to support the NUS decision to charge for student cards, plans to change CUSU’s structure and the need for collegiate support of a central union in order for Cambridge students to be represented were also Trinity student Mike Morley was less than convinced that re-affiliating was appropriate. “Disaffiliation to CUSU was never meant to change the life of an individual student. It was designed to send a message. CUSU wasn’t working, it was out of touch with its students”, he said. “CUSU has not changed - seeing Mark Ferguson dressed as a beer bottle does not make CUSU more relevant. Its failing programme of Ents is less popular than ever”. He added that “to re-affiliate now is to send a mixed message”.

Less than 72 hours’ notice were given of the motion for the open meeting. The email notice of the motion read: “A motion regarding potential re-affiliation to CUSU for 2007-2008 will be discussed at the Open Meeting tomorrow, Sunday at 7.30 pm in the JCR”. Many have claimed that this did not make it clear that affiliation could take place without a referendum.

“It seems somewhat bizarre that a disaffiliation needs a referendum, but affiliation does not”, continued Morley. “Will TCSU be affiliating to the BNP without a referendum, if someone cares to propose the motion?”

Mark Ferguson hopes that the proposed restructuring “should ensure that our core function - representing students, and campaigning on their interests is carried out to the best of our abilities”. TCSU president Gavin Johnstone “would be surprised if the issue resurfaced in the near future”, since “the point that Trinity was unhappy with CUSU last academic year has now been made strongly”.

Other students at Trinity have suggested that the real reason why the issue is unlikely to resurface is because very few people actually care.

Tom Woolford

Disaffiliation: A history

Trinity’s decision to disaffiliate last year was followed by that of three graduate student unions: Trinity, Magdalene and Downing. Downing MCR reaffiliated last term. The disaffiliation stemmed from dissatisfaction with CUSU on the grounds that it was badly run, incommunicative, out of touch and ignoring student issues. On 2 February 2006 a vote of no confidence against the then CUSU president, Laura Walsh was unsuccessful, with 27 votes for, 27 votes against and 10 abstentions.