Our second PORT AND CHEESE event will be held next weekend.

Saturday 14th November – 8pm – Green Room (Caius)

Lots of delicious cheese and as much port as you need to wash it down with.

£6 for members (else £8). Black Tie.

Please email the chairman to book a place or pop a cheque in Caroline’s pigeonhole at Newnham.

The Bright Blue Freshers Guide can be found by clicking here.

When I e-mailed George Owers, President of Cambridge Universities Labour Club, this summer to ask if he would contribute to our Freshers’ Guide, I explained my purposes in including plugs for rival political societies to him. Student politics suffers from a reputation for cattiness, partisanship, nitpicking and two-way snobbery. One of my aims in editing the “Bright Blue Freshers’ Guide”, was to attempt to break down this stereotype by showing that in reality rival student political groups are more interested in mature debate than tribal mudslinging. It appears that Mr Owers has a rather different agenda.

Another purpose of the Guide was, quite simply, to provide useful information in an entertaining manner. The official freshers’ guide is excellent but rather dry. In direct opposition to Mr Owers’ charges of exclusive ‘elitism’, if he had read the formal wear and money-saving tips he ought to have noticed that the point of these sections was to make traditional, mythological aspects of Cambridge life more accessible to students of all backgrounds.

Cultural attacks are a silly distraction from debate about policy and ideology. Dressing up is fun. Eating and drinking nice things is also fun. So when Mr Owers criticises CUCA for recommending these activities, I wonder whether it’s because he disapproves of students having fun whatsoever, or because he disapproves of their doing things he happens not to enjoy himself.

Students are learners. We do not know very much about the world yet. That’s why I believe “student politics” should be about listening, not shouting – hence CUCA’s many socials. Mr Owers’ unjustified vehemence does great damage to the outside appearance of student politics, and deters more students from getting involved in any political societies, including the Labour club.

It saddens me that CUCA has begun the term with an attempt to break down barriers while the Labour Club President seems determined to re-imagine them as quickly and forcefully as possible. What is worse, I should imagine that Mr Owers’ objections had not even occurred to most of the BBFG’s readership, but that now they will look again for traces of supposed exclusivity, and a bad taste will be left in their mouth. Well, they can wash it out with some free Gin and Tonic at Caius’ Bateman Room at 8pm on Friday the 9^th, or very cheaply at our Port and Cheese parties with some yummy tawny.

Welcome back to CUCA, and a warm welcome to all freshers and new members.

Two very important dates for your diary:

Freshers’ G&T Squash:

Come celebrate the start of term at the only party in Cambridge giving away FREE GIN AND TONIC. This is a great chance to meet CUCA members and learn more about what we do.

8pm Friday 9th October, Jason Bateman Room @ Caius College (map)

RSVP via facebook

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Annual BBQ

If you can get up early enough following the G&T squash, come eat, drink and be merry with CUCA’s annual FREE barbecue. This is another good opportunity to get to meet CUCA members old and new. If the weather’s good, we might even get out a few lawn games.

2pm Saturday 10th October, Jesus Green (map)

 RSVP via Facebook

If you decide to join, please fill in this membership form and send to Fergus McGhee at Trinity along with the relevant fee (You’ll also be able to sign up and pay at CUCA events throughout the term). Alternatively, join online using the “buy now” button to the right.

Please click here to see our new facebook page, which you can become a fan of. This is an awkward transition from the traditional CUCA group on facebook, but the specific page offers a much more interactive and useful way of communicating with members.

If I’ve been very clever and got it to work, posts (like this one) should automatically appear as notes of the facebook page, meaning that you can follow almost everything that happens in one place… hopefully.

Callum

(wearing the webmaster hat)

A few deadlines for you all (sorry!)

ABSOLUTE FINAL DEADLINE for the Chairman’s Dinner (click here for details) is the 4th June.

£35 for members, else £40

The deadline for Garden Party bookings will be the 12th June. If you can’t manage to send me a cheque or cash before then (£10 members, £15 else), reply to this e-mail to reserve a place and I can take payment on the day.

All cheques payable to “Cambridge Uni. Conservative Association” and sent to Hugh Burling of St John’s College

CUCA elections for Michaelmas 2009:

Nominations for Committee Members, a Registrar, a Secretary and a Vice Chairman open on the 29th May at 1opm, running until the 5th June at 10pm. The election(s) (if any) will be held on the 12th June.

Completed nomiation forms should be sent  along with a photocopy of your Party Membership Card at to Callum Wood atQueens’ College.

Note that you must have attended 3 events this term in order to stand; those running for Secretary/Registar/VC must have been to 2 campaigns sessions. Chapter Five of the Constitution deals with eligibility. Please email the RO for more information.

Nomination forms can be found here.