Women's Forum
All 2012-13 Women's Forums are held fortnightly at 7pm on Thursdays (11th Oct, 25th Oct, 8th Nov, 22nd Nov)
Women's Forum is open to all women in the University and takes place on alternating Wednesdays. Forum is the decision-making body of the Women's Campaign and is steered by the CUSU Women's Officer. Women's Forum provides an opportunity for women to find out about issues affecting women in the University and the work of the Women's Campaign.
Forum is a women only space, which means that when Forum is in session only self-defining women can be present. By self-defining women, we mean anyone who sometimes identifies as a woman, and/or is sometimes treated as a woman, and/or has a personal stake in women's liberation as something more than an ally.
Forum is basically split into two parts: items for discussion, and motions.The way it works is that any woman can submit an item for discussion, and it could be anything from setting up a faculty women's group, to publicising an event.
Similarly, proposals can be about anything that affects women students. A proposal puts foward an idea, and can initiate a campaign, mandate the CUSU Women's Officer to do something or ask the CUSU Women's Campaign to adopt a stance on a particular issue. Any woman student can bring a motion (there is generally a proposer and a seconder), and a group of women can propose a motion together. You don't have to be a college women's officer to put forward a proposal.
Once a proposal is accepted by Forum it becomes Women's Campaign policy and remains in effect for three years. It is the Women's Officer's responsibility to make sure that the Women's Campaign operates within the parameters of its policy, e.g., if Forum passes a motion to run a campaign, it is her job to oversee the campaign and report back to Forum on its progress.
When policy lapses it may either be discarded, which means it ceases to have any impact on Women's Campaign activities, or renewed. The CUSU Women's Officer should flag up lapsing policy once a year to see if Forum wants to renew it.
When a motion is being passed, it has to be voted on. Voting membership of the Forum is comprised of college Women's Officers and the Women's Executive Committee. Issues such as policy statements about the University or resolutions to take action on matters that arise within Cambridge, the U.K. and beyond all count as 'motions' and need to be voted on.
If you have any further questions about Women's Forum or related issues you can contact the CUSU Women's Officer.
Past Minutes/agendas
Minutes/agendas are available from Forum meetings:
| 2012-2013 | Michaelmas | Lent | Easter |
| 2011-2012 | Michaelmas | Lent | Easter |
| 2010-2011 | Michaelmas | Lent | Easter |
| 2009-2010 | Michaelmas | Lent | Easter |
| 2008-2009 | Michaelmas | Lent | Easter |
| 2007-2008 | Michaelmas | Lent | Easter |
| 2006-2007 | Michaelmas | Lent | Easter |
| 2005-2006 | Michaelmas | Lent | Easter |
| 2004-2005 | Michaelmas | Lent | Easter |
| 2003-2004 | Michaelmas | Lent | Easter |
| 2002-2003 | Michaelmas | Lent | Easter |
| 2001-2002 | Michaelmas | Lent | Easter |
| 2000-2001 | Lent | Easter |