Clubs and Societies

Societies’ Fair

Any club or society consisting wholly or partly of current undergraduate or postgraduate students in the University, other than a sports club, may apply to the Junior Proctor for registration as a University society. Sports clubs register instead with the Sports Service. 

Registration with the University is not mandatory but does offer benefits that are not available to unregistered clubs and societies. For example, only University societies:

  • may use the University’s name and logo (subject to certain conditions, as explained on the Brand Resources site);
  • may apply to the Societies Syndicate and its Technical Committee for financial assistance by way of grants and loans (see further below);
  • are covered by certain University insurance policies (see further below);
  • are entitled to certain University IT services (see further below); and
  • are published on the list of registered University societies.

For more information, see the Junior Proctor’s detailed and wide-ranging Notes of Guidance. 

See also see the Proctorial Notice on University Clubs and Societies and the summary information and links below.

Please email junior.proctor@cam.ac.uk with any queries.

Note that the annual re-registration window for University societies currently registered will open on Moodle on 1 July and close at midnight on 31 December.

Applications for new (initial) registrations may be made at any time. Registration is valid until 31 December each year (the following year, in the case of clubs and societies registered during the Michaelmas Term).

To apply to register a club or society, please email to junior.proctor@cam.ac.uk: (i) a Constitution, (ii) Financial Statements signed by the Senior Treasurer (which might show no transactions or assets, in the case of brand-new societies) and (iii) a current List of Officers.

The following sample documents are provided to assist you: Constitution; Financial Statements; List of Officers.

For more information about Senior Treasurers, see below.

When a University society is first registered, the President, Junior Treasurer and Senior Treasurer are given access to the Registered Clubs & Societies Moodle site and linked to the new society. When Committee members change, the President or Junior Treasurer must email junior.proctor@cam.ac.uk, so that access can be updated.

University societies are required to re-register each year. The re-registration window normally opens on 1 July and closes at midnight (UK time) on 31 December. The Junior Proctor will de-register Societies that miss the deadline.

Societies that have become inactive, or that have been de-registered, may not re-register but must instead complete a fresh (initial) registration.

Re-registration simply involves uploading to the Registered Clubs & Societies Moodle site: (i) the society’s most recent annual Financial Statements and (ii) a current List of Officers. If changes have been made, (iii) the society’s current Constitution must also be uploaded. Societies may, if they wish, upload a society logo and a society website (which will be published on the list of registered University societies).

The following sample documents are provided to assist you: Constitution; Financial Statements; List of Officers.

Documents uploaded to the Moodle site will become visible once the re-registration has been approved.

When a University society is first registered, the President, Junior Treasurer and Senior Treasurer are given access to and linked to the new society. When Committee members change, the President or Junior Treasurer must email junior.proctor@cam.ac.uk, so that access can be updated.

Clubs and societies may wish to register, separately, with the University of University of Cambridge Students’ Union. 

Annual re-registration with the Students’ Union is required, and takes place in June/July.

Registration with the Students’ Union is not compulsory but offers additional benefits, including:

  • listing in the SU Clubs and Societies Directory, along with promotion via the SU’s Event Listings;
  • the opportunity to take part in the annual Freshers’ Fair, which over 300 clubs and societies and 18,000 students attend each year; and
  • booking meeting rooms (up to c. 5 people), hire of the SU Lounge (up to 50 people), colour photocopying, printing, email and web services, all available in the SU offices: 3rd Floor University Centre, Granta Place, Mill Lane, Cambridge CB2 1RU.

For further details about these and other benefits and services, see the SU Support for Societies page, email activities@cambridgesu.co.uk or enquire at SU Reception (tel. 01223 333 313).

University societies are required to have a Senior Treasurer. For further information about the Senior Treasurer’s role, see this outline of responsibilities.

The Senior Treasurer is normally a senior member of the University, who appears on the current Roll of the Regent House, or else a member of the Senate (i.e., a holder of a Cambridge MA or other higher degree) whom the Junior Proctor has approved for this purpose. If you cannot secure a member of the Regent House to serve as Senior Treasurer and wish to appoint a member of the Senate instead, please email junior.proctor@cam.ac.uk.

The Societies Syndicate gives financial assistance to registered University societies, by way of launch grants, one-off grants, ongoing grants and guarantees against loss. For details, see the Societies Syndicate and Technical Committee page. For queries, please email societiessyndicate@admin.cam.ac.uk.

The University’s Public Liability Insurance policy covers registered University societies that are registered that appear on the list of registered University societies, subject to a relevant risk assessment covering all activities/events. 

The University’s Product Liability Insurance applies only to products that have been notified to and accepted by the underwriter. “Products” means “goods or anything including packaging, containers, labels and instructions sold, supplied, hired out, constructed, erected, installed, treated, repaired, serviced, processed, stored, handled, transported or disposed of by the insured or on the insured’s behalf in business”.

If a society has a product, it is highly advisable to apply for product liability insurance. To arrange cover, must contact the University’ Insurance Section, addressing the following:

  • A description of the product, with further information/documentation if needed.
  • Does the University have oversight of the product concerned via a tutor/lecturer/other employee?
  • Where geographically is it to be used/implemented/sold and does this include any North American territories?
  • Is the product being developed out of research or consultancy contracts (and may therefore constitute a professional indemnity risk)?
  • Is the University being asked to provide a subrogation waiver or to another party hold harmless as part of any agreement?

In the absence of insurance cover, all clubs and societies (and, in the case of societies that are unincorporated associations, their members) are legally and financially liable for property damage, bodily injury and other claims.

For more information, see the Junior Proctor’s detailed Notes of Guidance.

The University Information Services (UIS) offers some IT services for registered University societies:

societies.cam.ac.uk domain

Registered University societies may apply for a domain name at societies.cam.ac.uk. 

For further information, see Apply for a domain name on the UIS website.

@cam mailing list 

Mailing lists are a convenient and efficient way of sending the same message to many people. For example, the widget society might have a mailing list named widegt-society@lists.cam.ac.uk to contact all of its members.

For further information on getting and managing a mailing list for a University society, see Getting started with mailing lists on the UIS website.

Shared mailbox

Registered University societies can also apply for shared mailboxes; these can be used by an individual with a named role (e.g., president@) or by a group of people. 

For further information, see Shared mailboxes on the UIS website.

MS Teams site 

Registered University societies can apply for a Microsoft Teams site to collaborate on society business and to store files. You'll be asked to suggest a name (between 5 and 7 characters) for the site. Make sure you select “SOC” from the drop-down list of departments.

Further information on how to use Teams is available on the UIS website.

 

Student-Run Computing Facility

Separately from the UIS, the Student-Run Computing Facility (SRCF) offers web-hosting, email and other solutions for registered University societies.

The Reprographics Centre, based in the Old Schools, undertakes printing and photocopying for central University Divisions, Departments, Colleges and student organisations, including clubs and societies. See the Reprographics page or email reprographics.enquiries@admin.cam.ac.uk for more information.