Despite funding and space issues, the number of societies at Cardiff StudentsÔÇÖ Union has now reached approximately 150 – and it is still growing.┬á
Funding has become an issue for societies this year, as a massive underspend of ┬ú20,000 last year has resulted in the budget being cut this year. Last year, ┬ú10,000 was not allocated to any of the existing societies, and another ┬ú10,000 was not spent. However, the guild of societies still has a budget of ┬ú44,000 this year, though this only includes societies affiliated with the StudentsÔÇÖ Union.
Space has also become a demanding issue for the Union and current societies. In particular, performance and dance societies want more space than the Union is currently able to provide. Due to this, some of the performance societies have been hiring space outside of the Union. However, an increase in funding for dance and performance societies to support their need for space may have a detrimental effect on the quality of other societies.
It also appears that the University has started rejecting societies; over the last two years nine in total have been rejected. Surprisingly, 150 societies is not the maximum allowed for the union, with 15 new societies created over the past two years. It would be possible to have more societies, but it has been argued it would compromise the quality of the current societies.
Adam Curtis, Societies Officer at Cardiff University, has said he still wants to increase the number of societies, but with an emphasis on ÔÇ£quality and diversityÔÇØ.
In comparison to other universities, UWE only has 30 societies and 20 associations, but the same number of students as Cardiff University. Swansea University were only allocated a ┬ú10,000 budget for their societies in the last academic year. Meanwhile, Manchester University has over 200 societies, which could imply CardiffÔÇÖs ever-growing societies would be manageable.
Adam Curtis has said it is important to encourage course-based societies in light of a recent study, which showed students who are part of a course-based society are less likely to drop out of University. Course-based societies encourage students to be involved in their course and make a lot of friends at university. Curtis believes it is important to empower students to be involved in university societies particularly because of the new £9000 tuition fees.
Despite this, the Economic Society has been disaffiliated this year. Also, the English Literature Society have been put on ÔÇÿprobationÔÇÖ until further notice on the basis that neither the Chairman nor the Secretary attended any societies meetings in the last academic year. Curtis emphasised that if societies are not active throughout the year then they will not be allowed to continue.
New societies have to prove they are different to any existing societies. More importantly, it is vital to make sure existing societies are not ignored by the creation of new ones, but ensuring all societies are as good as they can be.
The StudentsÔÇÖ Union has to make a decision as to whether it would be more beneficial to have fewer, well managed and well funded societies, as oppose to a large number of societies, many of which have a tendency to fail through poor management.
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