THE BIG CAMBRIDGE SURVEY REPORT 2015
DEMOGRAPHICS Who answered us? This year’s survey had a total of 3951 respondents, a 62% increase from last year’s 2438. Each tripos and College was represented, with Homerton giving us the most answers. The majority of responses came from women (56%) whilst men made up 42%, those who defined their gender as other 1% and those who preferred not to say 2%. The majority of respondents identified as straight (83%), with 13% identifying along the LGBT+ spectrum. There was a similar divide along the lines of disability; 84% did not identify themselves as having a disability while, of those who did, mental health conditions were most frequently cited. The vast majority of answers come from those in full-time study (97%). 7% of respondents were mature students, and 2% part-time. 15% of students were International. Just over a fifth of responses (22%) came from those who identified as Black and Minority Ethnic.
METHODOLOGY The Survey was circulated through the All Student Bulletin, social media and College networks. It was open throughout the Easter term, and a £100 cash prize draw was offered to a winner chosen at random from those who left their crsIDs when completing it. The data was then put together and analysed, and the analysis was informed by corresponding data from the National Student Survey and PT/RES (Postgraduate Taught/Research Experience Surveys), amongst others. Data from the survey has already been used to influence campaigns and work within Cambridge University Students’ Union (CUSU) and the wider university throughout the year; for a full report which examines more thoroughly the impact of the results on different groups of students please keep an eye on the CUSU website.
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WELCOME Welcome to the Big Cambridge Survey Report 2016. This year, a record 4000 students responded and you’ve already shaped our work. CUSU’s objective is simple: equality of opportunity for every Cambridge student. We can’t see any justifiable reason why a student at Cambridge should be negatively impacted by their background, identity, or even choice of College or subject. This year, students have made it clear there is an issue of inequality between the Colleges. You’ve highlighted issues around harassment, and perceived inequalities in the education system and the student body. We’re taking these issues seriously by providing resources to train all tutors and will continue to support the work of the CUSU Autonomous Campaigns in fighting discrimination. The survey also highlights the disparity in the experience of postgraduates and the difficulties mature students face, particularly those of a financial nature. We have been working hard to engage with our postgraduate members and their views have informed not only our work but our responses to policy on a national level. Change in an 800 year old institution can be a complex, lengthy process, but our case for change is only made stronger by your input. We are incredibly grateful as a union to all those students who took the survey; you’ve shown how a few minutes’ work can go a long way. After reading this, we hope you feel energised and motivated to pursue positive change; this could mean running for a full-time position, lobbying your College, or joining a network of student activists. Whatever you decide to do, make sure completing the next Big Cambridge Survey is a consideration; when four thousand students throw their support behind change at Cambridge, we’re onto something. As always, thank you,
CUSU President 2015-16
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TEACHING & LEARNING
Data from the 2014 Big Cambridge Survey on the Undergraduate Teaching and Learning Experience has been used to support a review of examinations and of workload - but with students still unhappy one year on, it seems there is still some way to go.
UNDERGRADUATE & POSTGRADUATE TAUGHT
47% of students find their
WORKLOADS MANAGEABLE
AND HEALTHY
THERE IS NO OTHER INSTITUTION IN THE WORLD WHERE A STUDENT HAS TO WRITE TWO OR THREE 2,000 WORD ESSAYS PER WEEK. IT’S UNMANAGEABLE FOR MOST STUDENTS & I THINK MOST OF THE
33% were confident they
could enact change in their tripos or department
SUPERVISORS ARE AWARE
60% of students
Those who knew who their faculty rep was felt more confident than those who didn’t know them
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are fully satisfied by their teaching and learning experience at Cambridge
SPOTLIGHT GENDER
When students answered the survey, they could select male, female, “other,” or “prefer not to say.” The majority of responses came from women (56%) whilst men made up 42%, those who defined their gender as other 1% and those who preferred not to say 2%. Throughout the survey, those who reported negative experiences were women and those who defined their gender as other.
53%
of women had experienced or observed genderbased harassment...
Those who identified as “other” were the only group who reported that Cambridge had more of a negative effect on their confidence and their ability to study, and 85% of this group reported that Cambridge had a negative effect on their mental health; this is in comparison to 51% of women and 38% of men.
27% of men and 53% of women had experienced or observed harassment or prejudice based on gender. This rises dramatically to 93% of those who identify as “other.” It is a trend across the results that students were more confident in seeking help from the university on educational issues than personal ones, and here 54% of women were confident in seeking help on educational issues, in comparison to 35% on personal issues. The positivity of responses was significantly lower for those who defined their gender as other - 33% were confident regarding educational issues and 26% on personal issues. ...rising to It is clear that support needs to become a priority for the University. Those who defined their gender as other reported that their College Welfare Officers and Tutors of those who were most likely to give them excellent support, and so it may be time to re-examine the relationship between defined their local-level support and that from the central University. gender as other
93%
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Campaigning for parity of provision across the colleges is a key aim of CUSU this year; and the results here show it is needed. The aim of the campaign for academic parity is not a ‘race to the bottom’: it is to ensure all students receive the best, and their Colleges and Departments are not reticent in giving it to them.
ACADEMIC PARITY
77% of PGR
Almost 1/3 DISAGREED that teaching hours for their courses were equal across colleges
ST CATHARINE’S HOMERTON
GIRTON MURRAY EDWARDS
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agree they had access to the resources required to complete their research
“TEACHING QUALITY FOR MY COURSE IS EQUAL ACROSS COLLEGES”
MANY OF THE LARGER COLLEGES CAN OFTEN AFFORD BETTER SUPERVISORS, I.E. ONES DIRECTLY AFFILIATED WITH THE DEPARTMENT. I FEEL THIS MAY GIVE THEM AN UNFAIR ADVANTAGE
72%
of undergraduates were happy with the amount of teaching time that they received
This dropped to 59% in postgraduates
37% disagreed 44% said that all
their teaching staff had consistently delivered top quality teaching
that teaching quality for their course was equal across Colleges
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TEACHING & LEARNING
The experience of postgraduate researchers is by definition very different to that of taught students; they are often both academic staff and students, and need to be represented in both arenas. This data shows dissatisfaction with their working conditions and a need for greater Facultylevel representation.
POSTGRADUATE RESEARCH
45% agreed they had a positive and professional relationship with their Supervisor
51%
describe themselves as happy with the amount of teaching available to them
61% of students
are fully satisfied by their teaching and learning experience at Cambridge
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POSTGRADUATES WHO TEACH
42% AGREED THEY WERE BEING ADEQUATELY
RENUMERATED
39% of student teachers felt fully supported in their teaching responsibilities
SPOTLIGHT INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS
The University has a high international student population, making up 15% of our respondents for the Big Cambridge Survey this year. There is a lot of similarity between the response of international students and those of home students, however there are some themes where the responses differed significantly, one of those was found in the section on Postgraduate Research Study.
16% of international postgraduate research students strongly agreed that they had an adequate say on how much teaching they did...
The differences were particularly stark around international postgraduate research students’ views on whether they had enough of a say in how much teaching they were required to do. Only 16% of international postgraduate research students strongly agreed that they had an adequate say on how much teaching they did, in comparison to 34% of home students. This does not necessarily mean that international postgraduates are being required to take on too much work, but could be down to international students being bound by visa restrictions.
There was also a 10% difference between international and home students’ reaction to their workload: 8% of international students strongly agreed that their workload was manageable and healthy, while nearly a fifth (19%) of home students felt that way; although this did not dent their belief that Cambridge was a healthy and positive place to study: 63% agreed and strongly agreed with this, in comparison to 44% of home students. International students are also less likely to be involved in activism and social change than home students, with 42% of home students involved as opposed to 17% of international. CUSU supports an autonomous campaign for international students, which is this year running campaigns on storage space. Those who want to get involved in this area of activism should email international-chair@cusu.cam.ac.uk
...compared to
34%
of home students
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The student who can only afford baked beans to eat may seem a distant vision from the idea that many hold of Cambridge, but this data emphasises the financial difficulties many of our students face; These are always heightened when faced by students with protected characteristics.
COST OF LIVING
45%
of students said that finances had some impact on their time at university
In general, 7% found extra course costs problematic‌ this rose to 25% for Archaeology‌
1/2 of students found finances a worry in their student life
40% 10
were worried about repaying future debts
...this skyrocketed to 93% for Architecture!
45% agreed the University was successful in ensuring financial issues did not impede academic successes
SPOTLIGHT MATURE STUDENTS
The experience at Cambridge for mature students is markedly different to that at other universities, given that there are four Colleges which will only admit mature or graduate students: St Edmund’s, Wolfson, Lucy Cavendish and Hughes Hall. Across the colleges, mature undergraduates make up 5% of the student population and one area where their responses were particularly interesting was finances. When asked about their finances, 58% of mature students who answered the survey reported that finances have had a negative impact on them at university and 40% disagreed that Cambridge did its best to ensure finances were not a barrier to student participation. Participants were asked how far finances were a worry for them as a student. Those Colleges which produced high numbers of students agreeing that they had had financial worries were all mature and graduate colleges. At St Edmund’s 53% of respondents had experienced financial issues, Wolfson College saw 63%, Lucy Cavendish 64% and the graduate college Clare Hall 62%. For comparison, the survey as a whole shows 50% of students considering finances a worry in their student life. Financial worries were not limited to mature undergraduates: mature postgraduates were less likely to strongly agree that they were properly remunerated for their teaching responsibilities; with only 6% doing so compared to 13% across the board. However, they are not wholly lacking in support; mature students were the most likely of any cohort to strongly agree that their Common Room was an integral part of their student lives. While local level support is vital, especially in a collegiate system, it seems that this data emphasises the need for Colleges to ensure that their financial support fits the needs of all of their students.
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With only half of students who live in College satisfied with its value for money, it seems that Cambridge’s rent increase problem is spreading throughout the Colleges.
RENT & ACCOMMODATION
VALUE FOR MONEY STUDENTS SATISFIED
This year, CUSU is running rent workshops across Colleges to tackle it.
86%
of students lived in college accommodation
PEMBROKE 80%
TRINITY 74%
ST JOHN’S 68%
STUDENTS DISSATISFIED
60% were very or quite satisfied with their relationship with the institution regarding accommodation matters
NEWNHAM 72%
GIRTON 61%
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MURRAY EDWARDS 67%
51% on average were satisfied with value for money
POSTGRAD RESEARCH STUDENTS
WERE MOST LIKELY TO LIVE PRIVATELY
QUALITY STUDENTS SATISFIED
SELWYN
33%
of them are in private accommodation
11%
were satisfied with
AFFORDABILITY
89%
TRINITY 87%
DOWNING 85%
STUDENTS DISSATISFIED
GIRTON 22%
SIDNEY SUSSEX 21%
NEWNHAM
20% 13
HARASSMENT
& PREJUDICE
Cambridge is often thought to be more safe and secure than other university towns, however one fifth of students experiencing crime is in line with the national average - although in contrast to the national picture, half of crime here is bike theft.
21% of students said they had
experienced crime
in cambridge 24% 19%
felt Cambridge was a fully fair and equal place to be
BUT
74%
of those with two or more disabilities would disagree
had experienced verbal Harassment had experienced SEXUal Harassment
56% of students felt safety could improve
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39%
THOSE WHO DEFINED AS BLACK BRITISH AND / OR OF A GENDER WHICH IS NOT MALE/FEMALE MOST LIKELY TO EXPERIENCE/ OBSERVE PREJUDICE ACROSS THE BOARD
Of the harrassment reported by students...
27% race... was based on
was based on
GENDER...
43%
19% was based on
RELIGION...
was based on
SEXUALITY...
34%
felt that there was prejudice towards minority groups in the student body
39%
this rises to when asked just about prejudice relating to gender
23% FELT THERE WAS prejudice IN THE EDUCATION SYSTEM
13% was based on
28% MENTAL ILLNESSES
RISING TO
32% when asked about
gender-related prejudice
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STUDENT ACTIVITIES
Despite incredibly demanding degrees and workloads, Cambridge students are not shy of getting involved in life outside academia and in the local community; with students from Murray Edwards and Corpus Christi most engaged, and activities in Peterhouse and Clare College perceived as most valued.
66%
of students are involved in extra-curricular activities through the university
31% involved in similar projects outside the university‌.
Postgrads were more involved in projects outside the university, with 39% of research students involved
Clare Hall
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was the most engaged College for extra-university involvement
Over 1/2 of students felt volunteering and activism were important in student life (55%)
who want the Autonomous Campaigns to represent them believe they are doing so successfully
54%
43% are involved in campaigning
fOR SOCIAL CHANGE
SPOTLIGHT LGBT+ STUDENTS
People who identified with sexualities including but not limited to Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and other made up 13% of respondents to the Big Cambridge Survey.
65% of those who identified as Lesbian have experienced or observed harassment based on sexuality
Throughout the survey, students who did not identify as straight were more likely to find dealing with stress problematic or very problematic. Those who identified as Lesbian were the most likely to find dealing with stress problematic (70%). In general, the answers given by those who identified as Lesbian or having a sexuality not specified provided the most statistically striking results.
In the survey, students were asked about their perceptions of Cambridge as a fully fair and equal place to live and study. When these answers are broken down by sexuality, there are significant disparities. 58% of those who identify as Lesbian would disagree with that statement (of whom, 16% strongly disagreed, the strongest disagreement of any group), in comparison to 26% of those who identified as Gay and 40% of those who identified as Bisexual. 57% of those who defined their sexuality as other disagreed, and they were the least likely to feel neutral on this issue. When discussing how safe Cambridge is, both in the city and in Colleges, people of all sexualities were likely to rate Cambridge as very safe; however those who identified as Lesbian or of another sexuality were the most likely to agree that more needed to be done to improve safety in the city; around 25% and 23% agreeing respectively. A potential explanation for this might be that these groups have experienced or observed harassment based on sexuality and gender to a higher degree. 70% of both Lesbian respondents and those who defined their sexuality as other have experienced or observed prejudice based on gender, and 65% and 48% (respectively) have observed and experienced this based on sexuality.
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HEALTH & WELFARE
Whilst CUSU has made gains in getting training for tutors on welfare provision and dealing with cases of harassment, there is still some way to go. Students in general received excellent support from Tutors, but it should be highlighted and praised that Welfare Officers often provided the best support for those from minority groups.
I DON’T SEE A WAY SOMEONE COULD HELP SHORT OF CHANGING THE ENTIRE SYSTEM HERE.
Top Tutor
PEMBROKE Top SENIOR Tutor
HUGHES HALL Top WELFARE OFFICER
QUEENS’
Almost 1/3 found something of a negative effect on their physical health (29%)
57% had confidence in seeking help on educational issues
Top DIRECTOR OF STUDIES
MURRAY EDWARDS
51%
think Cambridge is a healthy and positive place to study
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this drops to
35%
on personal issues
MENTAL HEALTH
92%
rising to of people with a pre-existing mental health condition
71%
and among some of those with disabilities
62%
rising to among Black British students...
The most common disability registered by respondents was having a Mental Health condition - 8%, doubling since last year. This could both mean that instances are higher or that there is now a greater awareness that a Mental Health condition can be classed as a disability.
45% reported that Cambridge had had some negative effect on their mental health IT DOESN’T SEEM LIKE SUPPORT IS REALLY AVAILABLE TO POSTGRADUATE STUDENTS,
46%
of students considered stress or anxiety a problem in student life
NOT MANY FACILITIES AVAILABLE FOR US.
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SPOTLIGHT DISABLED STUDENTS
Across the survey, participants were asked whether Cambridge had had a negative effect on their physical health; around 25% of those with no disabilities agreed. This rose to around 50% for those with disabilities, and 68% for those with two or more disabilities. According to statistics from the Disability Resource Centre, 13% of students who go to them disclose more than one disability.
25% of people who do not identify as disabled reported Cambridge had a negative effect on their physical health...
Students with unseen disabilities that predominantly impacted on socialising and communicating, such as Aspergers, were by far the least confident in finding paid employment: only 17% felt confident. This dropped to 11% when discussing confidence in finding employment in their preferred areas, in comparison to 68% of the general student population.
Students were asked: “How confident are you seeking help in the University.” There were significant differences between answers within this cohort of students; those with physical impairments were most confident in asking for help on educational issues (74%), while less confident were those with unseen conditions. Those with social/communications impairments, such as Aspergers or Autism, were less confident in asking for help with educational concerns (51%). The least confident were those with two or more impairments (32%). Across the cohort, those with unseen disabilities remain less confident than those with physical or mobility impairments. This year, CUSU & the Graduate Union’s Welfare & Rights Officer, Poppy Ellis Logan, is running a campaign to highlight that a “one-size-fits-all” model for inclusion will never be successful. It is clear that unseen disabilities need to be taken more seriously. The University must fund its’ specialist and tailored support to ensure a parity of experience for all students at Cambridge.
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...this rose to
68% for those with multiple disabilities.
ENVIRONMENT & ETHICAL AFFAIRS
The environment and the ethics of the University were incredibly important to Cambridge students, and 74% were as keen to make sure their own habits were environmentally friendly. CUSU holds a Green Impact Gold award, meaning that we are recognised nationally as reflecting your environmentally friendly habits.
58% WERE CONFIDENT IN THEIR
COLLEGES
ACTING IN AN ENVIRONMENTALLY
CONCIOUS MANNER
this falls to
48% when considering
the university
Almost 3/4 were commited to acting in an environmentally friendly manner (74%)
81% are vehemently in favour of having a voice in the investments and actions of the Colleges...
but only
52%
felt that voice was heard
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REPRESENTATION & STUDENT VOICE
This section overwhelmingly shows that students across the University want their representation to be robust, democratic and to stand for the rights of minorities. CUSU will continue to have this at its core for many years to come.
WHAT IS REPRESENTATION?
81%
agree it means having democratically elected reps sitting on important committees and university meetings
79%
thought they should communicate the will of the majority
73%
thought they should ENSURE MINORITY GROUPS WERE NOT MARGINALISED
46%
STRONGLY agreed The most frequently cited issue on which students felt they should have a voice was student life and well-being
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63% of students felt that their views were best represented in their colleges
55% AGREED THAT THEIR J/MCR
OR EQUIVALENT WAS
AN INTEGRAL PART
OF COLLEGE LIFE
SPOTLIGHT BME STUDENTS
There is certainly not one definitive experience for all of those who define themselves as Black and Minority Ethnic (BME), and there was significant variation within the data set. However there are several areas which stand out when analysing the BME student experience. In general, over a third of those defining as BME had experienced or observed harassment or prejudice based on race or ethnicity. This rose to over 60% for students who defined as Black British. Black British students were also more likely to have observed or experienced prejudice based on gender, with almost 60% having done so, and they were far more likely to consider there to be casual prejudice in the student body against minority groups (54% agreed with this) and within the education system (30%). This resulted in 77% of Black British respondents feeling that more needed to be done to promote equality and access within the institution. Students were asked for their views on representation. It was a common trend to see that BME students felt less effectively represented within the University at large than at College level; for example 83% of Black students felt well represented at College. This plummets when the University at large is considered; there were six groups where no students at all considered themselves well represented, among the lowest were Black British students, only 25% of whom considered themselves well represented. This shows the need for urgent work within the University on the BME student experience. This year, CUSU President Priscilla Mensah, has had key influence in the creation of the University’s new working group on BME students, and is promoting greater and more diverse student representation at the highest levels of the University.
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EMPLOYABILITY
58% of people were confident in finding employment in the job of their choice after university....
this rises to 69% for those with a very definite career path in mind...
...but falls among those who define into the liberation groups or are international students.The least confident are those who define their gender as other (4%) and those with two or more disabilities (4%)
Finding employment weighs heavy on students’ minds, and Cambridge students are no exception; support for those finding employment, while high in general, was perceived by those with protected characteristics as less robust; they should ensure that they are diversifying their offers in line with the needs of the student body.
56% AGREED THEIR courses
had prepared them
for working LIFE
44% thought the University had supported them in searching for employment‌
57%
...rising to for Undergraduate Masters students
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THANKS FOR READING! We hope you have found this interesting. If you would like to read more, keep an eye on the CUSU website for a full written report coming soon. If you would like to discuss the data, or find out about data for a particular student demographic, College or Faculty then please email membership@cusu.cam.ac.uk, and we will consider your request.
WHAT NEXT? Most importantly, we hope that this data has inspired you to act. Data alone can only support our campaigns; if students want to see change at this University then we must take action. If you want to get involved in CUSU’s current campaigns, get in touch! We hold elections several times a year, including those held in Spring for fulltime sabbatical officers. If you want the chance to effect real change at every level of the University, consider running for a Sabbatical position, get involved in representation in your Faculty, College or in an Autonomous Campaign. Have a look at www.cusu.co.uk/get-involved and www.cusu.co.uk/ elections-2016 for more information.
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