Lucy Cavendish College, Cambridge

Cambridge College Infobox
name = Lucy Cavendish College
infobox_colour = #000000
text_colour =
link_colour = #084DA5


colours =
full_name =
latin_name =
latin_motto =
english_motto =
founder =
founder_pl =
named_for = Lucy Cavendish
established = 1965
old_names =
location = [http://www.cam.ac.uk/map/v3/drawmap.cgi?mp=main;xx=1419;yy=433;mt=c;ms=75;tl=Lucy%20Cavendish%20College Lady Margaret Road]
women_only = yes
mature_students = yes
head_label = President
head = Professor Janet Todd
undergraduates = 110
JCR_President =
graduates = 110
MCR_President =
SCR_President =
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homepage = http://www.lucy-cav.cam.ac.uk/
boat_club = http://www.lucy-cav.cam.ac.uk/Boat_club/

Lucy Cavendish College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge. Only women over the age of 21 are admitted to the college for undergraduate and postgraduate degrees; women come with varied backgrounds and life experiences making this a vibrant college which offers a radical take on the Cambridge tradition of excellence. The College grew from a 'Dining Group', a group set up by women who sought to increase the opportunities for women to study, conduct research and teach in Cambridge at a time when the vast majority of students and academics in Cambridge were male.

Origins

Although women had been allowed to study at Cambridge since the latter part of the 19th century, it was only in 1947 that they were admitted as full members of the University; even then, the two existing women’s colleges were limited in their numbers and there were no mixed colleges. In 1950 a group called the "Society of Women Members of the Regent House who are not Fellows of Colleges" (also known as the "Dining Group") was established by women who wanted to create an environment like that which was possible for fellows of the mens' colleges, where academic support, feedback and conversation was available High Table. The Dining Group's aim was to set up a third women's college and a splinter group set up New Hall in 1954. The remainder of the group focussed on graduate students and particularly those returning to study after time away from academia.

The Dining Group applied to the University authorities, Senate House, in 1964 for recognition as the Lucy Cavendish Collegiate Society, with a mandate in its Trust Deed to have responsibility for "the care and discipline of:

# research students working for higher degrees or diplomas and
# women, not necessarily so engaged, who wish to re-equip themselves for professional careers by advanced study, or by obtaining higher qualifications."

In 1965, the Lucy Cavendish Collegiate Society was given official recognition; this date is considered by the college to be its foundation date. [http://www.lucy-cav.cam.ac.uk/College_Information/Index.htm] It became an "Approved Society": a new type of body coined specially by the Senate House to distinguish the Society from an "Approved Foundation" of the University as a more experimental, less formal institution. It was not until a change in the University statutes was made in 1971 that Approved Societies could admit undergraduates. Approved Foundation status was granted to Lucy Cavendish College in 1984, and in 1997 the College finally became self-governing under a Royal Charter. [http://www.lucy-cav.cam.ac.uk/College_Information/Buildings_History/history.htm]

Other

The college is named after Lucy Cavendish (1841-1925), an aristocrat who campaigned for the reform of women's education.

The current President of Lucy Cavendish is Professor Janet Todd.

Lucy Cavendish is one of the least wealthy colleges with an estimated financial endowment of £9m (2003).

Former Presidents

:"See also "

* Dame Veronica Sutherland
* Baroness Perry of Southwark
* Dame Anne Warburton
* Mrs Phyllis Hetzel
* Dr Kate Bertram
* Dr Anna Bidder

Notable staff and alumnae

:"See also "

* Professor Janet Todd
* Noeleen Heyzer, United Nations
* Elizabeth Speller, Author
* Pauline Dawes, Entrepeneur
* Louise Foxcroft, Author
* Elena Ambrosiadou, Financier
* Marcia Schofield, Musician
* Pamela Bradley, IMF
* Kelly Smith, Author
* Karen Powell, Author
* Caron Freeborn, Author

Honorary Fellows

:"See also "

* Prof. Carol Black
* Prof. E. Margaret Burbridge
* Dame Judi Dench
* Lady Grantchester
* Judith Hanratty
* Dame Pauline Harris
* Mrs Phyllis Hetzel
* HM Queen Margrethe of Denmark
* Dr Barbara Oldham
* Baroness Perry of Southwark
* Prof. Alison Richard
* Dame Cath Tizard
* Prof. Janet Todd
* Mrs Claire Tomalin
* Baroness Trumpington of Sandwich
* Dame Anne Warburton
* Anna Ford
* Anne Owers
* Dame Stella Rimington
* Dr Cynthia Glassman

Further reading

* [http://www.londonmet.ac.uk/genesis/search/$-search-results.cfm?CCODE=1696 Papers of the Dining Group]
* [http://www.lucy-cav.cam.ac.uk/College_Information/Buildings_History/history.htm Lucy Cavendish College History]