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Selwyn College, Cambridge
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===Unofficial societies=== Like many Oxbridge colleges, Selwyn is reported to be home to secret societies and dining clubs including The Controversialists, The Cromwells, and The Templars. Some of these societies appear to function as ''de facto'' discussion and debate clubs while others appear to be drinking societies and for raucous parties. In the past there was a reported incident that brought a society into disrepute: in 2014, it was reported that members of Selwyn Templars were involved in a scandal where sexist and misogynistic messages were sent to members of the society.<ref name="auto">{{cite web|url=http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2014/12/03/cambridge-university-drinking-society-selwyn-templars_n_6262248.html|title=Another Cambridge Drinking Society Is Under Fire|first1=Keumars Afifi-Sabet Freelance|last1=journalist|last2=satirist|date=4 December 2014|website=HuffPost UK|access-date=26 August 2017}}</ref><ref name="varsity.co.uk">{{cite web|url=https://www.varsity.co.uk/news/7950|title=Misogynist messages leak from Selwyn|website=Varsity.co.uk|access-date=26 August 2017}}</ref> [[File:SelwynCollegeSociety0187.png|thumb|Programme for a 1914 [[smoking concert]] of the Controversialists]] ====The Controversialists==== The Controversialists are the oldest secret society at the college and one of the oldest at the university, being founded by a group of students in Lent Term, 1893. The society's name is believed to pay homage to both their leftist political leanings and their discussion and debate of poetry and literature. The purpose of the Society, according to rules printed in 1909, was "the reading and discussion of English poetry and drama". The Society membership was made up of both undergraduate and graduate students at Selwyn College. Female students were able to join the society since women were admitted to the college. The total number of Controversialist members is not allowed to exceed twelve. Meetings are traditionally to be held on Sundays in the Michaelmas and Lent terms, as well as in May if a quorum of five members can be arranged. The badge and symbol of the Controversialists is a purple lyre.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ZAE-AQAAMAAJ&q=Selwyn+Controversialists+Cambridge&pg=PA206|title=The Cambridge Review|date=26 August 1896|access-date=26 August 2017|via=Google Books}}</ref> The Controversialists commonly organise [[smoking concert]]s where poetry and verse is recited by members before the political discussions. ====The Templars==== The Selwyn College Templars are reputed to be the second oldest secret society and the largest at the college. The society was initially only open to wealthy, upper-class Anglican students. The membership of the Templars Society were often involved with campus politics and were often members of the [[Cambridge University Conservative Association]]. Membership was to be decided by nomination from two current members and election at the society's Michaelmas meeting. New members of the Templars are reportedly 'knighted' with a ceremonial sword in a bizarre initiation ceremony that takes place on the Autumn equinox each year.<ref name="Short History" /> In 2014, a Cambridge student newspaper reported that the Selwyn Templars Society were involved in a scandal where sexist and misogynistic messages were sent to members of the society. The college condemned the content of the reported messages.<ref name="auto"/><ref name="varsity.co.uk"/>
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