Committees

Executive Committee 2024-25

The Executive Committee oversees the day-to-day running of the Society and represents the views of the JCR to the college and the University.

 

President of the Society
Dan Mercer
president@cuths.com
 
JCR Treasurer
Saf Ghafoor
fco@cuths.com
 
Vice-President
Caleb Ross
vice-president@cuths.com
Postgraudate and Mature Students’ President
Sarah McAllister
pg-rep@cuths.com
 
Communities Committee Chair
Lukie Jew
communities-chair@cuths.com
 
 
 
 
Senior Welfare Officer
Louise Newberry
senior-welfare@cuths.com
 
Outreach Committee Chair
Evie Bage
outreach@cuths.com
 
JCR Chair
Louise Giles
chair@cuths.com
 
Sports and Societies Chair
Oscar Watson
sports-and-socs@cuths.com
 
Development Officer
Rosie Sibbald development@cuths.com
 
Society Librarian
James Bamford
librarian@cuths.com
 
Social Chair
Victoria Conran
events@cuths.com
 
Publicity Officer
Thea Cave
publicity@cuths.com
 
Tech Chair
Thomas Matthews
facilities@cuths.com
 
Students Union and Livers Out Representative
Luke Birch
su-rep@cuths.com

Governance Committee

Governance Committee (GovComm) are in charge of running JCR Meetings and elections, as well as maintaining the governance of the JCR.

There are seven members of GovComm:

  • JCR Chair
  • Senior Returning Officer (SRO)
  • 3x Junior Returning Officers (JROs)
  • Stool

The President and Vice-President also sit on GovComm.

The role of the JCR Chair is to organise and chair JCR Meetings, as well maintain the Standing Orders and Constitution of the Society. It is their role to advise members on issues of governance and assist with the running of motions. They’re helped by the Stool. The Chair also sits on the Executive Committee.

The SRO is in charge of running elections, which are held in the second half of JCR Meetings. They’re assisted by the three JROs, who work together to ensure that elections are fair and run smoothly. 

The two JROs and the Stool are elected in the first meeting of the year, so if you want to get involved in GovComm, email the SRO (details below). These roles require no experience whatsoever, and are a great way of getting involved in Cuth’s

If you want to get in touch about motions or governance, you can email the Chair at chair@cuths.com. If you want to get in touch with the SRO about elections, you can email sro@cuths.com.

Finance Committee

FinanceComm manages the JCR’s finances, and getting involved is a great way to see how the whole JCR operates. It’s also great for getting financial experience, from bookkeeping and budgeting to VAT and the charities commission.

FinanceComm is a great way to get involved with Cuth’s and to gain experience working in Finance!

The committee help the Treasurer pass and adjust budgets and can approve significant spends for the JCR. It’s a great opportunity to gain experience managing the accounts of an independent charity turning over £150,000.

FinanceComm has several purposes:

  • to assist the FCO in their duties;
  • to ensure financial motions submitted to JCR Meetings are reasonable and legitimate;
  • to oversee the use of JCR assets by the Excutive and Library Committees as well as the Senior Clubs and Societies.
 

Membership

Finance Committee consists of the following people:

  • President of the Society
  • Vice-President
  • Treasurer 
  • Assistant Treasurer
  • 4x Finance Committee members

How Can I get Involved?

Assistant Treasurer  and the 4 positions in the committee will be elected through application and interview once term has started! Look out for posts on the Freshers’ facebook group or email Saf at fco@cuths.com!

Welfare and Welfare Campaigns Committees

St Cuthberts Society JCR provides students peer-to-peer support through our Welfare Committee. Our 4 Student Welfare Officers are elected by members of the JCR and provide a confidential, non-judgemental and non-advisory listening and signposting service through their regular drop-ins, as well as providing free sexual health supplies, which can be ordered using the order form on the website. If you need a chat, or need help finding the right support, you Officers for 2024-2025 are:
 

 

This committee on a wider level is put in place to make decision about JCR welfare support structure, making sure everything we do here at Cuth’s Welfare is accessible to every member of the student body.

We also have a Campaigns team, lead by our Campaigns Manager Hannah, who runs (with the help of the rest of the Campaigns team) campaigns and events with the aim to educate and inform, and tackle stigma surrounding mental and sexual health. If you are passionate about raising awareness for these topics, you can apply to be part of our campaigns team in Freshers Week – keep an eye on the Cuth’s Welfare instagram page for applications!

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Communities Committee

The Communities Committee is responsible for strengthening our college community through members of minority groups. Its purpose is the supervision and assistance of activities relating to working class and local students, ethnic minorities, LGBTQ+ and international students. We organise campaigns to promote and ensure the wellbeing of these students, as well as providing different support services to present relevant issues such as integration, special arrangements, opportunities and representation to the Executive Committee, SU committee and/or any other suitable bodies. We facilitate discussions and collaboration to ensure all voices are heard in all relevant discussions, groups and undertakings within Cuth’s JCR and Durham University. Anyone can advise the Committee and bring forward their proposal for events and campaigns.

We work closely with the Welfare Committee to provide a confidential, non-judgemental and non-advisory listening support service. If you ever want to report a concern relating to social or systemic factors affecting your wellbeing, send us an email or pop into one of the drop-in hours. The Committee is Chaired by the Communities Chair and is currently formed by elected representatives. Watch our for any updates regarding vacant positions and elections.

The Current Committee Consists of:

 

  1. Communities Chair
  2. President of the Society,
  3. Vice-President,
  4. Students with Disabilities (SwD) Representative,
  5. Working Class Students’ (WCS) Representative,
  6. LGBTQ+ Representative
  7. People of Colour (PoC) Representative,
  8. International Representative,
  9. Assistant Students with Disabilities Representative,
  10. Assistant Working Class Students’ Representative,
  11. Assistant LGBTQ+ Representative,
  12. Transgender and Non-Binary Representative,
  13. Assistant People of Colour representative, 
  14. Assistant International Representative, 
  15. Local Students’ Representative, 
  16. Postgraduate and Mature Students’ President, and
  17. Mature Students’ Representative.

Contact

Sara – LGBTQ+ Rep- lgbt-rep@cuths.com

Ralfs – Working Class Students’ Rep- wcs-rep@cuths.com

People of Colour Rep –poc-rep@cuths.com

Mary – Local and Northern Student’s Rep- local.students.rep@cuths.com

Charli – Students with Disabilities Rep- swd-rep@cuths.com

Harry – International Rep- international@cuths.com

Outreach Committee

Outreach Committee meets at least twice a term to plan the charitable ventures of Cuth’s JCR.

Outreach Committee meets every two weeks to plan the charitable ventures of Cuth’s JCR. We focus on fundraising, volunteering opportunities and project work. Every member of the committee has their own role, such as ‘Fundraising Representative’ or ‘Event Manager’ and we work to provide opportunities to our students and support local, national and international charities.

 

Postgraduate and Mature Students' Committee

Postgraduate Committee represents all postgraduate members of the JCR, as well as running postgraduate events including postgraduate welcome week.

In most other colleges, postgraduates are organised into MCRs (Middle Common Rooms). However, at Cuth’s, we do things a bit differently and are all under the JCR (Junior Common Room). Within the JCR, we have a Postgraduate and Mature Students Rep, who is responsible for making sure the views and concerns of postgraduate students are represented in the JCR. The Rep chairs the Postgraduate Committee, which meets at least twice a term to organise and put together various events, both academic and social, for the benefit of the whole postgraduate community.

The roles on the Committee are:

  • Postgraduate and Mature Students’ Vice-President
  • Postgraduate and Mature Students’ Treasurer
  • Postgraduate and Mature Students’ Social Secretary
  • Postgraduate and Mature Students’ Academic Representative
  • Mature Students’ Representative
  • Postgraduate Representative
  • Postgraduate and Mature Students’ International Representative
  • Postgraduate and Mature Students’ Students’ Union Representative
  • Fourth Year Representative
  • Postgraduate Welfare Representative
  • PGCE Representative
  • 2x General Committee Members

 

All roles on the postgraduate committee are meant to support and represent the postgraduate students of Cuth’s, to ensure they are taken into account within the JCR and to further develop the community as a whole. Being involved is not only a great experience for you and looks great on the CV, but also can go a long way in the postgraduate community itself.

If you wish to get in touch with the committee, email       pg-rep@cuths.com.

Green Machine Committee

The Green Machine Committee is responsible for overseeing all JCR owned facilities. They manage  all tech and equipment for events (known as the Green Machine). They also run hires to other colleges, generating income for the JCR.

The Committee Consists of:

  • Tech Manager
  • President of the Society
  • JCR Treasurer 
  • Vice-President
  • General Technician(s)
 
If you have any queries, contact facilities@cuths.com

 

Library Committee

The Library Committee is made up of a team of dedicated students who together run Cuth’s Library. As the only student-run library in Durham, Cuth’s Library is built on the participation of volunteers. LibraryComm meets irregularly, but at least once a term. The positions on the committee are:

  • Society Librarian
  • President of the Society
  • Vice-President
  • Assistant Librarian
  • 4x Stock Managers (a paid role!)
  • Volunteer Librarians
 
The operation is overseen by the Society Librarian, who employs the stock managers and volunteers, order books, and runs the committee. The Assistant Librarian organises the book club and assists the Librarian. The stock managers help with our free coffee, tea and biscuit stocks, but also manage incoming orders and more. The volunteers typically work one shift a week behind the desk, in case anyone has questions or wants to loan out a book – it’s a great way to get guaranteed study space!

 

 

Get in touch at librarian@cuths.com if you have any questions at all! Applications will be out just after Freshers’ Week, so keep an eye out and follow us on Instagram (@cuths_library) for updates

Social Committee

Social Committee runs all JCR social events that take place each year, including Freshers Week, Oktoberfest, Cuth’s Day and the Feast of St. Cuthbert.

The social committee make up the team of people who assist the social chair with the organisation and running of events. The committee is decided by application, and the process is run in Michaelmas term. Positions include:

  • Social Publicity Officer
  • Social Music Officer
  • Social Ents Officer
  • Social Arts Officer
  • Formals Manager
  • 6x Social Committee members
 
The President, Vice-President and Tech Chair also sit on Social Committee for advisory purposes, and the Committee is run by the Social Chair. If you wish to get in touch with the Social Chair, email events@cuths.com.

International Committee

International Committee provides international students with a close-knit community to reach out to.

Our elected representative and assistant representative focus on creating a support network for international students, providing a range of services to help the transition to university and a new country run smoothly, as well as ensuring that international students’ voices are heard. Throughout the year, we organise a range of events to celebrate international holidays, such as Thanksgiving, Lunar New Year and Christmas, and some smaller get-togethers. We also work closely with the other members of the Communities Committee and Welfare Committee to ensure that international students have access to resources and feel supported.

International Committee is chaired by the International Rep, and meets at least twice a term to organise events, and run campaigns to inform and educate students. The positions on the Committee are:

 

  • Events Manager
  • Publicity Manager
  • Campaigns Manager
  • Assistant International Representative
  • Postgraduate and Mature Students’ International Representative

 

Applications for these roles will open at the start of Michaelmas term, so keep an eye on our Instagram (@cuthsinternational)! Getting involved is a fantastic way to meet more people and is also great if you want to become more involved with Cuth’s JCR!

If you have any queries, email Harry at international@cuths.com or message us on social media!

Environment Committee

Environment Committee aims to raise awareness of environmental issues and reduce the carbon footprint of the JCR. They work to promote environmentally positive action which will aid the environment around college and the wider Durham area, including primary action such as litter picking. The committee has a crucial role in ensuring the environment of college is adequately cared for, and that college takes necessary steps to ensure a low carbon footprint, minimum waste and the protection of natural habitats. The positions on the committee are 

  • Environment Representative
  • President of the Society
  • Vice-President
  • Media Manager
  • Events Manager
  • Greenspace and SU Representative
  • Embrace the Waste Representative
  • Bailey Wardrobe Manager
  • 4x Environment Committee Member

 

SU Committee

SU Committee meets 2-3 times a term to discuss how Cuth’s will vote (on things they want the student’s union to change or address) at SU assembly. It’s a fantastic, easy way to get involved with the JCR and SU, especially for people interested in student politics and university policy. 

The SU officer chairs the committee, which consists of the President of the Society, Vice President, PGM President, Communities Comm officer and three junior SU reps which you can hust for!

We will be recruiting junior SU reps in first term, keep an eye out for applications if you want to get involved!