Minutes of the Final JCR Meeting of the Year, Held on June 24th 2014
Present: SC, MF, BH, EH, CP, LM, CO, GC, HLE
Apologies: MT, HR, RR, CA
JCR Welfare Officer motion
This JCR notes:
That to run for the position of Librarian or Bar Steward, a candidate must have worked in the library or bar respectively prior to running for the positions.
There is currently no requirement for welfare officers to have been members of the welfare committee prior to running for welfare officer positions.
This JCR believes:
That the welfare officer positions are of great importance to the members of the JCR.
That the role of a welfare officer is one that requires welfare experience.
That it is essential for a welfare officer to have been a member of the welfare committee prior to standing for election.
This JCR mandates:
That prior to standing for election, potential welfare officers must have been a member of the welfare committee for at least one term.
The Chair to update the standing orders accordingly.
Proposed by: CR
Seconded by: EH
CR – The role of welfare officer can be quite daunting, so being on welfare committee would mean that people have a better understanding of the role.
Amendment
LM – Could we allow people who have not been on welfare committee to run if the position is not filled in the first two rounds of voting, as we currently do with the live in requirement?
CR seconds
The amendment is passed on a general aye.
The motion is passed on a general aye.
Body Conditioning Society Motion
This JCR notes:
The lack of a society dedicated to general fitness
The lack of a society which incorporates aspects of Pilates whilst working to improve general flexibility and strength
The great desire of several Cuth’s students to improve their fitness without participating in a competitive sport
The ability of students to create societies and clubs for the benefit of students of the society
This JCR believes:
That the students of St. Cuthbert’s society would benefit from a society dedicated to improving general body fitness, strength and flexibility
This JCR resolves:
To create this society for Cuth’s students to indulge in the healthy activity of body conditioning
To temporarily appoint ReR (@durham.ac.uk) as Cuth’s Bod-Con President until someone can be elected in a general meeting of the society.
Proposed by: RR
Seconded by: SG KH HP LL ED LM EH EW ES JAE ES GL HC SB
EHo – We are already doing it as an occasional, informal group, but feel that having an organized society would allow us to get more people involved.
Questions
RS – Would you need a budget?
EHo – We don’t know yet.
The motion was passed on a general aye.
Elections
Environment Rep
EHo (proposed by TS, seconded by CR) – I am a current committee member, want to make events more available, get more people involved and have events earlier in the academic year.
TS – What new events would you bring in?
EHo – Recycling bins on the Bailey, more involvement among people who live out.
CP – What do you think Cuth’s can improve?
EHo – Better recycling on the Bailey, new bike sheds.
MC – How would you convince people to do more?
EHo – I’ll have to discuss some ideas with the committee.
EHo is duly elected.
DUCK Rep
LB (proposed by HW, seconded by GC, speech read by SC) – I want to help others, I’ve benefitted greatly from my involvement with DUCK, such as taking part in a trip to Borneo, organized a Charity Ball, I’ve won an award from DUCK, would like to have one event per month and get both sites involved. I’m aiming to triple the amount we currently raise.
LB is duly elected.
Green Machine Manager
MD (proposed by CR, seconded by MF) – I’ve worked at conferences and run my own media business and have helped out at the silent discos. I would like to revitalize our current kit and buy some new kit.
CP – What is your favourite bit of kit?
MD – The UV lights and sync lights.
CH – What new kit would you buy?
MD – A new UV light.
SC – You’re very tall, which obviously helps you to reach high up, but can you reach things that are low down?
MD – Yes, because I have joints in my legs that allow me to bend. I call them knees.
MD is duly elected.
Gym Manager
DK (proposed by EH, seconded by EB, read by SC) – I want to help with the smooth running, get new members, advertise the gyms better, give more inductions, tidy up more, encourage people to go in with a partner, put up safety posters, sell the peck deck and buy equipment that is more likely to be used, I am open to suggestions.
DK is duly elected.
Music Room Manager
CS (proposed by EH, seconded by CR) – I use the music room a lot, want to get all of the kit up to standard, get a new microphone and maintain the current kit, especially the drum kit.
JH – How would you decorate the music room more appropriately?
CS – With pictures of Big Band and Choir
CS is duly elected
Method 3 elections
Master of the rubber inflatables (in charge of providing inflatables for the battle of the Exec) – CR, CH and MF are nominated. CH and MF are elected.
Leader of the Song – EP is elected unopposed.
The Orbiting Professor of Martian Anthropology (has to stand in the river reciting Shakespearean sonnets during the battle of the Exec, traditionally the shortest person in the room) – JF, EH, EHo, MD. By cunning use of his knees, MD is elected.
The Golden Bedspring for Fornication – HM, RB, MT, HR. HM is victorious.
The Red Herring for Persistent and Unadulterated Lying – CO for saying that he would be at exec meetings.
The Tweedle Dum and Tweedle Dee Award (for the most inseparable couple) – CP and BH, HE and EG, HM and MT, HR and EH. HR and EH win.
The Anonymous Magistrate’s Paper Bag for Technicolour Yawning – RR, AB. AB wins ‘because he has a song about him’.
The Soft Cushion for Academic Blagging – HB (27% in a sports science degree), DW, GC, AG. AG wins.
Splash Penguin (for most enjoyable sober antics) – CH, MF. MF wins for keeping the minutes of all exec socials.
The Wooden Spoon (for stirring disharmony) – SC for the controversial gym motion, JH for asking if the DSU President was a Fresher, AH for repeated governance pedantry. JH wins.
The Wincrete Memorial Trophy (for consuming a pint of soda water fastest) – SC, GC, CR, EH, LM, MD, TH, MC. SC wins by a fraction from GC
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De L’Isle Booth Awards
SC – These are the awards that the President can give to up to 6 graduating students, which give them honorary life membership of the JCR as a thanks for all of the hard work they have done for the JCR. I’d like to start by thanking some people who are not eligible this year: JH has been to virtually every JCR meeting, she’s run for lots of positions and has done a fantastic job organizing the acoustic nights. HLE has been superb as the postgraduate rep and made the postgraduate community much more involved. CH has been a trustee for two years and has looked after the Green Machine this year.
DLBs are awarded to:
MT: Has been hugely involved, helped with several Freshers’ Weeks and Open Days (including as an impromptu Senior Intro Week Rep), has organized everything, been on social committee and welfare committee as well as her exec roles, has been involved with choir and drama, is the President elect.
BH: As Treasurer he has been the main reason why we are not a DSO as we couldn’t have managed without him, he has been constantly diplomatic and professional, helped with the planning of Freshers’ Week, organized the budget, helped social committee and leaks to Palatinate when SC tells him to.
CP: BH’s better half, has done the decorations for everything, been hugely involved in the governance as chair, keeps SC in line, has been balanced and impartial, was an excellent Freshers’ Week and Open Day rep.
HW: Serge’s college daughter, Social sec last year, been to all JCR meetings, LGBTQ rep and part of the Feminist Society.
AG: Has helped massively with the postgraduate socials, DSU rep, been on social committee, involved with Big Band and the boat club, been to lots of JCR meetings, helped with Freshers’ Week and Open Days.
GC: set up cuths.com, highlighted the flaws with the DSU governance, been the best social chair in recent years, organized a superb Cuth’s Day, close friend to SC, has challenged himself and learnt about new areas, always done his best for our students.
CP – There is one other person to thank before we leave, so thanks to Serge who has been so committed, everything he has done has been for the good of the JCR and we know he wouldn’t leave unless he had to (because his wife says he has to…).
The song was sung with great gusto.