JCR Meeting – 19.15 23rd April 2015 – Cuth’s Bar
1. Apologies & Absences
Executive Committee Apologies: MT (President), AH (Outreach Chair), EH (International Chair)
JCR Officers Apologies: OW (PG Rep), JB (PG Rep)
2. Matters arising from the previous minutes
None
3. Correspondence
AG has stepped down from her role as social comm rep, but we would like to thank her for all the hard work she has put in over the last two years.
A ripple of applause from everyone in the room
4. Reports
MT – President
Hi all, firstly my apologies for missing tonight’s meeting – I’m at a conference in Liverpool representing Durham students’ views at a national level. (editors note: not sure if everyone was aware but MT is actually a very big deal)
– Planning for during- and post- exam agenda (details to follow very soon).
– Working on recruiting trustees
– Executing the Open Days (praised by college and recognised as examples of good practice)
– Work with SU on student safety
– Making solid plans for Cuth’s Day
HR – Vice President
The final stash order is done, dusted and on its way and I’ve been a general social media busy body, with newsletters continuing throughout exams (yay!)
MF – Treasurer
Meeting the accountants on Tuesday to discuss last year’s accounts, after that will have back all records so can finalise VAT return & compile a report on last term’s spending. Beginning to make preparations for the budget meeting, more details within the next week.
HLE – Postgraduate Rep
The Inter-MCR formal at the end of last term was very successful, and I would like to thank OW and EZ for doing a great job with the whole thing. OW, EZ and I are also helping to put together the Postgraduate Summer Ball for August. We are also currently putting together the South Bailey Research Forum, a joint event with Chad’s and John’s, which will take place on the 19th June. JB has also been invited to sit on the weekly student support meetings as a postgraduate representative. This week, I will be meeting with the college to discuss SDEP events for postgrads. Otherwise, all quiet on the postgrad front!
RR – Social Chair
Preparations are starting to be put in place for Cuth’s Day. Contacts have been made with various external companies and things will be booked shortly! Keep yo eyes on the Facebook event for all the information as it is released. (editors note: report submitted via personal email, VP email, Facebook message, text, WhatsApp, and a series of Snapchats. Congrats to RR on finishing his diss.)
EH – International Rep
Currently, I’m starting to write a handover document for the newly elected International Rep that can also be handed down to future generations of international reps. Hopefully this will ensure that the role is kept consistent throughout the years
AH – Outreach Chair
After exams and before the end of the year I’ll be sending out a livers’ out guide with some helpful information about living out. I also want to run another charity event before the end of the year, but again, this will be after exams.
JC – Sports & Societies Chair
I have organised the sports and societies team photos which will take place this Saturday, and have updated the boards in the Brooks and Bailey JCRs recently so that more up to date information is now shown. The deadline for applying for JCR awards has been extended as there have been no applications, so I really encourage you to check them out as you can get a large sum of free money to undertake a training course, and it seems a waste not to use it.
I am now beginning to plan the sports and societies formal which will take place later this term. This will also include presentation of colours, for which applications will be discussed shortly.
AL – Librarian
Library now open 9am-9pm
CR & JG – Welfare Officers
Last term had a successful Talk to Phil campaign, this term we’re focussing on WorkSmart before exams and we also have a campaigns team project running after exams to raise awareness for eating disorders. Dog Day is also being planned.
LM – Chair
I’ve been working with SRO to devise new ways to make meetings shorter and more relevant that you will hearing about and voting on this meeting.
TH – Union Rep
I have been supporting the union with voter registration last term and have doing my normal duty of attending assembly and voting on behalf of everyone!
5. Motions
i. International Committee
This JCR notes:
That St Cuthbert’s Society has one of the biggest intakes of international students
The International Representative is an exec role responsible for representing the needs of international students
This JCR believes:
That the international representative is still an under-developed position that needs greater attention
It is difficult for one person to represent the entirety of the diverse international community in Cuth’s
That international students are currently not being represented in a consistent way through the academic years
That the piloting of an international committee this year has been an effective way to discuss issues facing the international community as well as making international students feeling more involved in the college
This JCR resolves:
To include chairing the International Committee into the role of the international representative
To update the role of the international representative in the standing orders
Proposed by: EH
Seconded by: AMR
RR – Does is already exist?
HR – Yes
Passed on a general aye
ii. Dark Room Manager Motion
This JCR Notes:
House 8 contains a fully stocked and functioning darkroom.
That the darkroom is currently being maintained by the current VP of Cuth’s Photography Society.
That the darkroom is a facility of Cuths and therefore open to all members of the JCR for use.
This JCR Believes:
That a Cuth’s facility should be maintained by a person elected by the JCR for that role (much like the green machine manager).
That the role of maintaining the darkroom should be separate from any society exec role in case said society ends.
To therefore create the position of darkroom manager whose duties/responsibilities would be as follows:
- Maintain the darkroom and keep it functional.
- In control of the darkroom facilities budget.
- Keeper of the darkroom key.
- Keep inventory.
- Organise any darkroom assistants/teachers that they may have.
- Encourage the use of the darkroom amongst Cuth’s students
The darkroom manager should be encouraged to organise workshops if no other society is fulfilling this role.
The JCR Resolves:
To create the role of ‘Darkroom Manager’ who would be elected in the first JCR meeting of Easter term via Election Method II.
This JCR Mandates
That the incumbent darkroom manager must train the newly elected darkroom manager with the ‘Basic Darkroom Techniques Workshop’ and the ‘Advanced Darkroom Techniques Workshop’ if the newly elected darkroom manager has not previously completed these workshops.
The Chair to update the standing orders accordingly.
Proposer: MH
Seconder: AS
Questions
RR – Would you expect some sort of budget?
MH – We already have one
MF – Have you considered giving the responsibility to an already elected role (e.g. Green Machine Manager)?
MH – wants to increase the importance and make it available to people with no prior experience
Passed on a general aye
iii. Governance Committee Motion
This JCR notes:
There is currently a Standing Committee, comprised of the President, Vice-President, Chair, Senior Returning Officer, Stool and JROs
This committee convenes before JCR meetings, in order to ensure that submitted motions are grammatically correct, constitutionally sound and formatted correctly.
JCR meetings can sometimes last over 90 minutes.
Decisions are more democratic when higher numbers of people attend JCR meetings.
Some colleges currently have Governance committees.
A Governance Committee, in place of a Standing Committee, would be able to make decisions on some motions without the need to go through a JCR meeting.
This JCR believes:
Some motions in JCR meetings are not contentious or relevant to many members.
Long JCR meetings discourage attendance.
Governance Committee could meet however often necessary, in order to pass motions more quickly and effectively.
In turn, this would shorten JCR Meetings, encouraging better attendance.
In order to retain democracy, Governance Committee would be open to all JCR members.
This JCR resolves:
To convert Standing Committee to Governance Committee, with the following conditions:
Governance Committee is an open committee and anyone is permitted to attend, in order to discuss and vote upon the selected motions.
Motions being brought to Governance Committee will be announced by email with at least 7 days notice.
Any motions regarding finance or that are immediately contentious will go straight to a JCR meeting.
This JCR mandates:
The Senior Returning Officer and JCR Chair to change the Standing Orders accordingly.
Proposed: NR
Seconded: SJ
Questions
MF – Surely governance committee would be less democratic if there are fewer people?
TR- You get people there for the meetings that really matter and are really important
SD – how do you decide what goes to governance committee?
TR – All motions will be published in advance, if people think its suitably contentious and contact the SRO and Chair and request it go to a JCR Meeting
RC – so motions can only get accepted by governance comm?
TR – we can reject them on a basis of being against unconstitutional
ACS- Surely it adds uneccessary extra levels of beauracacy?
TR – people are more interested in elections, slim lining meetings, dont want to force people to engage
MF – the meeting might be open but it requires constitutional knowledge
Amendment 1
RR – Clarify the people mandated to attend Standing Comm are also mandated to attened Governance Committee
Seconded by MF
Passed on general aye
Amendment 2
Chris Rousell – Clarify that it must be publicised in the same way as any JCR meeting, via facebook and email, with each Governance Committee meeting being held alongside each JCR meeting with any quick ones will be advertised separately through the same means
Seconded by HR
Passed on a general aye
No opposition
Amended Motion passed on a general aye
6. Elections
Method 1:
i. Postgraduate and Mature Students’ Rep
no candidates
ii. Assistant Male/Female Welfare Officers
RY
Proposed by: LB
Seconded by: LQ
Wants to get involved, gain new skills. Works in the bar, comes in to contact which lots of students
Wants to find out how welfare has helped students and find out what they want
Make sure people know who they can talk to, esp after freshers week
Experience working as a mentor, helping students transition to secondary school
Prepared to pass on problems if its too big
Approachable person, dedicated wants to provide better access to university serves
Can work with officers next year, campaign help, maintain awareness of key issue
Available welfare at Bailey, Parson’s and for Livers out
Questions
CR – What welfare campaign would you run?
Mental health awareness, make sure its long term
CS – How would you deal with the split between friendship and welfare?
Recommend other welfare services in the jcr
MF – Under what circumstances can you break confidentiality?
If you feel someone is a danger to themselves or others
RR – What has been the best run campaign since being at university?
Exam concessions – posters everywhere – couldn’t miss it
JG – Have you done nighline training?
No but I will
TS – How would you contact livers out?
Facebook, regular emails, a livers out welfare rep in the viaduct area, make people as aware as possible about contacts and services
CS – How would you make sure people are comfortable talking to you?
Face to face can be tough – suggest email, and make yourself seem available.
iii. Senior Fresher’s Week Rep
MD
Proposed by: CW
Seconded by: GH
Second year engineer, been involved in lots of societies, tech manager, involved in a lot of organisation and events. Experience as an open day rep and freshers week rep. Experience as a leader – vice captain and social sec of frisbee – has grown massively over two years. Sporting captain at school. Enthusiastic, shortest member of the JCR 2013-14
Committed to the JCR, running tech through the night
Have dealt with difficult scenarios as part of freshers week – experience with involving welfare
Would contact previous head reps, work closely with the welfare teams, highlighting issues with them problem fresh, improve communication between leaders and reps – make sure everything works efficiently and fairly
Stronger international rep presence
Improve safety, have an awareness of other colleges at night and work together to improve student night time safety beside the river
SL
Proposed by: DMG
Seconded by: CM
Team leader and rep at open days and freshers week, good understanding of coordination and expectations, grasp of behind the scenes
Calm under pressure and in challenging situations
Keep up frep morale, engaged and focused throughout
Organised, would make sure everything is well structured and make sure its fun and works well for the college
Wants everyone engaged from day, make the most of the two sites and engagement between the two sites – worked well this year
Have a diverse college and want to embrace this from day one – are fully integrated and have as much fun
Continue social media presence, photos/videos/information etc
Get information out there before they even arrive
Emphasise safety and welfare for fresh and reps
Maintain the hardwork and excellent open day – enthusiasm and commitment – want to make it successful for freps, freshers and the college as whole.
Questions
JG – how would you control the sharking?
SL – good balance of reps inside and outside a club, make sre reps are very visible if fresh want to get out of any situations
MD – limit how much information freps broadcast to their friends so they won’t know where we go
CR – What is your favourite excel function and why?
MD – =normdist
SL – dragging down the formula
AMR – How would you go about engaging international students?
SL – have lots of international reps so they’re contactable and accessible, advertise events
MD – we didn’t utilise international freshers and pg freshers as much as we could – have international food events, two or three international reps to maintain diversity
EP – How would you make sure the college isnt divided in to drinking and non drinking?
MD – not have the two events going on at the same time – early evening bar events
SL – mix up the events across the two sites, make sure they know all spaces are just social spaces to be used however they want
AL – What has been the worst aspect and how would you improve them? Weakest point as a JCR?
SL – day events are under advertised, people just sleep all day, organise realy attractive day events
MD – have a second or third night at brooks bar, tents and picnic stuff down in fonteyn
DF – Freshers’ week easy for ‘cool’ freshers who find it easy to talk to new people? How would you help shyer freshers to integrate?
MD – No two real people are the same – everyone can find a best friend – promoting finding new friends, focus on societies – have a sports day with all the second and thrid years at the end of the week
SL – looking out for quiet people at events, talk to them, introduce them to other people, take note of people and make a special effort
RR – Do you think we do a good job of recruiting freps and whats the most important thing to look for in a frep?
SL – raise awareness of what a great experience frepping is – need responsible people – a good balance between being fun and sensible
MD – agree with SL – like the application and interveiw process – approachability is key, sometimes need quieter freps as well. don’t need to do more advertising
EP – What do you think about freshers just drinking in flats and houses?
MD – can’t stop it, just have to promote the events as much as possible – incentivize arriving early – not sure how
SL – just strongly discourage it – say they’re uncool – they’ll only get to know the people they live with – put people in touch with people who do their subjects/interests not just houses – encourage them to mix between the houses and flats
TR – Give us your best frep dance move
SL – ‘the shopping trolley’
MD – ‘the slut drop’
iv. Senior Returning Officer
SJ
Proposed by: AL
Seconded by: JP
First year physicist, a nervous fresher and wants to get really involved in the jcr, feels more capable from his role as JRO, good insight into elections and standing comm, organised and efficient, had a taste as SRO and enjoyed it. Has had the best time of his life at cuth’s, enoyed working with previous sro. Improving rules for campaignging – wants creative camapaigns – reward creativity and improve voter turnout
Would like pre campaigning and filiming speeches to spread the word
Key to engage freshers during freshers week – mock meeting and advertise more heavily – treats and events too
He loves Cuth’s, and has had an amazing time
Several tears are shed at the raw emotion in SJ’s heartfelt hust
Questions
CR – What colour do you bleed, SJ!?
Green!
EM – Who is your favourite steve and why?
The original Steve, Steven Chopper
JG – If you had to narrate a documentary, what kind of documentary would you narrate?
Animal documentaries, particularly on snakes – python is a favourite
CR – best impression of a congratulations (CR wants a taste of SJ’s flavour)
“I’d like to announce RR as President of the Society for 2015-16”
TR – the last three SROs have been sassy women – you’re breaking the stereotype – do a sass
*Quadruple sassy click*
v. Student Trustees
no candidates
Method 2:
vi. Cuth’s Day Manager
CW
Proposed by: GH
Seconded by: MD
Second year music student, lots of time , has seen a cuth’s day, been on social comm, gets on well with the committee and knows strengths and weaknesses of members, experience managing events (two balls and a concert), would like to go in to events management
[hust written on the cardboard sleeve from a tub of houmous]
Questions
AL – Who would headline cuth’s day?
Beyonce – no explanation required
MD – Best impression of a mexican wave?
Sterling one woman mexican wave effort
RR – what is your favourite musical note and can you tell us via interprative dance?
b flat
6 Abstentions
CW is elected by overwhelming majority
vii. Environmental Rep
TS
Proposed by: LB
Seconded by: JG
Second year geographer, been on the committee for two years, currentyl boat club senior womens captain – experience managing people and delegating
Like thes environment
Start a staff/student group and continue the bailey group
Hold monthly meetings where anyone can come and air their concerns
Has a number of key campaigns but would like to maintain presence throughout the year
push presence for livers out and door to door things
Lots of inter college competitions – we’ve done pretty badly so wants to push that more – we can win quite a lot of money
Questions
CR – What is your favourite environent?
Favourite thing in the environment is waterfalls
JG – fave rainforest animal?
Monkeys
TJ – best impression of global warming
[impression of global warming] – met with hearty applause
AMR – how would you make reclycing fun?
Should give a talk to freshers in freshers week – make it interactive
AO – what is the biggest change you would make?
Issues with foodwaste – too much on plates and from the kitchens – campaigns and infrastructure changes
RR – How much can a college win and how are we doing?
Energy competition – first term – winning college got £200, next college got £100, we came last
1 Ron, 5 Abstentions
TS is elected by overwhelming majority
viii. Senior DUCK Rep
no candidates
ix. Webmaster
no candidates
x. Green Machine Manager
no candidates
xi. Gym Manager
DF
Proposed by: LB
Seconded by: CS
first year engineer, use the gym a lot, has a vested interest and has used it alot
improvements to make – little for the legs [never miss leg day], rather than getting really expensive machines, there are small things you could add for lower body exercises
womens hours – 5-10 on thursday – not well advertised – advertise and enforce it better
Questions
JG – which way is the beach?
*welcome to the gunshow*
MD – do you hate engineering?
No
CS – favourite muscle and why?
Likes a irl with a good set of quads
CM – how much do you bench?
set of 10 80/90lbs
MF – how would you improve parson’s gym?
Will start to use it and then let you know
CoR – how would you advertise womens hours?
big signs, let people know when they’re inducted
KD – would you be open to extending womens hours?
If theres a demand then of course, off peak
EZ – how to you feel about people who curl in the squat rack?
nope
AMR – would you try pole dancing?
Already have
RS – group bookings, give teams slots?
Off peak hours definitely
RR – do you even lift bro? if so prove it by bench pressing RR
AN – there is lots of broken equipment in the gym in Parson’s
Maintaining existing equipment is the priority
No RONs, 5 abstentions
DF is elected by an overwhelming majority.
xii. Music Room Manager
no candidates
7. Any Other Business