Motion 1 – Darts Budget
KH: hi – buying some new equipment – £190 for board, score board, darts etc – it’s for everyone not just the society – after the meeting feel free to come join the taster – subs are £2 a head – should get £60 from that – that’s all thank you
AF: AK to speak on behalf of finance
AK: looks good – fair for £2 subs – good investment for everyone to use
AF: any comments or questions?
RJ: how many darts?
KH: getting 24 darts at 23g each
JB: clarify – amendment to budget or new one?
AF: late submission
KH: we haven’t had a darts budget before and we weren’t allowed to buy some things before – so totally new and introducing subs
– Motion passed on a general aye
Elections
Method 1
It’ll run for 2 and a half days – starting 8am tomorrow.
Assistant welfare officer
4 candidates: BS, CSh, LN, and RON. Laura you hust first – BS and CSh please go outside with AF
LN: second year Spanish and Italian student – running for welfare – best bit of my time at durham – was on welfare campaigns team – helped with text a toastie – pick up a pal, self love campaign etc – been frapping – helped on some welfare issues with that – helped set up chillax society – help people who aren’t comfortable in an alcohol environment – shown lots of enthusiasm for that – v important for this role – also nightline trained – helped make me suited for this role. Please vote for me cos I’m enthusiastic and I love welfare
CSh: running for assistant welfare – proud and involved member of cuths – open day rep – netball – welfare team – lgbt text a toastie campaign, SHAG week and movember – want to take it to next level – welfare campaign shows organisation – disabilities rep – inclusivity – secretary of Oxfam society. I want to run campaign for meningitis jabs – lack of availability for appointments – super important – increase awareness of welfare in college through new facebook page – want self care campaign during exams – group walks, group chats. Campaigns about mental health – how to help friends. I joined welfare to help people who’ve been through what I’ve been through – confident my experience will help me be the best welfare assistant possible.
BS: love to do this cos I’ve benefited from the welfare system – helped me feel cared for during first year – campaigns like self love campaign shows how great the team is – want to strengthen JCR and college communication and make campaigns reach further and accessible for all – making all toilets gender neutral – consent workshops – mental health and exam stress and LGBT+ and other things currently being done. Feel people will be comfortable with me – frepped this year – femsoc – nightline training.
AB: any questions?
JB: role is about running campaigns – if you could choose any one campaign to run what would it be why what in it
LN: educating people on dealing with friends with mental health issues – think it’s incredibly important
CSh: getting meningitis jabs campaign – super important – cant always get appointment – friend didn’t get jab and got meningities
BS: campaign about loneliness at uni – cater for everyone not just sports and societies
RJ: how would you rate your own abilities and cope with organisation
CSh: friends can attest to me being super organised – oxfam society – some other things
BS: think I have good skills – contact heavy degree – was fine with that this year – VP of feminism – will do things as soon as possible
LN: SHAG week was close to exams and with deadlines – I’d prioritise JCR over
R?: what’s driven you to take an active role in welfare not just sports and socs
BS: sas the campaigns and watned to be involved – hearing about things in other colleges
LN: was on campaigns team last year – want to have more leadership as have lots of ideas – got a lot of experience
CSh: was on campaigns team as well – saw how much they impact people and help people – want to help people like I’ve been helped – that experience plus my own ideas why I want to be involved
RD: not about pastoral care but some students do come to you with them – what would you do if they did
LN: depending on level of issue you can’t guarantee confidentiality – I’ve done nightline training – signposting to the welfare officers is more appropriate as this role isn’t designed for that
CSh: can’t promise confidentiality – listen to them – make sure they don’t feel alone – if you will break confidentiality make sure they know who you’re passing them onto
BS: they answered well I agree – if pass onto senior person make sure it’s not about not caring but about being there for them and that their feelings are vaild
LJ: how many positions available?
AB: 2
AF: what’s your fave flavour of condom and why?
CSh: actual or theoretical?
AF: actual
CSh: vanilla – not sure what that says about my personality
BC: mint cos it’s tingly
LN: was going to say mint but I’ll say chocolate cos I like chocolate
DUCK REP
Two candidates: EP and RON
EP: running for duck rep – wasn’t filled last year – shame – DUCK = uni charity society – they’ve done lots of things for charity sending people places – so many opportunities we could get involved in with college but don’t get involved or hear about it – if I were to be the rep I’ll tell people what duck do as they do great work – they can also help us – we have great outreach committee but duck have resources that we could use and help make it better than before – I volunteered with DUCK this summer and people didn’t even know there was the option
AB: questions? What does duck stand for?
EP: durham university charity kommittee
EM: how would you spread the message?
EP: duck perspective – no rep meant no posters and nothing on social media – need someone within the college to bring their messages in
C?: did you go travelling this summer?
EP: yeah
PIZZA BREAK
Student Trustee
Four candidates: JB, HH, JP and RON
JB: I’m 4th year mathematician – I’ll ask a question – where has everyone gone? Why has this meeting been put on the first night of term? Such an inconvenient time for livers out – I’ve had to sort out my application for this – move in – meet with my friends – sort out my things for societies ~goes on about it for a while~ that’s why you should vote for me for student trustee – you’ve got to hold people accountable for things – you’re gonna have to ask some tough questions and not be afraid of annoying people – you need someone that’ll have your back no matter what
AB: HH can’t be here so I’ll read it out for her. As trustee I see the role to be – I will endeavour to be present and active in every meeting – keep close contact with exec – be active with cuths should allow me to be able to moniter the running of cuths. Value importance of working with the other trustees – ensure that all research will be carried out to maintain our charitable status – I’m very interested in learning about law – I’m involved in mooting and have been applying for law firms and want to do a law conversion – contribute to and value the JCR – cox and row, help with cheerleading and frepping – so grateful for the opportunities come to me from the JCR and want to give back
JP: who here knows what a trustee does? JCR is a registered charity – in law trustees vested overall control over responsibility for the charity – imagine a school – board of school governers and headmistress (CM) – I enjoy strategy, legal, governance side of things – think we have potential to be best run JCR in durham – we’re unique – we’re big, a permanent president and a board of external trustees – want us to be the best run JCR in the country – if you could give me another year to work on all this – lots to be done to have it all run smoothly – final thing is we have four trustees only three running – freshers you should run – great way to get involved – good for business, charity or law sectors. Thank you
HH not present so no questions
Method 2
Finance comm
Four positions – five candidates – JPe – SA – BC – LA – RON
SA: would like to be member of finance comm – want to get involved in JCR – finance interests me with the charity side – we get to have our say in how the money is spent – I have experience – went to morocco for charity trip and I was in charge of finances (without a calculator) and also am treasurer for Chillax – worked with spreadsheets this summer so know how to use them
LA: I’m first year engineer – finance would be interesting cos it’d be a new experience – using my maths skills in a different way – great to be involved in the running of the JCR – am a fresher so will bring fresh enthusiasm
BC: second year bio and psychology student – want to be more involved in the JCR – spoke on behalf of netball in budget meeting – do my own and my mum’s finances on spreadsheets – am a maths tutor – yeah – thanks!
JPe: nice to meet many of you over the past week – doing PPE – have leadership and managerial experience – CCF – did a level economics – value representation and inclusion – I’m enthusiastic and capable – please lend me your vote
AB: 2 questions!
AK: what do you think is the most important quality someone on finance comm should possess?
SS: eye for detail – spotting mistakes
LS: decisiveness – make a decision and go with it
BC: ability to have an opinion
JPe: represent people’s views as we’re all paying the JCR levy
SP: what the weaknesses are in the finance committee
LA: none haha
BC: no idea – except maybe about football budget
JPe: as fresher don’t know about the committee – but communication important
SA: important to get budgets in on time – and cost of freddos is too high
AB: voting done here in the meeting! Cast four votes – close your eyes – can put your hand up four times – vote for SA put up hand – vote for LA put up hand – vote for BC put up hand – vote for JPe put up hand – people for RON put up hand – those that abstain put up hands
– All elected
JCR Stool
Two candidates: EC and RON
EC: second year history – involved last year but want more – was on finance so now how a committee works – been to most jcr meetings – want to learn more about it – position has a rep for not doing much but I want to be proactive
AB: questions?
LJ: main role to support Chair, how best could you do that? If only one thing what would you do
EC: supply her with lots of alcohol
R?: what will you do
EC: help out with standing orders but up to Chair
AB: as JCR Stool you have to provide relief and entertainment for executive committee, what’s your favourite joke?
EC: Knock knock ~who’s there?~ interrupting sheep – interrup BAAAAA
AF: as my stool, please do your best impression of a stool
EC: ~is a stool~
AB: two candidates, EC and RON – please close eyes and put up hand to vote for EC – put up hand for RON – up hand for abstain
– EC elected
Michaelmas ball manager
Two candidates: ABu and RON
ABu: third year geog student – want to be ball manager – was on social comm last year – for those that don’t know social comm organise the balls – I live with social chair so good communication – got lots of ideas – Alice in Wonderland – think I’d be good – lots of fun ideas – please vote for me
AB: questions?
RH: fabourite ball and why?
ABu: one you can’t remember but you were told you had a good time
SP: what’s your fave dance move?
RJ: is it going to be big enough for everyone to go?
ABu: it’s gonna be bigger and better than ever – biggest for 10 years
CW: how many balls do you think you could manage in a short amount of time?
ABu: as many as I would need to
~music comes on and does dance move~
AB: two candidates: ABu and RON – put up hand for ABu– put up hand for RON – put up hand for abstain
– ABu elected
Social comm 2nd year reps
Four candidates: CG, MM, AW, RON
CG: 2nd year biologist – want to be on social comm – want to be involved in JCR – I frepped this year and loved it – last year I went to all the balls – would love to help out – am really organised and keen and also mixed lacrosse captain
MM: have organised lots of events – frepped – want to be more involved in JCR – very keen – love the JCR – went to all 4 big events – love DG
AW: loved the events last year – VP of drama – been open day repping and frepping – used to organise things – organised frepping things – organised mum’s birthday party – please vote
AB: questions?
ABu: got a ball in just over a month’s time – if there’s one thing that you’d like to add to that to make it better than ever what would it be and why
CG: add little details – Alice in Wonderland maybe bubbles or things – lots of little decorations – top hats and rabbit ears in photobooth
MM: assuming budget is huge – could make the entrance a tunnel like the rabbit hole
AW: loved the rides at summer ball so I would add lots of rides
DG: what was your fave cuths event last year and why?
MM: Cuth’s Day cos I peaked twice – sobered up and got drunk again
AW: Cuth’s Day cos I got proposed to
CG: Cuth’s Day cos I convinced my friends we had real Taylor Swift
AB: four candidates – three votes – hands up for CG – hands up for MM – hands up for AW – hands up for RON – hands up to abstain
– All elected
Social Comm First Year Reps
Still have three positions for first year reps if anyone wants to run – can do it by hands up
Three people stand up
Names: AnK – SA – MT
AB: all close your eyes – hands up for etc etc
– All elected
Third year Reps for Social Comm
3 candidates: RH and JC and RON
RH: was sports and socs chair – helped with events – friends were involved last year so know what it’s about
JC: 4th year german and classics student – was abroad last year – want to do it cos I like fun – went to lots of cuths events before year abroad and loved them all
AB: questions?
TD: what makes you a good candidate?
JC: can appeal to the 4th year community – helped organised events in school – went to the events before
RH: helped set up all the events so know how it works – helped with prom at school
DG: fave event and why?
RH: all been amazing – Cuth’s Day first year cos ABBA tribute
JC: ABBA was amazing I agree
AB: election for finalist social comm reps – three votes available – hands up for etc.
– Both elected
JRO
Two candidates: OB and RON
OB: 2nd year French and german student – love the JCR – encourages democracy and really fair – really admire it and that we do it so well – any excuse to get in the pres flat
AB: anyone else want to run?
Someone gets up – SM – explains the JRO position
Two other people get up to run including TD
SM: 2nd year English and history – love the jcr and wanted to get involved for a while – social media exec for cuths art – organised – vote for me
TD: have been involved in elections in the past – had a small business when I was younger – had a website so used to doing that – I open day repped and frepped so know a bit about how the JCR works – been to JCR meetings
SP: law first year – I have no experience but I will work for you – elections are one of the most important things that the JCR does – I want to win your trust and your vote
AB: questions?
AF: fave thing about JCR meetings?
OB: reminds you what being in a college is all about – can be isolated at times so it’s nice having the community setting
TD: like the spread of the year groups that come – important that everyone feels integrated – the drinking games are also quite fun
SM: Cuth’s community is great – especially for those that live out
SP: last 10 years of my life I lived in Dubai so I like that everyone here has a voice
CM: what’s the difference between JCR and college?
TD: JCR is the student body of cuths (and a room) and does sports and societies – college is the more official adult bit has the spaces and support officer and things
SM: JCR – sports and socs, welfare etc – college is cuths in general with principal and all that
SP: college is building, the body – JCR is the soul and without the soul the body is nothing
OB: JCR levy didn’t know what it was – get so much out of it though – enriches the student experience
CM: point of information about the JCR being student body and college being university members of staff
AB: three positions – five candidates – all close eyes – you have three votes – hands up for OB etc
– OB, SP and SM elected
Sports and Socs reporter
AB: describes the position – one person running in absence – EE
AF: reading out the hust: had no intentions of missing freshers – I’m from Columbia and studying law – must be hard to vote for someone you cant see or pronounce their name – international point of view – not coming here to steal your jobs – but want to have my voice heard – can’t represent everyone but can provide a different point of view – can give list of accomplishments but that wouldn’t accurately describe me
AB: two candidates – three votes – hands up etc
– EE is elected
Meeting finished