Motion 1 – passed with a general aye
Motion 2 – amended with exec receiving full or no discount
Paused to upload agenda
Motion 3 – cheerleading budget
Hatfielder presenting on behalf of it – discussing the money they’ll be spending and requesting
AK: we’ve amended the budget – change the subs to £10, and give £300 and then they’re not in a deficit
Hatfielder: also not originally mentioned, but there are outfits that are quite expensive and we would like any more leftover money
AF: any questions or comments?
D?: are you asking for the same amount from Hatfield as Cuth’s?
Hatfielder: not sure how much we’ll get but we’ll be asking for similar – there are more cuths than hatfield
AF: would you like to go back to the budget before we amended it? (£15 subs and £350 from college)
Hatfielder: yes we would for now and get back about any changes that happen with uniforms
– Amended budget passed on a general aye
Motion 4 – SCSFS budget
M?: asking for same money as last time – £300 grant and £700 loan – raise £6000 last year, and hope to match – really useful so we don’t put money from our own pockets
AK: been an amendment that we give a £1000 loan, due to us just giving to a charity as a charity
CM: is just about the jcr just giving to a charity
G?: but the 300 is going towards things that are put towards
JB: isn’t SCSFS being a cuths society mean that the charity is automatically
LJ: don’t think that’s the point we’re trying to make, we’re just saying that we’re a charity and don’t just donate straight to charity, and would also mean that other groups that are raising money for charity aren’t getting the same thing
EM: as outreach chair and having nothing to do with SCSFS, I wouldn’t feel comfortable with giving the lump sum
Member: if we got outreach committee involved would that make a difference?
EM: overall no, as I agree with Fi comm’s decision of giving it as a loan
M?: with the charity being a local charity wouldn’t it help towards building the bonds between students and the local area
EM: I agree with your point but I don’t see why that would change the decision of the JCR
EC: with the amount that is raised the £300 doesn’t impact it that much and is essentially a donation from cuths
CM: there are diff ways of being a charity and charitable, the JCR doesn’t just donate straight to charity but gives students the opportunities to learn more and develop skills that they wouldn’t get and put on the show etc
CS: charities still appreciate publicity and they’ll still get that even though they get £300 less
– No formal objection to amendment – amended motion of £1000 loan passed on a general aye
Exec Summaries – exec summarise what they’ve been doing:
CM – President
The new exec have been fantastic this term and I have been helping to support and direct them in any way I can. In particular, I have been working closely with the social chair and outreach officer in organising Michaelmas Ball and establishing the newly created outreach project ‘Framda’. On a university scale, I have been attending Prescomm, representing students on SMVOG and meeting with the Pro Vice Chancellor of colleges, OA, to discuss the university’s sexual violence policy, JCR levies, accommodation fee rises and the university’s long term strategy. I have also been working with college, attending management meetings and sitting on the newly formed college events committee to ensure the JCR is working with college to ensure the best experience for our students.
HJ – Vice President
Over summer, I wrote the Freshers Handbook and ordered the stash for freshers week. I’ve also held a drop in for stash that wasn’t collected last year, organised the stash order for this term and have begun the search for a new stash provider.
As well as this, I’ve sat on each committee meeting, writing the minutes and uploading them to the cuths.com website and have assisted the executive committee in their roles.
CL – Librarian
Over the summer
• Used data from the Bill Bryson Library to compile a list of the most taken out books. These are to be ordered into Cuth’s Library later in Michaelmas term.
• Got in contact with Outreach to make initial plans for a charity book sale of all the books that have been culled from the Library.
So far this term
• Advertised the Library during Freshers’ Week to get new volunteers to keep the library open.
• Reviewed volunteer applications and allocated positions accordingly.
• Trained the volunteers.
• Held a meeting with the college in which we
o Agreed a budget for new books;
o Got permission from the college officers to hold a charity book sale to clear the culled books and make space for new ones (money is to be reinvested in college or the JCR);
o Discussed how to make more study space available (potentially re-furnishing the House 8 Study Room); and
o Made initial plans on moving books and shelves around to make space in the library for more desks (we are potentially refurbishing the Library either this summer or the summer after).
• Received training from the Bill Bryson Library on cataloguing new books into, and removing old books from, our IT systems.
• Employed and trained a team of stock managers. They will help me to carry out the book cull, reorganise the shelves and move books ready for refurbishment, label and shelve new books and carry out a stock take. Each works for two hours a week outside of Library opening hours and is paid at the National Minimum Wage.
• Carried out the first book order of term. The majority of books have arrived and are in the process of being catalogued and labelled. They will be ready for collection by the students who requested them within the next two weeks.
• Provided coffee, milk, spoons, biscuits, sponges and washing up liquid for the Library.
ALJ – Communications Officer
In my role as Livers Out rep, over the Summer I wrote the Livers Out Handbook and distributed this in the fresher’s groups on Facebook and on the website. I have also organised a Fresher’s Housing Talk which will be held in the Dining Hall on the 7th November at 7.30pm. I have also been in contact with other college’s, with a plan to organise a Bailey ‘Find a Housemate’ event at the beginning of December, for those who are struggling to find housemates for next year. During Fresher’s week, I also organised the college parents this year, which I believe turned out a big success! (Apologies to those who I allocated to the parent ‘Steven Chopper’ – I didn’t know about the joke).
In my role as SU Rep, I attended Assembly on the 24th October and voted for committee members and on motions on behalf of Cuth’s. If anyone would like to know how I voted just get in touch. I also live-tweeted the goings on, so take a look at the twitter if you would like a more humorous insight into what happened. I also organised try outs within college for a University Challenge team who will go on to compete to be on the TV show within the SU, so congratulations to JW, AP, BM, RP and KS for making it on the team and thank you to everyone else who came to try outs!
On the communications side, I have been slowly updating the Website, including the reclaims form, sports and socs pages, events pages and housing database (shout out to JC for the help on that one). I have also found two people (HH and JK) who have said they will help me with the more technical parts of the website. I have also been writing the Newsletter every week.
RJ – Sports and Societies Chair
Over summer, I set up a Facebook group with all the captains and presidents with the intention of it being the main communication channel. So far this has worked well. I also entered all our sports teams into the college leagues. The Freshers Fair was a great success with the usual high turn-out. Because of the keen freshers, we’ve been able to restart Cuth’s Volleyball which means our total number of sports and societies now exceeds 40. The Team Cuth’s page has also been used more regularly to advertise events and celebrate sports and socs’ successes. I am also in the early stages of planning this year’s naked calendar.
AF – JCR Chair
I’ve been very busy rewriting the standing orders for the last few weeks, they are now ready to pass at a meeting but I am waiting on the approval of the trustees before I bring them to a meeting. Last week I attended a meeting with all the Chairs from all the colleges and we discussed attendance, meeting procedure and JCR involvement amongst other things. Off the back of this we have decided to live stream the elections today! Governance committee have had their first meeting as a new and full committee which is very exciting and we are looking forward to a productive term. I also did my first drop in session last Monday, look out for more drop in sessions where you can come and have a chat about getting involved in the JCR or passing motions.
EM – Outreach Chair
What Outreach has been up to over summer/ this term.
1) Working with Cat to establish a Cuth’s volunteering project; Framda – an after school drama club at Framwellgate Moor School
Went through a Project Leader application process and then a volunteer application process.
First session = tuesday 7th Nov
2) Looked into all the info about where the old stash should be donated to/ what is the most ethical thing to do with them
3) Altered the DUCK side of the Outreach Committee composition to make it fit with the restructuring of DUCK and make it make more sense for college
4) Got myself a committee WHOOP
5) Started planning a charity formal with college
6) Looking into the logistics of a charity book sale with old books from the library and what it would go towards
CS – Senior Welfare Officer
What have Cuth’s Welfare done so far?
First and foremost, we have developed our toast making, and butter spreading skills to a world-class level1.
In fresher’s week, we had chill/welfare corners on both sites in the evening, and provided drop-ins during the day. We also had a c-card2 sign up, where it was such a hit that we ran out of cards!
On a sexual health related note, we have set up an online form (on cuths.com/welfare/order-form) where people can request free sexual health supplies, to be delivered to their pigeon holes.
With regards to inclusivity and the wider community, we held a LGBT+ night in Cuth’s Bailey bar, joint with Grey college, and LGBT+ association. We have also been given a grant to host an event promoting inclusivity – we plan for this to be on trans awareness.
Our campaign team has been created and the resources and media team are getting to work on planning our Movember events, including an acoustic night, under the excellent leadership of our assistant welfare officers. We are also planning to make a poster with pictures of our campaign team members. This is so that Cuth’s people know who they are and can pass on campaign ideas they have to our team.
We have also read all responses to our Cuth’s welfare questionnaire, and are going to best to improve welfare in the ways suggested, and keep the things that have been considered valuable. As part of this, we endeavour to make it clear exactly what Cuth’s welfare do, through posters, email, facebook page (It’s new!!!), and the website (it’s been updated).
If you want more information, we have it all on our facebook page – Cuth’s Welfare. Also we will be making posters. In addition, we will have a blog on the website which has been updated (LINK).
We’re currently trying to get a gender neutral toilet sign for the Bailey JCR toilets (fingers crossed for this).
VC – International Rep
Over summer I planned the events for international freshers week, made the international freshers Facebook group and made various posts with tips and move in day information. In international freshers week I went to all of the events to ensure they ran smoothly and that everything was to schedule, as well as ordered food for the event on the first night. So far applications have been out to form an international committee, and as of today (Sunday) the international committee has formed. We will be having our first meeting next week. Everyone is to come with ideas for events to that meeting so that we can initiate one around the end of November/beginning of December.
AK – Treasurer
Over the term, I created and carried out the treasurer’s training for sports and socs treasurers and carried out all the smaller tasks like reclaims. We’ve been having issues with the bank which has slowed things down massively but I am getting through the payments! At the moment I’m writing up the accounts for college council on the 15th as well as updating and renewing insurance for the JCR.
CW – Facilities Manager
So far this term and before I have overseen multiple rentals of green machine equipment from other colleges. This included organising handover of the equipment and form signatures. I also had a check over the equipment to make sure it was ready for a new year. Purchased additional microphone, cords and mic stand as the music room was running low and organised handover. Been in contact with gym manager about improvements needed. Sourced erg screens and a treadmill repair company Chandler Sports who will repair the treadmills on a call out for £800 but will get back to me early this week on when Attempted to liaise with CF (Bursar) regarding Dark Room viability however due to an intense two weeks of Bio Enterprise and falling ill, have not had a meeting.
AJ – Postgraduate and Mature Students Rep
Over the summer I, along with the remaining member from last year’s postgraduate committee, began organising the postgraduate welcome week. We updated the postgraduate handbook with more relevant information and a new layout. Organisation of the postgraduate welcome week included planning postgraduate only events such as the formal, quiz night, brunch and welcome meal. Created a new mascot, “PG tips” for the postgraduate facebook group.
This term I have begun organising and planning dates for academic events to take place. Organised our first research forum of term in the SCR where we had two PhD students speaking about they’re research. The next is to take place on the 20th November. Begun planning social events such as trips around the North East, Pizza nights etc.
2 minute break and then elections
JP: how far in advance should the agenda be posted in advance?
AF: earlier than it should’ve been
HJ: next time we’ll aim for at least 24 hours before
ELECTIONS
No Method 1 elections
Assistant Librarian
Student Trustee
These are the ones on offer – Christian and James have spoken on behalf on why they’re good
Method 2
PG academic rep: HC and RNC
HC: first year PhD – did cuths undergrad – cuths has lots to offer at all levels – during my MA I did a PG Shakespeare conference, the biggest of its kind in the UK – organised panels – new ideas: increase participation across colleges – research fora with people from diff colleges presenting – and set up an SCR blog to publicise everything.
AB: any questions?
SP takes her outside
AB: Everyone closes their eyes – everyone vote HC hand up, everyone RNC hand up, abstain hands up
– HC elected
AB: next election – A?– general rep
A?: want to work with academic rep – experience – undergrad at oxford – was on a committee for arts week – did journalism in a gap year prior to masters
AB: any questions?
What does your JCR at oxford do that ours could do?
A?: something – was livestreamed
AB: voting – for A? hand up – RNC hand up – abstain hand up
– A? elected
AB: Are quite a lot of method 2 still open especially PG committee – no postgrads here – some more on social committee – a finalist rep – must be in third or fourth year and a PG rep
DG: speaks about social comm
No one wants to run
AB: also three positions on finance comm
AK: talks about fi comm – cake rota
CG: Question – if you have method 2 can you go for another?
AB: can if it is run twice and no one goes for it, or if you want to give up your other one. Next one is sports and socs reporter
RJ: we have media with lots of views and likes – nice easy job pretty chill
AB: next one is junior DSU Rep
LJ: speak about it – assembly – twice a term – interesting – important decisions – if you’re funny you could do the stuff on the twitter cos I’m not good at it
AB: anyone want to run?
AP: stands to run: it’s twice a term, I think I’d quite enjoy it – I’m a 2nd year doing bio and I think I’d represent the society just as well as anyone
AB: questions?
SP: you seem to not care about this position but I think it’s incredibly important, explain yourself
AP: you can always vote for RNC
LJ: what’s your impression of the SU?
AP: it’s slow to respond and it’d be good to change that
CM: what is the charitable aims of SU and what is it?
AP: the charitable aims are ones that MC chose to represent, and MC was a great jcr president and a great su president and I’m sure they’re great charitable aims. SU does stuff and I’m sure I’ll learn more about it as I do the role
AB: eyes closed please – AP and RNC – vote for AP hands up, vote for RNC hands up, abstain hands up
– AP elected
MEETING OVER