2013-11-08
JCR – 1st Meeting Michaelmas 2013
A meeting of the JCR Committee was held on 8th November 2013
Those present were: Georgia Ware and Nick Harvey (Welfare Extraordinaire) Davina Moss (JCR President), Zephyr Penoyre (Secretary), Kerry Corley (Vice President), , Alissa Lamb, Megan McPherson (Access Officer), Joseph Chroston-Bell (Green Officer), Dan Jones, Daisy Harrison (Ents Presidents), Nick Hands, Joel Daramola (First Year Reps), Oliver Lane (Web and Publicity Officer) Solene Fercocq (International)
Apologies: Sandy Rushton (Frep), Christian von Drehle (Treasurer)
Minutes
Davina thanks the freps for their fantastic work
Open meeting and elections
Kerry asks for anything for agenda to be sent to her.
Budget
Almost every society has submitted necessary budget stuff, some still haven’t got back.
AP: Christian to continue to hunt down the rest
Master Elections
15 applicants, now down to 2 shortlisted candidates. Currently undergoing interview by fellows and JCR, Kerry and Davina to represent JCR’s vote.
Have been asking: “what’s the ideal relationship between a master and his undergraduates?” and “what should the master’s role be in college access?” although open to other question suggestions.
“What we’ve been up to” email
Kerry will print out and send round a quick manifesto of what the individual JCR members actually do. Georgia suggested putting it on website as well.
AP: Kerry to write and send round. To be sent to Oli as well to put on web.
Gender Equality Group
Prof. Jane Clark suggested to governing body that Tit Hall should support the Athena Swan movement and is forming a gender equality group with 4 members of the JCR on it: Davina, Louise, Joe and one other?
AP: Committee to ask around for ideas on how to combat gender inequality in Cambridge. Possibly via college (or female student) wide questionnaire.
Committee updates
Libary
Zephyr suggested subscribe to some journals in JCR. Megan fears they’ll migrate away from JCR. Alissa suggested stickers, maybe porters could do that. Christian thinks we have enough money.
AP: Investigate which journals JCR want and how best to keep them from disappearing
Kitchens
Updates: Plastic cups are biodegradable (only temporary until hall back). Booking times are on the intranet. KFC does not cover coffee bar.
AP: Oli and Kerry to publicize where to find booking times
Buildings
Updates: Dining hall refurbished has been slowed by fixing up bar, as well as some other minor setbacks. 6th feb current planned finish date. Clems update moving forward, Davina will update us when she’s seen it. Joe asks about environmental considerations and disabled access, and college is ensuring both are planned for. Boat house is next to be refurbished, will still be usable during that period.
AP: Davina to continue meetings with Bursar to ensure rooms are reasonably priced and a range of options are available.
Student Switch Off Update
Joe has reached politically acceptable levels of email saturation. Daisy suggests putting on ents page, and also getting everyone at open meeting to do it.
AP: Joe to send more emails, put on facebook and announce at open meeting.
CUSU update
Solene explained how CUSU are opposing a bill that makes things more difficult for international students to find accommodation as landlords prosecuted for not ensuring visa status, introduces charges for non EU students using NHS and removes right to appeal for visa for students while living in the UK. Tit Hall supporting this but question the current wording of the petition.
AP: Committee to encourage people to apply for CUSU part time positions. Solene will continue to monitor how the opposition of the bill proceeds.
Access update
Access have set up alternative prospectus committee and are at the writing content stage. Want snippets from committee about welfare, ents etc.
AP: Megan and Alissa to continue working on it. When finished will go on JCR and main college websites. Printed copies will also be good, but probably not feasible in time for next years intake, so M and A to brief next access officers on sorting that out.
Access raised the question of the Welfare element inherent in their role, and whether cross-pollination of training would be useful, particularly around Freshers’ Week and arrivals.
AP: Welfare team to think about how to address this issue.
Another point raised was around budgeting help for new students.
AP: Access to look into making a template budget to help new students get their head around how much to spend on what.
Sky Update
Kerry says CUSU secured cheaper rate 8 months ago. Other colleges have just got theirs working. We’ve been delayed by issues with reaching and fixing the satellite dish, may take a while to either fix or replace current dish.
AP: Kerry and Davina still investigating best way to move forward.
J2 (building in Avery Court)
J2 was boat club captains room with social space, flooded 2 years ago over summer. Daisy introduced current plan to knock through the wall and make it a general social space for societies, with boat club getting preference. Should not be used by conferencing at all, and should hopefully be easily bookable
AP: Currently conferencing are going to oversee the bookings, committee would like to see a system like the music room booking system put in place.
Nick raised question of charge for non-college society room booking. Davina says it’s university wide and is a precaution to reduce visitors from other colleges causing damage.
Welfare update
Now have confidentiality agreement, only cover welfare committee. Allows welfare reps to go to CUSU student advisory service for help.
JCR will encourage people to foster relations with their tutor, send people to tutor for minor problems etc. Tutors are getting training and being encouraged to run some events throughout the year.
AP: For more minor general concerns committee members should now try and redirect people to their tutors.
Nick Harvey raised question of whether pregnancy tests should be in locker, because people take them all and are expensive. Rape alarms are now available upon request instead. General consensus is that they should remain in locker, perhaps not put all in at once to dissuade people taking them without need.
C-card is dead, we still get free condoms, we don’t believe we need to pursue alternative as condoms in locker
Zero & Freshers week feedback
Kerry asks if we’re happy with new format of zero week with Nat Sci’s arriving halfway through. Generally yes, questions were raised about whether treatment of maths students is fair, could they not come later as well?
Nick Harvey questioned whether 2 days was enough to make informed decision about NST courses. Committee reported no complaints from freshers and that the issues of the Nat Schism were reduced.
AP: College to be encouraged to maintain this format and JCR to question whether maths students could also arrive
College asked for us not to take them out clubbing pre matriculation photo, partly so they can take in important talks. Daisy suggested moving casino night to Sunday. Considered to be a shame not to take them out on their first night together and fears were voiced that some groups will go out anyway, splitting the year.
AP: Consider alternative Sunday night entertainment, but if no better option plan to maintain club night.
As for the club nights themselves, 2 options on club nights works very well, e.g. pub nights and pyjama parties etc.
Having a good rota makes everyone’s lives a lot easier, with one day off each a week.
AP: Should aim to always have alternative clubbing option and agree beforehand on suitable committee rota
Some people questioned whether pub scavenger hunt was too late in the week? Generally events after Wednesday seem less popular as lectures have started.
AP: Plan carefully next year around start of lectures, either publicizing post lectures events more or doing more earlier in week.
The freps suggested running one more freshers event for the whole year in the next few weeks. Saturday 16th suggested as a date although actual event as yet undetermined. If it was scheduled later could include both old and
AP: Freps to plan and execute event.
Conclusion
Davina thanked everyone for attending and reminded everyone of the pen meeting/ freplection on Sunday the 17th
_________
Zephyr Penoyre (jp576)
JCR Secretary
Trinity Hall