2016 Committee Lunch
Date: Wednesday 1st week, Trinity 2016 (2016-04-27)Attendance
Present: Anne Williamson (President), Cealach McKeating (Vice-President (Administrative)), Steven Rose (Secretary), Darryl Braier-Lorimer (Treasurer), James Letten (Dr. WHO), Frederick Potts (Foody), Zachary Leather (Foody), Xavier Greenwood (Sports Rep), Joseph Lee (Academic Affairs and Careers Officer), Alberto Andrade (Academic Affairs and Careers Officer), Emily Webb (Access and Admissions Officer), Daisy Cutts (Access and Admissions Officer), Elliot Jones (Affiliations Officer), Saad Hamid (Affiliations Officer), Rivka Shaw (Charities and RAG Officer), Sophie Conquest (Charities and RAG Officer), Molly Rogers (Student Disabilities Officer), Samuel Gibb (Student Disabilities Officer), Chilla Knight (Environment & Ethics Officer), Hubert Au (Ethnic Minorities Officer), Thitapa Haritaworn (Ethnic Minorities Officer), Laura Bossino (International Students Officer), Ele Saltmarsh (LGBTQ Officer), Rory Meryon (LGBTQ Officer), Andrew Truong (Website & Computing Officer), Daisy Cockrean (Women's Officer), Rachael Ince-Kitson (Women's Officer)
Absent with apologies: Hugo Monnery (Lindsay), Meg Peyton-Jones (Dr. WHO), Helen Davies (Sports Rep), Ruby Breward (Design & Maintenance Officer), Lewis Scott (John de Balliol)
Absent without explanation: Peter Sayer (Design & Maintenance Officer), Indigo Wilde (Entz Officer), Xavier Cohen (Entz Officer), Aidan Balfe (Environment & Ethics Officer), Simon Kelly (John de Balliol), Nicholas Halterman (International Students Officer)
Agenda
1. Matters Arising
2. Birthday gift for Dani [Darryl]
3. AOB
Minutes
Annie welcomed the Committee to the first Committee lunch of the term, noting the low attendance.
Darryl told the Committee to sign a birthday card for Dani (who works in pantry), and asked to pass up to £25 for a card and a birthday present. The Committee passed up to £25.
James told the Committee that him and Meg are looking to do a joint event with New College in 6th week on Jowett field. He told the Committee that he had spoken to Darryl about funding it.
Ste asked about the location choice, with regards to noise interrupting finalists. James replied that there exist other options, as far out as using South Park, however Jowett would be his preference.
Annie asked Darryl if it would not be possible to run the June Jamboree as a joint event with New College. James reiterated this would be a good idea, however Cealach responded that the June Jamboree is typically a Balliol event, with which people were in general agreement. Darryl also voiced concerns about equipment usage that arise when it is considered as a mixed-college event, as opposed to a college-only event, in which he knows the people attending.
Daisy told the Committee that Access has a busy term in Trinity, and hence asked the Committee to offer their support, and to encourage others to participate. She informed that her and Emily were currently writing the Alternative Prospectus, and asked for Committee input regarding writing about their Offices.
Emily noted that stalls in the JCR would be present during Open Days, and asked the Committee to start thinking about things that they would like to have on display. Daisy reiterated the importance of highlighting the Committee on open days.
Molly noted that on Sunday (provisionally, though potentially a later date) there would be an exam-revision-tip-sharing session in LR23, and encouraged the Committee to attend.
Cealach noted to the Committee the lack of JCR renovations in the vac, and informed the Committee that this was due to Maintenance being given a large project by College which occupied their time over the vac; JCR renovations would now more likely happen towards the end of the Summer vac, and hence there was opportunity to contribute ideas.
Cealach then reminded the Committee that Freshers' week preparations were beginning, noting that she'd emailed those who are mandated to be on Freshers week sub-committee; she encouraged welfare subcommittee to join Freshers' week sub-committee.
Emily reiterated that Committee had an obligation to provide assistance during freshers week, which was reiterated by Annie, who noted that accommodation was available from the start of 0th week.
Annie asked Cealach if it would be possible to renovate the JCR to include a kitchen, however Cealach responded that maintenance had replied that this would not be possible.
Xav G told the Committee that since getting a microwave that he had been approached by students to ask about getting a kettle for the TV room; he expressed concern regarding stepping on Pantry's toes, however noted that the purchase of coffee and tea would benefit a lot of people if there were a kettle in the TV room, and hence was voicing the idea to the Committee with his support as a 'natural addition to the microwave.'
Zack responded that the loss would not be too great to pantry, however he would rather it didn't happen, though he acknowledges it as reasonable. Xav G responded that there'll still be people who are too lazy to boil a kettle, and hence loss of profit to Pantry would not be great.
Emily suggested not getting mugs to save money and to disincentivise the use of the kettle.
Ste asked if it was worth getting a kettle if we were to disincentivise use. Emily replied that it was similar to not providing crockery for the microwave, which is fair.
Molly offered that she thinks the idea is a good one, however she asked what the possibility was for loyalty cards in Pantry. Zack replied that would be fun.
Zack told the Committee that he had been thinking about free finalists' tea, however noted that the cost over a term it may be too great, and hence considered restricting it to the week of exams.
Darryl – King of Austerity – was “disinclined to go for this idea,” noting that profit margins on things like food toppings are low to keep food cheap, but compensated for by large profit margins on hot beverages, which he believes is something the JCR should maintain. Xav G said that he understands this problem, however from the perspective of a student and their expenditure (noting that people do indeed drink a lot of tea and coffee within college) savings on tea and coffee may potentially be greater, and offered that consideration should be paid to second years who live out.
Darryl responded that Pantry income also goes towards the JCR, and hence a loss in profits may affect more general spending.
Annie asked if pantry provides hot water for free, which it turns out it is.
Laura asked if this measure would not be more aimed towards when pantry was closed.
Cealach offered that the problem she sees with this is that large traffic through the TV room leads to a lot of mess, so adding measures that could include mess would not be worthwhile.
Annie offered providing only a kettle however not providing tea or coffee, so that Pantry is not supplanted, noting that other stores would be able to provide tea for students reluctant to pay the high costs of Pantry.
Xav G responded that he doesn't understand why we would disinsentivise this.
Freddy told the Committee that Pantry would not be averse to providing mugs.
Zack offered that he does not believe that it would reduce takings on tea and coffee citing personal experience (Zack is somehow too lazy to make a cup of tea in his own room, but lazy enough to go from his room to Pantry to get tea). He however noted that it would be not ideal to wash mugs that had not been paid for through tea and coffee charges.
Molly asked how milk would factor into this thrilling discussion, noting it could not be refrigerated in the TV room. She also offered the suggestion of keeping a kettle in a cupboard locked with a key available when pantry is not closed.
Daisy Cutts asked where the kettle would be filled. It was responded that there was a cupboard with a sink in it (including old revision material according to Richard). Daisy offered the suggestion of keeping the kettle in that cupboard – though also noted that she has no idea where it is.
Darryl was still wary; he was looking accounts, noting that we have spent 13.5k in the last two terms, owing to less use of Pantry and the bar.
Cealach offered that while she would personally benefit from such a measure, it would also increase the workload on cleaners unfairly. Xav G aksed about resolving the issue regarding mugs.
Annie suggested that the options were either to not provide mugs or providing some rota for people to regularly clean the mugs – insisting it should not be Pantry's job. Xav G asked how the Committee felt about the kettle alone, noting the ease with which the kettle could be implemented.
Darryl made the suggestion of providing mugs and tea for the staircase 15 kitchenette as this would sufficiently disincentivise the use of a kettle. Xav G voiced concerns about access, however Cealach noted that the TV room is also not accessible.
Sam noted that mugs would likely go missing if the bar's predicament is anything by which to go.
Zack offered that the traffic to the staircase kitchenette would be burdensome to the occupants of staircase 15.
Zack summarised his view as such: that mugs would go missing, milk was a problem, cleaning would be a problem (and should not be Pantry's problem), though offered that he would be willing to trial the idea for a week to investigate costs to Pantry.
Laura noted that a week may not be an accurate length to trial the idea, as it would take time for the idea to catch on.
Xav G asked how this would be marketed regarding whether or not it would be actively promoted.
Annie suggested nothing be done in the next week save for tracking sales of tea and coffee and revisit the discussion.
Darryl made a kettle pun, telling the Committee what the situation “boils down to.”
He offered that pantry leave a kettle and mugs and teabags in the TV when Pantry closes, to be be recovered when Pantry re-opens. Annie offered this also be contingent on replacing mugs on a tray to be recovered.
Daisy offered that this would result in tea being offered for free when Pantry was closed; Zack offered leaving a “sorry I stole your profits” box (which, unfortunately, came to be referred to as the “honesty box” later on in the conversation).
Annie asked Xav G how he felt about this option. He responded that he prefers trialling a kettle in place in the TV room, offering his own services to ensure the tidiness of the TV room. He however offered that Darry'ls idea could work but sees issues with sometimes charging for tea during Pantry's closure.
Laura asked if people could not bring their own mugs. It was responded that second years are likely to not have mugs, though eventually agreed that popping a mug in your bag before setting off for the day isn't the hardest thing a student is likely to have to do in any given day.
Annie suggested starting off by trialling Darryl's suggestion for a month, and reconsider the options in a month.
Alberto clarified that this would be advertised as a trial; Annie affirmed that it would, however noted that there would be no reason to remove the option of a kettle only outside of pantry times.
Emily offered operating a full time honesty system; Darryl noted this is feasible given the massive profit margin on tea and coffee. Xav G noted this would be preferable as animosity would arise regarding Pantry's reluctance to permanently offer the kettle.
Annie asked the Committee for the opinion. It was agreed to operate a full-time honesty-based system for a month's trial.
Daisy Cutts offered that the JCR may be a better location to incentivise payment to the honesty box and to limit mess in the TV room. Zack responded this would create an odd juxtaposition of Pantry – where tea is fifty pence – and the free tea box in college. Xav G responded that there exist spaces within the TV room that would be appropriate as a countertop.
Molly noted that the TV room is not accessible.
Annie asked the Committee to pass up to £25 for the proposals. Darryl noted placing a lock on the honesty box given its proximity to the vending machine. Annie offered passing up to £35 to include an honesty box. The Committee passed up to £35.
Darryl asked the Committee for help regarding the June Jamboree. Annie asked for a show of hands for those willing to provide assistance (noting that the Committee would all likely need to provide assistance on the day). Those who raised there hands were Emily, Elliot, Zack,Freddy, Daisy, Daisy, Rachael, and Alberto).
Ste informed the Committee that – upon a suggestion of Daisy Cutts' – he is blasting the JCR into the 21st century by using a view-only Google Docs file to compile agendas, so that students would be able to see new motions as soon as they are added; and added that students at GMs would have access to the written forms of amendments during GMs on their laptops.
Zack asked if the JCR could get pets because Bruce's dog is a delight. Daisy Cutts suggested that Bruce's dog was a great way to settle College into the idea of a pet.
Annie noted that College didn't want a permanently established pet due to turnover of students.
Zack suggested broadening the mandate of Comrade Tortoise to include all animals. Emily suggested a fish would be ideal, however Sam noted that you can't stroke a fish.
Richard noted this tends to get debated most years, normally settling on the conclusion that we'd accidentally kill an animal.
Molly noted that she is attempting to organise people with pets to bring in pets for people to meet.
Xav G wants owls.
Molly doubted people have owls.
Cealach commended the efforts of the bop cleanup which was fun (though ineffective given the stickiness of the floor the following day).
Annie asked the Committee to consider events they can run in Trinity term.
The Committee adjourned the meeting.