2016 Committee Lunch

Date: Wednesday 2nd week, Trinity 2016 (2016-05-04)

Attendance

Present: Anne Williamson (President), Cealach McKeating (Vice-President (Administrative)), Steven Rose (Secretary), Darryl Braier-Lorimer (Treasurer), Hugo Monnery (Lindsay), Meg Peyton-Jones (Dr. WHO), Frederick Potts (Foody), Helen Davies (Sports Rep), Xavier Greenwood (Sports Rep), Joseph Lee (Academic Affairs and Careers Officer), Alberto Andrade (Academic Affairs and Careers 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), Indigo Wilde (Entz Officer), Aidan Balfe (Environment & Ethics Officer), Hubert Au (Ethnic Minorities Officer), Laura Bossino (International Students Officer), Nicholas Halterman (International Students Officer), Ele Saltmarsh (LGBTQ Officer), Andrew Truong (Website & Computing Officer), Daisy Cockrean (Women's Officer), Rachael Ince-Kitson (Women's Officer)

Absent with apologies: James Letten (Dr. WHO), Zachary Leather (Foody), Ruby Breward (Design & Maintenance Officer), Xavier Cohen (Entz Officer), Chilla Knight (Environment & Ethics Officer), Lewis Scott (John de Balliol), Thitapa Haritaworn (Ethnic Minorities Officer)

Absent without explanation: Emily Webb (Access and Admissions Officer), Peter Sayer (Design & Maintenance Officer), Simon Kelly (John de Balliol), Rory Meryon (LGBTQ Officer)

Agenda

1. Matters arising

2. Garden party [Abi]

3. Peer supporters' t shirts [Holly]

4. First responders' training session [Rachael & Daisy]

5. Gardener gift [Aidan & Chilla]

6. Cowspiracy [Aidan & Chilla]

7. Charity sweatshirts [Rivka & Sophie]

8. AOB

Minutes

Annie welcomed the Committee.

Abi reminded the Committee that the Garden Party will on Sunday, and asked Committee to volunteer to do staircase checks to avoid potential gate-crashing, emphasising the triviality of the task. She told them of the importance of ensuring that rooms are locked. Names were taken, emails and chocolates were promised.

Abi invited questions from the Committee. Molly offered assistance for the day.

 

Holly told the Committee that the peer supporters would like articles of clothing to identify peer supporters to new freshers during freshers’ week. She commented that she doesn’t know exactly how much this would cost, however £60 should cover the cost. Annie replied that the Committee can pass up to £50 and suggested doing this and bringing the motion to a GM should the sum be insufficient.

Darryl asked Cealach if this could come from the freshers’ week budget. Cealach replied that this was the college’s fund, and that College would not pay for such clothing as it would be deemed 'stash.'

The Committee passed up to £50.

 

Rachael encouraged the Committee to take part in the first responder training sessions, emphasising this in particular the welfare subcommittee.

Rachael told the Committee that the sessions were training in responding to disclosures of sexual violence.

Annie encouraged interested members to talk to Rachael and Holly.

 

Aidan acknowledged his office should at some point do something. He suggested that the office purchase a gift for the Gardener, acknowledging the excellent work that he does. He noted that the Gardener enjoys horticulture, however stressed that he would like to ensure that the gift purchased would not be patronising or reductive.

Molly suggested a gift related to bird watching, owing to an interest on the part of the Gardener. Aidan responded positively to this.

Annie asked Aidan if he was asking for money. Aidan recalled that he has a budget (that Darryl, King Of Austerity, said he intends to cut due to a lack of use).

Richard offered that it would be nice to get presents for both Gardeners since they are both well appreciated by the JCR.

Xav G suggested also getting a present for Jim, who is responsible for the croquet lawn. He suggested that this may fall under the responsible for the sports officers.

Darryl raised the concern about setting a precedent for purchasing gifts for college staff (as opposed to JCR staff), which is not the Committee's responsibility.

 

Aidan told the Committee that his office would like to screen a documentary about the contribution of agriculture to climate change, Cowspiracy, which he describes as a “really good piece of investigative journalism.” He asked how movies are screened in the JCR.

Annie replied that he should talk to the porters to book a room, check the JCR calendar, and advertise to the Committee and the JCR accordingly.

Sam reminded Aidan that he would have an obligation to discuss the provisions to be put in place were this screened in the JCR.

 

Rivka told the Committee that she and Sophie had been in contact with officers in Trinity who sell sweatshirts for a charity (which Rivka could not precisely recall during the meeting), costing £20 each, and that they had been given order forms by said officers. Rivka asked how the money should be collected. Sophie noted that the sweatshirts are college branded, and that they cheaper than official stash.

Sophie told the Committee that they were acting as vendors rather than organisers of the scheme.

Annie suggested the money be taken through pantry, however Rivka cited concerns raised by Zack regarding security.

Richard suggested the JCR office; Daisy offered battels; Aidan offered PayPal. Meg suggested the JCR fund the initial bill to be repaid by Battels; Darryl saw no reason why not. Rivka agreed to investigate the possibility. Richard suggested that batteling would likely create more sales, and asked that more information about the charity be found.

 

Molly noted that she had cancelled the study-skills session due to illness, and asked if events were happening on Monday and Tuesday. Annie suggested checking the JCR calendar; Molly responded that this was not well used by the Committee. Annie emphasised the importance of using the calendar to the Committee.

Rachael noted that Game of Thrones is aired on Monday.

 

Molly reminded the Committee that there would be an obligation to attend a trigger warning session, and asked for potential dates. Annie suggested scheduling it immediately before a GM, seeing as Officers are mandated to attend Gms anyway. Ste approved.

 

Cealach told the Committee that she had bought an honesty box for tea; she emphasised reminding people to use this since the tea has been free for some time, and hence people will be reluctant to pay.

 

Annie told the Committee that only 49% of Balliol are registered to vote and expressed her dismay.

Cealach suggested asking someone to run the Pledge2Reg drive.

Annie suggested mandating E&E officers, and ISO.

Ste asked how she had the given figure; Annie replied that OUSU – by some unknown means – have the figures. Ste was duly terrified by OUSU's apparent omniscience.

 

Xav G noted that many people have used their own stuff to stock the kettle space, and was concerned that the atmosphere of the project would be harshly impacted by the honesty box. He noted that the way it has been operating somewhat moots concerns about sinking Pantry.

Aidan offered that he likes the feeling of living in a commune. He also noted that requiring people bring their own mugs largely encourages people to bring their own tea.

Hugo suggested that an honesty box shouldn’t breed a hostile atmosphere.

Molly offered that the length of the previous discussion does not warrant a follow up conversation. Cealach disagreed with Xav’s observation that few people use the kettle.

Annie suggested lacing the box without harshly advertising it. Darryl suggested placing a sticker on the box of tea.

Sam asked if people would be likely to steal the honesty box. The general feeling among the Committee was that this would be unlikely given the low sums in the honesty box and the difficulty of opening the box.

Xav G was happy with this conclusion.

 

Molly told the Committee that there was an ongoing project to place a bookshelf in the JCR stocked with books about welfare and general reading, and offered that she was receptive to suggestions regarding books.

 

Ste reminded people to be at the Committee photo.

Daisy asked if we ever found the JCR flag that was present in previous photos, that was lost a couple of years ago.

Cealach suggested asking Duncan to search for the flag, and asking Denise.

Ste agreed to bring the canvas banner should this not be found.

 

Darryl “done messed up,” with regards to the BT Sport motion based on the knowledge that it would cost £25 a month, as opposed to the £250 that they asked, and £125 that he has negotiated. He suggested that he was unsure if the mandate was still valid, or whether it would be annulled in another motion. Annie suggested that the motion would be considered void due to the incorrect notes section.

Annie suggested bringing this explanation to the JCR in an officers’ report.

 

The meeting was adjourned.