2016 General Meeting

Date: Sunday 5th week, Trinity 2016 (2016-05-22)

Agenda

 

a) Matters arising

1. Officers’ Report [Annie Williamson & Richard Ware]

 

b) Amendments to the Governing Documents

 

c) Motions relating to financial matters

2. Refugee Scholarship [Annie Williamson]

3. Jowett Condom Machine [Meg Peyton Jones]

4. Women’s Dinner Budget [Rachael Ince-Kitson and Daisy Cockrean]

5. New JCR Laptop [Darryl Braier-Lorimer & Ste Rose]

6. Tingewick Pantomime donation [Jamie Mawhinney]

 

d) Any other motions

7. Mandatory First-Responder Training for Welfare Sub-Committee [Rachael Ince-Kitson and Daisy Cockrean]

8. Support for the OUSBMS campaign to make commoner’s gowns compulsory in viva exams and language orals [Alberto Andrade]

9. Condemnation of Lord Patten’s Recent Comments [Duncan Shepherd]

10. EU Flag Flying [Lorin Samija]

 

 

 

 

a) Matters arising

1. Officers’ Report [Annie Williamson & Richard Ware]
   
   b) Amendments to the Governing Documents

 

c) Motions relating to financial matters

 

2. Refugee Scholarship [Annie Williamson] Passes

 

This JCR notes:

 

1. There are currently over 20 million refugees worldwide, including hundreds of thousands of students.

2. Many refugees are well-educated, speak excellent English, and were previously studying at university before conflict or persecution forced them to flee their country.

3. Education is a fundamental tool to empowerment, and higher education opportunities are snatched away from refugees who face great uncertainty about whether they can ever return to study, even for the most able students.

4. Financial barriers are often the most significant obstacle to higher education study for refugees once they have left immediate danger.

5. If students raise 50% of the living costs for a scholarship for another student, the University will waive 60% of international tuition fees.

6. Balliol has a proud history of welcoming refugees, most notably in the case of Jewish refugees prior to and during the Second World War.

7. Jesus College currently operates a Junior Member’s Scholarship offering an undergraduate place to a student from Gaza on a regular basis.

8. Several other UK Universities have committed to funding scholarship places, such as Warwick University, York University, SOAS University of London, London School of Economics, and the University of East London.

9. Charitable giving is a key part of Balliol’s community spirit.

10. Alumni are very supportive of student-led efforts to raise money for worthy causes, and several alumni have already expressed an interest in matching student donations.

11. Matched fundraising programs are incredibly effective due to this multiplier effect.

12. A number of other Oxford student bodies, including Queens JCR, Exeter JCR and Wadham SU, have donor-matched student giving and/or leavers’ fundraising campaigns for a variety of student priorities.

13. The Development Office would support a model whereby student fundraising is matched by alumni and College, to the order of 5 to 1, then placed in a campaign fund for a committee of JCR and MCR students to determine the most effective benevolent use within the College for this money.

 

This JCR believes:

 

1. That access to higher education should be based on merit, and not nationality, immigration status, race or financial situation.

2. That Balliol College has a duty to support refugee students.

3. Given that the University of Oxford is one of the leading universities in the world, by supporting this cause, it has the potential to influence the policy pertaining to student refugees at an international level.

4. Such a scheme would not only change the lives of the scholars, but also enrich the Balliol community, as well as demonstrate the students’ commitment to sharing the excellent educational opportunities the University has to offer with those students whose studies have been disrupted due to war and persecution.

5. That creating these student-funded scholarships would help put pressure on the University to provide long-term and sustainable financial support to refugee and asylum seeking students.

6. That such a scholarship, if established, would be a prime option for endowment by an external donor, in which case the JCR and MCR Fundraising Committee could determine new priorities at that stage.

 

 

This JCR resolves:

 

1. Establish a Balliol Students’ Fundraising Committee, composed of the JCR President, JCR Treasurer, one JCR Charities representative, three MCR members, with non-voting support from a representative of the Development Office.

2. Commit to implementing an opt-out levy of £4 per term, in the form of a battels charge, to raise money for the Balliol Students’ Campaign.

3. To convene the Balliol Students’ Fundraising Committee once per term in order to monitor the sum of money in the campaign fund, determine three tiered priority options for the following year of spending, and follow up on the previous year’s spending to compile a report detailing its effectiveness.

For example, these tiered priorities may be:

a) Fully fund a three-year undergraduate degree for an international refugee student, including all living costs. OR, IF NOT POSSIBLE,

b) Fully fund a one-year graduate degree for an international refugee student, including all living costs. OR, IF NOT POSSIBLE,

c) Invite a refugee academic to deliver a lecture to members of the JCR and MCR in the coming year, fully funding their visit, and retaining all excess money in the campaign fund to use for a scholarship in the next year.

1. To bring this proposal to College Governing Body to ask for support, in the form of delegating the admissions decisions to fellows once money has been raised, and also asking Balliol Fellows themselves to contribute the cost of one international flight for a refugee student per year.

2. Resolve to do all of these on the understanding that this motion does not, and should not, undermine the commitment of both the student body, and the college, towards the existing Reach scholarship.

 

3. Jowett condom machine (Meg Peyton Jones) Passes

This JCR notes:

1. Use of condoms significantly decreases the chances of pregnancy and transmission of many STIs during sex.

2. The free condom machine on mainsite is subject to frequent use.

3. Jowett Walk, where many members of the JCR live, does not currently have a free condom machine.

4. We have a quote from Intelligent Vending of £161.22 plus £36 delivery for a condom machine (thanks to Molly Rogers).

5. The Women’s Officers have identified the laundry room in Jowett as the most suitable location for a condom machine, being accessible, not open to conference guests and communal.

6. We have a sexual health fund for exactly this kind of thing, and it currently has enough money in it to comfortably afford a condom machine.

7. Yes I have asked Darryl, Denise, RQ, Jo Roadknight, the Jowett Wardens and Keeley Mortimer, they say it’s all fine.

8. Members of the JCR can also get pidged condoms (standard, extra large or latex free), dental dams or lube by members of welfare subcommittee upon request. This request can be anonymous if desired (via leaving an empty envelope to be filled in the pidge of the member of subcommittee, which can later be picked up).

9. Pidging condoms is more reliable than using the condom machine as it is not always full, despite the efforts of the Drs WHO. It is also vastly cheaper than using the condom machine.

This JCR believes:

1. Promoting and facilitating safe sex is a worthwhile thing to do and for us to spend our money on.

This JCR resolves:

1. To mandate the Drs WHO to use £197.22 from the Sexual Health fund to buy a condom machine from Intelligent Vending and have it installed in the Jowett laundry room.

2. To mandate the Drs WHO to keep said condom machine stocked up during term time.

    Amendment 1 [Meg Peyton Jones]

Strike Notes 4

Add Notes 4:

We have a quote from Intelligent Vending of £161.22 plus £13.70 delivery for a condom machine (thanks to Molly Rogers).

 

Strike Resolves 1:

Add Resolves 1:

To mandate the Drs WHO to use £174.92 from the Sexual Health fund to buy a condom machine from Intelligent Vending and have it installed in the Jowett laundry room.

 

4. Women’s Dinner Budget [Rachael Ince-Kitson and Daisy Cockrean] (Provisional) Passes

This JCR notes:

1. The women’s budget is £50 a term.

2. Women’s officers in the JCR and MCR organise an annual dinner in Trinity term to celebrate women being at Balliol which is very well attended.

3. The MCR have already donated £500 to fund pre-dinner drinks for attendees and the alumni and SCR who plan to give speeches and attend.

4. Estimated attendees are over 100 guests.

5. Buttery alcohol prices are quite high.

This JCR believes:

1. Alcohol is expensive and Daisy and I will have, by then, spent most of our budget funding another women’s event.

2. The women’s annual dinner is really important and JCR funding and backing for the dinner would show that the JCR supports women in the JCR.

3. It would not be fair to ask the MCR to foot the entire bill when it is a joint event.

This JCR resolves:

1. To donate £150 to the drinks reception of the women’s dinner in 7th week.

 

5. New JCR Laptop [Darryl Braier-Lorimer & Ste Rose] Passes

 

This JCR notes:

 

1. That Denise does excellent work for the JCR, and that it would not function in its current form without her.

2. That Denise’s current computer is a slow desktop computer, which is now at least five years old.

3. That Denise asked me if she could have a laptop so she can do work outside office hours.

4. That the laptop Denise has asked for costs £400.

 

This JCR believes:

 

1. That purchasing a new JCR laptop for use by Denise would be a worthwhile purchase

 

This JCR resolves:

 

1. To pass £400 to purchase a new JCR laptop for Denise’s use.

 

6. Tingewick Pantomime donation [Jamie Mawhinney] Passes

 

This JCR notes:

 

1. The Tingewick Society has put on a pantomime extravaganza every year over 75 years and raised an inordinate amount of money for charity, typically raising over £20,000.

2. Tingewick is a registered charity that raises money for nominated charities through audience donations, and aims to off-set production costs through fundraising and sponsorship so that all donations can go to charity.

3. This year The Tingewick Society is supporting two charities: Plan International and St Mungo’s Broadway.

4. The Tingewick Society needs to raise £7 000 in order to cover all production costs. Every Balliol medical student that has gone on to the Oxford Clinical School in the last 75 years will probably have been involved with Tingewick. I am helping to organise and direct the music for Tingewick and Balliol has a long tradition of supporting its members in all of their worthy endeavours.

5. That Plan International works with underprivileged children in over 50 countries across Asia, Africa and South America protecting them and their rights in often harsh, politically unstable environments. They work to provide basic education and healthcare. Tingewick are proud to support a charity who work to provide health and education - both things that we as medical students feel very passionately about. Plan is also extremely efficient and are rated 95% on 'Charity Navigator' for the effectiveness.

6. That St Mungos Broadway is an Oxfordshire based homelessness charity that provides more than 2,500 beds a night and works with upwards of 25,000 people a year. They have over 250 ongoing projects including hostel and supportive housing projects, advice services, specialist physical and mental health provisions and employment services. Tingewick are proud to support a charity that focuses on sustainably working to solve the problems at root of homelessness. We are all aware of the homelessness crisis in Oxford and feel strongly about helping St Mungo's continue to provide these resources to those most at need.

7. In the past TW has amplified any donations; a donation from the JCR would allow us to cover production costs; we put on a show for free that receives huge donations.

8. Clinical medics remain subscribed JCR members and were active JCR members in their time, many holding JCR positions.

9. Current pre-clinical medics will be part of TW in their 4th year.

10. TW aims to cover our production costs via: sponsorship, JCR donations and fundraising events e.g. TingeAid, Consultants’ gameshow, open mic nights, bops etc.

11. That all students can (and should!) attend the Pantomime.

 

This JCR believes:

 

1. That donating £500 to The Tingewick Society would make a significant contribution towards the £7 000 total required for the production.

2. That Tingewick will amplify any charity donation: judging by past performances, giving £500 to Tingewick would be the equivalent of donating £1500 to the charities themselves.

3. TW isn’t just about making money for charity; it is the major bonding activity for 1st year clinical students, involving the entire year, many of whom have minimal acting experience.

4. In the past JCR donations have been absolutely fundamental to the success of TW.

 

This JCR resolves:

 

1. To donate £500 to The Tingewick Society for the purposes of putting on their annual pantomime in aid of Plan International and St Mungos Broadway.

 

d) Any other motions

 

7. Mandatory First-Responder Training for Welfare Sub-Committee [Rachael Ince-Kitson and Daisy Cockrean] Passes

This JCR notes:

1. The purpose of Welfare Subcommittee.

2. First-responder training aims to discuss really useful things, such as:
   
   a) Disclosures;
   
   b) Equipping trainers with leaflets and really valuable sources of information nationally and locally in Oxford;
   
   c) Networking of other Welfare Officers and JCRs around Oxford;
   
   d) Discussion and Support groups.

3. First-responder training is free.

4. First-responder sessions are run regularly each term.

5. First-responder training only takes 2 hours.

This JCR believes:

1. First-responder training that is run by OUSU is both helpful in understanding disclosures of sexual violence and also useful in equipping people with information to help the survivors of sexual violence.

2. First-responder training is particularly useful to those on welfare sub-committee who act as a confidential point of contact to the JCR.

This JCR resolves:

1. To make it mandatory for welfare sub-committee to go to OUSU first-responder training.

2. To amend the Standing Orders accordingly.

Amendment 1 [Richard] Friendly

In resolves 1, change ‘mandatory’ to ‘default’.

 

1. Support for the OUSBMS campaign to make commoner’s gowns compulsory in viva exams and language orals [Alberto Andrade] Passes

 

This JCR notes:

1. Viva exams are oral presentations in many science degrees which involves presenting a research project and answering questions from an examiner.

2. It is currently compulsory for students to wear full subfusc with the appropriate gown at viva exams and language orals.

3. The examiner being aware of the student’s academic history has the potential to introduce unconscious bias. (I.e. a scholar may be asked harder questions or given the benefit of the doubt if near a grade boundary).

4. All students buy a commoner’s gown for matriculation.

5. Pledges of support from JCRs will be a show of solidarity, demonstrating that students value fairness in examinations.

This JCR believes:

1. That unconscious bias should be minimised in viva exams and language orals.

2. That students should be judged on performance in that exam, and not on previous academic history.

This JCR resolves:

1. Pledge support for the OUSBMS campaign to make commoner’s gowns compulsory in vivas, and extend this to language orals.

 

9. Condemnation of Lord Patten’s Recent Comments [Duncan Shepherd] Passes

 

This JCR notes:

1. The Telegraph’s report that “Universities cannot accept more ethnic minority students without eroding standards, the chancellor of Oxford University has warned” and their subsequent clarification that “Lord Patten was talking about quotas in relation to the erosion of standards, not to the presence of ethnic minority students per se.”

2. The Chancellor Lord Patten’s statement, quoted in The Telegraph: “I don’t think that if you want high class universities you should expect them to lower their standards in order to make up for some inadequacies in our secondary education system.”

3. The 2014-15 Equality Report, which found that
   a) only 13% of undergraduates at Oxford identified themselves as BME in 2014, compared to an average of 18% for Russell Group universities;
   
   b) black students were under-represented at Oxford;
   
   c) “[i]n the undergraduate admissions cycle for entry in 2014, 19% of UK-domiciled applicants were BME, 14% of offer-holders and 13% of acceptances”;
   
   d) there is an ethnicity gap in finals at Oxford of 5%, and that this is smaller than at other Russell Group universities.

4. The annual report from the Social Mobility and Child Poverty Commission which
   
   a) found that Oxford “still recruit[s] a disproportionate number of students from private schools … To meet their benchmarks, Oxford would need to increase the percentage of state school pupils by a quarter” (p.94)
   
   b) found that “analysis shows that even after taking into account differences in A level performance, unexplained gaps in access between advantaged and disadvantaged groups remain.” (p.94)
   
   c) welcomed the introduction of contextual measures as a means of “addressing the under-representation of lower-income and state-educated students.” (p.95)

5. That multiple investigations have found that state-educated students tend to do better than privately educated students with similar results at school once at university.

 

This JCR believes:

1. That BME students and state-educated students are not being shown the respect they eminently deserve from the Chancellor.

2. That increasing the proportion of state-schooled students and BME students at the University of Oxford would not by any means amount to an erosion of standards.

3. That the Chancellor’s comments as described in notes (1)
   
   a) are objectionable insofar as they rely on the assumption that deliberately increasing the proportion of BME students at Oxford via quotas would entail a lowering standards, since it is clear that many highly capable students are turned away from Oxford every year, and that BME students are disproportionately rejected;
   
   b) reveal a lack of understanding of how ethnicity and class intersect, and how both of these affect students in secondary education, in the university application process and while studying at the University of Oxford;
   
   c) demonstrate an insufficient concern for the findings of the Equality Report 2014-15 that BME students still have a worse experience the University of Oxford compared to their white peers and that the institution has still not succeeded in eradicating the ethnicity gap at finals;
   
   d) are therefore unacceptable from a representative of the University of Oxford.

4. That the Chancellor’s comments as quoted in notes (2) are a direct contradiction of the University of Oxford’s commitment to widening access, since shifting the responsibility of promoting equality of opportunity onto the secondary education system is in marked opposition to the spirit of access as practiced by the University of Oxford.

5. That the University ought to be striving to eradicate the ethnicity gap at finals and otherwise ensuring that the experiences of BME students are not worse than those of white students.

 

This JCR resolves to:

1. Mandate the President to co-sign an open letter with other JCR Presidents to the Chancellor, expressing the arguments made in ‘notes’ and ‘believes’.

2. Condemn the Chancellor’s comments as described in notes (1) and (2).

3. Demand a full and public apology from Lord Patten, as well as a demonstration of his commitment to access and anti-racism.

 

Amendment 1 Friendly

 

Change resolves 1 to add E&M and Access and Admissions.

 

Sources:

The University of Oxford’s Equality Report for 2014/15

Social Mobility and Child Poverty annual report 2015: https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/485926/State_of_the_nation_2015__social_mobility_and_child_poverty_in_Great_Britain.pdf

State school students do better: http://www.theguardian.com/education/2013/jun/16/accesstouniversity-private-schools

 

10. EU Flag Flying [Lorin Samija] Passes

This JCR notes:

1. There are many students and tutors at Balliol from EU-countries.

2. There are many alumni living in EU countries.

3. The EU has a flag, which is blue with yellow stars.

4. Balliol has several links to institutions and people in the EU, for example the Maximilianeum Exchange with a foundation in Munich, Germany.

5. There will be a referendum on whether the UK wants to stay in the EU on June 23, 2016.

6. Balliol flies different flags to celebrate different things.

 

This JCR believes:

1. Individual members of Balliol might hold different views regarding the referendum.

2. A free vote and an open debate about the referendum is to be encouraged.

3. The open and diverse community at Balliol profits from its students and tutors from foreign countries, including the EU countries.

4. That it would be nice to celebrate the ties, corporations and connections Balliol has with institutions and people in EU countries.

5. That it would be awkward to celebrate these things after a possible “Yes to Brexit” decision because they then will be under review.

6. Flying the EU flag for a week would be a way to celebrate these ties.

 

This JCR resolves:

1. To mandate the JCR president to make an argument to college to fly the EU flag for a week before the referendum to avoid the awkwardness mentioned in Beliefs 3.

2. To buy a EU flag if needed.

Amendment [Lorin] Friendly

 

In believes 4 change ‘..ties, corporations…’ to ‘...ties, cooperations…’

 

Amendment [Cealach] Friendly

 

In resolves 1, change ‘...Beliefs 3.’ to ‘..Beliefs 5.’

 

Amendment [Duncan] Friendly

Add to believes, ‘The EU is a good thing.’

Minutes

Annie welcomed the GM, noting that we broke the projector again. Oops.

 

Annie told the GM that the JCR would be keeping hobs in four of the six kitchenettes, and mentioned that it was resolved by the installation of induction hobs. The only kitchens losing hobs are to be the kitchens in staircases 15 and 22 due to size.

She then told the JCR that there had been discussions with College about an increase on the rent of the 36 week leases on Jowett for 2017-18 by around £500, largely due to the changes in the closing period of Jowett, however the result of the conversations was that this would not be happening. The JCR was asked if they believe that the 36 week leases are too cheap compared to 24 week leases, and should they be changed to be fairer with cost-neutral changes.

Annie told the JCR that the option was to make 36 week leases more expensive by reducing 24 week leases, or to keep everything as it is. She emphasised this would affect 2017-18, not those living in Jowett next year. The options were that the 36 week would increase by around 3% (0.6% down everything else – including mainsite); 6% (1.2% down everything else), or by 9%.

Lorin asked if this would be added onto current changes. Annie responded that this would be cost-neutral and would not be affecting next year's rent prices.

Kardin asked if it would be £450 per term or per year; Annie replied it would be per year.

Duncan asked what the proportion of subscriptions are. Annie responded they were around 50:50 for subscriptions.

Richard gave the argument that to put up rent was to have people carry their own weight; but the argument against is that the price would be very high, and this would not save much money per individual student not on the 36 week lease.

Rachel made the point that some students have extended terms, and this would affect them unfairly.

Amy noted that the 36 week leases had been increased due to increased demand, and that most of the people who take them up do so out of necessity.

Hubert called a quorum count.

At least 38 were present.

Duncan noted that oversubscriptions for each lease would imply that this would be a harsh change.

Annie told the JCR the College had been asked for the date that choices of lease are made to be extended. Richard noted that the funding (i.e. bursaries) could be discussed in MT.

It was unanimously agreed that there should be no change.

 

Annie told the JCR that she had bought more earplugs for staircase 16, and asked the JCR to be considerate of noise throughout the term.

 

Richard told the JCR that College liked his bizarre pricing system (by which the Housing Officer has the option to re-price price bands), and said he would go away to make a more concrete plan.

 

 

Annie told the JCR that she intended to create an optional £4 levy that would be matched 6:1 (1:1 by college, 5:1 externally), which would cover fees, living costs, and a yearly flight for a scholarship for a refugee student.

She told the JCR that she thought this was important as the crisis is enormous in scale, and while the JCR cannot fix the refugee crisis, it would make a massive impact on the individual. She noted that she had made contact with a number of organisations, including Advocates Abroad, who would advertise the scheme to talented English-speaking students.

The money spent would be decided by a campaign Committee, that would be set up to operate democratically.

She acknowledged that £4 a term is not negligible, hence why it would be opt out.

Alberto asked if students would require refugee status. Annie replied that it would be refugee status or asylum seeker status, as in LSE and universities in Scotland.

Richard thinks it's a really good idea.

Alberto noted that previous discussions in Committee lunches had raised the point about whether the student would be anonymous. Annie replied that there would be no declaration of the student, and hence it would be the student's decision whether or not it were public information.

Duncan asked if it would be one student at a time or one student a year. Annie replied it would depend on alumni matching, and who applies, but the funding would provide for one every three years at least.

Annie noted that the scholarship is not geographically limited, however it would be simple to focus near Oman. She also noted there are student currently in Jordan and who travel through areas in which refugee camps had been set up, and hence it would be possible to spread the project around.

Amy asked how the interview process would work regarding travel. Annie replied that it would be ideal to cover travel, however Skype interviews are possible. She said that if more than one students would get in who would be eligible, there would be other avenues for funding, and it would be likely that enthusiastic alumni would perhaps provide further funding.

The motion passes unanimously.

 

 

Meg noted there was a condom machine in staircase 16 but not in Jowett. She noted that the condom machines were on sale currently. She told the JCR she had contacted all relevant people. She said the laundry room would be used as it is communal but not accessible to conference guests.

Cealach asked who would install the condom machine. Meg replied she would ask Maintenance.

Alberto asked if the Laundry room would be a suitable environment regarding physical conditions such as temperature. He also asked if the MCR would partly fund this as they would be able to use them. She told the JCR that she would ask the company, and that she would consider asking the MCR about contributions.

It was suggested that it would make no sense for condoms to be affected by warmth; it was noted that the issue may be extended warmth.

Alberto told the JCR that a quick Google had suggested it would be fine.

Motion passes without opposition.

 

Rachael noted that there is an annual womens' dinner that involves the JCR and MCR, with the SCR invited. She noted that the womens' budget is quite small at £50, and the dinner was expensive. She noted also that the MCR had contributed £500.

Duncan asked if the SCR had contributed money to the dinner. Rachael responded that they had not, though the SCR womens' rep would be asking. Cealach noted the SCR involvement is comparatively low.

Cealach noted that the JCR had not contributed any funds last year, and the event is great.

The motion passes without opposition.

 

Ste told the JCR that Denise is a star in the JCR and that her current computer was not similarly star-like; in fact it was at least five years old. He noted that it was in fact Denise who asked for a laptop so that she “could work from home,” which – as someone disproportionately interested in the JCR – warmed his heart. He noted that £400 is not a large expenditure as a one-off expenditure for JCR equipment.

The motion passes without opposition.

 

Jamie told the JCR he's a fourth year medic. He noted that the Tingewick Society put on a Pantomime annually, that was produced by fourth years and fifth years in November. He told the JCR that the charities to be donated to would be Plan International and St Mungo's Broadway, an international and a local charity respectively, in keeping with standard Tingewick Society practice.

He outlined the operations of Tingewick; raising money throughout the year to fund the Pantomime, and then donating the proceeds of the Pantomime to the charities. He emphasised that the money donated today would not go to the charities, however last year £7000 were raised for the Pantomime last year with roughly £21,000 raised.

Duncan asked where the money would come from. Annie proposed it come from the music fund as it is large and relatively unused, and is spent at the Treasurer's discretion.

Jamie noted that Darryl would be in the Pantomime.

Daisy asked where the Pantomime would be held. Jamie replied that it would be in Tingewick Hall in the hospital. Jamie is the musical director. He noted that it was free to enter with donations taken in the Pantomime.

Duncan asked what the Panto would be. Jamie replied that he couldn't say; Pantomimes are themed to current affairs (which are written by Tingewick; last year was IV For Vendetta, and one of the earlier Pantomimes was Oedipus In Boots).

Alberto asked what other sources of funding there were. Jamie responded that there exist sponsors, events such as bops and summer fairs, alumni events, Tinge Aid (a sit down meal for £30); general ground-raising fundraising. He told the JCR it was typical for JCR's to fund the Pantomimes if there were participants of the Panto in the JCR.

Motion passes without opposition.

 

Rachael noted that her and Daisy had done a training course in first response put on by OUSU's campaign 'It Happens Here.' She told the JCR that they had encouraged welfare officers to attend sessions. She told the JCR that they were ran similar to consent training workshops. She noted that welfare subcomittee was quite important in Balliol, particularly as a contact point for disclosures, and hence it would be suitable for officers to be relevantly trained.

Meg noted that the training would be useful not only during university, but also throughout life.

Ele noted that there could be people who would be distressed by attending such sessions, and hence suggested giving people the opportunity to opt-out.

Richard proposed the amendment to change “mandatory” to “default.”

This was taken as friendly.

Jamie wanted to ask about defibrillators – he had conflated first responders to medical first response rather than responding to disclosures of sexual assault.

Duncan noted that this is the sort of scheme supported by the NUS, and hence suggested people consider this when voting in the NUS referendum.

Motion passes without opposition.

 

Alberto noted to the JCR he had not wrote the motion; the society he represented had. He told the JCR that in vivas, people with scholars' gowns are not able to wear commoners' gowns, and that there were concerns about the gown of a student affecting neutrality, and affecting given grades. He expressed the opinion that the support of the JCR would be strong. He emphasised that the motion was to support making commoner's gowns optional; not mandatory.

Ste expressed his support for the motion, noting that the Mathematics Undergraduate Representative Committee had been discussing issues relating to gowns creating unconscious bias in oral presentations of projects.

Motion passes without opposition.

 

Duncan noted that previously the JCR had noted Lord Patten as a colonialist, and that he has since commented that admitting quotas of BME students would erode standards, which Duncan argued was not backed by data. He also noted that Lord Patten had went to Balliol (and that he wants to raise tuition fees).

Hubert told the JCR that he could not find any quotes relating to BME students by Lord Patten. Hubert said that he believes that what Lord Patten said was false due to evidence that state-school students and BME students do well. However, without endorsing Lord Patten, he expressed the opinion that the comments did not come from a racist perspective. Duncan replied that he believes that if a comment has any negative impact on BME students, then the intent is irrelevant, and the comment is still racist. Hubert replied that he believed it may be appropriate to respond less strongly.

Annie offered the point of information that the open letter is being composed by other JCR presidents, and hence would be written in such a way to attract most signatures.

It was asked if EM officers' signatures would give it greater strength. Duncan agreed that it would. The amendment was proposed to add EM officers' signatures to the open letter.

Richard offered that it may be also relevant to access officers, and hence proposed this as an amendment.

This was taken as friendly.

Richard responded to Hubert understanding that the act was not hate-filled; however the impact is very important. He noted that Lord Patten has all of the figures “at his fingers,” and that comments from the Chancellor represents the University, and his comments carry weight. He therefore argued that impact was more important than the intent.

Cealach added that because of Lord Patten's status, “when he speaks, he speaks for Oxford,” and that he does not speak for her.

Hubert agreed that he should be condemned because of the impact of his comments, but not the precise wording of what was said.

Alberto asked if Lord Patten replied the last time the JCR condemned him. Duncan noted that this is the second time Lord Patten had been in the press in recent times, and this had generated a unified response.

Jamie offered that even if he didn't respond, it was valuable to detach the JCR from the comments, and reaffirm that he does not speak for Balliol JCR.

Motion passes without opposition.

 

Lorin proposed the amendment to change “corporations” to “co-operations;” the former was a typo.

Lorin noted the EU referendum coming up, and that Balliol has many ties with the EU, such as the Maximailennium link, and suggested the research of Balliol probably interacts with the EU quite a lot. He noted that there are often flags flown to show support for various things. He suggested it would be 'awkward' to fly a flag after the referendum.

Richard asked how flags are decided to be flown. Annie replied that she would make an argument to the Master and then to the executive Committee. She noted that Bruce had made the argument to the fellows, but noted that there had been concerns raised by the fellows regarding controversy. Richard asked when the earliest is that it would be put up.

Cealach brought the amendment to place resolves 1 in believes 5.

It was asked what flags had been flown before. Annie noted the rainbow flag and trans flag had been flown, as had the Union Jack; otherwise the Balliol flag is being flown.

Aidan told the JCR that he liked the EU and wanted to remain; however this motion was inherently political (noting that despite our many links with the US, we would not fly the US flag), and to say it was being flown to “celebrate ties,” was disingenuous and rather weak, and that it carries more weight to outright state it as a political opinion.

Beth noted that the EU is a body of which the UK is a part, and hence the flying of the EU flag is not analogous to the flying of the US flag.

Duncan suggested a straw poll on EU referendum voting intentions, noting that the motion was very related to the JCR's view on the EU referendum.

Meg offered that if the JCR were to argue to fly the flag for political reasons, this argument would also have to be had in other parts of College.

Jamie suggested that the motion only mandates the argument being made, and hence the motion implicitly accepted Meg's argument.

Annie noted that it would have to be certain what argument was being made to the College.

Richard offered that arguments for the EU would potentially be discussed, and that our aim was to not convince fellows to vote remain; rather to celebrate ties.

Aidan expressed that it would be ideal to make both the argument that it would be to celebrate ties, and to express a political opinion, and suggested adding a clause “notes that a strong majority of the members of the JCR support the EU.”

Duncan offered that most people will see the flag without being aware of the reasons the JCR suggested it, and would assume that it would be for political reasons.

Cealach suggested that given the attendance of the GM, it would be disingenuous to amend the motion to suggest a 'strong majority' support the EU.

Aidan suggested a referendum be conducted to canvas views.

Duncan countered by Cealach that the JCR has the same quorum as OUSU; which represents the University.

Duncan proposed the amendment to add “believes the EU is a good thing.”

The amendment is taken as friendly.

Cealach suggested a referendum would be moot given the amendment.

Annie asked if the JCR would like to be mandated to argue for a specific date. Duncan noted the EU day was in September, and hence the day will be inherently arbitrary.

Meg asked how she imagined college would respond. Annie responded that she imagines the same concerns of controversy, but the message would perhaps be stronger given the size of the JCR.

It was asked how the JCR convinced College to fly flags previously. Duncan responded there had been long debates. He noted that Trinity fly the EU flag, but many colleges don't.

A move to a vote was called.

The motion passes.

 

The GM was adjourned.