2019 Committee Lunch

Date: Wednesday 1st week, Trinity 2019 (2019-05-01)

Present: Michael O'Connor (President), Thomas Laver (Vice-President (Administrative)), Ethan Stewart (Secretary), Daniel Gonsalezpavesio (Treasurer), Frederick Lynam (Lindsay), Calvin Runnels (Dr. WHO), Joe Stephen (Foody), Anna Brainin (Foody), Jack Briggs (Sports Rep), Francesca Back (Sports Rep), Benjamin Elliott (Academic Affairs and Careers Officer), Leyla Manthorperizatepe (Academic Affairs and Careers Officer), Jamie Barnes (Access and Admissions Officer), Jai Thakrar-Curtis (Access and Admissions Officer), Donghyun Kang (Affiliations Officer), Conor Callaghan (Charities and RAG Officer), Arun Gharial (Charities and RAG Officer), Jake Dealtry (Student Disabilities Officer), Rory Dangelo (Entz Officer), Bruno Atkinson (Entz Officer), Michael Beattie (Environment & Ethics Officer), Beatrice Boileau (Environment & Ethics Officer), Naa Ntodi (Ethnic Minorities Officer), Tanya Wijesekera (Ethnic Minorities Officer), Xinyu Luo (International Students Officer), Jane Ngarmnil (International Students Officer), Thomas Laver (Housing Officer), Josh Willetts (LGBTQ Officer), Leoni Loughlin (LGBTQ Officer), Daniel Rastelli (Website & Computing Officer), Imogen Rivers (Women's Officer), Natasha Fisher-Pearson (Women's Officer)

Agenda

VP Co-option

Bike Rep

Balliol subject societies next year

HT19 feedback

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Minutes

Vice-President Co-option

After the previous vice-president Francis Barnett resigned, at this committee lunch there was a co-option of the new VP for the remainder of the committee’s term.

The three candidates were Thomas Laver, Mhairi Cameron and Matthew Nicholson. (Editor’s note: In the interests of accuracy I should point out that describing Matthew as a candidate is somewhat misleading as he had no intentions of actually being elected)

 

 

The candidate make opening statements:

Tom:

He says he’s got a lot of experience with the JCR committee. He believes that the most important responsibilities of the VP are to do with freshers’ week and the financial situation of the JCR. He wants to talk to RQ and college and be aware of their priorities. He’s worked with college a lot before as housing officer, as well as organising arts week which is good experience for freshers’ week. He claims that last freshers’ week he and Charlotte worked together on it. He’s been on Fexec and says he’s learnt from this about the organisation of freshers’ week. He goes on to say that the freshers should know what the JCR is in freshers’ week, and that he doesn’t want to scare people off to the buttery rather than the bar for events and general drinking. He also wants constitutional changes, in time. As a past foodie he’s done a lot of bop clean up.

 

Mhairi:

She says she loves Balliol, and feels very welcomed, and wants people to have this same positive experience that she’s had. She’s mates with a lot of people in the JCR committee and so claims she has good connections. She’s big on positive vibes and wants the JCR to be a welcoming place for freshers. She ends by noting that she’s American and so can yell at freshers as good or possibly better than Charlotte Lee. (Editor’s note: As a fresher during Charlotte Lee’s term as VP I can report that this is a very strong claim)

 

Matthew:

Matthew opens by reminding everyone that he only ever runs for committee positions when Thomas is also running for them. As a Physicist he believes he is qualified for the position of VP as he doesn’t sleep, asks the real questions about black holes and big holes. He invites us to consider a further big question: what does the VP do? The VP gets stressed, angry and bans religious people from freshers’ fairs is Matthew’s view of the role. He’s persistent and sends a lot of emails, and does physics, which he says is a very difficult subject. Is  ends by making clear his stance as a staunch opponent of colour-coding.

 

Questions:

Michael asks what they think the key tasks are of the VP are.

Mhairi’s understanding from talking to Francis is that the biggest responsibility is making sure that freshers’ week runs smoothly, which she explains involves a lot of co-ordination of evening events, and consent, lgbt and race workshops.

Matthew thinks the most important aspect of the VP’s role is being mean to people. He’s from Yorkshire, and so regularly tells people to fuck off. Mhairi interjects by explaining her view that kindness should be a higher priority. In response Matthew tells her to fuck off.

Thomas thinks that the running of the committee is important as well as what other candidates as mention. In an attempt to prove himself capable at this he tries to flex on Michael about how loudly he can shout ‘order’. He also places important on communication with college and reminds the committee that he’s done a lot of that, for example talking to the development office for the JCR renovation.

 

Ilya askes how the candidates are going to keep Dan Gonzales (Gonzo) under control at bop clean-up. Mhairi would use some sort of childish toy. Thomas thinks that the way we deal with people like Gonzo is by harassing people and making sure they aren’t drinking and aren’t turning up. Matthew doesn’t think we should have any more bops. Also, on an unrelated matter, he claims that he is very much ‘on the ball’. (Editors’ note: I’m as confused as you are)

 

Leyla asks what would be changed in freshers’ week. Mhairi wants to keep up the positive atmosphere, partially by not shouting at freshers so often as Charlotte Lee did. She also wants more small social things. Thomas thinks freshers’ week has been narrowed down to quite an efficient program, and that shouting at people is worthwhile, citing vaccinations not being attended by some (Editor’s note: Francis Barnett) and the resultant Balliol mumps outbreak of 2017.

 

Michael asks what their understanding of the workload is, in view of increasing pressure to organise freshers’ week, bop clean-ups and going to committee meetings. Matthew is secretary of the physics society and also studies physics, which means, in his own view, he must be very had working. He likes being busy, and is always busy. He thinks it gives you a meaning in life and stops you from doing bad things. Mhairi has already done her prelims as a law student, so has a lot of free time. Also loves to keep busy. Last term was very busy for Tom, he says he works very hard, for example he was in pantry 20+ hours a week. Lastly he says if he has to he will step down from other things. (Editor’s note: This last claim from Thomas is dubious with the benefit of hindsight)

Lastly, Thomas mentions that most of his work as housing officer is already done, so that won’t get in the way.

 

Candidates step out for committee to discuss things why they aren’t here.

 

People think that Thomas gets things done, and he is similar in style to Charlotte, who was quite good. We think that Matthew doesn’t really want the job.

 

Daniel Rastelli causes a bit of a scene.

 

Thomas is elected VP

 

Bike rep

Michael asks if there are any volunteers. There aren’t any.

 

Balliol subject societies next year

Layla put something up on the JCR Facebook page asking about college societies, and not many people filled it in. She was going to post something else about it, as they have some ideas about how she can develop these ideas. She wants to create a community feel within subjects, and for people to feel more comfortable with their tutors. She would like the committee members’ views before she takes it further. One option is the creation of subject specific Facebook groups, another is to assign freshers parents in the subject, a third is to have annual/termly dinners with tutors and another is to have a termly social without tutors. They want a volunteer from each subject to be in charge of co-ordinating this.

 

Anna asks about the structure of these societies. Layla says there will be a president of subject specific societies, as well as a rep who communicates with JCR officers. She mentions that it would not be a high workload role.

Jamie asks how we are going to pick the reps. Layla says they just need volunteers, and that she doesn’t think it’s worth organising elections considering the small numbers.

Imogen asks about the smaller subjects with only 5 people in the college doing it in total, and wonders if there’s much point in having such a small society, and if we could get the volunteers for the two positions. For this, they could create societies with nearby colleges.

Thomas notes that we should think about people doing multiple subjects, and be clear what societies they are in.  

Layla doesn’t want to replace existing societies, only bring up the ones without societies.

People are happy with this idea.

 

HT19 Feedback

Michael reports back on what the committee achieved last term:

The JCR was renovated.

Changes to vac res leases have taken place.

A sports day with St John’s college, Cambridge is being planned.

The LGBTQ flag will fly for the whole month of February next year.

New guidelines on JCR expenditure were introduced.

There will be more vegetarian food in hall, with a trial period this term that will be continued if it goes well.

 

Vote for your future campaign

Thomas tells people to register to vote.