2016 Committee Lunch
Date: Wednesday 8th week, Trinity 2016 (2016-06-15)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), James Letten (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), Emily Webb (Access and Admissions Officer), Daisy Cutts (Access and Admissions Officer), Elliot Jones (Affiliations Officer), Ruby Breward (Design & Maintenance Officer), Molly Rogers (Student Disabilities Officer), Indigo Wilde (Entz Officer), Matthew Fuller (Entz Officer), Chilla Knight (Environment & Ethics Officer), Aidan Balfe (Environment & Ethics Officer), Hubert Au (Ethnic Minorities Officer), Thitapa Haritaworn (Ethnic Minorities Officer), Laura Bossino (International Students Officer), Ele Saltmarsh (LGBTQ Officer), Andrew Truong (Website & Computing Officer), Daisy Cockrean (Women's Officer)
Absent with apologies: Rivka Shaw (Charities and RAG Officer), Sophie Conquest (Charities and RAG Officer), Lewis Scott (John de Balliol), Rory Meryon (LGBTQ Officer)
Absent without explanation: Zachary Leather (Foody), Saad Hamid (Affiliations Officer), Peter Sayer (Design & Maintenance Officer), Samuel Gibb (Student Disabilities Officer), Simon Kelly (John de Balliol), Nicholas Halterman (International Students Officer), Rachael Ince-Kitson (Women's Officer)
Agenda
1. Matters Arising
2. Batteries for the remotes [Darryl]
3. Library matters [Alberto]
4. JCR Clock [Matt & Iggy]
5. New Minute Book [Darryl]
6. Reminder to get reimbursed [Ste]
7. AOB
Minutes
Annie welcomed the meeting, noting the good turnout.
Darryl told the Committee that the TV remote ran out of batteries that no one had replaced for three weeks; this upset him, so he bought batteries. He therefore asked to be reimbursed the cost of £11.
Annie asked if this would be ordinary expenditure. Darryl replied that he was uncertain, and thought that given this it was more sensible to bring it to a Committee lunch.
The Committee passed £11.
Alberto told the Committee that Library Committee had discussed disaplying a more diverse range of art in the library, and that this was brought to another committee; as a result, this would be happening at some point.
It was also noted that they agreed to allow coffee to be drank in the Library if they are drank in keep-cups, with the justification that keep-cups will not attract living things and they will not spill coffee onto the relatively expenditure. He therefore asked the Committee if they would like to order 240 (the minimum) of keep-cups with the Balliol logo.
Annie asked if the JCR would be ordering them or if College would be selling them. Alberto replied the JCR would be buying them; he suggested selling them to members at cost value.
James asked if there'd be a problem with using normal mugs given the high cost of the keep-cups (around £6 a unit). Alberto replied that the keep-cups are not more expensive than average. He noted that the keep-cups would have to be uniform.
Cealach noted that at the start of next term, Balliol mugs would be bought, and that this would create competition. It was suggested these be combined; Cealach responded that the difference in price would make this infeasible.
Meg noted that the use may not justify the expenditure. Alberto disagreed.
Hugo noted that the keep-cups are not items that expire, and hence 240 is not that large a minimum order.
Annie suggested Alberto chat to College about them making the mugs to sell to the JCR and tourists. Annie asked if any keep-cup could be used; Alberto responded that they could.
Annie suggested conducting a straw poll. The Committee was in favour of purchasing cups should College be unwilling.
Annie suggested mocking up some designs to show the JCR.
Emily noted that College had recently been playing with their aesthetic and want particular colours to be used.
Iggy told the Committee that a clock had been bought as a decoration for the bop. She noted that a lot had been spent on this bop and hence it was prudent for it to not be wasted. She suggested placing the clock in the JCR permanently, however she noted that a motion had been voted against to place a clock in the JCR in a previous GM.
Molly suggested keeping the clock on the side of the lift facing pantry to avoid issues with regards to a clock causing stress to people in the JCR.
Darryl clarified that the clock had been bought, and that Iggy wanted the money to come from the JCR accounts rather than the Entz account.
Hugo noted that there still exist members in the JCR who voted against the clock, and that it's not ideal to override the democratic principles of the JCR (despite his own feelings about the clock).
Aidan asked what the argument was to ignore what time it is. Molly responded that it was argued that the JCR was a place to relax, and a clock would be a reminder that she was that people are not in the library. Aidan suggested a motivational quote under the clock in the vein of the clock tower near Jowett.
Annie suggested that because there was a motion, it would be worth using a motion again to sound out the JCR's opinion. She added that the clock as a decoration is fine, but it is not ideal to override the democratic will of previous JCRs.
Iggy noted there have been issues with timekeeping at previous bops. Annie suggested using the clock for bops.
Cealach suggested that the problem was not the time, but people's reluctance to leave the JCR.
Meg noted that there is a clock in pantry that can be seen if you stand at Pantry.
Annie summarised the consensus as being that the idea of a permanent clock should be brought to a GM.
The Committee passed up to £25 for the clock.
Annie suggested retroactive spending be reduced.
Darryl thinks he's controversial. These minutes will show that he is not. He noted that he is the outgoing secretary of A&B, and that he was currently holding the A&B minute book dating from 1978. He told the Committee had seen the archive lady at the Balliol archive, who had told him that College will no longer fund the minute book, which he noted costs around £80. He told the Committee that he intended to fund the book through contributions from A&B members, though believes this will not bring sufficient funds. He therefore asked for a £50 loan from the Committee to pay this back, or for Committee to donate £50.
Cealach suggested it be preferable to use a loan since the Committee has not funded societies previously. Ste disagreed that there was precedent, in that the Committee had paid for Nepotist musicians in Hilary. Emily noted there was a difference in that it was retroactive spending.
Aidan suggested the problem was one of A&B not having its own source of revenue, and that this should be addressed.
Laura asked if the book had to be as extravagant as it currently is. Darryl responded that it'd be nice for the book to be in that style.
Xav asked why it cost £80. Darryl noted the quality of the book. Xav was impressed. Laura suggested that no one really sees it and hence the quality is not overly important; Darryl responded that it is available to people should they wish to read it, which they should, as there are some gems in there about Boris Johnson and other famous Old Members.
Ste suggested the parodic nature of the society warranted the book; Laura replied that while she appreciated this, she believes the impact of this was limited.
Aidan suggested loaning the money until A&B “sorts itself out.” Meg noted that given the length of time that the book will be used, the price is not that much.
Annie asked when the loan would be paid back. Darryl said that he was uncertain.
Aidan suggest instituting an optional levy for A&B; Darryl disagreed, arguing that it would make records for lowest take-up of an optional levy in Balliol history. Darryl suggested the money could be recouped over the next two terms (i.e. the end of Hilary).
The Committee passed a loan of £50.
Ste told people to get their money back from the JCR as they will not be able to be reimbursed for this term's expenditure next term.
Molly noted that in the motion for the whiteboards, it was suggested the money come from the joint refurbishment fund. Annie asked how much they were. Molly said it was about a tenner. Darryl suggested she just get the money from the JCR.
The Committee passed up to £20 for the whiteboards.
Annie reminded people to get their photos, particularly because the Committee photo is cute.
Xav, Helen, and Ben want to run dodge-ball in the June Jamboree; and hence the JCR needs five dodge-balls. Xav added that the dodge-balls have been bought (due to time pressure); Darryl asked for an additional £40 to the budget of the Garden Party to compensate for this. Annie asked Hubert how this would interact with plans for tennis during the June Jamboree. Hubert replied that he had been told that he would be unable to do tennis as the dodge-ball would be taking full use of the court, noting that he was unhappy with how this had been handled, and in particular how he had been informed.
Darryl responded that he would imagine the court time could be split.
Cealach asked if the dodge-ball court could not be set up on the grass. Aidan noted this may not be practical.
Helen suggested splitting the time 1:3 dodgeball:tennis. Hubert responded this was not the impression he took from the contact he'd had, he was under the impression that the dodge-ball would be using the court during the whole event; this was clarified to be a matter of miscommunication.
The Committee passed up to £40.
Emily thanked people for signing up to open days. She noted that Sam wanted noticeboards to be decorated because they look like shit. She suggested there exist avenues for splashing out.
James asked if money could be spent on perspex to preserve the boards; Annie suggested that there exist other methods of protecting screens like laminate material or whatever.
Xav noted that there is now an outdoor ping pong table. He noted that Sam suggested it would be positive to have this being used during open days.
Meg asked Cealach if the notice boards were being reassigned. She also suggested decorating after the bop. Cealach responded that the notice boards would be remaining the same for now.
Daisy asked about the staple gun. No one knows.
Molly noted that the Committee had previously discussed the possibility of perspex covers; Cealach responded that nothing has happened yet. She also asked who was responsible for funding the renovations. Emily replied that Sam didn't say anything specific; but that it can probably come out of JCR general reserves.
Ste asked about student art; Emily suggested photos would be preferable. Iggy told the Committee that some of the Entz photos would be going. It was clarified that they aren't all going.
Annie encouraged people to do their notice boards.
Laura told the Committee that an Old Member had been involved in producing a Bremain video, and he would like this circulated. She asked the Committee what their view on this was.
Cealach asked if there was a relevant item in Standing Policy; Ste responded that he isn't aware of one, but in general he hasn't commit the Standing Policy to memory.
Freddy noted that there was a motion in which the JCR voted that it “Believes the EU is a good thing.”
Aidan asked what rules were regarding political posts on the Facebook page. Annie suggested there weren't rules set in stone, but that in general, discretion should be used by Officers. Aidan asked if non-committee members had any restrictions; Laura responded that she had considered whether it would be possible to circulate the video in a capacity external to her Office.
Xav suggested it may cause controversy – despite being justified – citing previous discussions that he had with individuals regarding the previous EU motion.
Hugo suggested the Facebook page may not be ideal; and suggested the MISC list should instead be used.
Ste told the Committee that he believes there is a qualitative difference between an open gathering of members of the JCR agreeing on positive feelings towards the EU and the Committee institutionalising a political opinion, arguing that the Committee should not be endorsing any political views.
James agreed with Ste and Hugo and Darryl, and hence suggested it should go on the MISC list.
Annie suggest it go on the top of the MISC list as it is Balliol related.
Darryl told people to know what they're doing for the June Jamboree. Annie stressed the importance of rocking up lest the event not go to plan, telling the Committee that should they be unable to attend due to illness, they should let Annie and Cealach know on the morning of the event. Molly asked if there was scope for reshuffling the rota; Annie suggested she talk to Darryl.
Cealach reminded people to rock up Sunday of 0th week to help out with Freshers' week. Meg asked when. Cealach said as soon as possible after 2pm.
Ele asked how things would work given that Freshers' week overlaps with the telethon; Laura noted the telethon is done during the evening so there should be no scheduling conflicts.
The meeting was adjourned.