2016 Committee Lunch

Date: Wednesday 2nd week, Michaelmas 2016 (2016-10-19)

Attendance

Present: Anne Williamson (President), Cealach McKeating (Vice-President (Administrative)), Steven Rose (Secretary), Hugo Monnery (Lindsay), Meg Peyton-Jones (Dr. WHO), James Letten (Dr. WHO), Frederick Potts (Foody), 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), Sophie Conquest (Charities and RAG Officer), Samuel Gibb (Student Disabilities Officer), Matthew Fuller (Entz Officer), Hubert Au (Ethnic Minorities Officer), Laura Bossino (International Students Officer), Richard Ware (Housing 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: Darryl Braier-Lorimer (Treasurer), Zachary Leather (Foody), Helen Davies (Sports Rep), Emily Webb (Access and Admissions Officer), Rivka Shaw (Charities and RAG Officer), Molly Rogers (Student Disabilities Officer), Thitapa Haritaworn (Ethnic Minorities Officer), Nicholas Halterman (International Students Officer)

Absent without explanation: Peter Sayer (Design & Maintenance Officer), Gaetano Iannetta (Design & Maintenance Officer), Indigo Wilde (Entz Officer), Chilla Knight (Environment & Ethics Officer), Aidan Balfe (Environment & Ethics Officer), Lewis Scott (John de Balliol), Simon Kelly (John de Balliol)

Agenda

1. Matters arising

2. Consent workshop dolla [Rachael & Daisy]

3. Jowett tampon mountain [Rachael & Daisy]

4. Sexist atmosphere [Rachael & Daisy]

5. Friday club night [Matt]

6. AOB

Minutes

Annie proposed moving CL to the JCR in the future to increase the openness of the Committee and asked the Committee for their thoughts.

Ele agreed in principle for improving participation but gave concerns about fitting people into the space. Annie responded about nooks and side nooks; it’s probably not really worth recording the details of this conversation for the purpose of posterity; it was largely just about where people could sit.

Xav suggested that weekly, it would be plausible to figure out how to arrange ourselves in the JCR.

Sam questioned whether the JCR would be suitable in terms of noise, as the JCR is particularly active around lunch time due to Pantry.

Ste cited concerns about Committee meetings being less efficient due to the likelihood of disruptions from people in the JCR chatting to friends in Committee.

Annie responded that she believes it could be effective in changing perceptions of openness of CLs.

Alberto cited concerns about conversations that occur in camera such as co-options of positions, with which Daisy Cutts agreed. Ste cited the discussions that occurred last week and suggested that it was important that it occurred in a closed space; Xav suggested that having CL in the JCR would influence the discourse in a positive way.

Hugo suggested that these conversations are not the only way in which a matter is more suitable to run through the Committee first, giving the examples of messages from the SCR and interactions with College. Xav questioned then why we invite people to Committee lunch; Hugo responded that this rose questions regarding proportionality.

Ele suggested the TV room instead; Richard suggested visibility would be an issue and Daisy Cutts suggested access would be an issue.

Ste suggested that having CL out of the way meant that it only encouraged people with active interest to attend, rather than simply engaging with people who have no interest in engaging with the Committee.

Hubert suggested more active advertising of CLs – without a change in venue – may be an effective way of addressing the disconnect between Committee and the wider JCR.

Daisy Cutts suggested trialling a CL in the JCR next week.

Matt asked if CL has ever attracted people to it, and gave his gut-instinct that most people aren’t going to be interested. Annie suggested that trialling this would therefore be positive to find out. She suggested that discussions that occur in camera could involve moving venue temporarily, for example to the bar.

Sam noted that co-options for SDO would be occurring next week so it is important that the issue is resolved.

Hugo added that he has to find permission to open the bar during the day in advance.

The Committee agreed to trial running CL in the JCR; Annie noted that it would be brought up in the next GM to let the JCR know.

 

Rachael noted that the consent workshops were expensive due to printing costs, and hence the Womens’ Office budget is currently quite low, and therefore asked for £50 to top up the budget.

Sam asked why OUSU made the JCR do its printing; Rachael and Daisy don’t know. Annie suggested it was a mix up due to a transition in sab officers.

The Committee passed £50.

 

Rachael noted the Committee that Jowett tampon mountain would be being placed in the laundry room by the condom machine. Annie encouraged Jowett inhabitants to publicise it.

 

Rachael gave a general note to the Committee should they overhear any sexist or problematic comments, that this should be shot down in a patient manner, as many people are being exposed to many new ideas.

Annie noted the scaffolding had been put up by the builders, and that last year there were concerns about how the builders fit into the Balliol atmosphere; Annie told the Officers to act as Committee officers, probably referring to the Womens’ officers, or if given concerns by individuals, for these to be passed on to Jo or Neville.

Annie made the point that this was not a cause of alarm, but a general notice.

 

Matt noted that the Entz budget lost a large amount of money due to a lack of uptake in Lola los Wednesday. He noted that he and Iggy were making moves to avoid such losses again. He added that they would attempt to make a profit at the next two bops. He told the Committee that a club had contacted him about coordinating a club night on Fridays to replace Wahoo with online deals such that the tickets would cheaper, and such that one quid from every ticket goes to the JCR; he would like this to go to the entz budget. He added that there were exclusivity clauses and conditions on promoting the night.

Richard confirmed that this night would be occurring after Wahoo closes.

Meg asked if the only commitment was a Facebook post.

Rachael suggested explaining to the JCR why the Committee would be coordinating in this way. Matt replied that he would explain this. Xav added that it would be positive to explain that money would be going to the Entz budget.

Xav asked how much the tickets were. Matt responded that the tickets were a fiver on some app with a quid going to the JCR; six quid on the door.

Sophie asked how far in advance tickets had to be bought. Matt responded that it would be til around 10 or 11:30; he doesn’t have too strong concerns about encouraging a culture of buying tickets online.

Alberto asked if exclusivity clauses entailed not promoting Committee events; Matt responded that the general tone is to not promote club nights. Alberto asked how long the deal would go on; Matt responded it would go on until the night collapsed.

The Committee expressed its support.

 

Matt told the Committee that the Shuffle reps contacted Entz about making Lola Tuesdays a thing again; it would entail promoting the night on the Facebook page, and asked if this had Committee support. Xav encouraged negotiating cheap entry as this was why people went to Lolas. Matt responded this seems feasible.

The Committee expressed its support.

 

Cealach told the Committee that her and Annie had decided it would be wise to centralise election info.

 

Hubert encouraged going to the CRAE event in the JCR tomorrow, and encouraged an open ear for related concerns.

 

The meeting was adjourned.