Committee Present:
Danny McGrath (President)
Hazel Jackson (Vice President)
Theo Morris Clarke (Treasurer)
Rebecca Zhao (Secretary)
Dan Hunt (Services)
James Swaden and Kitty Grady (Ents)
Jane Baxter (Green)
Anthony Wheeler (LGBT)
Freddie Valletta (Male welfare)
Aiden Goulden (Access)
Sarah Glew (Mental Health and Disabilities)
Charlotte Jackson (Female welfare)
Katherine Lee (International and Racial affairs)
Julien Cohen (International and Racial affairs)
Tim Kitching (Communications)
+Richard Dennis (Senior Treasurer to the JCSU)
Meeting begins (quorum present)
1. Reports of executive’s activities over the year
DH: Organised the societies’ photos, housing ballot, been meeting with IT throughout the year to improve systems in college
TK: I have only been in this job this term as was elected in the by election, made the grid of faces for freshers’ week and have made the weekly bulletin
KJ and JS: We have also only been in the job for this michaelmas term, Organised the week 5 fiesta joint with the welfare team, have had 2 bops with the christmas one to come, in the process of organising a freshers play, christmas bop and christmas formal seating plans
AW: Welcome letter to freshers, arranged the parenting scheme, LGBT pub crawl, swap as well as doing general welfare
JB: Fairtrade fortnight, various charity events and also ran the green impact scheme in college
CJ and FV: distribution of sexual health supplies, helped with sexual consent workshops, exam term doughnuts and bouncy castle
HJ: Halfway hall, Attended CUSU meetings, currently organising stash, helped out with CUSU elections and exploring the possibility of getting a yearbook
TMC: Written a lot of cheques, drawing up budget, sitting on various college committees
DM: CUSU council, organising Freshers week
JC: International officers welcomed visitors from America, setting up socials (swaps with other colleges)
SG: Pilates and mindfulness schemes, time to talk day, trying to get a college counsellor which has been showing progress
AG: Ambassadors, CUSU shadowing scheme, college children scheme, prospectus, helped train new Access and Schools’ liaison officer
BZ: Organised JCSU meeting bookings, agendas and minutes, societies fair and acted as societies liaison
2.The JCSU Annual Budget
TMC: The only change which has been added since the last meeting was the Education society which I missed previously, who have now been allocated £200
BZ: What will this money be going towards?
TMC: Speakers coming to visit
DM: Propose a motion to pass the annual budget
Yes: 27
(No objections)
3.Ordinary motions
- Revision of voting rights for International Students Officer
Only students that identify themselves as international should be allowed to vote for the International students officer
The JCSU notes
International students face unique challenges at our university and the JCSU has an international students officer that ‘shall be responsible for the needs and concerns of international students within the college’ (JCSU constitution). The JCSU has recently accepted that voting for certain positions can be exclusive to the group they represent
The JCSU believes
That the international students officer should represent the international students of the college and that this should be represented in the election procedure
The JCSU resolves
Only students that identify themselves as international are allowed to vote for the international students officer
Proposed by: Niklas Ek
Seconded by: Zak Walters
NE: Considering the emerging electoral structure of the JCSU, this change ensures that the international students are fully supported
AW: This is the reason why we have an international officer. I think we should be an inclusive environment, open and friendly. I don’t believe the womens’ officer should create a trend for other positions on the JCSU. I don’t see the problem with everyone being able to vote for that
NE: Feel like there should be a uniform response to minorities on the college, we should be consistent
JC: I don’t think women in the college should be referred to as a minority
EB: Could we not have the role be open to only those representative of that group
JG: Could someone please clarify the role of the International Students’ Officer?
JC: Main role is helping international freshers to adapt when they come here, moving here can be a huge change. Also nice to have an international community for people going through that big change. Mainly a welfare role.
AW: The LGBT officer is open to voting by all members of college
HL: It would be very wrong to ask people to identify as LGBT, not really the case with international
TK: International events are open to all students, what about Erasmus/ Pomona students who wouldn’t be able to vote, who are still represented by the international officers
JC: Indeed most people we help can’t actually vote for the position
NE: It’s the same for the freshers, we focus on a particular group as in the constitution
TMC: Is it not worrying that in a democratic institution one group gets more representation than another?
Vote:
For: 4
Against: 17
Abstentions: 6
- Changing the title of the LBGT officer.
The JCSU notes:
The given title in the JCSU constitution is ‘LBGT Students’ Officer’
The JCSU believes:
1. The title should be changed constitutionally to the more common arrangement of the letters: LGBT.
2. The title of the role should also include a +, making the title LGBT+ Students’ Officer.
The JCSU resolves:
To change the title of the role to LGBT+ Student’s Officer.
Proposed by: Anthony Wheeler
Seconded by: Charlie Benson
AW: In the constitution the wording is wrong, we should also add a ‘+’ as in other colleges, making it more inclusive
For: 27
End of meeting