Minutes of General Meeting, Sunday of 5^th Week, MT06

Committee Apologies: Anna Bates, Nicky Roper

Committee Absentees: Dan Thompson, Jon Siah, Charlie Partridge, Becca Baron, Kieran Porter, Jeniv Shah, Harvey Aspeling-Jones

Meeting commenced 8.01pm

Committee reports

President

This week I have done some work in cases committee, and attended several other meetings. I have finalised the plans for the Bar refurbishment with RDF, and booked the Xmas party. I am also researching on how best to approach Hall improvements and the laundry service. I would also like to know where the Entz leads have gone?

VP

My main task has been helping people with their motions for this GM. Attended OUSU council as normal and have been liaising with the computer reps with regard to the Rooms Database. Also have been mentally preparing for the upcoming elections - nominations are now open for all positions, so get involved!!

Publications

I have been gathering lots of stuff for 3rd edition of the bogsheet - out this week so watch this space! Have also been for two yearbook editors - I've had interest from 2 people, nothing confirmed, but it's a start.

Welfare

Welfare have been putting on lots of lovely things like donuts with soup, happy films and tea and biscuits. The new days for these events have been a success! We are also creating a Women's Welfare Notice Board with information and services specifically for women. We also sat on equal opps committee.

Secretary

Minuted 2 committee meetings and chaired the equal opportunities committee meeting.

Admissions

I've been continuing preparations for the interviews, in particular advising the Tutor for Admissions on selection of the team of student helpers.

Overseas

We hosted a drinks party in the Oscar Wilde room for Stanford and WISC students which was a great success. We are now planning a Stanford-JCR

committee dinner to help further their integration into College.

Food and Fac

Since last GM I have... ordered and received new items for the JCR Dining Room, including a replacement kettle and a replacement cafetiere for the ones that went missing. I have attended Hall with Iain, Sam and the Deans so the Deans could assess the quality of Hall food for themselves. I have ordered brunch food and the pizza for the GM tonight.

Academic Affairs

Have been finalising the Tutorial Feedback report trying to ensure college take on the new electronic version, updating careers and academic affairs bit of website, and compiling personal tutor's info sheet.

OUSU

With regards to OUSU, I have attended OUSU Council and continue to do my best to represent Magdalen’s interest. Currently we are still working out the cost of NUS affiliation, but need to see how many other colleges join up before we can finalise this. OUSU is currently going through a consultation period about its future and if any of you would like copies of the consultation document (trust me it’s a lot of fun) just drop me an email.

Charities

Charities have been preparing for the wine and beer tasting evening! It will be next Saturday (5th week) in the Oscar Wilde room at 7.30pm; tickets cost £8. Email charities for a ticket.

Wineshop

Drove the college van to the cash + carry, much to the Home Bursar's dismay. Invested in Bombay Sapphire. Found the computer speakers so that the staff can once more play jolly tunes whilst serving you. Drank lots.

GM Reports motion:

This JCR notes that:

1. All JCR officers are expected to provide reports to every General Meeting

2. Currently these reports are submitted to the Secretary beforehand and sent out with the email publicising the motions. They should then be read out by the officers at the meeting itself.

3. All the members of the JCR have at least some access to computers.

This JCR believes that:

1. The need for JCR officers to account for their activities to the JCR with reports is satisfied by publication in the GM-mail.

2. Members of the JCR should be free to ask questions of JCR officers, should they so wish.

This JCR resolves to:

1. Amend the constitution so that reports need not be read out at GMs, but insert the proviso that an officer who fails to submit a report in time for publication by email must make their report at the GM, and that JCR members may still ask any officers any questions which they might have in relation to the reports.

Proposed by Iain Anstess

Seconded by Phil Davies

Proposition:

Reading out the reports takes too much time in meetings and since they’re included in the email anyway there’d be no loss of transparency by not reading them out at the meeting.

SFQs:

- I don’t get this email, why?

- I don’t know – if you email me I’ll get you added to the JCR mailing list.

No opposition.

Motion passes nem con.

Christmas Party Motion:

This JCR notes that:

1. The annual JCR Xmas Party will be on Tuesday of 8th week.

2. It is always a great event, with the vast majority of the JCR attending.

This JCR believes that:

1. That nothing helps make a party extra fun like free drinks.

2. Having a tab behind the bar encourages people to turn up to the party early in order to take advantage of the free drinks, and so get the party of to a flying start.

This JCR resolves to:

1. Grant the Entz reps a sum of £1000 outside of their budgetary provisions and mandate them to place this sum behind the bar at Jongleurs as a tab at the Xmas Party.

Proposed by: James Valori

Seconded by: Roly Wickenden

Proposition:

Basically just that – the Christmas party is always a really good night and I think this motion will just help it to get off to a great start.

SFQs:

• Is there an alternative event planned for people who don’t like pissups?

  • We haven’t got any plans for one but if you have suggestions do email us and we’ll include them. The Christmas party also isn’t just a piss up – we put on acts and games and things too.

• How can we make it fair, so that everyone gets an even distribution of drinks rather than one person getting a grand’s worth?

  • We’ve been thinking about how to do this and I think what we’ll do is give everyone a couple of tokens on arrival, and then later on in the night we’ll put a second lot of money behind the bar to pace the rate at which free drinks can be got.

• How many drinks will the money buy?

  • About 750, we think, which if the same number of people as normal turn up will work out at about 3 drinks per person.

Opposition:

£1000 is a lot of money.

Debate:

• 3 drinks each isn’t too much.

Vote:

For: 38

Against: 0

Abstentions: 2

Motion passes.

CD-Player for the JCR Dining Room Motion

This JCR notes that:

1. The JCR Dining Room is used for various purposes, including JCR events such as Sunday Brunch, but also a variety of private functions.

This JCR believes that:

1. Music is often a key part of social functions, and those using the JCR Dining Room currently must bring their laptop, sound system etc if they wish to have any music.

2. It would not take great cost for the JCR to have a good quality CD-player installed, along with speakers.

This JCR resolves to:

1. Mandate the Food and Fac Rep to purchase a CD player and speakers for the JCR Dining Room, granting an amount of not more than £250 for the purpose.

Proposed by Phil Parrot

Seconded by Iain Anstess

Proposition:

There are lots of parties in the JCR Dining Room and normally people have to bring their own music source, so we know that it would get good use.

SFQs:

• How many parties are there in the JCR Dining Room?

  • At least two a week.

• Will we be able to plug laptops or iPods into the machine?

  • Yes.

• Will you buy the cable to allow that?

  • Yes.

• How much are you going to spend?

  • A maximum of £250.

• Where is it going to go?

  • The speakers will be mounted in the top corners of the room, whilst the actual machine will also be on a bracket on the wall but lower down so that we can reach it to attach iPods and stuff to it.

No opposition.

Motion passes nem con.

Beards are Cool Motion

This JCR notes that:

1. Beards are cool

2. Brian Blessed is far too cool to be just a JCR idol

This JCR believes that:

1. A new rank of 'hero idol' should be created, the recipient being kept on the shelf in the JCR and honoured with fairy lights in place of candles, flowers and offerings of food and whisky.

This JCR resolves to:

1. To amend the constitution to include the rank of 'hero idol'

2. To immediately instate Brian Blessed as the Hero Idol.

3. To mandate the Food and Fac Rep to purchase the above-mentioned materials for the purpose of honouring Brian Blessed.

Proposed by Phil Davies

Seconded by Oscar the Tortoise

Proposition:

This is nothing to do with the fact that I have a beard. My beard is nothing on Brian Blessed’s. For freshers who don’t know, JCR Idols are voted in at the end of Trinity term, and their photos go up on the wall. Them being on the shelf is just a temporary measure, but we do need something on the shelf anyway. I think a small altar to Brian Blessed would be perfect, with some offerings of food and whiskey, which might disappear overnight a bit like when you leave a mince pie out for Santa Claus.

SFQs:

• Will there only be one hero idol at a time?

  • Yes, they can be picked from whichever JCR Idols there are at the time, although of course I hope that people would vote for it to stay as Brian Blessed.

• Who gets the whiskey?

  • Anyone who’s in the JCR after the offering’s been left.

• Can we have a hero idol with no beard?

  • No.

• POI: everyone has the same number of hairs on their face, it’s just the length and colour that differs so really everyone has a beard.

• Is only one photo enough for the shrine? Should we not have photos of Brian Blessed in all his various roles?

  • Yes, maybe. Perhaps you should suggest that as an amendment.

• What about a lifesize cardboard cutout?

  • Yes, that would be good. Does one of those even exist?

• How much will this cost?

  • It should be spontaneous offerings of love. Money is not an issue.

Opposition:

I want to propose an amendment.

Debate:

Proposed Amendment #1

We should acquire a cardboard cutout of Brian Blessed for on the shrine.

Amendment accepted.

Proposed Amendment #2

The JCR President must come and make offerings to Brian Blessed at midnight, twice a week.

Amendment accepted.

Vote:

For: 40

Against: 0

Abstentions: 0

Meeting closed 8.20pm