Date: 19th May 2016

Time: 7:30pm

Venue: Lecture Room A

Apologies: C. Brant, C. Causier

Present: S. Sherburn, J. Evans, E. Gregory, A. Reith, B. Kidd, A. Turner, L. Bracken, N. Akbar, O. Kinsey, J. Steele, W. Wright, J. Young, J. Freeman (delayed), M. Elliott & J. Syms

Minutes: A. Reith

Agenda:

  1. Recap of last meeting (AR)

-GM motion will be taken re:Publications Officer.

-TE & KM to organize collection gameplanre:Arts

-GM motion will be taken re:Independent Chair

-Charities co-option agreed for 7th week

-JCR/OKB usage survey to be released to JCR.

  1. Batwillow (AT & LB)

LB: £5,000 budget for the event, with £2,000 revenue coming from ticket sales. All going to plan on this front. Bookings will happen by the end of the week. Thursday of 8th week is now the set date for the event after discussion with the Deans.

  1. Decision Making (SS)

BK: Perhaps it should be mandatory for Committee to consider multiple ideas on a topic as a matter of course in the discussion.

JSy: Most people either default-vote ‘yes’ at GM or complain it is too discursive.

SS: Perhaps it is time to consider electronic voting systems/secret balloting.

JSy: We should look at how the logistics of this might work – would we have one ballot for all GM motions?

AR: How would we operate this for amendments?

JY: Yes, these might also be sensitive.

Action: JE, JSy and any other members with a stake in the process to discuss as part of a Sub-Committee and report back to next week’s Committee with their recommendations, which may then be discussed.

  1. JCR debit card (EG)

EG: SS and EG to have JCR debit cards with sign-in/sign-out sheets for anyone wishing to use them – while the time they are signed on as having the card they are also responsible for it.

JSy: One issue which has been raised previously is the problem with safeguarding of online banking activities: how would this be resolved?

EG: We were considering obscuring the CVC code. The card itself would be very useful from an administrative perspective.

BK: Especially as committee members wouldn’t have to take a financial hit before waiting to reclaim money.

SS: This can be an uncomfortable time for people who don’t have the cash flow required and may end up in overdraft.

Executive Council and Trustees voting on whether EG should acquire a JCR debit card.

11 in favour; 0 against. This motion passes in Committee with quorum.

Action: EG will present this as evidence of Committee support for the debit card. The debit card may then be acquired as agreed.

  1. Timing of Presidential Elections (SS)

SS: Important for an incoming President to build working relations with staff members.

Action: This motion will be presented at Sunday’s GM.

  1. LibCom (SS)

ME: The issue which arose in considerations was the proposed separation of committees, with which ME would be opposed.

SS: This would not take place.

ME: LibCom should start off as a non-constitutional body before perhaps we can ratify it in the Constitution, pending discussion.

SS: LGBTQ+, Women, BME, Disabled Students, Welfare and Intermittents representative (pending) would form representation on LibCom.

Action: ME to report back to Committee on the behalf of LibCom, who will have met by next week.

  1. GM fund (SS)

EG: The problem with voting large quantities of money out of the GM fund in its present state is that it puts the JCR in an extremely bad light.

SS: The problem at the heart of this is democracy by Facebook group chat. Perhaps this Committee should consider a GM fund per meeting to be implemented in next year’s budget.

ME: Members could then attend multiple meetings progressively drawing more money out of the JCR.

JSl: We need to make the repercussions of additional spending clear at GM.

SS: It is important where budgeting is concerned to put receipts through close to the time: EG has faced problems with the accounting when people are late with this.

JE: We must also scrutinize exactly how people who take money from GM fund spend that money – is the JCR getting sufficient value from it?

Action: Committee to take on advice. GM motions to be brought on Sunday where what has been said can be considered.

  1. Freshers’ Week (OK)

OK: Club nights scheduled for Park End, Cellar and Wahoo. Provisional timetable has been approved. There will also be a BBQ in the Waynflete Garden before the first MT GM.

SS: Committee members will train to run Sexual Consent Workshops. Idea of hosting a professional sex educator has been put forward by College. The idea to make these workshops compulsory for Freshers has been put forward to Tutorial Board. OUSU will contact Committee regarding facilitator training. On the provisional Freshers’ Week timetable, slots for the workshops may be booked around other events at present for additional flexibility and anonymity of those who have officially opted out as far as other Freshers are concerned. OK or Nancy Cowell will receive opt-out notifications.

Action: Committee would fund the workshops as set out above. OK, GCL & Welfare to draw up a list of potential professionals, who they will then contact and confirm availability of. Sexpression/Student Minds may already have such educators involved.

  1. JCR Garden Party (SS)

SS: Motion is going to GM to appoint Edmund Garnett and Dom Taylor – Garden Party organisers – as Supernumerary Officers to Committee, until the event has been organized. EGa and DT would make weekly reports to Committee. They have £2,500 in their budget. There will be wine, cocktails and a BBQ provided. Phil Jakeman will be present intermittently.

Action: JSy to ensure that GM motion accurately reflects budgeting for the event.

  1. A.O.B.
  1. GM Pizza (SS)

JE: We should try and source a vegan pizza along with the others for Sunday.

JY: As long as we don’t have that disgusting sausage one from last time.

Action: BK to order next GM pizza at cost to JCR of c.£100.

  1. Position of the Constitution on Voting & Attendance (SS)

JSy: Trustees to vote in Committee – prevents monopolization of the Committee position by larger departments. One male and female Welfare representative, Charities, Entz and the Executive should all be here.

Action: JE or AR to e-mail Trustees who were absent today without apology.

  1. Receipts (EG)

EG: Crichley’s will not accept pictures of bank statements in lieu of actual receipts – please could all Committee members claiming send the latter.

  1. Fixed Catering Charge (SS)

SS: £65.18/£32.51 deal to go to GM and a referendum option is to be considered. This after negotiations between College and the JCR.

Action: Motion to be considered at Sunday’s GM.

  1. Reach Scholarships (SS)

SS: After negotiation, it can now be confirmed that a Reach Scholar will join Magdalen in Summer 2017.

End of Meeting.