Peterhouse JCR Meeting – Tuesday 21/02/065.30pm in the Bar

 

Minutes

Apologies for Absence

  • Dave Kerr
  • David Hopper
  • Jamie Cartwright

 

 

Actions Summary

 

Pete

Get Housekeeping to approve a Bedders’ Contract, publicise JCR minutes and events in toilets/kitchens around College, make noticeboard key for Sean, organise JCR stash, relabel JCR pigeonholes more clearly

Sean

Compile JCR survey and give it an online presence

Paul & Sean

Put up a page on the JCR website providing information about CUSU stuff

Emma & Sean

Investigate possibility of library hours being extended during Easter Term

Emma & Jenny

Refuse to accept too many recruitment brochures etc. for the Upper Sex

Jenny

Investigate recycling in college – get boxes for each house

Ben

Investigate rent rebate rules if we stay in our rooms for fewer than 70 days per term

Katy

Investigate the financial basis of college’s claims regarding signouts

Laila

Supply magazines to the Upper Sex

Mark

Scrap the jukebox

Krzys & Nat

Get iPod for bar

 

 

Full Minutes

 

Matthew (the Assistant Returning Officer) isn’t here yet so we can’t elect a Vice President.

 

Ben reads out the budget (http://www.srcf.ucam.org/pet-jcr/budget2005-06.xls). We hope to make some money from bops. More money should be spent on ents publicity. Nat suggests having food at bops, and changing the lights in the bar. Pete investigates the light above his head, and nods agreement.

 

Library hours could be extended during exam term by an hour or two. Emma and Sean are to talk to the librarian (and the graduate students, who do the night shifts) to see if this is feasible.

 

More boxes are needed for recycling. Jenny suggests having one recycling box per house. Pete suggests a voluntary scheme whereby students voluntarily obtain boxes from Jenny, and suggests having cardboard boxes with different sections for plastic, glass, paper, etc. Jenny isn’t sure whether we have a bin for recycling plastic – she will check. She will also investigate whether people are keen to volunteer actively to help recycling efforts in college.

 

The bedders’ services are not up to scratch. Pete is to get Housekeeping to approve a Bedders’ contract which puts all their duties down in black and white.

 

Pete describes the process of rent negotiations, which start next term. Pete, Sean, Ben, the VP and Katy will meet with the Coordinating Committee at the next coordinating meeting to discuss this and other issues.

 

JCR emails: People haven’t been reading JCR emails, which is sad. From now on, events outside Peterhouse will go on the website, and information about events within Peterhouse will be circulated via email. It is suggested that subject lines of JCR emails be made more relevant so people can see at a glance whether the emails would interest them. We need to encourage people to use the JCR website more. Pete suggests putting JCR minutes and publicity etc. in toilets and kitchens around college (this was done in SPT some years ago).

Paul is to work with Sean and set up a page on the website detailing Peterhouse’s involvement with CUSU. Pete and Paul will meet Laura Walsh (the current CUSU President) to discuss various matters including the recent motion for Peterhouse JCR to disaffiliate from CUSU. It is suggested that we complain to CUSU about this year’s Shadowing Scheme – at least one shadow was unimpressed by the scheme’s shoddy organisation this year and is questioning whether Cambridge is really that good after all. CUSU costs us too much, and isn’t providing enough value for money.

 

Motions for the open meeting are to be sent to Pete. We talk about signouts. Katy wants to investigate College’s finances to see exactly what the situation is, since they keep refusing our requests to improve the signouts system on these grounds. Pete suggests consulting the Accounts in the Reporter, but warns that the information therein may be rather obscure. It is suggested that the Bursar be pressed for more information.

 

Mark Powell arrives.

 

There is general discussion of the Ms Peterhouse bop this Friday. If we invite people from other colleges, we should give Petreans a discount. Pete suggests advertising the bop only in college, and agrees to the estimated cost of £50.

 

Keys for JCR Noticeboard: Pete is to make a key for Sean. Things on the noticeboards are generally out-of-date, which isn’t good. We will start putting up up-to-date stuff so that people will take notice of the boards for info on what is happening in and around college.

 

JCR Stash: The JCR budget can’t be used to subsidise these. Mark says hoodies are nicer than polo shirts but they are more expensive. We decide on red and yellow hoodies to show our Peterhouse spirit.


Laila wants to put old magazines in the Upper Sex. This requires no expenditure on the JCR’s part. If people steal them, we just won’t put them out anymore.

 

There is too much food in the Upper Sex. There are also too many recruitment brochures and other crap. Emma and Jenny are to liaise with the providers of these materials, and refuse to take too many of them if necessary – they just contribute to the clutter and are a waste of paper!

 

Sean wants to do a JCR survey 2 or 3 times during the coming academic year to make sure we are on the right track. Jenny suggests putting it online as well. All committee members are invited to submit questions for the survey.

 

AoB

Ben remarks on how confusing the JCR pigeonhole name labels in the plodge are. Pete gives a detailed explanation.

 

Sean asks if Nat/Krzys, Emma and Jenny can have keys for their JCR noticeboards. Pete says this is expensive. We agree to have one key for Pete, one key for Sean and a spare key that will be loaned to whoever needs it.

 

Lady suggests asking the Bursar about what happens if we stay in our rooms for fewer than 70 days a term. Do we get a rent rebate? Ben is to pursue this. It is noted that such information should be sent to freshers. Also, freshers should be advised to come on Saturday as otherwise they would miss out on a whole day of fun!

 

Mark wants to scrap the jukebox in the bar. We earn only £50 from it each year, but it costs £400 annually. Nat is trying to get an iPod for the bar, and requests Mark not to bin the jukebox until this is settled. Pete says bin it immediately as no one is using it and we might as well get rid of it ASAP. The general agreement is to bin it.

 

The Vice-President will be elected at the next meeting due to Matthew’s absence. The date of the next meeting will be arranged by email at a later date.