82
COLLEGE NEWS I Jesus College Annual Report 2022
Bursary Richard Anthony, Bursar
Photo by Martin Bond
It was with some trepidation that we started the past academic year. Back in October 2021 uncertainty around COVID-19 was still raging and we were not sure how the Term or the year was going to pan out. Luckily, there were no further lockdowns or major outbreaks, which meant that we were gradually able to ease the restrictions and get back to ‘normal’. By Easter Term, there was a distinctly familiar feeling to life, with the first half focused on revision and exams, followed by the exuberance of the Bumps and the May Ball. Of course, for those undergraduates in their final year of a three-year degree, this was their first normal year-end of exams and parties The restrictions and lockdowns that we experienced during COVID-19 were incredibly challenging for the College. I want to thank all the Fellows and staff for their incredibly hard work at getting the College back on track, something that was clearly appreciated by many of our students. We are conscious of the toll the pandemic has taken on young people in particular, and we have been continually investing in support of them. As part of this we welcomed the College’s first Mental Health Nurse, working alongside the rest of our fantastic Tutorial Team, led by Professor Geoff Parks, our Senior Tutor. Geoff is stepping down after 10 years. He is the most dedicated individual at the College, who works tirelessly for the benefit of the students, and has been a fantastic source of advice and support to me. The financial effect of the pandemic on the College was very significant, much more so than for the University. Fortunately, during the current year students were back in residence which meant that accommodation and catering income recovered. Hardest hit was the College’s conferencing business, which almost disappeared during the pandemic. I am delighted to report that Jesus was probably the most proactive College in restoring this key source of revenue and, whilst we are not there yet, I am hoping it will recover and even exceed pre-pandemic levels.
