(Re) building a thriving student community: JCR and MCR Presidents’ Reports

(Re)building a thriving student community

Isabella Godley (PPE, 2020), JCR President

After the dramatic impact of Covid restrictions on our lives over the past two years, it was central to the JCR’s work in 2021/22 to ensure new students felt welcomed and that gaps left from the pandemic lockdowns between year-groups were bridged. To this end, we introduced a Freshers’ Officer on the Bench, enabling first years to have more of a voice. We also increased our events programme (the Mansfield College Ball being a highlight), widened our social media presence, and renewed our focus on welfare. The Bench worked to maintain inter-year communication through the ‘Adopt a Finalist’ and ‘College Family’ traditions. Development work in the JCR’s physical space and the College Bar encouraged greater use and helped us grow closer as a community.

With our core objectives of diversity and inclusivity in mind, the JCR Equalities Reps have worked hard to organise events and facilitate discussion among students. ‘Feel Good Fridays’ events, organised by our Women’s Officer, provide a safe and comfortable space for women to relax and interact; our Disabilities and Mental Health Officer started work on an access programme for those with disabilities; and financially, we supported various groups within College through increases in our Gender Expression and Taxi Fund. In response to crises around the world, the Bench passed a motion to raise donations for the Ukrainian Red Cross and Save the Children Ukraine. Other regular charitable events included charity formals and charity elections, with donations going to Oxfordshire Sexual Assault and Rape Crisis Clinic (OSARCC), Oxford Mutual Aid, Beat Eating Disorders, and Autism at Kingwood. The Climate Crisis remains a top priority and our Bench has worked closely with Mansfield staff to support the College’s eco-friendly initiatives. I would like to thank the JCR Bench for their commitment and tireless work through the year. It is amazing to be part of a community where everybody is so passionate. Thank you to the JCR for being so involved, the MCR for their cooperation, and the SCR for being so receptive to our concerns. It has been wonderful to be the JCR President during 2021/22.

Amirmohammad Farzaneh (DPhil Engineering Science, 2020), MCR President

‘The MCR feels like a second home to me’ is a statement I’ve often heard from MCR members – and it is true for me too. In 2021/22 we triumphantly bounced back from Covid restrictions, managing to reunite the MCR family again. My main goal as President was to make all our students feel welcome at Mansfield, and I strongly believe we have been successful. A brand-new range of MCR events shows how hard our committee worked. A big Halloween party, exchange Formal Dinners with six other colleges, and the first-ever Nowruz (Iranian/ Persian New Year) celebration, are just some examples. The year ended with our MCR boat party, which started in 2020/21 and is now known as one of Oxford’s best MCR parties. To make our members feel welcome and at home at Mansfield, we put great effort into providing welfare support. MCR members can contact any of our Bench to discuss their welfare concerns, and during the year we also hosted numerous welfare-oriented events such as brunches, and cakes and compliments. I am honoured to be President of such a diverse range of students. I am also extremely grateful for the hard work of our MCR Bench, and the support provided to us by the College. It is my firm conviction that all our hard work has produced Oxford’s most welcoming MCR.