froM the Jcr President

Joe Morris History, 2011

Being JCR President has been a phenomenal privilege, and is one of the experiences that I shall take the most pride in when I come to leave Oxford. At the time of writing, I am entering my last term as President, and will shortly be experiencing the odd sensation of being replaced in front of my own eyes. Despite the positives, it has not been an easy ride, and I can only hope that as a Bench and as a JCR, we can continue to overcome any challenges that occur in the term to come. A large part of our ability to succeed has been down to the continued presence of our predecessors on the Bench, who have been an invaluable source of advice over the past two terms. Our sole term without them will be all the more difficult for it.

Working with such a dedicated and passionate group as the Bench has been an absolute pleasure. Although we all have different methods of approaching problems, and differing ideas of what is needed, our priority has remained the improvement of the JCR. The Bench has worked on several projects during the year, such as the establishment of an international student rep as an additional member of the welfare team; securing an extra welfare locker in a more private location; and supervising the planting of three plum trees (the current JCR’s gift to the College), which now reside in the grass between E and G block.

Our main challenge over the year has been the on-going building work, about which I’m sure you will have heard by now. This has caused wide-ranging changes to the functioning of the JCR and to the lives of members. Yet it has also emphasised what a special community Mansfield is, and given us a new opportunity to exhibit that sense of community. The burden has not been unevenly shared. My job would have been made much harder had there been a perception that all inconvenience had been shoved on to the JCR, but all areas of the College have absorbed the changes. In Trinity term especially, the College placed the well-being of students with exams to revise for ahead of any other concerns, and has been fantastic in ensuring that building work did not prevent us from studying.

A major change caused by the construction work has been the moving of dining from the Hall (now out of bounds!) to the Chapel. This arrangement means that special, high-demand events such as the Burns’ Night and ‘formal formal’ have had expanded capacity, which has been great for those who might otherwise have missed out. Another important consequence is that the College Bar is now temporarily out of service. Hence, Balliol Bar has become our official bar in exile until the building work finishes. The Balliol JCR has gone out of its way to make us feel welcome, and our JCR members have found it extremely useful to have the space to relax and socialise in the evenings.

At first it was hard not to get caught up in the glamour of the presidency: the OUSU meetings; the constant feeling that an email had been left unsent; and the sudden need to check the wording of the constitution at 3am. One of the highlights of the role has been meeting people from across the University who are dedicated to improving the student experience – from OUSU officers to other Common Room Presidents. The weekly meetings held either at OUSU Council or at Prescom have been incredibly useful to me personally, providing a great opportunity to hear about ideas from elsewhere in the University and adapt them to Mansfield. It has been inspiring to work with the others on matters that affect Mansfield students: issues such as living out, and helping OUSU to communicate more effectively with students. Representing the JCR on a variety of issues and in a variety of contexts has been fantastic. The idea of a rent proposal was one that at the start of my term scared and confused me, but when the time came, I was passionate about the proposal and the issues contained within it. Working with other students and representing the JCR to staff and Fellows who share our passion for the College has been a complete pleasure, and one that I shall never forget.

When the time comes to hand over, I shall be proud to have worked for such a special community as Mansfield JCR. By the time I leave, the building work will be well on the way to completion, and the Bench will have welcomed a new generation of Mansfielders to the fold. It has been an absolute honour to serve this wonderful College and JCR.

JCR Bench 2013