Sports & Arts

Common Room Reports

JCR Report 2019-20

Peter Corti (2018)

This year has been anything but predictable for the JCR; in the opinion of our Home Bursar, this has been the most disrupted year since the outbreak of World War II. However, this JCR has thrived by adapting and supporting each other and the wider Pembroke community. Building on the work of last year’s Committee, we have strived to recognise and combat the barriers inherently present for students at Pembroke, with a particular emphasis on the cost of living. Michaelmas term saw a rehauled Freshers’ Week and a series of events aimed at fostering a strong sense of belonging and companionship among First Years, irrespective of social background. MT Week 8 also saw a JCRwide survey take place on Hall, Meal Plans and Access, to start the conversation about living costs and to bring significant change to the affordability and quality of meals being provided. Two thirds of all JCR members responded and the report from the survey was submitted to Governing Body this summer for consideration and implementation over the next academic year. While coronavirus interrupted a lot of the Committee’s initiatives and projects, such as the Pembroke play and a BAME Formal for Fellows, alumni and students, Zoom and Microsoft Teams allowed JCR members to celebrate a lot of the traditional gatherings, albeit at a distance. Husts and JCR meetings were held online, and the Welfare reps were able to host Welfare week despite the limitations imposed by the virus. These very circumstances laid bare the enduring work of students, reps, staff and fellows which make Pembroke such a special place. We celebrated diversity once again this year in Diversity week, which was held during lockdown. We held a seminal roundtable discussion on Race with current and past students discussing their experiences, which highlighted many of the problems faced by students of colour at Pembroke. Disabilities were also at the forefront of discussion and the JCR organised free sign language lessons to members, culminating with a cover of ‘Bridge over Troubled Water’ using sign language! Trinity Term also saw the tragic death of George Floyd, which resulted in a number of protests around Oxford to dismantle the remnants of colonial legacy and a period of deep reflection for the JCR regarding its role in ensuring the welfare and wellbeing of Black members of our community. We set up a Working Group alongside the MCR and SCR to make long lasting change and to investigate current issues within Pembroke’s framework. Within the JCR Art Fund, which saw a full divestment from fossil fuels thanks to pressure from the student body, the Board of Trustees were delighted to set up a £10,000 fund to invest in art from Black British artists to address the lack of representation within our splendid art collection. This is just the start, there is a lot more to be done and we have strongly emphasised the need for constant re-education on matters such as race, in particular through a JCRsponsored book program that offered reimbursements on purchases from a select list of books addressing race from Black British authors. Growth has been a key part of the JCR this year, with much work being done behind the scenes to improve accountability and work upon the potential for positive impact that the JCR Committee can truly have. It is very hard for me to condense into so few lines the many achievements of this year’s Committee, who I was so honoured to lead. Nonetheless, I am profoundly excited to follow the work of next year’s committee, who will be able to carry on and bring to a conclusion the initiatives that we began here in 2019/20. Growth has been a key part of the JCR this year, with much work being done behind the scenes to improve accountability and work upon the potential for positive impact that the JCR Committee can truly have. It is very hard for me to condense into so few lines the many achievements of this year’s Committee, who I was so honoured to lead.