Your JCR – what do they do?

For those who are unaware, the JCR is the “Junior Common Room Committee.” This being a group of students who work on behalf of the students in their hall with the intention of improving experience. It consists of 7 students who are elected during a campaign period (this takes place during early October.)

Whilst on the JCR, the committee is given a budget for the year by the SU which they are expected to spend – this is managed by the treasurer. The main purpose of the committee is to organise events and experiences for the hall – thus, the committee is expected to work with local businesses, clubs and venues to organise regular events.

Over the course of the year, the 2017/18 committee organised events: including 2 formals which held around 650 people each, a silent disco for 500 people and we also rented out cinema screens on numerous occasions. In addition, we also organised hall merchandise, club nights and much more.

The committee also worked closely with the SU, UPP and the wardens of the hall, meeting on a regular basis to improve student experience.

On a personal level, holding the role of Vice President has allowed me experiences which I would never have had the opportunity to do so elsewhere: running a team has allowed me to develop valuable leadership skills, while talking in front of large audiences has boosted my confidence. In addition, I have gained valuable insight into the field of business, especially when working with suppliers, along with an insight into the SU. Overall, the experience was lots of fun, and something I will look back on fondly.