St Hilda's JCR Room Ballot Policy
Room Ballot Policy Changes
Do you believe that the Executive Committee and Welfare Officers should have priority in the Room Ballot as set out by the Room Ballot Policy Update Motion?
ST HILDA’S JCR ROOM BALLOT POLICY Updated HT 2021 – To be reviewed HT 2024:
The JCR room ballot is the procedure by which rooms are allocated to students who will be in their 3rd or 4th year in the following academic year. (There will also be a limited number of rooms available for those who will begin their 2nd year in the coming Michaelmas).
§1 The Priority Year System
Previously, priority had been given to all those who would be in their 3rd year in the following academic year (a second year going into third year). This was done on the assumption that everyone in 3rd year sat exams during that year, and as such would want a ‘priority’ placement in the ballot.
During consultation with the JCR in 2019, it was raised that some students don’t have exams in their 3rd year (or very few exams) but they do have exams in their 4th year, and so it would make more sense if those students could have priority placement in their 4th year instead of their 3rd year. It was also raised that those students who have no exams in their 4th year (but instead have a long-form project or coursework) would also like the option to have their priority year be 4th year instead of 3rd year.
As a result, the JCR ballot now has a priority system for all 2nd years on a 4-year course. This includes students studying Biochemistry, Classics, Chemistry, Engineering, Mathematics, and Physics.
Students studying a subject which involves a year abroad (all Modern Languages and Joint Schools with Modern Languages) are automatically given priority for their 4th year.
§2 The JCR Executive Committee and Welfare Reps
It is noted that the members of the JCR Executive Committee, and the JCR Welfare Reps, go above and beyond in their dedication to their roles and service to the college. As a result, it was agreed by the JCR that these positions should be rewarded with a higher place on the ballot. This privilege can be used once by the members of this group (President, Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer, Male and Female welfare Reps). Members of this group should exercise this privilege in the ballot that takes place during their term in office (i.e. for accomodation in the following year), however, officers who will not be in college accomodation in the year following their term can exercise their privilege upon their return (i.e. for officers who have a year abroad, or have suspended studies.) The order of this group will be defined as below:
- 1. The current JCR President
- 2. Any former JCR President who wishes to be in the room ballot and has not previously exercised this priority privilege
- 3. Positions three – five will be filled by the current JCR Executive Committee, the ordering of this group will be decided by a mini-ballot amongst them
- 4. The next positions will be occupied by any formed JCR Executive Committee members who have not previously exercised their priority privilege and would like to be in the ballot, their ordering will mirror that of the ballot for the current JCR Executive Committee
- 5. The next positions will be occupied by the current JCR Welfare Reps, the ordering between the two will be decided by a mini ballot
- 6. Finally, any former JCR Welfare Reps who would like to be in the room ballot and have not previously execised this priority privilege will come next, their ordering will mirror that of the ballot of the current Welfare Reps.
§3 The Four Groups
As a result of the priority system, and the JCR Executive Committe/Welfare Reps privilege there will now be four distinct groups in the ballot. Those students in group 1 will be higher in the ballot than those in group 2; likewise, those in group 2 will be placed higher in the ballot than those in group 3, and those in group 3 will be higher than those in group four. Within groups two - four, the ballot is completely randomized, so that no-one in, say, group 2 has any advantage over anyone else in that same group. The ordering of group one is dictated by the rules set out in section two. The four groups are:
Group 1:
Current members of the JCR Executive Committee and JCR Welfare Reps, and any former members of these groups who would like to be in the room ballot and have not previously exercised their priority privilege. The ordering of this group will be determined by the procedure set out in section 2.
Group 2:
All 2nd years on a 3-year course; all 2nd years on a 4-year course who have designated their 3rd year as their priority year.
Group 3:
2nd years on a 4-year course who have designated their 4th year as their priority year, and 3rd years on a 4-year course who previously designated their third year as their priority year.
Group 4:
1st years who wish to have a college room in 2nd year §4 The Ballot The ballot will be co-ordinated with College by the JCR President and the JCR College Affairs Officer. All information about the ballot will be distributed in a timely fashion both on Facebook and via Email to the whole JCR.
MOTION:
Motion Title: JCR Room Ballot Policy Update
Proposed by: James Bromfield
Seconded by: Alison Fiorini
This JCR notes that:
- Previously, the JCR President had been offered first claim on the Hall set bedroom in return for their time in office.
- The Hall set was offered as it was regarded as the ‘best’ room available in College.
- The College has recently opened a new building meaning the Hall set no longer necessarily carries this title.
- Currently, this privilege is limited only to the current JCR President and does not recognise the hard work of former Presidents, members of the Executive Committee and the Welfare Reps.
This JCR believes that:
- It is no longer the best option to offer the JCR President the Hall set, due to the opening of the new building, and also to allow the President more flexibility if, for example, they would prefer to live in a different accommodation building.
- The hard work of the JCR Executive Committee (Vice President, Secretary and Treasurer), as well as the JCR Welfare Reps, should be recognised and rewarded in line with the President.
- Former Executive Committee Members and Welfare Reps should not be penalised for being unable to exercise this reward in the year immediately following their term, and should therefore have an opportunity to exercise it upon their return (if, for example, they have been on a year abroad or suspended their studies).
This JCR resolves to:
- Update the JCR Room Ballot Policy to address these points, as laid out in the draft document that has been circulated.
- Review this policy in three years’ time, as is stated in the constitution.