3rd Week HT24 Student Council

Organising a Second-Hand Sub Fusc Scheme

Organising a Second-Hand Sub Fusc Scheme 
Motion to Create SU Policy 
Proposer: Alfie Davis, St Anne’s 
Seconder: Francesca Clifford, Pembroke 

Student Council Notes 

  1. Due to the withdrawal of various partnership organisations, the second-hand subfusc scheme for first year, disadvantaged students was discontinued this year. 

  1. The VP UG Education and Access, The Crankstart Council and Class Act worked to quickly implement a form of substitute, however demand was extremely high and supplies quickly ran out. 

  1. The scale and demands of such a full replacement scheme are difficult for a single committee of volunteer students to complete themselves 

  1. The SU has organised many clothes swaps and charity collections over the past few years. 

Student Council Believes 

  1. Sub-fusc presents an additional cost, and confusing cultural barrier for many disadvantaged students 

  1. Second hand clothing schemes reduce consumption and waste, and hence have environmental barriers 

  1. A second-hand subfusc scheme presents a chance to reduce the university’s class barriers and environmental footprint, and is exactly the kind of project the SU should be running given its position as a central organising body between colleges. 

Student Council Resolves 

  1. Mandates the VP UG Education and Access, VP PG Education and Access, and the VP Activities and Community to, and makes policy that the SU should: 

  1. Organise a scheme for disadvantaged students to collect free, second hand subfusc at the beginning of the academic year 

  1. Coordinate and work with the Class Act Campaign, and Crankstart Scholars Council to organise such. 

  1. Work with Commom Room committees across all colleges to collect donations of subfusc from finalist students following their final exams in Trinity Term 

  1. Obtain funding to purchase second-hand subfusc at a low cost from sources such as charity shops. Coordinate and partner with local businesses to obtain such. 

  1. Ensure that this is well publicised to freshers via social media, Common Room Committees, partnership organisations and through any other means appropriate. 

  1. Ensure the scheme is publicised sufficiently to OppOx students in summer, as many buy their subfusc before they are aware of such scheme 

  2. Look into whether the scope of the scheme can increase to cover cases where colleges don’t offer reimbursement for the costs of scholar’s gowns

Motion Amended to: 

1. Add VP to mandate and changing references to JCRs to “common rooms”

2. Add a point about looking into whether the scope of the scheme can increase to cover cases where colleges don’t offer reimbursement for the costs of scholar’s gowns