Students in residence
Nottingham University Students' Union has done what preceding executives had tried to do for fifty years by bringing the university’s junior common room hall (JCR) system under the union’s umbrella. The union now has a foothold in the halls of residence with an aim to improving the experience for 7,500 student residents.
Said Nottingham’s SU President Gerald Bates: “As a students' union we were keen to bring our hall JCR committees under our umbrella so that we could give our students who sit on these committees more support and training. By being a part of the students' union, the committees can feed directly into our representative structures and create synergies with all the activities and services which we offer centrally. At the same time, the students' union executive finally has a network through which it can listen and talk to the 7,500 student residents represented by these JCR committees. This change will allow for a step-improvement in the living experience of many of our student residents as their JCRs are better positioned to provide them with local representation, activities, events and services.”
While it has taken some time to create this change, the university sees the benefits that it can bring – both to the current students and those considering Nottingham.
University Registrar Paul Greatrix: “This is an excellent and timely piece of work by the students’ union. The reforms to JCRs are a key advance in a programme of governance development in halls of residence but also represent a good example of the union and the university working closely together to deliver change in the interest of providing improved support and development opportunities for our students.”
Views from the JCRs
"Congratulations in getting this new JCR structure approved. I have no doubt that it is going to have a positive effect on the JCR system."
Gordon Airey, Hall Warden
"A hugely impressive undertaking. Thank you for your unique initiative. Already, I perceive that it casts light into many a dark corner, no doubt to the benefit of the university as a sanctum of transparent good governance."
Bernard McGuirk, Hall Warden
"Congratulations on your success in negotiating this important and beneficial change in procedure."
Charles Watkins, Hall Warden
"These changes will allow my successor to have the necessary guidance and powers to affect real change for student residents. As return rates in the halls have plummeted so it's become vital that the system be revamped. This has been a great example of the students' union and student JCR committees working together to get the best deal for student residents"
James Torrance, JCR President
"In fact, it is the most comprehensive piece of work I have seen on JCRs since I started in the halls."
Svenja Adolphs, Hall Warden
"The students' union has been trying to negotiate this change for years. The problem has been not in what they were saying but how they were saying it. This time around, as a collection of JCR presidents, we were genuinely consulted and our views from the inside on what is needed have all been reflected in the reforms. Trading complete autonomy for governance and support from the union will, I am sure, provide a better JCR system for future committee members and, most importantly, the student residents who we represent."
Matt Shanks, Former JCR President, President JCR Presidents Committee
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