Student Council 28.03.11

ATTENDANCE.

Pentti Kouri- Rina, Andy

Morgannwg- Aria, Paul

Powys- Jawad, Rhys

Gwynedd- Juan Carlos, Laura

Whitaker- Albert

Tice- Solveig

Sunley- Eliza, Diego

AGENDA.

* Nick Lush got back about London Week

* IT Update

* Printing Credits

* Thematic Discussion

* Water in the afternoons in the Castle

* Extending check-in times on weekdays

* Sally/ Sue University Emails

* Prisoners’ Courtyard

* Monthly Glassroom Feedback

* EDW
* Blue mugs

DISCUSSION.

London Week. Previously there was an organised trip to London for second year bonding after the EE deadline but this has since been removed to allow for Diploma Periods and the long weekend. The calendar draft for the next three years is unchangeable and Nick Lush suggested that we get creative in thinking of ways to bring second years closer instead. The possible actions brought up by the Student Council were to have a World Café, assembly or Thematic Discussion. It will go into the Thematic Discussion on Pastoral Care and a World Café is another likely possibility.

IT Update. David Hill, head of IT, will come to Student Council next week to discuss proposals such as new computers, printing credits and anonymous email.

Printing credits. There have been complaints saying that there are not enough printing credits, particularly for printing in colour. Currently it costs £1 for 20 credits but students are wondering if it would be possible to lower this or lower the amount of credits needed for a colour print. This was asked for last year and the second years were given a further fifty credits. Students would also like to know if it would be possible to keep their unused printing credits for the following term.

Thematic Discussion. Bill is working on the results from the last discussion on Social Life. The main topics were: alcohol centralism, isolated social groups, first year integration and the usage of Sosh and the role of House parents.The following discussion was led by Marlene and Solveig and discussed Academics. Overall, the results of the discussions have been positive but it has been felt that there is not enough time in the session to discuss everything necessary.

Water available at all times in the Castle.There is currently no available safe water in the Castle during the afternoon so the Student Council will ask the Administration if the drinks area of the Canteen can be left open during the afternoons. This would be beneficial to students, particularly in exam periods and in the summer.

Sally/ Sue Universities- Recently, there has been a serious problem with emails from universities getting bounced back because of full inboxesand therefore the students never receive the information. The Student Council will discuss if there is a way around this with David Hill.

Prisoners’ Courtyard. The Kitchen Staff have complained that the area outside of the Dining Hall is not being left in a suitable condition. If this continues, the Kitchen Staff will take action.

Monthly Global Café Feedback.The majority of houses said that they would like a Global Café around twice a term- one near the beginning and one near the end. TBA at Staff-Student Council.

EDW.Students should be reminded that the EDW rule still applies and that the College is dedicated to simple living and respecting the wealth of backgrounds we have at the College. Second years must set a good example for current first years who must do the same next year.

Blue mugs. The blue mugs must still be returned to the Canteen. However, watch this space for an exciting mug collecting venture.

Check in-times extended on a weekday. We will take to Staff-Student Council the possibility of extending check-in times on a weekday if you can prove you are studying in the Library.

STUDENT COUNCIL 21.03.11

ATTENDANCE.

Pentti Kouri- Rina, Andy

Morgannwg- Paul, Aria

Powys- Jawad, Rhys

Gwynedd- Juan, Laura

Whitaker- Marlene, Albert

Tice- Solveig, Miriam

Sunley- Diego, Eliza

Others

AGENDA.

Questions for Principal Candidates

Sick List Dinner Feedback

DISCUSSION.

Questions for Principal Candidates.The Committee have spent the afternoon working hard to organise the questions and have compiled a list of both general and candidate-specific questions.The Student Council looked over the planned questions and gave feedback and a final set of questions was decided.

Sick List Dinner Feedback. House feedback suggests that this is something many people want. The predominant idea was that food such as soup and pre-packed meals would be good because they are cheap, long-lasting and reduce food wastage because they can be returned to the store if not eaten. This matter will be taken to the Food Reps and back to Staff-Student Council.

London Week Feedback.The general consensus was that it would be better to have an extended August period than to have London week. London week was both a bonding opportunity for second years and an incentive to finish the EE before the deadline. It was brought up that August period needed to be better planned, with time between the end of service and the first years arriving and with services doing equal amounts of service. This will go back to Staff-Student.

Thematic Discussions. The next Thematic Discussions will be run by the following people. Report to them with any ideas you may have.

Marlene and Solveig- Academics. Tuesday March 29th.

Juan, Diego and Luke- Extra-Curricular/ Mission Focus Periods. Tuesday April 5th.

Andy, Rina and Eliza- Code of Conduct. Tuesday April 12th.

STAFF-STUDENT COUNCIL 16.03.11

ATTENDANCE.

Paul Motte has given his apologies

Tristian Stobie

Nick Lush

Adrian Disney

Mich Creber

Pentti Kouri- Rina, Andy

Morgannwg- Paul, Aria

Powys- Rhys

Gwynedd- Juan, Laura

Whitaker- gave their apologies

Tice- Solveig, Miriam

Sunley- Diego, Eliza

AGENDA.

M4 Pathway

Potential Morgannwg-Powys Pathway

Washing Machine Renovation

Campus WiFi

Swap Market

Sick List Dinners

ACT

Principal Selection Committee

Wake up during mock/exam periods

Summary of House Parent meetings

DISCUSSION.

M4 pathway. There is currently discussion to decide whether or not to keep the farm animals. This is a difficult decision because they have been there since just after the school opened and the change will be logistically complicated. If they choose to get rid of them then the fence can be taken down and a more open, smoother pathway can be put in. When we have the results of this discussion then we can decide how to tackle this.

Powys-Morgannwg pathway. Especially in the Winter it is muddy and the grass is destroyed between the two houses. A pathway is planned between Powys, Morgannwg and Pentti Kouri but it is not a priority currently. This is a big and expensive job so in the meantime Estate Service could be asked to lay large stones between Powys and Morgannwg which would be a short term solution.

Washing machine renovation.There have been complaints that the washing machines aren’t satisfactory. There is a contract with a renting company for two more years after which machines will probably continue to be rented. The machines were repaired this year and there is a Freephone number on the machines which anyone can call for maintenance. Washing machines in houses are unlikely as it is complicated but if the plan for an additional house goes ahead there may be a second washing room built on campus. In order for the machines to work most effectively students should ensure that they do not overload machines and leave the dryers to cool instead of adding more money as they overheat and restart after a while.

Campus WiFi. This is a controversial matter in the student body and it is a decision to be made by the Governors. We should know more after the Board meeting in April. Unless the proposed plan for every student to be given a laptop in the Academic Year beginning 2012 then WiFi is unlikely in the near future. It is currently unknown whether the computers in the houses will be replaced with ones similar to the standard of those in the Library. However, currently the school considers new servers as the priority and ideally this will happen over the Summer although more planning needs to be done.

Swap Market. This is a product of a discussion from the Peace and Conflict Conference. Students would bring an item from their country which could be swapped several times in a Glass Room event in which each person must explain the story of the item a few times before explaining it back to the owner. It would promote intercultural understanding and be a bonding experience if held early in the term. The school are happy to attach a welcome letter from the Student Council to the Welcome Pack that is sent out to students before they arrive for this idea which they think will be successful.

Sick List Dinners. In the past, lunches and evening meals were brought to students on Sick List. Various methods such as the Kitchen Porter delivering them in a van and dorm-mates and duty dorms being responsible for taking meals back to the houses have been tried although were not very  successful. The school would need to know how big a problem this was before taking action as in the past a lot of food was wasted. Solveig then brought up the fact that students in Sick Bay get dinner. Nick Lush took this into account and said the argument in the past was that if students weren’t sick enough to be in Sick Bay then they were probably healthy enough to go to the Canteen with a day’s rest behind them, if they were up to eating at all. This was probably more of an issue during the flu outbreak but the school is now putting together an Epidemics Policy should an event such as the outbreak happen again. We should ask the Health Centre for their opinion.

ACT. The ACT can be a better alternative for non-native students and it is cheaper. The school thinks it would be too much logistically to hold them both at the school but having found out that there is a centre in Cardiff that holds them, the Staff thought it may be possible to get a greater link with the centre and then perhaps help organise entrance and transport for exams at this centre.

Principal Selection Committee. The representatives will now ask the majority of the questions at the whole student body discussion with the Candidates as there is no set time for the Committee alone.

Wake up during mock/ exam periods. This will be discussed with House Parents and Senior Management and we will know the result before the first year exams.

House Parent Meeting Minutes.Students wanted an idea of what was going on with discussion between the House Parents so that House Parents were sharing the same information. Nick Lush said that most of the issues aren’t a big problem so there wasn’t much point in this. The possibility of a reduced set of the Minutes being sent out will be discussed with House Parents and Senior Management.

STUDENT COUNCIL 14.03.11

ATTENDANCE.

Pentti Kouri- Rina, Andy

Morgannwg- Aria, Paul

Powys- Rhys,

Gwynedd- Laura, Juan

Whitaker- Albert, Marlene

Tice- Miriam, Solveig

Sunley- Diego, Eliza

AGENDA.

-          Introduction to new Student Council representatives

-          Student Council email

-          Culture Rep update

-          Thematic Discussions

-          Year poster

-          Dorm systems next year

-          London week

DISCUSSION.

Welcome to the new Student Council representatives: Andy, Aria, Laura, Juan, Albert, Miriam and Eliza.

Student Council email. A Student Council email is probably a more long-lasting and efficient option than what currently seems likely- a folder set up on Mackerel- which will, however, be more private and mean that hopefully the less vocal voice of the Student body will be heard. To remind students that there is a place for this cause, the link will be sent out with each set of minutes.

Diego will email Laura and Sheila (Heads of the Cultural Committee) to ask about any current plans for it in terms of meetings, a national evenings discussion and a Saturday night events discussion.

Thematic Discussions.These entail looking at issues that are of a larger scale and length than most of the issues discussed in Student Council. The topic will be Social life and relevant Staff and Students with experience or particularly strong opinions on this will be invited to give small speeches as well as the Students being able to input. The student body needs to ensure that it is putting as much of its feeling, thought and opinion as possible into the fundamental issues of the school.

Year Poster. All houses who voted said that they would still like a year poster but some said they would like something in addition.

Dorm System next year. The Students would like to know how the dorms will work next year. There has been some speculation about choosing dorms, choosing partners and being put into dorms, giving an ideal dorm and then having it worked around etc. This will be taken to the House Parents’ Meeting to make sure that there will be a common system for all houses.

London Week. According to second years, there was a week last year when there was an organised trip to London for their year group for bonding and the new timetable means that this isn’t happening anymore. Some people are wondering if it would be possible to bring this back as new arrangements such as the shortening on August period have already cut down on bonding time as a year group.

STUDENT COUNCIL 28.02.11

ATTENDANCE.

Pentti Kouri- Rina, Jose

Morgannwg- Paul, Laura

Powys- Rhys, Jawad

Gwynedd- Nabeel

Whitaker- Marlene, Lala

Tice- /

Sunley-  JP

Others

AGENDA.

* Student Council email

* Glassroom follow-up

* Theft

* Meeting with Chiel

* Nabeel/ Second years

DISCUSSION.

Instead of an anonymous Student Council email, the IT technicians say it would be better to set up a page in resources where students can drop anonymous comments for the Council. They said that an email was unnecessary and this way, as long as it is kept relevant, there can be free and anonymous discussion about issues. They will look into setting this up. Anonymous messages can also be put in Bill or Frances’ (D and H) pigeon holes.

Glassroom Events. The school would like to see more events like Global Café taking place.

Theft. The problem has improved throughout the year but is still evident. It was felt that the Code of Conduct’s lack of emphasis on this matter was the main problem and needs to be looked at to be re-written. Perhaps if people felt there was a specific punishment which would be more severe they would be discouraged to do it.

Bill met with Chiel to discuss possible new initiatives. Some (of the many!) were:

- Creating a newsletter for the Board each term for their meetings (next is April 3^rd) - they can know what we’re working on.

- We should ask second years in House Meeting about the best way to treat and integrate first years. Last year there was a World Cafe in May and then again in August period.

- National Evening. We need to re-organise the way these are run- perhaps through the Cultural Committee. National Evenings could be made competitive with a team (perhaps the Cultural Committee) judging them. They should be arranged with more time in hand and there should be more done throughout that week to show the cultural group’s culture such as music in the Canteen, themed food, a movie etc.  

- There should be more dialogue with Student Councils around UWCs to find out what initiatives are going on around the various colleges. Could trade Council minutes and ask UWCs about what initiatives etc work/ haven’t worked for them.

- Swap market. We could have a Glassroom event where everyone brings a gift from their country. Students then trade gifts several times while telling the stories about where they came from.

- Mix-up lunches. Every now and then teachers should spread around the tables and we should make an effort to talk to people we don’t usually.

L This is the last Student Council for both Nabeel and all of the second years- except Jawad for a few more weeks.