The Conference of Common Rooms (CCR) met in the HB Allen Centre on the night of Tuesday 28 October to discuss the next round of Oxford SU motions. This was the first of two meetings this term, the second of which will take place in Week 7. The Conference of Common Rooms, put in place as a forum for Junior Common Room (JCR) and Middle Common Room (MCR) representatives from each college to guide the actions of the Oxford SU and the wider University, is a relatively new phenomenon. It is currently in a ‘pilot program’, continuing through the 2025/26 academic year. The meeting started at 6:10 pm, with approximately 40 voting representatives. Many JCRs and MCRs were not in attendance. 

The first order of business was the election of the new Deputy Chair of the JCR, a vacant position. The Magdalen JCR President was nominated and voted into the role unanimously, assuming his position at the front of the room. Opening remarks by the SU President for Communities & Common Rooms, Shermar Pryce, followed, highlighting what the Sabbatical Officers have been doing over the summer. From committee hearings to meetings with 22 college Heads of House, they have been kept busy. The Freshers’ Fair, organised by the Oxford SU, was a success and the Oxford SU website was rebranded and is in the process of a full transformation. 

Action Log updates (items the CCR was mandated to address in this meeting from a past meeting) were next. Discussion ensued on a variety of topics, including the Oxford SU’s role in defending trans rights in the wake of the “Women Scotland v. The Scottish Ministers” last April, the Oxford “Dark Skies” campaign around student safety at night, admissions test preparation for students not as familiar with the Oxford admissions process, the UK Government’s attempt to introduce an international student fee levy, and the Think Twice campaign surrounding water safety. These items were not to be voted on, but provided a space for the Sabbatical Officers to update the CCR with their work on such issues.

Motions raised by the Sabbatical Officers of the Oxford SU composed the main body of the meeting. The first motion was to create a College Monitor and Disparities Working Group, introduced by Shermar Pryce. This motion would mandate the Oxford SU to elect a committee to organise, verify, and publish data about the differences between colleges, including (but not limited to) accommodation, welfare provision, and student costs. In past iterations of the Oxford SU, there was a similar group. The Balliol JCR President questioned what this group would actually change within the collegiate system. Pryce answered by saying the Monitor aims to showcase the weaknesses of certain colleges and “semi-embarrass” the colleges that aren’t providing enough to their students. Later, the Wadham JCR and Queen’s MCR supported the motion with verbal arguments regarding gaining bargaining power against their college in terms of student-related costs if the data were made public.

The next motion was on Fair Student Finance and Maintenance Reform. This would make it official Oxford SU policy to oppose the Government’s proposed 6% international students levy. Ensuing discussion seemed to be in support of the motion.

The National Hardship and Travel Support motion (associated with the larger SU Budget Proposal) calls for the University-sponsored bus cards to offer decreased rates for students. The point was raised that Oxford Brookes students had a similar scheme, though it has since stopped with recent budget cuts. 

Lastly, there was an Opposition to the International Student Levy motion. Similar to the Action Log Item, it calls for a change to the official Oxford SU policy to stand in solidarity with other Universities in opposing the levy. There is a belief that it could cause a major decrease in revenue for the University if international students stop enrolling due to the levy. Many other Russell Group Universities are also opposed to this policy.

None of the “Below the Line” motions were requested to bring above the line, and thus there are only four motions to be voted on during this coming week. 

However, before the meeting ended, there was a discussion about raising a motion concerning the sports complex issue in Oxford. Many representatives, including Queen’s MCR, Hertford JCR, Wadham JCR, Somerville MCR, and St. Cross Student Representative Committee (SRC) voiced their concern over the poor state of the Iffley Road Sports Complex. Students, on average, live two kilometres away from the complex, making it quite inaccessible. Very little of the site has been renovated since the 1970s. This could end up being a major point of discussion at the next Conference of Common Rooms in Week 7.

The voting process will start this week once the final wording of the motions has been published, which must occur before Thursday, the 30th. Voting will then be open for one week before the results are published the following day. This will be sometime between November 5th and 7th, depending on when voting officially opens.