Announcements/News

05 Sep 08 – Elections

The election seems to have gone well, 106 ballot forms were submitted, although one person checked more than the permitted number of boxes for one committee, and one person's vote was blank.

The lists below show the election results (not in the order of the number of votes.) I am still awaiting a list of the members of the Coffee Lounge Committee.

Congratulations to all those who were elected, and thanks to everyone who was willing to stand. I hope that those who did get elected will live up to the trust that their fellow-students are putting in them ...

The newly-elected committees should start to work immediately, and will have to decide on new chairpersons quickly: please try to arrange a full meeting with me before the end of the weekend. – KA

22 Jan 08 – Elections

The election seems to have gone well, although it had to be delayed, and only 133 people voted. Four persons voted for more than the permitted number of groups or people for a committee, so their votes for those committees had to be discounted.

The lists below show the election results (not in the order of the number of votes,) and also the new Coffee Lounge and Treasury committees, for which there was no need to vote. Some of the results for both the Audio Committee and the Bar were very close indeed.

Congratulations to all those who were elected, and thanks to everyone who was willing to stand. I hope that those who did get elected, even if in some cases unopposed, will live up to the trust that their fellow-students are putting in them ...

The newly-elected committees should start to work immediately, and will have to decide on new chairpersons quickly: please let me know who has been elected by the middle of next week. – KA

23 Aug 07 – Elections

Once again, the voting seems to have gone well. 101 voting forms were completed on line, which is a higher proportion of students than in January, but three persons voted for more than the permitted number of groups or people for one committee, so their votes for that committee had to be discounted.

The lists below show the election results (not in the order of the number of votes,) and also the new Coffee Lounge and Treasury committees, for which there was no need to vote. The results for the Bar were very close.

Congratulations to all those who were elected, and thanks to everyone who was willing to stand. I hope that those who did get elected, even if in some cases unopposed, will live up to the trust that their fellow-students are putting in them ...

The newly-elected committees should start to work immediately, and will have to decide on new chairpersons quickly: please let me know who has been elected by the middle of next week. – KA

21 Mar 07 – Audio Equipment

With the profits made by the Bar and the Coffee Lounge, both of which this year seem to be run by good committees with very competent chairpersons, we have been able to purchase, at the suggestion of Jehad, a better pair of speaker boxes and a stronger amplifier – not necessarily to play music louder but to get a better quality of sound. These should be installed soon.

21 Jan 07 – Elections

Only 137 students voted this time, which is a rather lower proportion than in the last two elections, and seven people voted for more than the permitted number of groups or people for one committee, so their votes for that committee had to be discounted.

The lists below show the election results (not in the order of the number of votes.) In two committees, two groups or people were tied for the last place to be filled, but in both cases I was able to break the tie by removing my own vote from the count.

Congratulations to all those who were elected, and thanks to everyone who was willing to stand. I hope that those who did get elected, even if in one case unopposed, will live up to the trust that their fellow-students are putting in them ...

The newly-elected committees should start to work immediately, and will have to decide on new chairpersons quickly: please let me know who has been elected by next weekend. – KA

23 Aug 06 – Elections

Once again, the voting seems to have gone well. 118 voting forms were completed on line, which is a higher proportion than we have had before, but four persons voted for more than the permitted number of groups or people for one committee, so their votes for that committee had to be discounted.

The lists below show the election results (not in the order of the number of votes,) and also new Coffee Lounge and Treasury committees, for which there was no need to vote. The results for the Audio Committee were very close.

Congratulations to all those who were elected, and thanks to everyone who was willing to stand. I hope that those who did get elected, even if in some cases unopposed, will live up to the trust that their fellow-students are putting in them ...

The newly-elected committees should start to work immediately, and will have to decide on new chairpersons quickly: please let me know who has been elected by the end of this week. – KA

24 Jan 06 – Elections

The voting seems to have gone well, 157 voting forms were completed on line. Three persons voted for more than the permitted number of groups or people for one or more committee, so their votes for those committees had to be discounted.

The lists below show the election results (not in the order of the number of votes,) and also the committees for which there was no need to vote.

Congratulations to all those who were elected, and thanks to everyone who was willing to stand. I hope that those who did get elected, even if in some cases unopposed, will live up to the trust that their fellow-students are putting in them ...

The newly-elected committees should start to work immediately, and will have to decide on new chairpersons quickly: please let me know who has been elected by the end of this week. – KA

27 Aug 05 – Rules and Procedures

At the same time as updating the layout of this page, I have updated the Rules and Regulations, many parts of which were no longer relevant.

I tried not to make changes in substance; in any case, the rules and procedures are open to discussion by the Social Centre Management Committee, and in fact more widely. – KA

25 Aug 05 – Elections

The voting seems to have gone well, 97 votes were submitted, which is a higher proportion than last time. Only one persons voted for more than the permitted number of groups or people for some committee, so their votes for that committee had to be discounted.

The lists below show the election results (not in the order of the number of votes,) and also the committees for which there was no need to vote.

Congratulations to all those who were elected, and thanks to everyone who was willing to stand. I hope that those who did get elected, even if in some cases unopposed, will live up to the trust that their fellow-students are putting in them ...

The newly-elected committees should start to work immediately, and will have to decide on new chairpersons quickly: please let me know who has been elected by the end of next week. – KA

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Committees, Aug '08 – Jan '09

Rules and Procedures

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   Introduction

   The Social Centre, during term time, is a facility for use by members of the Atlantic College community, and their guests. Being located at Atlantic College and a part of it, the rules and policies have to be in accordance with what is judged appropriate by those responsible for the running of this educational institution, and so all major decisions are subject to the Principal's approval. (During the summer vacation, the Social Centre is used by the Extramural Centre for its programme.)

   The day-to-day operation of the Social Centre is in the hands of elected students, in close cooperation with a staff-representative appointed by the Principal. The students will have to bear in mind the responsibility they have, especially when they deal with money and property which don't belong to them.

   Ideally the Social Centre should be a place where all members of the College community are welcome, and feel comfortable, but it may be necessary to impose some restrictions, especially on access by staff-children.

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   Governance
   1. Social Centre Management Group

      The day-to-day operation of the Social Centre in term time is the responsibility of students elected to the various Social Centre committees, and especially of the chairpersons who the members of each committee have elected.

      Decisions affecting more than one area of the Social Centre, including such things as the use of Social Centre funds, elections, and so on, will be taken by a Management Group, consisting of the staff representative and the chairpersons of the various committees. Meetings of this group are called and organised by the Treasury Committee, and should happen a few times each term, before elections, and whenever needed.

   2. 'Fabric Committee'

      However, in view of the fact that the Social Centre facilities constitute a major investment on the part of the College, there is a 'Fabric Committee' charged with setting the standards and policy for maintaining the overall quality of the Social Centre, so that it does not deteriorate other than through normal wear and tear. This committee shall meet at least once a term and shall consist of

      1. the Principal (MMC),
      2. the Vice-Principal Students (NCL),
      3. the Estate Manager (AED, chairperson),
      4. the Domestic Bursar (OW),
      5. the staff representative (KA),
      6. the Head of the Extramural Department (DC),
      7. the chairperson of the Treasury Committee (secretary), and
      8. the chairpersons of the other Social Centre committees.
   3. Social Centre Funds

      While the operations of the committees are not intended to make a profit, the Social Centre over all should be self-sufficient. In the past a student-levy of £ 1.50 per term has occasionally had to be imposed, but this has not been necessary for the past few years.

      Social Centre funds are used to pay for things like audio equipment, the Performing Rights licence (to be allowed to play music in public,) occasional cleaning, refurbishment and certain repairs in the Social Centre area, the national flags, and so on. Small sums can be made available to help with special events like National Evenings. Any large spending should be decided by the Management Group, possibly after taking views from the whole community.

      The accounts of the Social Centre are run by the College's Accounts Department.

   4. Elections

      Elections to the various committees are held in January and in August, and the students elected serve for a period of one term. There are no restrictions on students standing again for a second or even a third term. Serving on a committee is a major responsibility, and in terms of the time required must in some cases be considered as equivalent to doing a College activity.

      The rules and procedures of the election are decided on by the Management Group, and its members conduct the election.

      After the election each committee chooses a chairperson, and possibly one other person, to be in charge of stock, say. Changes in these positions should be made only if the members of the committee agree, and in consultation with the staff representative in the Management Group.

      At the end of the year, at the request of the students on a committee, a note can be sent by the staff representative to their tutors, so that reference to their contribution can be made in the last end-of-term report.

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   The Social Centre Committees

   Which committees are operating is a matter for decision by he Management Group. There have in the past been a Film Society, which lost its purpose when films started to be shown regularly at the Arts Centre and DVDs started to be widely watched on students' computers; a small shop, CoBoCo, and a Booskshop. The role of these, such as selling stamps, has partly been taken over by the Coffee Lounge.

   1. Audio Committee

      In the Social Centre lounge a small booth is set aside with audio equipment, and there also is some lighting installed above the dance area of the lounge. The equipment is operated, usually in the evenings after 9 o'clock and on weekends, by one of the 6 elected members or groups of this committee, who bring tapes and CDs, usually their own, and increasingly computers with files of music. Needless to say, the members of the committee must take reasonable care to avoid damage to the equipment, which constitutes a major investment on the part of the Social Centre. The Social Centre or the College shall not be held responsible for damage to students' personal belongings.

      In their choice of entertainment, members of the Audio Committee should try to be sensitive to the wishes of their fellow students, and should perhaps aim to reflect some of the range of students' backgrounds. While there will often be pressure on the person in the audio booth to keep playing music, they should finish in time for students to return to their Houses by check-in. In practice, this means no less than 10 minutes before the official check-in times.

   2. Bar

      It is illegal in this country to sell alcohol to anyone under the age of 18.

      However, the College does have a special license, which allows resident members of the College to be served provided they are 17 years of age. Under the terms of this license, the Social Centre is considered a club, and there are certain restrictions that apply.

      The bar may only sell beer, cider, wine, and other beverages that are no stronger in their alcohol content than these; and alcoholic beverages may only be sold at the Social Centre itself and must be consumed on the premises. Anyone who is not a member of the College community must be the guest of a member, who must sign them in at the bar and is responsible for their behaviour while they are on College grounds. To be a member of the Bar Committee, a student must be at least 18 years of age.

      The Bar is opened, in normal term time, on Friday from 9 to 10 o'clock in the evening, and on Saturday from 9 to 11 o'clock, by some students out of the 8 elected to this committee, who will also have to do the clearing up at the end of the evening, (including such things as separating bottles and cans for return to our suppliers, or recycling.) The chairperson is responsible for arranging a rota.

      Apart from the students responsible for serving on an evening, nobody should be behind the bar at any time, though other members of the committee may at times help serving and clearing up. On Friday, one of the students responsible for serving on Friday evening needs to collect the key and the float from the Porter, and the weekend's takings, including the float, and the key must be returned to him, via the drop-off box provided outside the Administration Building.

      The members of the Bar Committee must bear in mind the responsibility they have in serving alcohol to their fellow students. Thus they are within their rights to refuse serving someone who appears already intoxicated; and they should consider it their duty to see to it that any mess in the area of the Social Centre due to excessive drinking is cleared up.

      The chairperson is also responsible for ordering beverages sold at the Bar from the brewery, or requesting occasional official trips to a local supermarket to purchase supplies. The Accounts Department oversees the orders and deliveries.

   3. Bookshop

      The Bookshop is located in the Café and sells books, stamps and stationary.

      It is opened, in normal term time, once a day except on Saturdays, at 21.00 for about 45 minutes, by two students out of the 12 elected to this committee. The chairperson is responsible for arranging a rota. The key is passed from the students who run a session to the students who run the next session.

      In view of the greater availability of books in the area, the taking of orders for books has been discontinued.

      The resale of stamps and stationary is a service completely in the hands of the members of the committee. Provided with a fixed initial capital of £ 550, they buy stamps from the Porter's Office and stationary outside the College and then re-sell these at a price determined by members of the committee.

   4. Coffee Lounge

      The Coffee Lounge committee runs the Café in the downstairs area of the Social Centre, which is intended as a comfortable place for members of the College to come to, and where drinks like coffee, juices, hot chocolate and soups, as well as sweets, cakes etc. are sold. It is open, in normal term time, at least from 21.00 to ten minutes before check-in, by two students of the 14 elected to this committee, who will also have to do the clearing up at the end of their session. As the members of Coffee Lounge are responsible for the Café, it should only be opened by them. The chairperson is responsible for arranging a rota.

      The chairperson is also responsible for stocking up when necessary, and deciding on prices. Certain items it will be possible to order through the College's Accounts Department, other supplies can be bought outside the College and the costs claimed from the Accounts Department.

      Takings from sales, apart from a fixed float, should be handed over to the Porter at least once a week, or placed in the drop-off box outside the Accounts Department when a substantial sum has been taken.

      The Coffee Lounge has taken over from the Bookshop the resale of stamps. Provided with a fixed initial capital of £ 200, they buy stamps from the Porter's Office to sell them to their fellow-students. The remaining stamps plus the cash should add up to £ 200 at all times.

   5. Treasury Committee

      The 3 elected members of the Treasury Committee mainly handle certain administrative tasks. Amongst other things,

      1. they arrange the meetings of the Social Centre Management Committe, and take the minutes at those meetings,
      2. they help sell tickets for the buses to and from London at the beginning and end of the term.
      3. they oversee the spending of (a) the profits from the various Social Centre activities, and (b) the student levy that may occasionally have to be raised,
      4. they occasionally check on the accounts of the other committees, by obtaining print-outs from the College's Accounts Department.
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   Other Areas/Issues
   1. TV Room

      The main purpose of the TV Room is for students to have access to television programmes, and especially news programmes.

      Any other use for the TV Room, at certain times, needs to be fully discussed, bearing in mind its main purposes; in particular, it should not become just an extension of the Social Centre lounge on weekends.

   2. Security, and related issues

      The Social Centre lounge and TV Room are locked just after check-in time, by students from Duty House, after they have turned off the lights, etc.

      On normal weekday mornings, the lounge and the TV Room are unlocked by the cleaners; on weekend mornings by Duty House.

      The members of the committees need to make sure that they keep safe any keys in their possession. The Porter and the Senior Houseparent should have additional copies of all keys.

      All members of the College, but especially the members elected to the various committees, should feel a responsibility to keep the areas of the Social Centre clean and tidy. In particular, the members of each committee are responsible to look after their area: this includes collecting such items as glasses and cups, and either recycling rubbish or removing it to the rubbish cage.

   3. Use of the facilities

      Requests to use the Social Centre facilities, such as the TV Room or the main lounge upstairs, for other than their usual purposes on some occasion should be directed in the first place to the chairpersons of the relevant committees, (possibly via the staff representative.) Such exceptional uses should be limited and need to be sensitive to the wishes of the regular users.

      In particular, there should, according to a policy established by a past Management Committee, be no more than one event at the Social Centre per month for which there is an entrance fee.

   4. Smoking

      Smoking is a difficult topic, in that the responsibility that the College has for the well-being of students may run counter to the wish to let students take responsibility for their own actions.

      Because of the responsibility it has, the College has to pursue an active non-smoking policy: smoking is not permitted on the campus, including the Social Centre. Cigarettes and tobacco may of course not be sold by any of the Social Centre committees, (which would in any case require a separate license.)