St Georges College Club Manifesto

8/7/2019 St Georges College Club Manifesto

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College ManifestoWhen the ancient universities begin to be efficient, they will cease to be

productive. Genius and mis-fits need room to flourish

Clive James, May Week Was In June

For us true believers, college gets you an education that no other method could

Rory Shiner

Introduction

Over the last several years I have benefited from what I would describe as aexcellent college experience. I have had some great times, met some wonderful people,and done some crazy things. All this was done while maintaining a respectableacademic level and I can confidently say that I am no special person and have nospecial qualities. I was given the opportunity to have fun, and I grasped it.

However, as time went by I became more and more involved in the running of collegeand felt the clinging grasp of apathy envelop myself and others. I became a knocker of other peoples ideas and remained conservative in my approach to how the collegeshould be run partly as a tribute to what I saw as the golden days. However, I have

been inspired by several great groups of first years to actually overcome this apathy, getof f my butt and hopefully contribute some ideas about how I see the college going, andhow it can go better. This is not a criticism of any people who have ever been involvedat college, because I feel that every person has made a positive contribution, but try aswe might, we cant do everything.

I therefore will attempt to simplify some ideas of college life, and suggest some waysthat college can be kept vibrant and fun.

The purpose of college is to gain an education in the context of a student community;that is, to study and have fun while doing it. There is a line between work and play thatis constantly blurred, but it would be a misjudgment to beleive that you can do onewithout the other and truly benefit from your time at college. Various centres of education and social thought ranging from Platos academy to the Rabbincal Schools of early Judaism to the Ancient Universities of Oxford and Cambridge have all stressedthat a sense of community is at the heart of education. Time on the sports field andcamaraderie at the dinner table with fellow students have always been considered justas important as your classes. Within these environments education and socialinteraction werent merely encouraged but taken as a given.

So a large problem becomes apparent to all those who look at this simple equation how do you maintain a good learning environment within a fun environment? Theresult of this query has led me to look at the college situation (in particular, St Georgescollege at UWA) and ponder what I have viewed as being the most effective practicesand exciting ideas to come forward. This is by no means a definitive account of how

college should work, but merely a suggestion as how to improve college morale.


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This document shall attempt to look at different societal groupings and managerialroles within college. While also looking at the basic tenants of college those of social, academic and sporting activity.


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General Moral e

College people need TO FIRE UP. Now to fire up does not mean sporadicoccasions of drunken outbursts of noise and mayhem. Firing up means to move as one

towards a common goal, be that attending shows together, supporting sport, or evengathering together during holiday times for a bit of fun. This is by no means a simpletask as the majority of people are actually shy and do not like to be forced intoawkward situations. Always remember that those louder members of college who go toall the shows WILL go to all the shows anyway; you need to work on the quiet masses.

It is with this in mind that I see the decline in college bullying as a good thing.Bullying does not bring people into the fold, it can ostracise and hurt them. For thisreason I am glad to see some traditions go and not return (note I dont see PiscatorialDay as bullying as long as those people are there of their own free will ie. notdragged from their rooms).

Also do not expect everyone to want to go to all the social events and get drunk.College is leaning more and more towards smaller schools and away from the standardfour or five schools, the result being that people are not as comfortable around eachother. The focus on the smaller schools have enriched the college community, but italso means we need to work harder at turning the group of people at St Georges into areal community. We can no longer rely on the community being created by old schoolallegiances, we need to generate our own sense of belonging based on something other than school background (see Orientation Week).

Remember that there will always be one or two people who shun social interaction.They are not idiots and often have more than viable reasons for their actions, reasonsthat would make you feel like a bastard if you were to really find out about them. Letthese people come out of their own accord, DO NOT FORCE THEM.

In this sense it becomes apparent that people who attend college are not thestereotypical boys school lads or girls who like to drink and be loud (even though theytend to dominate social interaction). The typical college student is non existent. Thereis no such thing. There are people from all walks of life who come to college for different reasons, the secret is to find a common thread.

I put forward that the common link shared by all these people is that they areintelligent, and they are all members of the college. If the college throws upopportunities for them to interact with people they will (unless other reasonseventuate). People are social creatures, so create an opportunity for everyone to beinvolved (note: alcoholic functions are great, but going to movies or the beach is moreaccessible to more people ie. cheap and no social pressures).

It is also important that college develops some traditions and constants that run throughfrom year to year. These are great fun and can make times worth living.

Finally, it must be remembered that college is 150 people living together during times

of great stress and pressure. People do die, families do split, exams are failed, andrumours do harm. You are family to these people, and if you make it difficult for them


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Freshers

Freshers Scum. Little bastards. They have their little nicknames, but say whatwe may it is the freshers who make college tick. They are the largest mass, and it is

they who are just entering an amazing new time in their lives. It is the freshers whowill form the nucleus of social activity for the next year (as either the object of elder members affection, the mass at show, new talents, or even new ideas). It is for thisreason that they must be brought into college life early, and for this reason I will writeon OWeek now.

OWeek The orientation week is not to get the freshers to know how to walk over to uni. It isnot to show them where the laundry is. It is not to get them gathered around on thelawn and listening to speeches. Orientation week is to help the freshers get to knowEACH OTHER, and get to feel comfortable in a situation that is - in all probability alien to them.

For this reason they must be nursed. The make up of orientation week is essential for this. Get members of the O Committee who are from all walks of life. Try and spreadacross the faculties, and try and get a sports rep, social organiser and harassment officer there initially. Make the freshers feel comfortable around these people for thefollowing reasons:1) To know someone from your faculty who has been where you have been is an

instant relief. High school is different from uni, and advice is always a great help and is much easier to seek from a familiar face than a new one.

2) This same idea carries through when it is someone you know asking you to come totraining or to the river cruise. For this reason it is preferable that the River Cruisemanagers get an invite, as they should be there organising anyway, and other showsare later in the year and people have better chances of getting to meet the managersof these latter shows.

3) Ditto for sexual harassment officer. Discretion is also important in your choice of this person (for obvious reasons) perhaps even an exec or council member (or acouple of people).

4) By covering these walks of life you can also accurately portray what goes on atcollege. The Warden will take care of the academic matters, and they WILL betaken on tours of the college grounds, so your job is to present them with a variety

of other examples of college life.

It is also essential to have cheerful and outgoing people. A fresher does not want to begreeted with a scowl, but wants a smiling face. A fresher often remembers who firsthelped them at college, and will quickly make an assumption of that person as a result.Also, I am talking in stereotypes about freshers, but they do all seem the same(snigger).

As far as the activities for OWeek, well keep it different. Some years have great newideas, others dont. Try and find what works best for the time (a busy Exec may haveto borrow ideas from previous years, a less busy exec may revamp the entire schedule).

The only further advice I offer in regards to the itinerary is KEEP IT CHEAP. Theseare kids who have often been living on pocket money. Not everyone is from a secure


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economic background, and money does not necessarily equal fun. Examples are ascavenger hunt we had , that could have been done for free (on the part of the freshers) .This was around $2000 cheaper than the alternatives we had viewed (alternatives whichhad been heavily criticised and rightly so in the previous year).

So spice it up, and make sure it is fun. Try and avoid some name games, but others can be quite handy (a further suggestion is to have back up ideas in case some things dontgo to play ie. weather or group mood).

OWeek is also an opportunity to show the students that alcohol isnt needed to be partof the fun. This is not a suggestion that alcohol be banned, but perhaps not activelyencouraged. Some members of the committee could also have a dry OWeek as itwould show to the Freshers that they dont need to have a drink to be part of the fun atcollege. It is important to show that it is socially acceptable to not drink it should benoted that more and more non-drinkers are coming to college, and they should not bemade to feel like they are missing out on the fun or are weird. It is the Exec who arein the best position to carry this candle. I can already sense the horror of my readers atthe proposal for non-drinking at an event but it may be for only one show, andalcohol isnt a pre-requisite for fun, and the Freshers need to see this. Do it for them.If they want to drink they will, if they dont, then they wont feel pressured to. A lot of Freshers feel pressured to start drinking against their better judgement (they are young,and ARE still easily pressured), and they may regret their initial actions.

As a further part of OWeek I also see the Fresher Play as a great idea that needs to berevitalised. It creates an opportunity for a group laugh, as well as endearing them to thelarger population of the college as a whole. It should be timed for the first or secondweek back at college. Try not to make it on a weekend, as many people go home onthe first couple of weekends.

I am also a fan of the fresher exam, Stu Lomax stories and other little things. Thesetraditions give a sense of continuity and shared identity, which do encourage strongfeelings of unity. However, that doesnt mean that other things cant replace them(traditions do have use-by dates), and things that arent a tradition are often held up as

being as old as the hills, when they are often only two or three years old.

All in all OWeek will be full of freshers. They will not all be out to have a great time.Some will be shy. Some will be too cool for school. Have a talk to these people,

dont force them into things, but constantly keep putting the ball back in their court.Also may I suggest that the Freshers be STRONGLY encouraged to attend all OWeek functions unless there is an appropriate reason. Otherwise people miss out on the initialcollege interaction (a bit draconian I know, but if the rules are set early they will beabided by talk with Warden about this).

OWeek is also an opportune time to get the freshers involved in some group thingsthat can carry through. A college song can be organised for the new year (or songs

perhaps all sung to recent or simple tunes), and OWeek is the ideal time to introducethe new folk to these songs (many of whom will already be used to school songs). Itcan be safely said that sporting and social events are always spiced up by some

boisterous singing and a bit of humour (perhaps aimed at promoting our college, andnot denigrating others as recent college events will highlight). We actually have a


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simple college song already, and a couple of more rowdy ones. If they are requestedthey can be produced, but dont feel restrained in writing a brand new college song for the mass to sing loudly.

The most important thing is to be highly organised. Get the OWeek committee

organised the year before, inform them that they are in the OWeek committee.Organise a general brainstorm of what you want to do and achieve. Give the newly setup committee some particular roles and jobs to perform. Then coordinate these rolesand jobs by having constant meetings or interaction to see that deadlines are being met,and that no major problems are occurring. Have a plan and itinerary for the OWeek organised by the end of the year (even if it is just a rough draft). Give yourself someset guidelines and aims within which you can work. Remember the Exec should beseeing each other regularly anyway (see Sponsorship, Room Allocation and Finance)so it should not be a major problem to discus OWeek events, and involve the rest of the committee in these discussions. Also dont be afraid to ask the tutors and staff for help, ultimately youll need them.

Introducing Freshers to the General Community Here are some general tips for the introduction of Freshers to the rest of college (an

important part of the process, and many of these items are already in place). The star and bar board, which names fresher funny moments is always a good idea,

but should not be highly graphic as this can lead to the old oh you re Cassandra, Ihear you smutted seven boys, and of course Cassandra will be feeling great aboutthis. Keep it funny by announcing to the group during OWeek, but leave thewritten references a little ambiguous.

The top balcony idea is great idea, and fun. BUT pressure on drinking should not

be encouraged. Lets those who want to drink heavily do so, but dont force othersto as they will either be pressured into it, or squeeze away from the unwantedattention.

Fresher Play. Great link point hey you played me in the play, I feel I shouldclarify something... or Hey you were great in the fresher play.

Fresher Buddies also create a nice link between people. Get the buddy to get thefresher his or her meal and sit next to them at the table. This creates another older

person they know, as well as a potential adviser for academic or personal issues.Many people remember their fresher buddies, and again I see this as a worthwhileevening. There could even be a competition in the Almanak where freshers write a

poem about their buddy (this has been very successful in the past, and could be very

humorous). Fresher vs. Others sporting events. An early impromptu test match on the tennis

courts, a game of basketball, volleyball, football, etc. Any sport gives theopportunity for a bit of friendly competition, and if followed by a social event canencourage people to get to know each other.

Piscastorial or similar water theme day. It has a place (perhaps a waterfight without ponding).

A revamping of the Fresher introduction at the first AGM (perhaps they can write atwo line intro on themselves, or even give an early presentation).

The fresher reps should also be elected at the same time as everyone else. I realisethat this requires constitutional amendment which seems like a drawn out process,

but it has to be done at some time. Also by selling the idea at the college council it


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can be pushed through quicker. The Freshers will get to know each other veryquickly, and it is important that they have representation. I have heard that this has

been implemented this year (I am unsure whether it has been constitutionallychanged), and I congratulate this excellent move.

A Fresher organised show (perhaps for later in the year). Nothing too exciting but just something that the freshers can throw for the rest of college. Doesnt have to be a JCR-like event and can be anything from a play to a debate.

It is also important that once they have been introduced they are made to feel welcomewithin the community. This is partially achieved through fresher representation andevents. Overall, once they are in they take care of themselves but they must be madeto feel welcome and part of the team, rather than develop an us vs. them complex likehas happened in previous years. The freshers are the most important group at college,and it is they who will generally benefit most from the year at college. This should bean opportunity for great fun and a bit of mayhem; it is up to us to give them the choiceand the chance to fulfill these dreams.


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Elder Students

It is from this group that the wisdom and majesty of college comes. These arethe cool heads, the people whove been there before, who were there for their

respective golden ages. The first thing to remember is that their golden age was their golden age, not everyone elses. Things change, sometimes you have to let them. That

being said, they are quite often the sensible heads that lead college, and know how todo various tasks that need to be done. They are an important group, but must not be

pressured or relied on to fill all the managerial and committee roles.

The important thing about this group is that those who want a position of influence, or can afford the time, will often gravitate towards the job. If they dont have the timethey wont be able to do the job well (always keep this in mind when choosing a title-holder). The real value of these people is the stability and gentle wisdom they bring tothe college and its events. They are the ones who may speak up at an AGM. They arethe loud and focused supporters, or players on the sports field. They are the peopledoing the work behind the scenes, and they are the ones who have the most experience.They are not perfect, but are worthy of listening to.

For the above reasons it may seem weird that these elder students are not given the fullreign of the college. Yet, it must be remembered that they are often very busy withtheir respective workloads. They are already often in positions of power (exec), or have been in positions of power. Also they will be moving on soon. It is wiser toinvest a managerial position in a second year wholl probably be around for a couplemore years, than to a fourth year who is completing their degree. Ultimately the best

person should get the job, but keep these points in mind when deciding the bestappointment.


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Tutors

See elder students and insert the words life experience whenever possible.These are simultaneously the colleges most under utilised resource and most exploited

people. Tutors do have lives so they are often busy and may not be able to do certainthings (and shouldnt be expected to). They also shouldnt be seen merely as availableassistants to managers, BUT they can be used as a person to bounce ideas off. Theycan be used as support, and they are often keen to help.

It is impossible for a tutor to not become personally involved with the wellbeing of people in the college. They live and eat with the students, and quite often have hadsimilar student experiences. Not all tutors are the same, and their methods differ but99% of them want what is best for the students and will do anything to help them get it.For this reason tutors should be approached for advice, and should be encouraged to

join social events (indeed go out of your way to encourage them because it fostersstronger student-tutor links).

But be careful not to overstep this. Tutors will often bend the rules, but to ask them to break the rules is simply unfair. Tutors will often look to help, but to get them to do allthe work is unrealistic. It is the tutor who HAS to get to know as many students as theycan, and for this reason they are the best tool for communications within the college.Also never forget that the tutors know a lot about peoples personal histories, and for this reason they may seem to be over disciplinarian in particular cases (often with the

best of intentions, and knowledge of unseen circumstances).

It is also important to remember one further thing about the tutors. The pay or benefitsthey receive ARENT that good. No tutor has a purely financial reason for staying atcollege, and they are constantly providing assistance in one form or another. Tutorswould put in around 20 hours a week in college work. At a standard employment payrate this means that they would not only getting free board, but also making somemoney on the side. This is not the case, and tutors are aware of this. However, theycontinue to want to work at college. Not for the money, but for the people. Thestudents are the people.

For this reason people are generally tutors for altruistic reasons. Realise that they arealso being financially squeezed out, so the tutors are there because they honestly see an

opportunity to get involved and have a bit of fun themselves.

The tutors are there to be used, but not abused.


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College Administration

Firstly, these people are not Satans tools. They are not there simply to stop anyfun from happening. They are people performing a job, and if they disagree with the

student body it is not enough to merely complain about it. A solution must be found.This does not mean storming into the Wardens office, dishing out a few scathingcomments, and then swaggering back to the dining room. The result of this action will

be very NEGATIVE.

When working with the admin you must realise they are administrators. They are notmiracle workers. They need to be informed of things, given time to act, and appreciateorganisation. If you are planning a show and enter the room talking about 10,000

people who are going to rock up and the appropriate requirements then you had better have a bu dget on hand, the permission slips necessary and a strong argument as to whyyou should be allowed this. Many debates have been lost by the student body becausethey never debated them. A well placed whine, and then storming out to spread wordof your encounters are not enough. You MUST be prepared.

You need to be prepared for;(i) the admin to not agree with your proposal,(ii) the admin to question why the proposal will work,(iii) the admin to be concerned about the ramifications (never forget their legal

obligations),(iv) the admin to ask why you didnt give them more than ten minutes notice,(v) the admin to ask about money. If you prepare for these eventualities (ie. look to

the future), then you should also be prepared for the fact that you will get two tothree times the amount of things you want. And if you dont get what you want,dont whinge. Ask yourself why, and learn from that mistake, and then TRYAGAIN.

Dont expect them to be accom modating if you arent, and be prepared for the fact thateven if you are organised and are fully prepared, you still may fail. We do not alwaysget what we want, but that doesnt mean you cant regroup and try again.


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limited). This is an avenue that should be open, but has gradually closed over the yearsfor various reasons. I believe it should be opened for the accountability that it willnaturally bring accountability to the students, the tutors, the admin, and the councilitself (I modelled this little idea on the US separation of powers so cannot claim it asmy own). I realise that this sounds weird, but the amount of times I saw the council

and realised the gulf that exists between the various institutions at this college has onlyhammered home this idea to me.

In regards to the individual offices I will simply write a short description of each.

Senior Student: Yours is the public face of the Exec, and the example you provide must be good. You work hard and your areas are broad.

Vice President: You should have you thumb in every pie. The SS is distracted by other duties so often it is up to you to do some work. This is the position that can be most busy or least effective determined by the person in the position and the amount he/shewants to do.

Treasurer: The finance officer. A bad treasurer can really hurt a college, and a good one will never get any recognition. Must be involved in the budgets of all expenditures(see Finances section). You must also be organised with your storage of receipts etc.or else an audit will be your worst nightmare come true.

Secretary: See VP, and also include the formal obligations of notes, minutes etc. Realise the importance of punctuality (a week later is too late). Respect the historical value of your position. Ensure the minutes are stored systematically as the WILL be of interest to archivists and college historians in years to come, not to mention future

Execs. It is also important that you collect and distribute (or start up) files for each of the managers so that they have a chance to see what had been previously done in their role. Yours is a highly under-estimated position.

Social Officer: Must work closely with VP and Treasurer to get the social side of college firing. Constantly in touch with the Warden and Admin of the College so must be organised.

Overall there should be a weekly report on what is happening between the positions sothat things dont fall apart and disintegrate.

There is also other important aspects to the Executive workload that need a specialmention.

Room AllocationThis is a job that for some reason or another is boosted to the status where people think the Senior Student actually has a choice in room allocation. However, if the procedureis followed closely then this is not the case.

The moment the exam results filter in then the Senior Student should be able to allocaterooms. Looking at the room prefrences list the Senior Student and a helper from the

Exec simply have to,1. People who want their old room again gets it. No questions asked.


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2. Rank people according to firstly Time at College (and Uni one year equals one point, but more time at college is given preference, Uni is only to divide between people who have spent the same time at College).

3. If people are still clumped together in sections after this initial check (and of coursethe majority will be), then you then rank the year groups or clumps by their marks

(as provided.4. If in the unlikely event that the time at college and marks are the same then

consideration should be given to contribution given to college or need (ie.Architecture students need space for their drawing equipment).

5. Check over to make sure these are the correct allocations, and there are nomistakes.

6. Then hand in to office so they can put in the freshers room allocations.Any further moves are a mistake and will only complicate matters. If an obvious

problem arises (such as two people can be swapped into rooms they would both prefer more) then I suggest you contact them and tell them by mobile phone pronto.However, once the sheet is handed in, ask the office not to tell anyone for a week or so.Then move into a cave, because you will be receiving hundreds of calls very soonandthey wont all be a thank you.

However, if you follow this procedure then a task that usually takes a day can be donein two hours. DO NOT tell anyone their rooms (not even your best mates), until theoffice is ready to announce them (try not to even let people know you are about toallocate rooms). If you do people will get very annoyed and see you as open tocriticism (and not necessarily to your face). I can not stress that enough. Do not tellanyone until the office is ready, and then get people to ring the office (it is their jobafter all).

For some unknown reason people see the room allocation job as glamorous. I can tellyou it sucks. People are never satisfied, and often annoyed. However, if you followthe procedure you can explain to them easily how it was chosen and be shrouded in theveil of a job well done, and people will realise it to.

Position Selection by the ExecutiveA further concern for a newly elected Senior Student and Vice President is the selection

process of the other three exec positions, and then for the executive they have thefurther concern of having to select the managers. This is never an easy job, and oftenhas led to some disgruntlement and annoyance as the choice between two people

becomes very difficult to make. For these reasons (having viewed the process 3 times)I will offer these words of advice in the hope that it makes the selection easier.

First things first. As I often say. If the person IS the BEST person for the job, andthere is no doubt of that, then that is your choice. There are no other problems, and thesolution becomes simple. However, this does not always happen, and can often be adream.

The majority of times there are a good two or three people who can fulfill a task well,and bring something to the college. It is in these situations that various people in theExec will go in to bat for particular people who they see as being better for various

reasons. While this is a natural devolution, I do not see it as the best. This is the stagewhen people can accuse others of promoting personal agendas, friends, and other things


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(which can very quickly undermine the communal feeling). The process must berational.

Firstly, dont choose all the Executive and a majority of the managers from the samegroup of friends. This benefits no one. It will leave a lot of people ostracised within

college (and feel that they cant talk to THEIR elected reps). College students all needrepresentation so a variety of people on the Executive (ages, gender and groups) canONLY BE GOOD. Also it benefits the Executive by giving them a wide base of opinion.

Often a rumour mill can quickly spread when people are dissatisfied with an Executive,they will often feel so due a sense of alienation from the process. Theyre not involved,and neither are their friends. Therefore a problem occurs. So if the choice is down totwo ask yourself which person represents a different aspect of college. Ultimately itwill, in most probability, lead to a better choice.

A further suggestion is that if the choice is down to a second or a third year who bothhave similar pluses, then give it to the second year (they are a larger group, and theexperience will be more beneficial).

Overall, dont fall into the trap of simply choosing an obvious name associated to a popular face. These people may well be the best for the job (if so choose them), butmake sure they are. Otherwise a more deserving person misses out, and ultimatelyeveryone suffers as a result.

The final decision therefore is not easy, and the process is also important. Avoid avote, and try and work out a consensus (or near consensus). Debate often leads to

better decisions, and if a decision needs to be made then it should be the exec (or SSand VP) who make it. After all it is they who ultimately will be accountable. Not a

pleasant task overall, but much easier if a process if followed, and due care is taken.

SponsorshipIn recent items there have been very strong moves afoot to make sponsorship a meansto fund various events within college. There have always been levels of sponsorshipfor OWeek and the Quiz night, but I commend people such as the 1999 Sports Repsand the 2000 Exec for realising and pushing the fact that Sponsorship can be used for alot more.

A Sponsor can be organised by all the colleges to help fund the Inter-college sport (seeSport), but they can also be used for intra-college funding. Perhaps a company can befound to sponsor the teams events (and be given appropriate exposure on the jumpersor shirts). This can be done through approaching one large sponsor, or several smaller ones. Or even raffling from amonst numerous interested parties.

Sponsorship can also be found for many other events. But the purpose of this sectionisnt to tell how to find sponsors, but to encourage that they be sought. A positive stepin this regard came through in 2000 when a Sponsorship Officer was appointed withinthe Exec boundaries. This wasnt instantly successful, but has laid a valuable base for

future developments to be pushed in this regards. Indeed this is an office that could


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carry two people working with the treasurer and secretary as they all try and promote the college as a Sponsorable entity.

This is a new development within college, and I find it an exciting opportunity for college to help fund itself further and even pay for some new developments at college

(new washing machines, fixed squash court, re-laid tennis court, new basketball ring).It should, therefore, be fully explored.


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The Committee

One of the weirdest things about college is that we elect representatives for our respective year groups (and an ordinary rep), and then we proceed to not really utilise

them. Despite best intentions they are often sidelined by the exec, and left with verylittle purpose at all. Other than restructuring the format of committee meetings, afurther solution to this problem is to d elegate more responsibilities to the committeemembers. These responsibilities will not take hours out every week, but will often seethem as reference points for advice, and basic help for various managers.

These tasks can range from being support for managers to taking a more active role in promoting various shows (perhaps committee members could be allocated to variousshows to help advertising and the basic organisation).

Committee members could provide essential support to the exec themselves in non-usual ways. Perhaps the committee (once convened) could appoint various members toeach Exec member as supporting roles (if these are not already bestowed upon secondyears).

Committee members should also take a much more active role in promoting events or issues for their respective years. The various year dinners are in decline, and thisshould be remedied as quickly as possible (or replaced) as they are great events.

Overall the committee can have a greater input in the overall workings of the college,while also paying attention to the particular needs of their year group, and variousmanagerial requests. The effect of this will be to alleviate a lot of the pressure which is

building up on the Exec and various managers, and to increase the amount of availableman-hours which can be put into various tasks (the more put in, the more likely for success). Overall it appears to have strongly positive connotations at a very low

personal expense to the committee members (who will ultimately benefit from the provision of limited services).


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College Sport

Sport between colleges is dying, and within college is dormant. These must both be remedied. Sport provides a chance for the college to cheer for itself very

loudly, and also an opportunity for interaction between colleges (something that alsoneeds to be encouraged- See inter-college activities).

Intercollege ActivitiesIn regards to the inter-college competition it can be claimed that the facilities, umpiringand safety standards are all decreasing. There is an increased variety of sports beingintroduced (and this can be good), but the Heads of College must NOT imposethemselves upon certain aspects of college life, and I believe this is one.

Firstly the Recreation Centre must be clearly told what is expected of it through a jointletter from each of the college sports council members. This will provide a framework that will give the recreational centre no opportunity to back out of agreements, or togive a lower level of performance than expected. Grounds must be booked, sportingequipment must be picked up, decent umpires must be organised (and they shouldgenerally have certificates that show they have completed a particular level of accreditation safety demands it).

This will all have a flow on effect as teams are able to concentrate on playing, and nothave to worry about who will be umpiring and where they will be playing. Also eachcollege should submit an itinerary of events by a particular stage each year (perhapsthree months in advance of each sport) so that fixtures can be timed around particular functions, and there wont be major clashes.

Outside of the sport there should be a greater emphasis on getting people down to thegames. I can suggest that BBQs are a great way to encourage larger crowds down tothe various sporting events. They are also ideal mechanisms for encouraging collegeinteraction. But BBQs are not enough, perhaps some days people who go down andwatch get a stamp on their hand which gets them cheaper drinks at a particular pubafterwards (on the last weekend of an event). These are also good, because while theAthletics and Swimming shows are great, it should be encouraged for people to turn upto common Sports Sunday Sessions (SSSs as they were called in Bunbury) and have afew drinks and relive former glories. The Broadway Tavern or the Captain Stirling

may want to offer this service (and it should be run by the Warden), as they would benefit from an increased clientele and a constant custom. This will not happenovernight, but maybe by creating a sportsclub feeling (everyone getting down thereafter dinner or something) we could improve on the decreasing levels of sporting socialattendances.

As for the sports themselves, I am a fan of the idea of a sports show for just collegemembers at the end of the year. Prizes should be given out at these evenings (perhapsfor Best Players in particular sports, Best Supporter, Best Moment, Best Chant etc).This can an opportunity to present the college with some of the trophies of triumph (ie.

Nich Cup, WICSA, Combined, Tommy vs Georges Cricket etc), would be great for an

alternative social event, and maybe can be used to vote for the Leeman Cup prize


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winners (which I think should be shared between a boy and a girl each year, they usedto always have two winners).

Overall Intercollege sport has a chance to thrive and this should be stronglyencouraged. On this point I believe the sports council and the Recreation Centre should

look for a sponsor for the competitions. Health Groups often will support events aslong as advertising is put up (Health Be In It, 5 Fruit and Veg, Heart WA etc.). Themoney may pay for a show, or even for more equipment and umpiring. It is a no-losesituation with the colleges getting money, the Rec Centre saving some costs, and anorganisation gaining access to the college market. It is also possible they may sponsor further college shows, and you may even be able to push for Newspapers to write upresults (it used to happen).

Intra-College Sport Sport within college has a great opportunity to boom in the next few years. A commonsight that used to exist in the old Committee room was the presence of many unusedtrophies. These trophies are commonly for intercollege events (and should be revived),

but many are for intra-college events. Tennis, Squash, Cross-Country all had trophies,and there is a scope to get them back up an running.

Tournaments are not hard to run (and the squash tournament was revived well in 2000 by the then Sports Reps), and can create a bit of friendly competition (not to mentionstressless distraction) for students. But there is also scope for many other cheaptrophies to be given out.

These can be for: Fresher vs Non-Fresher annual events (cricket, football, netball) Guys vs. Girls netball Tutors vs. Students Debates (I know this isnt a sport but is put here anyway). Social Netball competition (we had a short tournament in 1997 which was very

successful and had a majority of the college involved) And many moreThese are not hard to organise, and can be easily handballed to other people (seeCommittee). The results are satisfying, and overall makes college a little more fun to

be in. It is, however, very important to note that it should try to not be competitive inthe main. Let everyone have an opportunity to be involved, and dont make people shyaway by making them feel pressured in anyway.

I also believe that the Sports Reps should encourage social sports at the RecreationCentre, and become the main organisers and Point of Contacts (POCs) for theRecreation Centre. This creates a little more camaraderie and builds up some collegespirit (even encourage other members of college to come down and watch, Tommyused to and they had a ball).

Sport is mainly for fun, and can provide an excellent opportunity for college people toget to know each other, as well as enjoy each others company. As well as this it isoften a great opportunity to get a bit of college spirit up and running. For this reasonget a college song up and running, and sing it loud and proud.


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Unorganised Sport There is also a further aspect of College sport that is often forgotten. That is the

unorganised and random sport that goes on. There have been various years where people have been very eager to head over the road and play a bit of touch, or soccer with a few mates. Perhaps a friendly rivalry in squash develops between a few players

who often wind their way down to the courts.

College is a place where you dont have to be brilliant at everything. There is no pressure on people that makes them trudge down to sport every week for compulsoryclasses. Sport at college is a come as you are affair, and in this sense there are a lot of

people who come down to have a kick of the soccer ball, or a whack of a tennis ballwith some mates because they want to not because they have to. Rory Shiner described the social sport at college as his second chance, his opportunity to just havea muck around and a laugh with some mates, and this is very true. The games of impromptu sport are a great chance to alleviate some stress (they seem to boom aroundexam time), have some fun, and get to know more people. You dont have to be goodto enjoy college sport (like school), you just have to be present.

For this reason the Club should encourage people to pass the word around aboutrandom kicks of the ball etc. There are generally one or two people who do thisanyway, but it cant hurt to make sure that it is happening. Also there is an opportunityfor the college to buy some basic sporting pieces of equipment (2 squash raquets, 2tennis raquets, some tennis and squash balls, a touch ball, a soccer ball, a footy) so that

people can come and get them (perhaps from the office, maybe from the Squash Courtmanager) and have a hit. A lack of equipment often is the reason some people dont

play, and it would be a great opportunity to give more people a chance to get out thereand have a go.


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Academic

Whilst the university is primarily responsible for the academic progress of thestudents, college can also play an important part. There is room for the college to allow

tutoring within its facilities, as well as to help its students do better. The college adminand tutors are very dedicated to helping students achieve their very best, but theycannot do it by themselves. College students are the people who other students look upto, and often for help. For this reason they must have a clear indication of the optionsavailable.

A recommendation is that if students want an extracurricular tute they should find outhow many need it (how many of them are in that particular unit) and let a tutor know.This sounds great in theory, but often there is confusion about who to talk to, and evenembarrassment about approaching some senior college staff members. This can besolved through setting up a student liaison to work together with the academic tutor of the college. They can work together to organise tutes, and can even work at findingcheap alternatives (old students or current tutors) who may be able to help. They canalso help to speak to the university lecturers and tutor to help particular students (andthis happens). Furthermore, these people can also offer advice to a student who canoften be unaware that there is an option to help them out, or even have personal

problems with university staff members. The college DOES care, but often it cant findout what to care about. An easily accessible student (or even students) can help directthe college care towards where it is most needed.

On top of this, students can also get together and organise study sessions. Ascommunal areas in the college are limited, perhaps the student club could organise a

booking roster for particular areas to help reduce the congestion. This sounds archaicand will most probably not be needed during most of the year, but if it is highly visibleit can; ease tensions during exam periods, let tutors know when particular rooms needto be open and closed, and also advertise the fact that particular students (who may bedoing your unit) are getting together and that you can go down and join them.

That is the secret of college. It is the social interaction. It is being thrown into a groupof 150 other people who do have a similar background and age, and in with a largenumber of people who share your interests and also your values. College should never

be about flying solo, it is an environment which not only loves social interaction, but

heartily encourages it. If someone is alone and isolated within college, then somethingis generally not right. This counts for social events, as well as for the learningenvironment.


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Social

The social side of college is the most obvious and enjoyable part of college.Anywhere where a large group of young adults are gathered together under the one roof

is going to be a social hive of activity. For this reason social events at the college havealways been strong. But with the years there can be no denying that some social eventsare getting less people through the door. I will look at the main events specifically, buton the whole some have boomed and others have busted.

The boom can be generally associated with hard work and dedication to a particular event by the organisers. The bust is generally do to the event stagnating and not really

becoming more fun, or any different over the years. It is important to note that oneorganiser with a bit of organisation and ability can change an event from bust to boom,and vice versa.

The Ball This is the safe event of the year as far as social attendance. You will always get agood turnout, and over recent years a several thousand dollar loss has been turned intoa slight profit. However, this has not been without some concerns along the way. The ball is getting more expensive, and this may well lead to the stage where it is

boycotted en masse by people who cant afford it. If some people wont go, thenothers wont, and soon a snowballing effect will occur.

With stronger pressures on under-agers there is an increasing threat upon who cango to the ball. Getting these people to go along involves the risk of people attainingIDs (illegally) or having to be signed in (a major financial risk for the signee). For

this reason there must be retained distinctions between drinkers and non-drinkers(stamps are often best). The ball is so much work that it almost at the stage where two people should be

appointed to the ball, or at least a committee set up to help (this can be said for other college managerial roles as well. See Dragon).

Overall the ball must remain prepared for change, and be careful of increased costs(brought in by GST, and the potential loss of bonds).

Cocktail PartyQuite simply this event is not the second ball of the year. It cannot afford to be as itwould be too expensive for a lot of people to attend. It requires cheaper venues, and

other ways to cut costs. The success of the cocktail party is a wildly fluctuating event,and this needs to be stabilised, but not at the expense of variety. Keep a tight budgetfor this event, but let the manager have a large amount of freedom in choosing the how,where and what of the event. The more interesting the better. A carbon-copy of the

previous year will see low attendances and many financial concerns.

Quiz Night It shall be for drinking and not trivia. Enough said. Well no, not really. It must beremembered that there are two types of people who go along to these events, those whowant to drink and those who want to win (and it is not as one-sided as may besuspected). If you neglect one then you will suffer the consequences.


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In my time I noticed that the drinking became a lot heavier earlier, and the quiz nightwas not getting finished. This was not the case a few years ago, and I think some order needs to be re-established. That being said, not at the expense of fun, but its not muchfun if we all get kicked out at ten and the tavern threatens to never let us back.

Suggestions include the bar being shut till the start of the quiz (or even the end of thesecond round). Perhaps even more events can be planned between rounds to keep

people going. But I honestly see that the majority of people go very hard, very early.A problem that may be remedied by later bar opening.

It should also be noted that the college may not allow this to continue if the tavernkeeps getting so annoyed. And may have even more concerns if this were to happenwhile the event was hosted within the college. But I still think its great fun.

JCRsThese are the new problem children. Once they had an almost 100% attendance andhad large profits. Now they peter out very quickly as the year drags on. A solutionmust be found. I suggest that the standard open bar, dance floor and taped music hashad its day. It is OK for the first event, but I would suggest that the second and thirdneed a bit of variety.

It is a great idea to attach them to an event (ie the Play) and this does bolster turnouts, but it needs more. Themes are good, but ultimately ineffectual. So the solution lies invariety. Perhaps Karaoke, perhaps broken up with activities, perhaps a million things.It appears to me that the days of putting up a sheet and asking for everyones favouritesongs to be written down are gone (if they were ever here), because it is usually thesame tunes anyway. But only the most die-hard supporters will trudge out to the samemusic and the same beer JCR after JCR. This is a problem that may not even have asolution. People go out a lot more often, and the pricing of the JCR has changed somuch that it is difficult to support financially in anywhere near the same manner. Alsothe introduction of non-drinking areas has further restricted the freedoms of a JCR. Itmay require a complete restructing of the old JCR format.

This is not a criticism of years gone by, the recipe HAS been tried and true, but theyneed to be changed to a degree (it was after all once a party with FREE beer, afurther possibility if the ball is successful or the Treasurer has been doing a great job).

Croquet DayA great tradition that typifies my comment on varying degrees of success. Often bestwhen linked with several other things (a football game on the TV, an afternoon eventetc). But ultimately comes down to the organiser. This is one of those events thatneeds someone who has some idea of fun and organisation (2000 being a good exampleof a successful event).

River CruiseThis event is financially being squeezed out by the operators, which is a great shame.It is an ideal event to introduce the college freshers to a bit of college socialisation. Istill think that there is the potential for St Georges to keep this event alive for years to

come, but it will require a reasonably strict application of the 5 non-drinker on the ship.


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Any mistakes (people overboard etc) are not only dangerous, but guaranteed to doomthe event to an untimely death.

The managers need to get onto this event early, and work with the treasurer. There isno surprise less wanted than when a river cruise manager calls the treasurer and asks

for a cheque for the $500 deposit only to be informed that the cheque book hasntcome through the auditing yet and there is no available funds (the result being someindividual taking a $500 risk). It has to be organised, and the new and old treasurersneed to get the books in on time (see Finances).

A great theme is the secret of the River Cruise (try and have one reasonably early so theOWeek crowd can get suitably attired and fired up). Also a good selection of the DJand his music. Good music = dancing, bad music = excessive drinking = lots of very ill

people, and lots of people having to take care of them (not much fun for anyone). Thisis a baptism of fire for any new executive, and overall not the easiest of times. But can

be a lot more fun if things run smoothly (problems usually occur with under-agers andDJs who are never on time). Again this is primarily for social interaction betweenfreshers and non-freshers (and some kissing and hugging for second year boys and firstyear girls) so try and keep the fun flowing.

The Almanak It has been noted that one of the main distinctions between living at college or a block of flats is the communal experiences gained through the dining hall, sporting evens,social shows, and the Almanak. The Almanak is the main tool for college awareness of what is going on, and also an opportunity for a bit of fun. The Editor of the Almanak (or may I suggest Editors), needs to be humorous and organised. They will beresponsible for telling the college body what is going on, and as such they generally aresocial people who tend to go to most of the shows (this is an ideal). However, theymust also have a good sense of when enough is enough. They should avoid picking on

particular people, and making them feel uncomfortable (as I myself did during my year as editor). Also remember the College Council get to see the Almanak. The end resultis a position of great responsibility, and should be strongly considered.

The Almanak itself is an important piece of college for several very strong reasons. It is a valuable tool for the Student Executive and the College Administration to get

information across to the general college public. It is a great opportunity to have a bit of fun and a laugh. It lets the students actually know what is going on, and furthers a sense of college

community.

In regards to the first point, it is therefore essential that the Exec appoint someone tomake sure particular articles make it into the Almank (preferably the Secretary). This

person should every week find out what is going in, and then inform the editor. It alsowould be beneficial to have a Senior Student report on what is going on in the Exec(but try and make it interesting, or else people will ignore it). The college will alsoappoint a similar person to write up brief descriptions of what is going on at college(the same person who generally prints the actual item).

There should be a bit of fun in the Almanak. Let people write in (but try not to publishanonymous material, if people arent prepared to put their name to it then the editor


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shouldnt have to shoulder any blame that may result). Encourage poems, reviews andother things, and dont let the college cut you down to a two page spread (they willonly do this if they feel the content is purely smutty and has no actual value). But makeit so that people want to read it, not so it makes its way to the recycling bin pronto.

Overall the Almanak is an excellent tool that has been in decline recently due to variousthings (not the quality it should be noted but other things). One of these isdistribution. To overcome this people should help the editors distribute the Almanak (even potentially the Exec or Committee). A further possibility that should beconsidered is via the college internal mail system over the internet. The college istrying to make this a Georgian option, so why cant we look at making it a potentialAlmanak option. Not only will paper, staples, and time be saved, but it may also makethings a lot easier to hand in and shorten the amount of effort needed for publication.

Squash and Gym Manager Could work together with Sports Reps to encourage further use of facilities, and alsocan help organise an annual squash tournament. This tournament could be in the formof a typical knockout, or could be a progressive ladder, where the players are all

positioned on a ladder and are able to challenge people above them to move up theladder. People have a set time to respond and if victory is secured the person leap frogsinto the defeated opponents position. At the end of the year the top two (or even four)could play off for the tournament. This is a year-long event and will see people playmultiple games and use the courts frequently (and perhaps encourage the college to fixthem up a bit).

They could even organise for proper weights and Boxercise schedules and programs to be made available so people can utilise the facilities to their utmost.

May I also suggest one more thing. The Squash Courts were originally donated by theGeorgians, and I believe that they would be only to happy to help pay for the courts to

be revitalised a bit. This could even be coupled with a tournament featuring studentsand Georgians to help celebrate the re-opening of the courts. Initiative in this was may

be a great way to get the courts looked after. I would definitely approach theGeorgians in regards to this matter.

Laundry Manager May seem like a dud job, and a bit of a non-entity. But perhaps this person could

explore greater dry cleaning access, new washing machines, extra line space and abouta thousand other laundry issues that college has (including clothes-horses for the balconies etc).

College PhotoIn accordance with the time that the photo is taken. This job requires someone with amean streak. Preferably a heartless being who enjoys the suffering of others. Oh, andmay I suggest a theme breakfast afterwards. It is the biggest turnout to breakfast, andas a result it may be fun to have something a little different.

Play Manager

This person must be organised. The choice of this person is also very difficult. Theymust be able to handle stress (for it will come), they must be able to organise things


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early (for they will need to), and they must not be undergoing a particularly tough year at university (or else their marks will suffer). Ideally the play manager has a scriptready by the start of the year, is auditioning very early on and has everyone with their lines learnt by the end of first semester ready for a show in early second semester.

These ideals are not beyond the realms of imagination, and they will make it about athousand times easier on everyone if they are fulfilled. The play manager also has to bevery savvy in his/her choice of actors and support crew. The people shouldnt be so

busy that theyll be constantly missing rehearsals. In regards to stage crew these people are the lifeblood of the play. They are the ones who do the hard yards behindthe scenes, and are also an important source of work delegation. A level head is neededand can be very important to overall success.

This is one of those managerial positions that really require someone who has the time,commitment and organisational capacity to give the job the proper attention. Theyshould have a basic idea of what play, stage outline and organisation by the start of theyear and will guarantee a successful play if they do.

DragonFirst things first. This is a two person job not a one person job. I also recommend asupport group from the committee to be used to help put the hard word on people whoare late with articles. It is often an unfair result that people get very annoyed withDragon editors for nagging them. Well, if they didn't nag then the Dragon wouldnt be

printed. It is often easier for a committee member, who may know the target better, toask for an article. Dragon editors should not be constantly be in the firing line from

people who are unable to devote ten minutes to producing several hundred words. TheDragon can very quickly become an unrewarding job, and for this reason theCommittee, Exec and others all need to chip in and shoulder some of the blows and

burdens (ie. volunteer to ask someone for an article, or to take photos at a show).

That being said, there are several desires associated with a dragon. A dragon should be;

Within budget (not all that easy) Given out before everyone leaves (not an easy task) Fun (all too easy). Also it is important to try and mention as many people at

college as possible within the Dragon.The bottom requirement is always met, the top two are not. The Dragon managers

dilemma is that they rely on other people to hand in their articles, the result often beingthat people constantly put off the task and it gets done all too late.

Therefore they must be strict. Managers must hand things in within a week of their event. This is no major task it is a few hundred words (tops) on a piece of paper. It isnot a viable excuse to say I forgot. It MUST BE HANDED IN ON TIME. This meansthat a clear designation of duties needs to be set up.

1. After each sporting event the Captain of the teams should hand in their report (or beresponsible for it and in return the Sports Reps are responsible it gets handed in).

2. Each manager of a show has to hand a report of the show in within a week (noexcuses other than major ones I forgot not being a major one).


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3. Managers of particular places or items (ie Darts Club, Laundry) have a particular date to hand their reports in by (early second semester may I suggest).

4. Year reports are the responsibility of the Year Reps on the Committee (not meaningthey have to write it, but make sure it is written). They have a slightly later date tohand theirs in (all the reports cant be processed at once, so these guys should get a

little more time due to the complexity of their task). This also allows for commenton the events during second semester.

5. Other reports (Tutors and Admin) have to be in by a similar stageNO EXCUSE(The Warden will be pushing for this anyway).

6. If the editors could take photos at every major event they would be much lessdependant upon other people to provide the necessary photos. A further possibilityfor the future is the purchase of a college digital camera (and a subsequentmanagerial position) which would be useful for not just general college life a

possibly to set up a Club website but also would make the Dragon much easier tolay out.

7. Remember these wise words from someone who was involved in numerousDragons (the mighty Fran D.) Great photos and short, funny articles = a goodDragon. She is, as always on the money.

All this creates a sense of professionalism that is needed in the Dragon. The twomanagers should try and also get to most events to take photos, or have photos takenfor them. They also should foster a strong relationship with the VP, Social Officer, andTreasurer to help with various, social and financial concerns. It should be noted that atthe managers meeting at the start of the year the expectations of the Dragon should also

be handed out with the various budget formats.

JCR Manager and Pool Manager (see extra events).Also the JCR Manager should be able to keep the place clean. This does not however mean that they are responsible for the actions of idiots. The state of the JCR has been agrowing disgrace and the excuses that are trotted out are simply not good enough. Itshould not be in that state, and it certainly wasnt a few years ago. A sense of responsibility needs to be asserted in regards to the JCR (perhaps through CollegeCommittee enforcement ie. if people break something, then they not the collegeclub- pay for it).

The pool manager needs to work with the JCR Manager and may even need to consider

security measures to stop balls leaving and cues being broken (another occurrencewhich is recently rising and not necessarily through college members).

Car Rally and Bush DanceThis show temporarily died in 2000 (and possibly 2001) which suggests it needs a face-lift. Why cant the car rally become a scavenger hunt for the entire college, followed

by a bushdance-style evening in the dining hall. Part of the value of this show was thateveryone spent a night together and away from college, so I hope this can beaccommodated elsewhere, if the old bush dance format cant be revived. If for onesinple reason it is highly Fresher friendly, no ID required.


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CanteenAgain needs several people involved, and recent innovations have been pleasing. Setup hours that everyone knows and use media saturation to hammer home variousthings. Also needs to work closely with the treasurer and has a very important role.

Perhaps the manager should also be encouraged with various incentives, such ascheaper show tickets etc. if they are keeping the canteen going strong (this is not asimple proposal and should be thought out in great detail). Also a wise women oncesuggested that theme weeks and competitions (perhaps coinciding with the Almanak)can keep things vibrant down at the canteen.

Think InsThese are a great opportunity for college to truly live up to its reputation as a placewhere great minds come together in search of mental and moral development. Over theyears I have seen some excellent Think Ins and have been shocked by how eager

people are to speak, and yet how few people actually turn up. These Think Ins haveincluded topics such as search and rescue in the Thredbo Disaster, Safety Issues andmany others. However, they can also be extended from interest talks to talks on currentevents. Why not ask a member of a particular community to come and speak on their nations civil war. Why not ask a Georgian to come and tell about the exciting job.The possibilities are only limited by the amount of effort put into them. The think Insare an opportunity for college to really experience outside points of view.

Food CommitteeWell, this is no easy job. Firstly you are often placed in the awkward position of being

between the often-warring Admin and Kitchen staff. The end result is that one side or the other will support your ideas, but never both.

However, this is a position where a revolution can occur. There have been times whenvarious meals have or have not been served which have led to an outrage at college.The result has been a flood of complaints. This has led to the kitchen being affronted,and then giving in but they always remember.

The reason why the kitchen is often angry is that people are always more willing to saynegative things on paper about food than good. This is not to say that all the meals aregood (any college person knows this isnt so), but a lot of the time good meals arescarce because people are unwilling to speak up.

The solution is a simple one, that needs a pro-active food manager. The food manager will do no good by simply grizzling about the food. They must keep their ear to theground, and try and gather public opinion. On new meals they should attempt to gain arough idea of support and dis-satisfaction at the meal. If the result is clean cut one wayor the other, then they should note it down and let the Kitchen and College both now ata fortnightly meeting. A quick list of those meals that are loved (ie fish and chips,lasagne, jam donuts) and those that are hated (ie Random Meat, Tacos) will quickly seethe problem remedied. Every meal that disappeared off the college list did so becauseof a voiced complaint, and many new ones disappeared as well because of mutedapproval. Perhaps even encourage this putting pen to paper by offering a chuppa-chup

as a prize to a valid comment pulled out of a hat (note that comments should beappropriate, as the Kitchen Staff have feelings as well).


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The dining hall is a life-line within college, and a great place to hang around withfriends. For this reason these people must be given a reason to hang around.Reinvigorate the cultural feelings in relation to food. Perhaps more them nights(encourage people to dress up), perhaps more constants (like Fish and Chips every

Friday), perhaps a greater input into the menu. Either way you should be able to havean input, and it must be stressed make it a positive input. Vive la revolution.

College Bitch/Bastard It is these positions that have always been traditionally linked to the more social andunofficial events at college. However times are changing, and they are now responsiblefor the event which perhaps boasts the largest attendance and biggest risks of allcollege shows. Up to and including 1996 it was only around 50 people total who wouldmake the trip around the various alcoholic establishments in the local region. However,since 1996 the average figure would have been up to about 120 people. Added to thiswas the introduction of shirts in the 1997 BNO, and followed up by the GNO alsomaking their own shirts from 1998.

The end result is chaos. Now the Bitch and Bastard have to; Organise several large buses Try and arrange meeting points Promote the idea of cheaper drinks with various bars Play down the problems from the year before Sell the idea to the college admin (this has only recently become a sanctioned event,

and was sanctioned so a close eye could be kept upon it, and responsibility wasenforced).

Design and organise the making and selling- of T-Shirts. Create a budget which aims for ZERO profit (all profit should be spent on beer, that

is the meaning of the evening). Create an atmosphere where people continue to get genuinely excited about the

evening.The end result is not a trial-free evening. There are also additional tasks, and horribleas it sounds there must be sober people about, or else bad things can happen. Legal

bad things (sober people can be encouraged with the promise of cheaper tickets).

However, all this is complicated by the simple fact that the organisers are not justcoordinating dozens of people. They are coordinating dozens of VERY drunk people.

Not an ideal situation, but one that can be overcome by clearly setting out an eveningitinerary and employing other loud people to help you yell out instructions (my heartgoes out to the previous bastards/bitches who all seem to lose their voices).

It is not only a fun night, but at the end when you are getting down at Hip-E or elsewhere, you will look back on the evening with a mixture of pride and joy (safe in theknowledge that you have dirt on dozens of people).

The Bitch and Bastard also have to organise various prizes at the Quiz Night and theend of year JCR (again be weary of bullying). My only suggestion is that they do it

their own way. Have fun. The position carries some responsibility (and that should beobeyed), but it also a great opportunity to really have a ball.


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A further note. If you want Piscatorial back, then it is the Bitch and Bastard who mustlead the charge. They should definitely enlist the help of the Exec, but if they have theability to walk into the office early in the year, and set out an effective and wellorganised plan for a smoothly run and, overall, safe event then it is much more likely

to get the tick of approval than you would if you simply ask the Exec to regurgitate previous requesting letters.

Have fun, and realise that the ball is in your court, and you have numerous options withwhich to hit it. (Also note that you also have the chance for greater involvement inhelping other shows. You are a college celebrity of sorts use it).

Extra EventsI have long wondered what could be done at college to encourage a little bit moreinteraction, and I feel that one answer suggests itself. Get the JCR up and going again.It shouldnt be simply a hang-out for those banned from drinking elsewhere, but should

be a place where there is common interaction.

Therefore, it is suggested that regular events be scheduled for the JCR. Suggestedevents include; Mini pool tournaments, and maybe a larger tournament once a year for a trophy. Debates. A Sunday night debate on a comical topic could very well bring in a few

people, and would give the debators a chance to have a bit of a laugh. These could be in the format of tutors vs freshers vs Exec vs Boys vs Girls. There are numerousoptions. It also should be noted that there is also the possibility that some debatescould even be of a serious nature (ie. Death Penalty) as we are the future thinkers

of Australia. Theatre Sports. Great fun, and can involve a wide amount of people in the actualactivity.

Sports events. Why not bring the TV in for some events, and encourage a larger crowd.

If these are held at a regular time and space out fortnightly (say on a Sunday night) thenI think people would come down and have a bit of fun (but they should be limited to anhour or so, as people will have work commitments in all likelihood).

Overall I think this has the chance to fill up the college calender a bit with things that

are compulsory or costly, or even long. It gives people a chance to have a bit of fun,and also relax or take a break. It also is an opportunity to, along with some social sport,organise some inter-area rivalry. Traditionally Warden A, Outer G, and Hall B have

been competitors. Why not further these rivalries (to include some of the Girls areasie. Warden B vs Outer A or B), and give them a forum to be played out in?

The beauty of these events is that they can be easily prepared (generally at no cost), andare also easily delegated to particular people. These are not hard to organise, and quiteoften will have a good flow on effect as people will offer to help organise the next one.They also can involve a lot of people in the actual events themselves, and cut down on

people simply watching from the side.


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Finance

The College Club finances have been a recent problem for the college, and I believe that this is not due to a lack of dedication by the treasurer, but a difficulty of

procedure.

The basic treasury procedure itself (cheques etc.) is flexible and can be easilyaccommodated from treasurer to treasurer. But there is one golden rule that absolutelyhas to be obeyed: Do Not Use Petty Cash. Pay for everything by cheque. It creates asimple and easy to follow paper trail, that not only is easily audited but wont leave

people claiming things that they should have got, or already have received.

A second concern is the Budgetary amendment that must be handed in, according to theconstitution, at the end of the year. In my year this was cleaned up a little, but I am notcertain that the amendment has been followed correctly every year. This is badmanagement (not through bad people but bad procedure), and needs to be remedied. Isuggest that the college treasurer get together with the council and Georgian treasurer as they will be able to look into it (and the Dragon treasurer may well have experiencein the process anyway). This stops even the possibility of a constitutional finance

problem (note that this has happened to colleges before and is not pretty), and alsosimplifies what can be a rather harrowing task.

Thirdly the treasurer must keep everything up to date. There should be an audit eachsemester as much to tell the treasurer how he or she is going as to see if everything isgoing to plan. This system often provides feedback from the auditors, and can be idealfor letting the treasurer know where he/she should be concentrating their time. It isessential that the treasurer does not let things get on top of them, as they can begenerally fixed with 10 minutes work each day, but take HOURS and DAYS if left tillthe end of each semester (taking away from the ability to concentrate on exams etc.).

Fourthly, the treasurer should have an assistant, and together they should be able tohunt people down (possibly even making the assistant a signatory, but only if thesituation is fitting the more signatories the more potential problems). The assistantshould help with budgetary advice, and organising various finances (and possibly sit inon things the treasurer is unable to attend). Between them they should be able toconstantly keep in touch with all managers and make sure that things are going well.

The end result being informed reporting back to a AGM or OGM on the results of awell organised manager, and a well funded and smooth function.

Fifthly, there should be a financial meeting for all managers at the start of the year sothat they can all be walked through the budget process and treasurers expectations (alsotheir Dragon obligations). This will get things out early, and mean a lot less timeexplaining things later on also handy to hand out a basic budget template (we had onein 1998 and it worked a treat).

Sixthly, be pessimistic. When requiring a budget ask for a worst case scenario. If youcan budget for that, then the reality is always a pleasant surprise, however if you budget

for a show and lose out massively, then it can throw the whole year out of whack.


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These suggestions all, hopefully, point towards the running of a more effective andorganised treasury within the college. But there are other structural problems.

The Club has gone from a steady profit during the years to scraping even (often at theexpense of financially supporting shows). This may sounds stupid, but the reason is

that the clubs membership fees are falling behind. The fees currently sit at a very lowlevel and in reality should almost be increased by another 30-50%. The reasoning issimple. It is much easier for a student to pay a slightly larger sum up front at the startof the year, than to pay extra throughout the year. It is also easier on the mind. If ashows entrance is subsidised by higher entrance fees, then it is no surprise thatturnouts could be significantly increased. For example $10 could be taken off ClubMember tickets to the ball, cocktail party, or even free JCR shows with a charge onalcohol only a legal requirement under the Western Accord.

The benefits do come at a cost. What about those who dont go to all the shows?Again it could act as a further encouragement to go, and the college club could evenwork on a system where people who are unable to attend one show can take the subsidyonto another (messy, but quite possibly worthwhile). There will be criticisms of thissystem, and they should be listened to but I see it as a growing necessity (especially

post-GST). A further potential criticism is that it is simply so the College Club cansave money to put in the trust fund to provide for future years (not necessarily a terriblething). However, I dont think that the club should bank $10000 at the end of the year,

but if banks a couple of thousand then there is very little harm and lots of benefits(like a slowing down in further rises in membership fees).

The only real concern that I see is that a new treasurer will see this extra money and gettoo excited. To avoid this would require the treasurer implementing the changes to

provide a tight budget, which shouldnt be broken, and offer suggestions as to whysome shows can spend more, and why others shouldnt need to (ie. fixed costs, or already successful and well attended). A tight and well explained budget should haltexcess excess.


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Awards

If there is one change that can be quickly changed and implemented it is this.Dont let the Exec members be eligible for any award other than the Sports Cup.

Simply put, the awards are given for contribution to college life, and while I think thatthe Exec are amongst the most involved in college life I think they should be excludedfrom the awards. I do not want to belittle the work done by the Exec. Indeed, quite theopposite. I believe that the Exec put in massive amounts throughout the year and thereshould be a proper tribute paid to them (perhaps at the last JCR courtesy of theCommittee). I do not see the Exec benefiting from the constant stream of prizes thatcome their way on the last formal dinner. Ultimately I also see this as damaging theawards themselves.

My reasons are as follows: The Exec put their hands up and asked to be selected. They are offered all the

benefits of the position. The awards should go to those who go above and beyondthe call. Year in and year out different Execs do not really waver in the effort they

put in, so last years put in as much as this years, and next years. The awardshould go to those who put a particular and unique effort in, be it as a manager, agreat member of college, or someone who has been a voice in the college. TheExec are hardworking, but they asked to be selected for the job and receivenumerous benefits let others take a share in the glory. The Exec are constantly inthe limelight, let someone else who hasnt had as much recognition for their achievements receive the acclaim.

It has become a done deal who will win awards. The Senior Student and another

Exec member will always win two of the awards, possibly three. This is a terriblesystem. It should not be a done deal, as this takes away from the very awardsthemselves. What joy is there in winning the Georgian Prize when its a awarded.

The Exec play an instrumental role in the selection along with the committee. Thismeans that the Exec often have to leave the room as they get nominated and otherstalk about who should be the final pick. This also is a bad system. The Exec arethe constant in the college calender. It is they who see everything across the year,and therefore they often have the best views to express in the choice. You takethem out of the process and it instantly becomes less informed.

I have a concern with any group that nominates itself for an award. This seems like backslapping (even if it ISNT), and can often lead to a sense of disgruntlement

amongst those outside the group. It creates awkward moments, and can overall notlead to the best people being selected.

The Committee should be allowed to be nominated, because even though they playa role and had a hand in asking for their position they still often contribute aboveand beyond. They are NOT a given for any awards, and they often are also veryinvolved in college life in a highly positive manner (I am not saying that the Execarent, but that a committee member can take on more work than previouslyexpected).

Everyone should be eligible for the sporting prize (except perhaps the sports reps)and the sports reps should have the deciding choice. They are the best informed(this perhaps being a reason for their exclusion if they are great reps and do reallywell in the sport, then nominate them for another award. Its not that hard to do.


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This may seem like Exec bashing, but having sat in Award meetings I really feltthat the whole exercise was pointless and verged on cronyism at times (a harshword, but literally applies). Overall they arent that big a deal but the awards Iremember are those that went to the people who really deserved them (Boonie in1998 being a classic example).

Please take this advice on board. I realise that it seems difficult for an exec to give upits own awards for the year, but its not about you. I also believe that every exec willsee the wisdom in this proposal. Spread the wealth. Ultimately it may not seem likethat big A deal, but the college needs to embrace a Culture of Congratulations. Thereshould be ample support and thanks for those who did a great job, and the Exec will gettheir thanks from the various speeches on the night.

The Exec should also realise that all the students are thankful. They should realise thatthey did do a good job, and they should realise that they are people who contributed tothe betterment of not only college, but also to many of the lives within the college. TheExec should also realise that by giving someone else the awards they give them asimilar sense of achievement, and will encourage them to keep working at it (especially

beneficial considering they are much more likely to remain at college than former execmembers). This requires a selfless act by the Exec, and ultimately will be much morerewarding than the prize itself.

ConclusionThe above comments that have been written within this document are not the be

all and end all of college life. The system within college is a fluid and constantlychanging one and for this reason there will be many concepts and suggestions

mentioned in here that become obsolete within several years.However, I believe that the general tone of the document will carry on. College isabout the people, and it is about encouraging further involvement by every member.The College will also struggle to function if there are divisions between the major groupings (Club, Admin and Tutors) or between the tiers and year groups of theCollege Club.

It is for this reason that many of the suggestions in here are based around the premise of the right person for the right job, and that if a good job is done then congratulations arein order. There is no sense in expecting people to work hard, for no real recognition at

the end. Every manager and committee member must be gi

Documents

St Georges College Club Manifesto