Hello and welcome to the Queen's Access podcast. It's so lovely to have you here.
And I hope you find this a useful resource in learning more about life at Oxford.
But more specifically, about life at the Queen's College.
My guest this week, Isobel Gibbons, who's just finished her second year studying history and who is the outgoing JCR vice president.
We'll have a chat about how the JCR works and generally what opportunities
are available if you're interested in getting involved in student leadership. My apologies for any poor audio.
These interviews have all been conducted over Zoome, and the Internet connexion isn't always completely reliable.
For a transcript of this episode, please visit the Queen's website. I hope you enjoy.
Hi, Isabel. How are you? I'm great, thanks. How have you been? Yeah, I've been good.
Thank you. Thank you so much for agreeing to record. This is really helpful. And I know you'll be a really interesting guy.
Oh, thank you. I hope so. OK. So to get us started.
You tell me a little bit about your plans, Danny. So how did you end up at college?
So my Queen's journey is probably a bit more of a roundabout journey than a lot of people.
I think it's probably best to start from GCSE. So in 2016, after work myself, quite frankly,
to the grave that I came out with 70000 free A's and I got quite a few top of your maths points in several subjects.
These grades were way above the average from a state school in Merseyside. So I chose to stay on at six one.
The fault, the familiarity of teachers will be the right thing to do for me.
By US results day, I need a hefty was one hundred percent while wants to do.
And while Sprouse browsing unis outside Leeds was why I wanted to study along with two Insurance's and Bargewell.
Oh no, you got to pick up to five places and let you study medicine.
So whilst I was browsing I saw that the free A's at Oxford was a possibility for me to achieve.
Unflashy though I remember I told school I wanted to apply. To say they are concerned is probably an understatement.
I got asked if I knew how elitist and difficult it is to get in to get an interview, let alone get in.
And then once I was there, I possibly feel quite isolated and struggle. But to me, it was worth a shot.
It was like, I know I'd like to go to Leeds. I have this cesspit on my you cross application.
Why not give it a go? So, I mean, my job went down to Oxford and did like a whistle stop tour, nearly every single college.
I mean, you're someone access library, the type of state school percentages and obviously the quality of the freebies,
the first face up instead screens because when you walk straight out of exam school is right.
So we went m and we fell in love with the architecture and the libraries and decided.
Right, you know what, I kind of like to study here. I didn't let my heart fully invest in it because I knew it be quite difficult.
So I revise and I mean Ryba for the entrance exam and it turns out I got one the
highest marks in that year and I was invited to interview rather unexpectedly.
However, I was reallocated to Mansfield College for interview.
And what happens at interview is often note move people about before interviews happen to balance fields.
Subtle include like. What school you got in your intrinsics on why you are just to make sure isn't even spread about weapons?
So I was reallocated to Mansfield, knew nothing about the place.
But for me, it was a win win. I was worried about state school representation in Mansfield on the Heights.
And I got there and actually looked at the interview was difficult, of course.
But come January, I was offered a place and I was absolutely shell shocked.
Fast forward to August twenty eighteen, however, and I did gut feeling that my second biology exam and let me down and did I came out of an eyesore,
a bay and the free market I dropped in biology meant that Mansfield College rejected me.
And what many people are quite unaware of is that I have a policy of clemency selected by a tutor at Queen's.
You didn't care about the being biology, but rather sort of potential. I had my overgraze and the application process.
I was awarded a place at Queen's College and became the first student at my school to stay on at six well and go to Oxford for a considerable period.
You could say my Queen's journey went full circle.
Fast forward to start a third year and I've loved every minute Queen's from being vice president of the JCR,
playing football and in the Queen's Shezi to the privilege of getting to read and talk about the subject.
I look, we can make all of the best institution in the world as a first gen state.
So students who miss that author was given limited encouragement to apply.
I defied the odds and tackled Oxford. All I can say is I'm not ready for this journey to end.
And if you want to see if Ox is right for you, like, Hi, Dad. All I can say is park yourself to the hills.
So, yeah, that's my Queen's journey was a bit full circle, but I got there in the end and I don't really want to leave.
Well, that's amazing. And I think it's so important to talk about people who've had completely different routes because.
Yeah, man, Saren talked about open offers, like people talking about getting like pooled interviews and things like that.
And I just think that sometimes people can see the process as being very linear.
And in that, I applied to Queens, got into your queens, into only at Queens, then got an offer and then go in on results day.
I'm in the minority in my queens. Danny was that Línea?
I think that's important to kind of point out is that people have loads of different routes in and all that kind of thing.
And I think. Yeah, that's fantastic. Thank you so much for sharing that. So in general, what does all week look like at Oxford for you?
Oh, well, everyone jokes. A host of students are infamous for having nothing on.
In part, this is true. All degree is fairly unstructured and driven by personal study.
Pastry is a degree of discipline. And yeah, I basically don't do a lot in my week now at finals.
I typically have two lectures a week, free tutorials every two weeks and possibly a class depending on the paper I'm currently undertaking.
So all in all, that probably averages about five hours a week.
But that could also mean I'm writing free essays every two weeks and preparing source material for a class discussion.
So I was do quickly idle. So my typical week will have football games.
I go to yoga on a Monday, might go to the pool bowl. Bucella at college.
I go to walks and talks and that's scheduled alongside any admin roles I might have.
So when I was vice president, I'd always do on a Sunday all the admin.
So it was quite nice for a routine.
All in all, my days probably start about half, eight, nine o'clock and I stopped studying about half, five, six o'clock.
Of course, that's what a lot of breaks into college for lunch because it's got such a great atmosphere.
You could say it's a healthy life balance of work and play. We have to be disciplined.
I think that's one of the major things about being a history student is the lack of contact means you need to make sure you create a rigid, not rigid.
I'd say a nice timetable for yourself, which is quite is quite enjoyable.
I like structuring my day. Yeah. Yeah, definitely. I agree.
I think I've always looked to historians kind of with some level of amazement because
I'm somebody who needs it hasn't stopped her and asked me whether I should agree.
You find that with the like twenty five plus contact hours a week sometimes.
But yeah, I think, I think that's, that's really good. And having a lot of self discipline I imagine is, is so important for that kind of thing.
So yeah. So we've talked a little bit about Izabel personally,
but now I want to get onto the main topic of this episode, which is to do with student leadership.
So I think a key thing to clear up is something that a lot of people find very confusing before they start hogshead, myself included.
What is a JCR? What does it actually mean? Okay, this is a really good question.
As a JCR, as both a body of people on a physical place.
So Jenckes Elston's for junior common room and just describe as describes the body of undergraduates at college as well as their physical space.
So our college, we have three types of quantum rooms. We have junior, middle and senior.
And each of these have a physical space in the building to cold eyes.
So as, for example, has a kitchen, a coffee machine, some sofas and beanbags, a Italian PlayStation, all supplies, Christmas decorations.
And I'm rather randomly we have a bull's head mounted on the wall.
But it's a physical space for undergraduate pairs, college to meet and attend meetings and to chill out.
And so I would say, if you're confused about what JCR is,
it's both the undergraduate pairs you will have within your college, also the place where you will meet them.
Yeah, that's such a fantastic description. Thank you. And so, again, something that I find very confusing.
Or I definitely did before I started. Is how is the JCR Queens different from the Oxford Student Union?
And what kind of power does the DCR have like within college?
I'm with many of us as a whole. So in all honesty, this confused me and sometimes still does until I became vice president.
And you rarely understand the workings of Adjaye solving college itself.
Also how that relates to the student union.
And the best way to imagine it is each college has their own JCR, which deals with their individual student body,
yet also has representation in the wider student body, which is the issue the ASH used to extend its student body at the university.
So encompasses undergraduates and postgraduates, etc., whereas a J-Star is solely the college's undergraduates.
The JCR, like all students, when the university does have voting power at the ACM.
But most things, all the A's between the president of the JCR and each college's SMU.
Jay, sailboat's on college white issues. Whereas yes, you will vote on university wide issues in terms of powers.
The best way to see it is an issue in JCR. More like pressure groups and mouthpieces for student concerns within college or university.
So, for example, on the college level, this might include rent negotiations and the power to change.
So it depends on the flexibility of a college. So, yeah, that's sort of about the difference of a JCR to student unions or the powers we have.
Yeah, yeah. That's perfect. Thank you. And I think that probably cleared up any misunderstandings.
I still have. So yeah, I really I really appreciate that.
A key point to talk about as well, which I was going to point out now, is that the Oxford Union and the Oxford Student Union are not the same thing.
And it can be quite confusing when you go in and fresher's week. So the Oxford Union is an independent society.
You can pay to be a part of it. It has its own library.
I have run some events for members and primarily it's used as a place of debating society and a speaking society.
So they have a lot of different speakers come in.
So when you see pictures of people like Theresa May, Stephen Fry speaking, usually that's taking place within the Oxford Union.
But the oxygen is something you have to pay for and it's something you can choose to do.
And France's record choose not to do. Is the student union. Is what?
Well, you actually have power as students. I'm not. That is related to the JCR and to all student all students in this dead body.
So, yeah, that's probably quite a good thing to declare.
Yeah. So good point. Done. Yeah. Yeah. So yeah.
So it's about as you mentioned, you've been the JCR vice president, so you have been to your fair, fair share of JCR meetings.
So what happens in a standard JCR meeting. So.
Yeah. J7 meetings can be quite variable, to be honest.
The average eight hour meeting starts at pizza iodised, one constant, depending on how many slices you got, depends on how many people are there.
But the Queen's always sort of meetings with pizza for each meeting is different from the issues we discuss to the outcomes in general.
Students submit motions. I request an action raising questions, asking for money from our monthly budget to contribute to activities.
All these motions are then debated and we cross reference them with the Constitution. But that too can be edited.
And then as a whole we vote on the motions put forward at Queen's.
The recurring theme of our meetings is voting to request a copy of FIFA or an item for the day.
So I'll cover a lot of things like to go walk. Likewise, we discuss food options in hall a lot and vote on plays.
But likewise we discuss really serious issues like discussing the colleges efforts in divestment and representation and holding people accountable,
which is really good that we can discuss diverse matters.
And it's a great way for the student body to come together once a fortnight and either discuss things amongst themselves,
but also plan action to change what colleges like and hopefully enact long term change.
So an agenda is headed by the JCR chair and the meeting is decided by the vice president,
who takes minutes as well as raising any constitutional concerns with the president and likewise the Treasurer.
Is that, too, to provide a rollergirl day on our budget, providing all round informed and engaging debate?
Yes, that's sort of what happens at Adjaye. So I'm meeting. They can be. Anywhere between half an hour to 40, up into a two hour meeting once.
Wow. Yeah, that was that was interesting. Yeah, there are great opportunities to see the diverse concerns and types of students we have at college.
Yeah, definitely, I think I've been to Jaisalmer meetings when things have been raised that I kind of haven't even thought about before.
And what's nice as well is that one of the jobs of the vice president is to send out an agenda.
And it's the chap that sends out the agenda for the meeting.
So you can have a look at what motions are going to be raised before you actually go into the meeting slacken.
Helpful to kind of think upon what you like, what you believe about these issues.
And then it's quite nice to be able to go and either debate or listen to other people's opinions.
And so the good thing about that as well is we because we produce minutes, we have, of course, students from the U.S. abroad, too,
after a meeting and the vice president will email out the minutes so students who cannot
attend the meeting are still up to date with everything going on in that community,
which is really important that we make sure we stay all together, even despite students being dotted across the world.
Also now he is out. Yeah. Yeah. And that's I and I've actually never thought about that before because I I've always
used the minutes as a way of kind of refreshing what happened when the meeting began.
A hundred percentage when you're abroad, you still want to know what's what's going on in college.
Okay. So one of your roles as vice president was to run the elections process.
So how does this work? So the elections process is a it seems daunting at first because it's standing up in front of loads of people.
You might not know that well in your first year. And so you're very exposed, oversaw two elections processes.
It's wonderful online platform that you use for voting,
which I always forget how to plug in the results for the elections versus actually quite interesting itself.
So each time different roles come up for re-election and these roles are part of the J-Star.
Exactly. So these are the people who helped him Freshers Week who do different things for each time,
such as organising photographs, ordering stash, helping with health care events, etc.
So this election or every election is run by the returning officer.
And at Queen's the vice president is the returning officer.
So once all your positions for election have been set, received applications and we have support and seconders,
applicants are given the chance to produce a manifesto which the returning officer circulates the JCR.
And at Queen's, we place quite a big importance on monitoring applicants activities to make sure there's a fair chance for anyone.
And also that anyone has concerns about an applicant behaviour, etc can come forward anonymously and raises consents to returning officer.
So we take that stuff quite seriously. And this is one of the ways we hold people accountable in positions of electoral authority here at Queen's.
There's also the option for people to be wrong's for elections to be reopened.
Thankfully, I've now got to deal with one of those. Yeah, it won't happen soon.
But yeah, the main event, an election, is hosted tonight in the JCR.
And this is I've really well attended at the president's house or not very well attended depending what people go on.
Well, hey, each applicant has to give a short speech on why they're applying for a role, what they bring to position and what they do differently.
So it's sort of selling themself, but elaborating a bit more on that manifesto that we allow them to circulate.
And this gives the J-Star a great chance to say, I've got to know the applicants on top of a manifesto.
And it creates quite an enjoyable atmosphere because we have quite a variety of views in attendance and very good questions come out of it,
along with some very silly ones. But the applicant then faced questions from an audience and it helps inform all voters on
who they want to represent them and who they want to carry out all these responsibilities.
So voting then commits comments on an online platform. Once the vice president worked out how to use the 24 hours, the results to circulators.
And yeah, that's basically an election.
I say the major thing about Adjaye solve election in comparison to maybe an EU election or a societys election.
Is that because the JCR well, especially Queensrÿche, JCR is so close.
Next, we have fairly small groups. I say people is more about people getting to know each other.
And yes, it's a very like family environment.
I say, yeah, I would say because I have thankfully when I ran for classes and I read rap, I was uncontested.
So my Hustlas had slightly less riding on it than some other people's.
But yeah, I would definitely say when I've when I've been to watch Haasts,
where multiple people have been going forward for a role, even then, there's still not a super competitive environment.
Everyone's very supportive of each other and people are very respectful, I think.
And, you know, everyone's always very like, congratulations, Ray. And I think it's it's a nicer environment.
I found it significantly less stressful than going for head girl in school.
Yes, completely. So I think that's probably and I think that includes like the presidential elections,
that everything like it's it's nowhere near as stressful was running for positions in school, I'd say.
Oh, yeah. I think. Also, the job of the vice president is sort of make everyone feel a bit at ease.
Like I always email the outlook going. If you want to meet beforehand and go free speech, don't worry.
It's not a place where people are trying to catch each other out. We are genuinely thankful for anyone who's going to order an off food for JCR t.
Yeah. Yeah, definitely. OK.
So if somebody is interested in being a member of the DCR exact, obviously they've got to go through the horse process.
What kind of roles are available to them?
So we have a variety of roles from the day to our exact group, sent in different groups and concerns as they're actually well over 20 positions.
I'm just gonna give a brief overview because a lot of these people you'll either meet on open days or you'll hear about them on our website.
And of course, I'll be organising Freshers Week.
So notably, we have the equality scene, which specifically works of LGBTQ plus international BME, those who identify as women,
disabled or students of low socio economic backgrounds to help ensure they feel represented within college and to address any concerns that arise.
I feel like this is just a really, really important group of people that we have on the exact.
And they also got it. They have their hours of many team owners with inequality's rep attached to them of a team.
I mean, our positions include we have the president, the vice president, treasurer, welfare reps,
social sex and sports and stasch, rap arts, food webmasters, charities yourself, which is a.
We then have academic and careers rap, a webmaster, chat environment and ethics on an issue.
And these individuals deal with anything from organised, not Hamley and the time events, which are almost like parties and fortnightly college.
Bopp's ordering Stasch, which is anything that has Queens reign over at the Y.
And then organising feedback sessions with our tutors and college welfare bands.
And it's a really great way that they almost bring the community together.
And so the J-Star exact will follow relevant concerns and motions raised if ACL meetings.
So likewise, before when I mentioned that we vote on what foods hall,
the food reps will go away and talk to the catering staff and it's a great way
of just channelling communication that clip together and put on Freshers Week,
helping students move in, find their feet and run some really important workshops.
So this is where we run stuff like sexual consent workshops and balancing your time.
And what's really interesting is the exact will be trained by workshops held at the ICU.
That's why the link between the Asuna JCR is and we Klemen deliver these workshops.
And we also do work behind the scenes to make sure that Queens is the most welcoming place to current future and past members.
These people are elected on a variety of terms, cycles as well. So it could range from one term to Freetown's and the shore a different points.
And this really allows loads of people to try different exact responsibilities no matter what year group they're in.
So we could have a third year. Who's on a four year degree? And they applied to do this in their third year.
They really want to get back into college life. I mean, that's really like a nice way that we framed everything.
So, yeah, that's sort of the different exact roles.
I'd say if you are interested in applying for one or you're a bit confused, just pop the person who has the position,
a message or likewise go to the vice president, because that role is advertising the roles and running the elections.
So they know fairly a lot about what the people go to. Oh, thank you, Isabel.
That was a brilliant light whistle stop tour of the exact thing that was.
That's it. Perfect. So, yeah, something as well. That's especially become relevant recently is that even if you aren't a member of the JCR exam,
you can take part in specific working groups within college.
So we have one to do with Queens is ethnic diversity.
We have one to do with developing the way in which sexual harassment is reported within college.
And there's a variety of different working groups. But you don't have to settle on the exact.
So even if you don't think you'd like an exact position, you still have plenty of power.
And there's plenty of avenues to kind of voice any concerns you might have within college,
either through those working groups or through speaking to the rep who deals with the issues that your your concerned with.
So, yeah, I think the JCR is something that definitely brings everybody together.
And it's not I found it was such a bigger aspect of my college life than I thought it was gonna be before I applied.
Yeah, I think that's what some people think as people forget, but also find different about the Oxford Collegiate experiences.
A lot of my friends you go to over unis, there's a lot more emphasis placed on the Asir because they don't have colleges,
whereas because we have colleges, the JCR has such a heavy focus, you can be as involved as you want.
Well, you don't have to be involved at all. But, you know, it's. Which is a really nice thing.
And I think there's such a variety of roles as well, since I was deputy head girl and SEC, for I had an absolute blast.
But it was a massive time commitment.
So I decided before I went to uni, you know, I'm not going to do my classic thing of assigning myself up to everything.
I was I'm not going to I'm not gonna get involved with student leadership because I think that's gonna put too much on my plate.
But then what I found was actually why I thought of student leadership was people standing up and doing speeches all the time,
constant emails back and forth. And yes, that is some of the roles. But equally, I was super passionate about access.
And with the role of any rap, you can do as much or as little as you want.
And I think that's something that people don't necessarily realise.
You don't have to be some overconfident future prime minister to be involved in student leadership with an
Oxford like you can just you can run a super small sub community that you just play a really active part in.
And I think that's really lovely. Yeah, I think just don't ever be scared to put yourself out there.
So I apply the cycle for vice president was from Trinity term to the end of the following Hillary terms as the end of first year.
Halfway through second year. And I apply because I was like, well, I kind of like doing Ottman exams.
I've done some soci university societies, so I really want to get to know people.
And I applied and like did the Holsten. I was only up against one of a person, but I wasn't not confident.
And the role actually brought me on my show and I field made me more integrate into the Queens community like I remember at the end of second,
halfway through second term, when you have halfway home, which celebrates halfway through your degree,
I run the Halfway Hole Awards and I was there thinking of all these wonderful things that my peers at dawn,
which I know that I wouldn't be in a position to know and put myself out there and taken that leap and signed up to be the vice president.
And yes, some things are tedious, like a lot of emails and stuff that people don't see behind the scenes,
which is really unfortunate because you go on doing all these things, then you realise,
actually, no, I'm not I don't want all the praise for it because I love my job.
And then you do little things like that's not on the job description.
Like people will come to me halfway through the day and go, I can't find the newspaper.
And I go and find all the newspapers for them because it's just people know you care.
So it's a great it's a great way to integrate it, but also a great way.
If you're not too competent, you want to dive headfirst straight into your first term.
Right. A bit like I did until halfway through and go, you know, well, this is something I won't be a part of more.
Yeah, definitely. That's fantastic. OK, so as far as a close, I'll ask you what I what I ask everyone on this.
So what is your favourite thing about college and why?
Oh, I. This is probably the toughest question you ask,
because all the other questions are like role descriptions and stuff that is factual that happens every day.
Yeah, I probably about my first question where I said if you asked me four years ago when I was applying to uni,
I would've said the libraries at Queens because that was what made me want to apply.
Like the library was gorgeous. And it's still one of my favourite places to study because we have great staff.
There are always spotless and stocked with all the materials I need.
And it was the reason I applied to Queens and it features too often on my Instagram.
And you know what? BuzzFeed listed it as one of the top ten libraries you see before you die.
And I see no Leiser for now.
Entering my third and final year. I probably say it's a toss up between Xmas celebrations and JCR t.
I think probably a lot of people said I'm not too sure, but locksmith's for those who you don't know, is like Christmas or Oxford.
In our last week of Michaelmas term, we have like a massive party and a Christmas dinner and and then JCR tea for him at Queen's.
We have like snacks on offer to buy that.
We will sit in the JCR and eat on both of those exhibit, like just a great sense of community and fun, like everyone gets together and it's just nice.
And then again there's food at both events and that's a major contributing factor.
That's why I love it. Yeah. I don't know.
It's a tough one. I'd say it's between those table. I probably change my mind in five minutes.
Is too much to love. Yeah, well, that's that's certainly not something I'm going to complain about.
He wants to live at Cloyd's. We can definitely we can definitely have that as a tagline. Isabelle, thank you so, so much for talking to me.
This has been really, really, really interesting. And I hope you have an absolute fantastic day and.
Yeah. Thank you so much for contributing. Thank you to Kyla. And I will see you soon.
Thank you so much to Isabel for that fantastic conversation. And a massive thank you to all of you who listened.
There are loads more access resources on the Queen's College Web site, a w w w dot queen's dot ox, dot ac dot, UK forward slash access dash outreach.
And you can find out more about the college in general through its Web site,
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