St Hugh’s JCR voted on Sunday to lift their three-week boycott of formal hall for the rest of Michaelmas, after a compromise was reached with the college. The JCR has been protesting the college’s sudden ban on bringing alcohol to formal hall, which college authorities claim was a reaction to poor behaviour by students.
Earlier in the term the college banned the bringing of alcohol to hall, and upped the price of a formal ticket to £10.40, which included two glasses of college wine or fruit punch — a move which angered drinkers and teetotallers alike. The new system, which the JCR has temporarily accepted “in the spirit of compromise”, brings the cost of a ticket back down to £7.25 for a non-wine ticket and to £8.75 for a wine ticket.
The reduction in price has been brokered by the JCR, which will be sourcing cheaper wine to be served at hall, working out at just 75p a glass. Unlike the current system, unlimited additional glasses will be available for diners to purchase at the staff’s discretion.
The changes address many students’ concerns about value for money. One commented, “the agreement that the JCR can buy in its own wine is particularly good to see because that should stop formal becoming exorbitant.”
While the boycott has been lifted and many JCR members will be heading back to hall when the new policy comes fully into force next week, the motion (passed by approximately 40 to 5) has an amendment, meaning that this could only be a temporary reprieve: unless a JCR meeting at the beginning of Hilary term permanently ends the boycott, it will kick back in.
Victor Greenstreet, the St Hugh’s JCR President, told us, “I do not think the compromise system is perfect by any means – in fact the motion makes it explicitly clear that I, as the President, will continue to push for a return to the bring-your-own system we had last year.” The JCR plans to make a submission to a scheduled review at the end of Michaelmas, and as Greenstreet explained, “the main reason for the amendment was to show the college that the JCR is prepared to return to the boycott if our views are not taken seriously.”
Popular opinion at St Hugh’s seems to be that the compromise is better than nothing. St Hugh’s student Joseph Williams said, “I fully support lifting the boycott… While a return to the old system is still our ultimate aim, the new rules are far more favourable.”
It is hoped by many that a display of good behaviour will work in students’ favour. Williams welcomed the opportunity for students to show the college that they “don’t need to be treated like children,” and was hopeful that the end of term review will bring a favourable result.
One St Hugh’s third year told Cherwell, “Although the ideal solution would be a return to bringing our own wine to formal, I think this is a good compromise and a chance for us to show college we can behave responsibly and with respect for college staff.”
Another remarked, “If the college don’t agree to a return to the old system in Hilary I’ll be disappointed, not least because I like rosé with some meals, and I’m not sure the JCR’s getting that in.”
Clemmie Shott, a second year physiologist, argued that progress had been made, saying, “I think that it’s a good thing that they’ve listened and have reacted to the boycott.” She nonetheless stressed her opposition to the ban, saying, “It’s unfair to punish the whole college — if there is bad behaviour, they should just ban the culprits. The whole charm about St Hugh’s is that it’s unpretentious and for them to start acting like this about formal hall goes against the spirit of the college.”
The college declined to comment on the issue, with the Dean, Peter Mitchell, saying, “I have nothing to say to Cherwell on this or any other matter regarding St Hugh’s, now or at any time in the future.”
