Joint pledge on the Cost of Living crisis: JCRs & Durham SU

Friday 14-10-2022 - 14:51

No student left behind this winter: Durham SU’s and JCR Presidents’ joint pledges on the Cost of Living Crisis

As the combined student representative bodies of Durham University and its colleges, we recognise our duty to advocate for our members in the face of the current cost of living crisis. As inflation soars, student financial support has barely increased. Students now will be exposed to extortionate utilities prices, increasingly expensive food and essentials, and a predatory private rental sector that provides poor quality housing. Students are an integral part of the local Durham community, which, like many places, has already been enduring a cost of living crisis for many years.

A large part of our work in this area must naturally be in lobbying and advocacy on behalf of students. However, as organisations also responsible for running facilities and spaces, and providing events and services, we also know that there are proactive measures we can take ourselves to make sure that, as institutions, we remain accessible to all students as costs begin to bite this winter.

That’s why Durham SU and the Junior Common Rooms of Durham University pledge, together, the following:

JCR Events:
•    To organise at least three free social events for students in the following term
•    To ensure that, where events do carry costs, these are not communicated as essential expenditure for students
•    To, where possible, introduce a system of staggered payment for those events that carry costs
Durham SU’s and JCRs’ Student Spaces:
•    To optimise our student common spaces for use during the winter, by making them more accessible and comfortable for students, and increasing their capacity and opening hours
•    To ensure the provision of free hot drinks for students in student common spaces on an all-day basis
•    To ensure the provision of free facilities for the heating of food in student common spaces, including microwaves and toasters where practical

Durham SU’s Information and Advice:
•    To provide information and advice on the cost of living to all students, including through arranging workshops in order to spread practical advice
•    To centrally signpost students to all available financial support
•    To raise awareness among students of available cost-saving resources
•    To ensure that all advice and information provided acknowledges that responsibility lies with providers of financial support (including the University, student finance companies and the government), and does not place the onus on students cutting back on essentials
Together we believe that, no matter the cost of living crisis, no student at Durham should go cold or hungry this winter. With the above pledges, we hope to take some action towards ensuring this. We further pledge to work with Durham University, its colleges, the local authority and all relevant stakeholders to maximise the support available to students, while remaining critical partners in defending our members’ interests.

Signed:

•    Joe McGarry, President, Durham SU

•    Laura Curran, Welfare & Liberation Officer, Durham SU

•    Jack Ballingham, Opportunities Officer, Durham SU

•    Joshua Freestone, Undergraduate Academic Officer, Durham SU

•    Aditya Lathar, Postgraduate Academic Officer, Durham SU

•    Charles Lawrence, President, Stephenson College JCR

•    Joe Eaton, President, St. Aidan’s College JCR

•    Kirstin McCann, President, St. Cuthbert’s Society JCR

•    Ciaran Duggan, President, St. Hild and St. Bede College SRC

•    Thomas Jackson, President, St. John’s College SJCR

•    Eddie Jones, President, Collingwood College JCR     

•    Henry Bashford, President, Van Mildert College JCR

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