What is the JCR?
The Junior Common Room (or JCR) is the undergraduate student body of Mildert. It is the heart of the College community. From the moment you arrive at Mildert and are greeted by one of our cheery freps in yellow you are part of the JCR family.
Through the JCR, students organise sports clubs, societies, events, charity work and much more. The JCR also provides many services and facilities to its members.
Our sports clubs offer a great opportunities for novices and champions alike. We have around 25 sports clubs, with multiple teams at different levels. We have 23 societies to choose from, with new ideas every year. There's a society for everyone – or if not, we'll help you make one.
The JCR gives a chance for all members to play a significant role in College and make a difference. Want to have a say in how things are done? Want to help out? Want to have fun and gain experience in the process? Run for election, interview for a position, apply to join a committee. There's plenty to do, from Shop Committee to Ball Committee we are run by our members.
We hope that our members leave Durham not just with a degree but with great memories and useful experience.
The JCR Levy
The levy is your membership to the JCR. It is a one off payment of £185 which covers the length of your entire undergraduate degree at Van Mildert.
You must buy the levy if you want to participate in any of the amazing sports and societies we have on offer, of which there are over 50! Along with this, you also get access to discounts on your events tickets, alumni schemes, employment opportunities and positions on multiple volunteer projects and committees. These are great CV building roles in areas such as management, finance, policy, governance, welfare, strategy and charitable law. Getting involved in the JCR is a unique opportunity that you do not get at any other university... a sure fire way to stand out in internship and grad scheme interviews.
The JCR has over 100+ active volunteers who help ensure that all events and committees run smoothly and are providing the best opportunities for you as members! Without these volunteers the JCR would not exist, so why not get involved this year?
In extenuating circumstances, it is possible for a new member to pay their JCR Levy in three equal instalments - for more information about this, please contact the treasurer. You can view information about the financial support that the University, College and the JCR provide here.
Our Charity
Van Mildert College Junior Common Room (the JCR) is a charitable incorporated organisation (CIO) registered in England and Wales, charity number 1190990. The JCR is also a students' union of Van Mildert College as defined by the Education Act 1994.
The CIO constitution and our Standing Orders can be found here.
Van Mildert College Junior Common Room is an independent Students' Union working to support and enrich the experience of students of Van Mildert College, Durham University. We carry out our mission in three key ways: representation, experience, and development. We achieve our goals through five methods of operation:
Events
The JCR hosts a wide array of events across the academic year, ranging from panel discussions on current affairs to Balls. These are all organised by students, for students.
Welfare & Student Support
Our welfare service, known as Talk and Support, is a key piece of the student support infrastructure for Mildertians, be it for a casual reassuring chat or signposting to professionals.
Sports & Societies
With over 40 sports, societies and committees, Van Mildert JCR is at the heart of students' extracurricular life. These are all supported by and operate under the JCR.
Professional Development
Continuing Durham's excellent reputation for work ready graduates, the JCR has 100s of opportunities for students to step up into leadership positions and build their professional competence.
Outreach Projects
The JCR has 6 outreach projects, all delivering social benefit to the local community whilst simultaneously giving our members valuable life experience, and the chance to make a real world impact in County Durham.
The JCR Handbook
The JCR Handbook provides an introduction to what goes on behind the scenes at the JCR, that many students might be unaware of. This includes an introduction to the JCR’s purpose and the governing documents that guide us, alongside the structure of the JCR, from the trustees to ordinary committee members. The handbook also provides a guide on how to set up a sport or society, and how to apply for a role.
If you still have questions, or want to find out more about the JCR, and how it works, the President and the Chair are great people to contact. You can email them at president@mildert.co.uk and chair@mildert.co.uk respectively.
What is the JCR not?
This is sometimes a cause of confusion for new students. The JCR is central to the College community and works very closely with College, but the JCR is not College. In February 2019, the JCR voted to become a Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO). This means, the JCR operates as a charity, independently from but in conjunction with the college to provide the wider student experience here at Mildert.
Matters such as college food, accommodation, buildings and grounds; fees and finance; discipline; and academic progression are down to College/the University. The JCR will support and represent students with these matters but we cannot change the food, replace your light bulb or buy your block a new oven!
For more about the College and what they do, you can view this page.
Other Common Rooms
The JCR is one of three common rooms at Mildert along with the MCR (for postgraduates, many of whom are also JCR members) and the SCR (for the MCR, University staff, and supporters from the local community).
The JCR also works with other JCRs across Durham to support each other and ensure that student voices are heard.