Common Room (university)
Encyclopedia
In some universities in the United Kingdom
— particularly collegiate universities
such as Oxford, Cambridge and Durham
— students and the academic body are organised into common rooms. These groups exist to provide representation in the organisation of college or residential hall
life, to operate certain services within these institutions such as laundry or recreation, and to provide opportunities for socialising. Typically, though there are variations based on institutional tradition and needs, the following common rooms will exist in the a college or hall:
In addition to this, each of the above phrases may also refer to an actual room
designated for the use of these groups. At the University of Cambridge
, the term combination room (e.g., "Junior Combination Room") is also used, with the same acronyms. As a generalisation, JCRs are associations of undergraduates and SCRs an association of tutor
s and academics associated with a college. Postgraduates are sometimes given their own MCR, or placed in with either of the other groups. This terminology has, in addition, been taken up in some universities in other English
speaking nations.
and the University of Cambridge
. The terms are now used at ten British universities as well as Trinity College, Dublin
in Ireland
, Harvard College
in the United States of America and at the University of Trinity College
in the University of Toronto
, Canada
. Due to the way that the terms have evolved over time and the idiosyncratic nature of university structure, the use of the three terms varies considerably from institution to institution. The main variations involve terminology, mature students and postgraduate students
.
In addition to this, the terms may be used to refer to the elected groups that run the common rooms. Other names such as "Exec" may exist for these.
cater mostly for first year undergraduate students, though there is a sizable undergraduate and postgraduate community who choose to stay on, either in the capacity as Tutors or as full paying boarders. The term JCR refers to the entire undergraduate population, but more specifically and commonly to the elected body of students who run the JCR for one academic year. Though most Bristol Hall JCRs are made up of first years, it is custom in Clifton Hill House
, Goldney Hall
, Wills Hall
and Manor Hall to elect returning students to the majority of positions, including JCR President.
There is no MCR, but the SCR includes the Warden, the Vice/Deputy Warden, the Tutors and honourable guests at Formal Hall. Hall Bars physically house the JCR, with a separate and publicly inaccessible SCR room reserved elsewhere in Hall.
, many colleges do not have common rooms, but combination rooms. The same abbreviations are used. The JCR represents undergraduates, with postgraduate students being members of the Middle Combination Room. In some colleges, postgraduates are members of both the MCR and JCR: for example, at St John's
, where the MCR is known as the Samuel Butler Room
or at Peterhouse
. Most colleges also have an SCR. At Pembroke College the common rooms are called "parlours", such as the Junior Parlour and Graduate Parlour.
JCRs and MCRs have elected committees to represent their interests within their colleges and in the central students' union. Cambridge University Students' Union
. The committees are almost universally led by a President and a range of other elected positions to cover specific areas or interest or functions (e.g. Secretary, Treasurer, Entertainment). There is a great deal of variety between the colleges in terms of the roles that the JCRs and MCRs undertake, how much influence they have in college affairs and how many functions they provide. Nearly all are responsible for organising Freshers Week and frequent entertainments.
JCR Presidents and External Officers in Cambridge are ex officio council members of the Cambridge University Students' Union
(CUSU). Before CUSU was established, individual JCRs were direct members of the NUS. This meant that Churchill JCR was able to lead the NUS in its campaign for student representation. Unlike most universities, CUSU serves the common rooms and common rooms may choose to disaffiliate. CUSU is funded by the common rooms rather than funding them.
, the majority of the seventeen colleges divide their members into:
In addition, there may be one or more rooms set aside for the use of these bodies referred to as 'the JCR' or 'the MCR' etc. The committee that runs the JCR is called the Executive Committee or "Exec". Membership of the JCR is not obligatory to students.
There are some exceptions to this. The College of St Hild and St Bede
has a "Students Representative Council", which includes both undergraduates and postgraduates at the college, with a special postgraduate committee. Ustinov College
is a postgraduate only college and its student organisation is labeled the Graduate Common Room or GCR. The other college to not have a JCR is Ushaw College
, a Roman Catholic seminary
which operates as a college of the university. St.Aidan's College combines the MCR and SCR into one SCR where by the postgraduates and senior members belong to one Common Room as a whole. Following a referendum in 2011, students of St. John's College
are represented by the "John's Common Room" (JCR) a composite body representing Undergraduates, the MCR (Postgraduates) and the Cranmer Common Room (representing the students of Cranmer Hall) (pre-2011 the body was the Joint Junior Common Rom JJCR).
Although the Durham Students' Union
is independent from the college JCRs, each JCR has a representative to the union.
, a number of residential halls for first year undergraduates retain traditional common room structures. Lopes, Hope and Mardon hall are all home to extensive Common Room set ups, which form a central part of student life there. In such Halls, committees are elected to represent the student body via the Common Room, and it is their job to liaise with the Resident Tutors who reside within the Hall. Although somewhat under threat by mergers of Halls and changes to internal administration, the Common Rooms still play an active and important role within the University, by both providing welfare and recourse to higher authorities for the students, and by organising social events such as balls, formals and more casual activities.
each of the colleges was initially built with one or more "Junior Common Room" social spaces, however over the passage of time a number of the common rooms have been transformed into eateries and more formalised social areas. Each college has a "Student Committee" (formerly "Junior College Committee" and before that, "Junior Common Room Committee") which acts to represent the students of each college to the student's union and organise social events.
The Rooms and Committees have traditionally been open to both undergraduates and postgraduates, with the Senior Common Rooms provided for staff.
Within the Graduate College, the Graduate Students Association (GSA) takes on the role of an "MCR". Lancaster has a Students' Union which co-ordinates activities between the different colleges, and the JCR and GSA executives are considered to be standing committees of the Union Council.
has had an informal Junior Common Room (JCR), as although a committee existed the term was never linked to any particular place, as in the Oxford and Cambridge systems. The committee was responsible for running the various Bars within the Halls of Residence and the social events based around the Halls. Today, however with the committee dissolved the term is now used only to describe the student body of the University. Many of the functions of the JCR how now been taken over by the Residential and Welfare department of the University. In spite of the dissolution of the Junior Common Room, the Senior Common Room (SCR) for the University remains on its main Campus. Membership of the Common Room is open to all full-time members of staff but not postgraduate students, although they may be entertained as guests of members in the bar. The Common Room itself and its activates are governed by a committee of elected academics and fellows.
, the majority of the Halls of Residence predominantly house undergraduates, with a small number of postgraduates living in hall as part of the pastoral and disciplinary system; in this instance, the JCR refers to the undergraduate members of the hall. Postgraduates, along with a Warden, comprise the SCR (Senior Common Room). The Hall Warden is an academic member of staff who usually lives either in a special residence within the hall, or in a nearby house.
JCR activities include organising social events and sports teams that compete in the Athletic Union's
Inter-mural sports competitions. Since most students move out of halls after their first year, it is common for students to retain a sense of affiliation to their hall while living 'off-campus'. Many JCRs include former residents of the hall in their sports teams.
Most of the JCRs at Nottingham are not part of the Students' Union
; however, Cavendish Hall, Nightingale Hall, Raleigh Park and St Peter's Court JCRs are. St Peter's Court is a recently established residence that the Students' Union was involved in establishing the community of from the outset.
Melton Hall houses only postgraduates, and the student organisation there forms the university's only MCR.
, a typical college has a Junior Common Room (JCR) for undergraduates, a Middle Common Room (MCR) for graduates and a Senior Common Room (SCR) for its fellows. JCRs and MCRs have a committee, with a president and so on, that represent their students to college authorities, Oxford University Student Union
(OUSU), etc., in addition to being an actual room for the use of members.
Wadham College is a notable exception: although it maintains an MCR, its entire student population is represented by a combined Students' Union (SU).
The JCR and MCR presidents of all affiliated Oxford Common Rooms, in addition to their OUSU Reps, are automatically voting members of OUSU's governing Council, which meets fortnightly during term to decide on virtually all aspects of OUSU's policy. OUSU Council meetings take place in odd-numbered weeks of the University term. JCR Presidents also get together in even-numbered weeks for meetings of Presidents' Committee (popularly known as Prescom). MCR Presidents also get together up to three times a term for meetings of the MCR Presidents' Committee (popularly known as MCR-PresCom).
Alternative names are sometimes used for college MCRs. Brasenose College
has the "Hulme Common Room" (HCR) and University College
has the "Weir Common Room", named in honour of college alumni. At Christ Church
, St Antony's
and Templeton
the representative bodies for postgraduate students are called "Graduate Common Rooms" or "GCRs". At Linacre College
, a graduate college, students and fellows share a single Common Room, referred to as the "CR."
JCRs are set up in a very similar way to their Oxford counterparts, as the University was founded as University College Reading, as part of Christ Church, Oxford
. The JCRs at Reading are some of the oldest outside Oxbridge with some such as Wantage JCR
founded in 1908, St Patrick's Hall JCR in 1913 and Wessex JCR later in 1915. Today there are thirteen JCRs operating independently of each other, although they do work with the Students' Union. JCRs represent all Students in a particular Hall as well as having a large number of attached members living in houses.
Each year a new committee is elected in each halls.
, each hall of residence has a common room for use by all the resident students. Each year, the residents of the hall elect a committee that is responsible for social events. A portion of the yearly residence fees are earmarked for use by the committee for such events. Each hall also has a warden, assisted by one or more subwardens, who is responsible for discipline in the hall (such as dealing with complaints of excessive noise), and who also acts as an advisor to the committee.
The hall common rooms may contain a television or hall library (some halls have dedicated rooms for these). The committee may also subscribe to newspapers and magazines, or buy books and DVDs, which are made available in the common room.
In addition St Mary's College
has a JCR for the use of undergraduates and an SCR for the use of staff.
The previous principal of St Andrews, Brian Lang
, was criticized and finally rebuked by the university court for requisitioning common rooms in certain halls for private parties, despite complaints by residents about noise and disruption to hall activities. His successor, Louise Richardson
, has indicated that she will not continue this or any similar practice.
exist in each of the different halls of residences; Archers Road, Bencraft, Chamberlain, Connaught Hall, Erasmus Park (At Winchester School Of Art), Glen Eyre
, Highfield halls and Montefiore. The JCRs provide a welfare and support role to new students, and coordinate social and sports activities around the halls. Yearly elections are held in December, with members serving one or two yearly terms. In 2009 JCR's became part of Southampton University Students' Union representative structure and operate under the JCR Executive officer, with a budget of nearly £92,000.
have a JCR and SCR in a similar way to the colleges at the University of Oxford
. The postgraduate-only Wentworth College
is the exception, having no undergraduate members, and thus, no JCR. York does not have any MCRs.
Halifax College
students are represented by a Students' Association, which represents both undergraduate and postgraduate students of the College.
The junior common rooms are run by a "JCRC" (Junior Common Room Committee). Annual elections are held in November with people coming forward to stand for the various positions. Each individual college's JCRC is slightly different in composition, however all are elected by the undergraduate population following a hustings. The successful candidates are then elected for a whole year, bar any extenuating circumstances e.g. a Vote of No Confidence. The JCRC's primary functions are to be representative of the specific needs of their undergraduate populations, and to provide welfare help to students in the form of welfare reps who can offer advice or give contact details of other groups to students through informal drop-in sessions.
With York's collegiate system though, JCRCs are increasingly involved in fostering college spirit through organising the many major social events a college has, such as Christmas and Summer formal Balls.
, the term "Junior Common Room" officially refers to the collection of undergraduates affiliated with one of Harvard's 13 houses. Every undergraduate is assigned to a house in the spring of his or her freshman year and thereafter is a member of that house's Junior Common Room, including students who have chosen to reside off campus.
In everyday usage, however, "Junior Common Room" almost always refers to a large common room in an undergraduate house by the same name, or simply "JCR" for short. JCRs are generally available for undergraduates to study or watch television, and student groups often reserve the space for meetings. This is in contrast to a "Senior Common Room," or SCR, which is for exclusive use of members of the houses' Senior Common Room members, which includes the House Masters, tutors, and other accomplished academics in the community.
has adopted many of the traditions of Oxbridge
, including the wearing of academic gowns and several common rooms, including a Junior Common Room, Divinity Common Room, and Senior Common Room, which are all communities within the college as well as physical rooms. All undergraduate students registered in the college are members of the Junior Common Room, which hosts a variety of lively social activities, as well as serving as a comfortable student lounge with newspapers from around the world. The Divinity Common Room is available to students in Trinity's Faculty of Divinity, the oldest Anglican theological faculty in Canada. The Senior Common Room consists of college fellows with teaching appointments in the University of Toronto, teaching staff in the Faculty of Divinity, senior college administrators, postgraduate students who serve as academic dons, and divinity graduate students with fellowships. Other select members of the wider academic, social, and ecclesiastical community are also included. The SCR hosts a number of social and educational events and weekly high table dinners in Strachan Hall. The physical space is a gracious room overlooking the college quadrangle and is a faculty lounge hosting daily tea and weekly wine receptions.
is split into two common rooms:
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
— particularly collegiate universities
Collegiate university
A collegiate university is a university in which governing authority and functions are divided between a central administration and a number of constituent colleges...
such as Oxford, Cambridge and Durham
Durham University
The University of Durham, commonly known as Durham University, is a university in Durham, England. It was founded by Act of Parliament in 1832 and granted a Royal Charter in 1837...
— students and the academic body are organised into common rooms. These groups exist to provide representation in the organisation of college or residential hall
Halls
Halls is a plural of the word hall.Halls may also refer to:* Halls of residence, a type of student housing or dormitory* Halls , a brand of cough drop* Halls, Tennessee, a town in West Tennessee...
life, to operate certain services within these institutions such as laundry or recreation, and to provide opportunities for socialising. Typically, though there are variations based on institutional tradition and needs, the following common rooms will exist in the a college or hall:
- A Junior Common Room (JCR) - for the undergraduate population
- A Middle Common Room (MCR) - for the postgraduate population
- A Senior Common Room (SCR) - for academics
In addition to this, each of the above phrases may also refer to an actual room
Common room
The phrase common room is used especially in British and Canadian English to describe a type of shared lounge, most often found in dormitories, at universities, colleges, military bases, hospitals, rest homes, hostels, and even minimum-security prisons. It is generally connected to several...
designated for the use of these groups. At the University of Cambridge
University of Cambridge
The University of Cambridge is a public research university located in Cambridge, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest university in both the United Kingdom and the English-speaking world , and the seventh-oldest globally...
, the term combination room (e.g., "Junior Combination Room") is also used, with the same acronyms. As a generalisation, JCRs are associations of undergraduates and SCRs an association of tutor
Tutor
A tutor is a person employed in the education of others, either individually or in groups. To tutor is to perform the functions of a tutor.-Teaching assistance:...
s and academics associated with a college. Postgraduates are sometimes given their own MCR, or placed in with either of the other groups. This terminology has, in addition, been taken up in some universities in other English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
speaking nations.
Examples
The terms JCR, MCR and SCR originated from the University of OxfordUniversity of Oxford
The University of Oxford is a university located in Oxford, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest surviving university in the world and the oldest in the English-speaking world. Although its exact date of foundation is unclear, there is evidence of teaching as far back as 1096...
and the University of Cambridge
University of Cambridge
The University of Cambridge is a public research university located in Cambridge, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest university in both the United Kingdom and the English-speaking world , and the seventh-oldest globally...
. The terms are now used at ten British universities as well as Trinity College, Dublin
Trinity College, Dublin
Trinity College, Dublin , formally known as the College of the Holy and Undivided Trinity of Queen Elizabeth near Dublin, was founded in 1592 by letters patent from Queen Elizabeth I as the "mother of a university", Extracts from Letters Patent of Elizabeth I, 1592: "...we...found and...
in Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
, Harvard College
Harvard College
Harvard College, in Cambridge, Massachusetts, is one of two schools within Harvard University granting undergraduate degrees...
in the United States of America and at the University of Trinity College
University of Trinity College
The University of Trinity College, informally referred to as Trin, is a college of the University of Toronto, founded in 1851 by Bishop John Strachan. Trinity was intended by Strachan as a college of strong Anglican alignment, after the University of Toronto severed its ties with the Church of...
in the University of Toronto
University of Toronto
The University of Toronto is a public research university in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, situated on the grounds that surround Queen's Park. It was founded by royal charter in 1827 as King's College, the first institution of higher learning in Upper Canada...
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. Due to the way that the terms have evolved over time and the idiosyncratic nature of university structure, the use of the three terms varies considerably from institution to institution. The main variations involve terminology, mature students and postgraduate students
Postgraduate education
Postgraduate education involves learning and studying for degrees or other qualifications for which a first or Bachelor's degree generally is required, and is normally considered to be part of higher education...
.
In addition to this, the terms may be used to refer to the elected groups that run the common rooms. Other names such as "Exec" may exist for these.
Bristol
Halls of the University of BristolUniversity of Bristol
The University of Bristol is a public research university located in Bristol, United Kingdom. One of the so-called "red brick" universities, it received its Royal Charter in 1909, although its predecessor institution, University College, Bristol, had been in existence since 1876.The University is...
cater mostly for first year undergraduate students, though there is a sizable undergraduate and postgraduate community who choose to stay on, either in the capacity as Tutors or as full paying boarders. The term JCR refers to the entire undergraduate population, but more specifically and commonly to the elected body of students who run the JCR for one academic year. Though most Bristol Hall JCRs are made up of first years, it is custom in Clifton Hill House
Clifton Hill House
Clifton Hill House is a grade I listed Palladian villa in the Clifton area of Bristol, England which is now used as a hall of residence by the University of Bristol. The warden is Dr...
, Goldney Hall
Goldney Hall
Goldney Hall also known as Goldney House is a self-catered hall of residence in Clifton, Bristol, one of three in the area providing accommodation for students at the University of Bristol.-House:...
, Wills Hall
Wills Hall
Wills Hall is one of the nine halls of residence in the University of Bristol. Cresting the Stoke Bishop site on the edge of the Bristol Downs, in Parry's Lane, it houses 340 students in two quadrangles...
and Manor Hall to elect returning students to the majority of positions, including JCR President.
There is no MCR, but the SCR includes the Warden, the Vice/Deputy Warden, the Tutors and honourable guests at Formal Hall. Hall Bars physically house the JCR, with a separate and publicly inaccessible SCR room reserved elsewhere in Hall.
Cambridge
At the University of CambridgeUniversity of Cambridge
The University of Cambridge is a public research university located in Cambridge, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest university in both the United Kingdom and the English-speaking world , and the seventh-oldest globally...
, many colleges do not have common rooms, but combination rooms. The same abbreviations are used. The JCR represents undergraduates, with postgraduate students being members of the Middle Combination Room. In some colleges, postgraduates are members of both the MCR and JCR: for example, at St John's
St John's College, Cambridge
St John's College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge. The college's alumni include nine Nobel Prize winners, six Prime Ministers, three archbishops, at least two princes, and three Saints....
, where the MCR is known as the Samuel Butler Room
Samuel Butler Room Society
The Samuel Butler Room Society is the Middle Combination Room of St John's College at the University of Cambridge. The objects of the Society are the representation of the interests of the Graduate Student Members of the College, the internal management of the Samuel Butler Room and the...
or at Peterhouse
Peterhouse, Cambridge
Peterhouse is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge, England. It is the oldest college of the University, having been founded in 1284 by Hugo de Balsham, Bishop of Ely...
. Most colleges also have an SCR. At Pembroke College the common rooms are called "parlours", such as the Junior Parlour and Graduate Parlour.
JCRs and MCRs have elected committees to represent their interests within their colleges and in the central students' union. Cambridge University Students' Union
Cambridge University Students' Union
Cambridge University Students' Union is the university-wide representative body for students at the University of Cambridge, England...
. The committees are almost universally led by a President and a range of other elected positions to cover specific areas or interest or functions (e.g. Secretary, Treasurer, Entertainment). There is a great deal of variety between the colleges in terms of the roles that the JCRs and MCRs undertake, how much influence they have in college affairs and how many functions they provide. Nearly all are responsible for organising Freshers Week and frequent entertainments.
JCR Presidents and External Officers in Cambridge are ex officio council members of the Cambridge University Students' Union
Cambridge University Students' Union
Cambridge University Students' Union is the university-wide representative body for students at the University of Cambridge, England...
(CUSU). Before CUSU was established, individual JCRs were direct members of the NUS. This meant that Churchill JCR was able to lead the NUS in its campaign for student representation. Unlike most universities, CUSU serves the common rooms and common rooms may choose to disaffiliate. CUSU is funded by the common rooms rather than funding them.
Durham
At DurhamDurham University
The University of Durham, commonly known as Durham University, is a university in Durham, England. It was founded by Act of Parliament in 1832 and granted a Royal Charter in 1837...
, the majority of the seventeen colleges divide their members into:
- A JCR for undergraduate students
- An MCR for postgraduate students
- An SCR for academics who are members of the college
In addition, there may be one or more rooms set aside for the use of these bodies referred to as 'the JCR' or 'the MCR' etc. The committee that runs the JCR is called the Executive Committee or "Exec". Membership of the JCR is not obligatory to students.
There are some exceptions to this. The College of St Hild and St Bede
College of St Hild and St Bede
The College of St Hild and St Bede, commonly known as Hild Bede, is a college of Durham University in England. It is the University's second largest collegiate body, with over 1000 students. The co-educational college was formed in 1975 following the merger of two much older single-sex...
has a "Students Representative Council", which includes both undergraduates and postgraduates at the college, with a special postgraduate committee. Ustinov College
Ustinov College
Ustinov College is the largest college of Durham University. Founded as the Graduate Society in 1965, it became a college in 2003 and was named after the university's then chancellor, the late Sir Peter Ustinov. It is located at the Howlands Farm site at the top of Elvet Hill.-History:In 1965,...
is a postgraduate only college and its student organisation is labeled the Graduate Common Room or GCR. The other college to not have a JCR is Ushaw College
Ushaw College
Ushaw College was a Roman Catholic seminary near Durham, England that closed in 2011. Ushaw was the principal seminary in the north of England for the training of Catholic priests.-History:...
, a Roman Catholic seminary
Seminary
A seminary, theological college, or divinity school is an institution of secondary or post-secondary education for educating students in theology, generally to prepare them for ordination as clergy or for other ministry...
which operates as a college of the university. St.Aidan's College combines the MCR and SCR into one SCR where by the postgraduates and senior members belong to one Common Room as a whole. Following a referendum in 2011, students of St. John's College
St John's College, Durham
St John's College is a college of the University of Durham, United Kingdom. It is one of only two 'Recognised Colleges' of the University, the other being St Chad's. This means that it is financially and constitutionally independent of the University and has a greater degree of administrative...
are represented by the "John's Common Room" (JCR) a composite body representing Undergraduates, the MCR (Postgraduates) and the Cranmer Common Room (representing the students of Cranmer Hall) (pre-2011 the body was the Joint Junior Common Rom JJCR).
Although the Durham Students' Union
Durham Students' Union
The Durham Students' Union is a body, set up as the Durham Colleges Students’ Representative Council in 1899 and renamed in 1969, with the intention of representing and providing welfare and services for the students of the University of Durham in England.-Location:DSU occupies and manages Dunelm...
is independent from the college JCRs, each JCR has a representative to the union.
Exeter
At the University of ExeterUniversity of Exeter
The University of Exeter is a public university in South West England. It belongs to the 1994 Group, an association of 19 of the United Kingdom's smaller research-intensive universities....
, a number of residential halls for first year undergraduates retain traditional common room structures. Lopes, Hope and Mardon hall are all home to extensive Common Room set ups, which form a central part of student life there. In such Halls, committees are elected to represent the student body via the Common Room, and it is their job to liaise with the Resident Tutors who reside within the Hall. Although somewhat under threat by mergers of Halls and changes to internal administration, the Common Rooms still play an active and important role within the University, by both providing welfare and recourse to higher authorities for the students, and by organising social events such as balls, formals and more casual activities.
Kent
At KentUniversity of Kent
The University of Kent, previously the University of Kent at Canterbury, is a public research university based in Kent, United Kingdom...
each of the colleges was initially built with one or more "Junior Common Room" social spaces, however over the passage of time a number of the common rooms have been transformed into eateries and more formalised social areas. Each college has a "Student Committee" (formerly "Junior College Committee" and before that, "Junior Common Room Committee") which acts to represent the students of each college to the student's union and organise social events.
The Rooms and Committees have traditionally been open to both undergraduates and postgraduates, with the Senior Common Rooms provided for staff.
Lancaster
At Lancaster, undergraduates are members of one of eight colleges (with a further college for postgraduate students). Each undergraduate college is a quasi-autonomous body within the university, and each divides its members into Junior and Senior Common Rooms. These terms are more indicative of the collective student/staff bodies than actual space, although each college has actual common rooms set aside for Junior members. Senior members are less fortunate due to a current policy by the university's estates department of removing Senior Common Room space from college control – refurbishing these as teaching rooms or putting them on the central booking system, so SCR members cannot just "drop in". The term "JCR", although intended to refer to all junior members of a college, is often used to refer to elected members of each college's JCR Executive. Each JCR Executive organises a range of social and sporting activities for its college while also offering welfare support for its junior members. The President and Vice President represent their college at the Student Union Council and on a range of University Committees, and many JCR Executive members sit with SCR members on the College Syndicate – the governing body of each college.Within the Graduate College, the Graduate Students Association (GSA) takes on the role of an "MCR". Lancaster has a Students' Union which co-ordinates activities between the different colleges, and the JCR and GSA executives are considered to be standing committees of the Union Council.
Leicester
Until quite recently the University of LeicesterUniversity of Leicester
The University of Leicester is a research-led university based in Leicester, England. The main campus is a mile south of the city centre, adjacent to Victoria Park and Wyggeston and Queen Elizabeth I College....
has had an informal Junior Common Room (JCR), as although a committee existed the term was never linked to any particular place, as in the Oxford and Cambridge systems. The committee was responsible for running the various Bars within the Halls of Residence and the social events based around the Halls. Today, however with the committee dissolved the term is now used only to describe the student body of the University. Many of the functions of the JCR how now been taken over by the Residential and Welfare department of the University. In spite of the dissolution of the Junior Common Room, the Senior Common Room (SCR) for the University remains on its main Campus. Membership of the Common Room is open to all full-time members of staff but not postgraduate students, although they may be entertained as guests of members in the bar. The Common Room itself and its activates are governed by a committee of elected academics and fellows.
Nottingham
At NottinghamUniversity of Nottingham
The University of Nottingham is a public research university based in Nottingham, United Kingdom, with further campuses in Ningbo, China and Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia...
, the majority of the Halls of Residence predominantly house undergraduates, with a small number of postgraduates living in hall as part of the pastoral and disciplinary system; in this instance, the JCR refers to the undergraduate members of the hall. Postgraduates, along with a Warden, comprise the SCR (Senior Common Room). The Hall Warden is an academic member of staff who usually lives either in a special residence within the hall, or in a nearby house.
JCR activities include organising social events and sports teams that compete in the Athletic Union's
University of Nottingham Students' Union
The University of Nottingham Students' Union is the students' union at the University of Nottingham, England. The Students' Union is housed in the Portland Building on University Park campus a building shared with some non-Student Union activities...
Inter-mural sports competitions. Since most students move out of halls after their first year, it is common for students to retain a sense of affiliation to their hall while living 'off-campus'. Many JCRs include former residents of the hall in their sports teams.
Most of the JCRs at Nottingham are not part of the Students' Union
University of Nottingham Students' Union
The University of Nottingham Students' Union is the students' union at the University of Nottingham, England. The Students' Union is housed in the Portland Building on University Park campus a building shared with some non-Student Union activities...
; however, Cavendish Hall, Nightingale Hall, Raleigh Park and St Peter's Court JCRs are. St Peter's Court is a recently established residence that the Students' Union was involved in establishing the community of from the outset.
Melton Hall houses only postgraduates, and the student organisation there forms the university's only MCR.
Oxford
At the University of OxfordUniversity of Oxford
The University of Oxford is a university located in Oxford, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest surviving university in the world and the oldest in the English-speaking world. Although its exact date of foundation is unclear, there is evidence of teaching as far back as 1096...
, a typical college has a Junior Common Room (JCR) for undergraduates, a Middle Common Room (MCR) for graduates and a Senior Common Room (SCR) for its fellows. JCRs and MCRs have a committee, with a president and so on, that represent their students to college authorities, Oxford University Student Union
Oxford University Student Union
The Oxford University Student Union is the official students' union of the University of Oxford. It is better known in Oxford by its acronym, OUSU . It exists to represent Oxford University students in the University's decision-making, to act as the voice for students in the national higher...
(OUSU), etc., in addition to being an actual room for the use of members.
Wadham College is a notable exception: although it maintains an MCR, its entire student population is represented by a combined Students' Union (SU).
The JCR and MCR presidents of all affiliated Oxford Common Rooms, in addition to their OUSU Reps, are automatically voting members of OUSU's governing Council, which meets fortnightly during term to decide on virtually all aspects of OUSU's policy. OUSU Council meetings take place in odd-numbered weeks of the University term. JCR Presidents also get together in even-numbered weeks for meetings of Presidents' Committee (popularly known as Prescom). MCR Presidents also get together up to three times a term for meetings of the MCR Presidents' Committee (popularly known as MCR-PresCom).
Alternative names are sometimes used for college MCRs. Brasenose College
Brasenose College, Oxford
Brasenose College, originally Brazen Nose College , is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in the United Kingdom. As of 2006, it has an estimated financial endowment of £98m...
has the "Hulme Common Room" (HCR) and University College
University College, Oxford
.University College , is a constituent college of the University of Oxford in England. As of 2009 the college had an estimated financial endowment of £110m...
has the "Weir Common Room", named in honour of college alumni. At Christ Church
Christ Church, Oxford
Christ Church or house of Christ, and thus sometimes known as The House), is one of the largest constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England...
, St Antony's
St Antony's College, Oxford
St Antony's College is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England.St Antony's is the most international of the seven all-graduate colleges of the University of Oxford, specialising in international relations, economics, politics, and history of particular parts of the...
and Templeton
Templeton College, Oxford
Templeton College was one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford, England. It was an all-graduate college, concentrating on the recruitment of students in business and management studies....
the representative bodies for postgraduate students are called "Graduate Common Rooms" or "GCRs". At Linacre College
Linacre College, Oxford
Linacre College is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in the UK, currently offering graduate entry only. It is located on St Cross Road at the corner of St Cross Road and South Parks Road, next to the University Parks and opposite the Tinbergen Building, which is shared by...
, a graduate college, students and fellows share a single Common Room, referred to as the "CR."
Reading
University of ReadingUniversity of Reading
The University of Reading is a university in the English town of Reading, Berkshire. The University was established in 1892 as University College, Reading and received its Royal Charter in 1926. It is based on several campuses in, and around, the town of Reading.The University has a long tradition...
JCRs are set up in a very similar way to their Oxford counterparts, as the University was founded as University College Reading, as part of Christ Church, Oxford
Christ Church, Oxford
Christ Church or house of Christ, and thus sometimes known as The House), is one of the largest constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England...
. The JCRs at Reading are some of the oldest outside Oxbridge with some such as Wantage JCR
Wantage Hall
Wantage Hall, built 1908, is the oldest hall of residence at the University of Reading. The hall is in the town of Reading in the UK. The displayed motto "Astra castra, Numen lumen" is that of the Knights of the Maccabees...
founded in 1908, St Patrick's Hall JCR in 1913 and Wessex JCR later in 1915. Today there are thirteen JCRs operating independently of each other, although they do work with the Students' Union. JCRs represent all Students in a particular Hall as well as having a large number of attached members living in houses.
Each year a new committee is elected in each halls.
St Andrews
At the University of St AndrewsUniversity of St Andrews
The University of St Andrews, informally referred to as "St Andrews", is the oldest university in Scotland and the third oldest in the English-speaking world after Oxford and Cambridge. The university is situated in the town of St Andrews, Fife, on the east coast of Scotland. It was founded between...
, each hall of residence has a common room for use by all the resident students. Each year, the residents of the hall elect a committee that is responsible for social events. A portion of the yearly residence fees are earmarked for use by the committee for such events. Each hall also has a warden, assisted by one or more subwardens, who is responsible for discipline in the hall (such as dealing with complaints of excessive noise), and who also acts as an advisor to the committee.
The hall common rooms may contain a television or hall library (some halls have dedicated rooms for these). The committee may also subscribe to newspapers and magazines, or buy books and DVDs, which are made available in the common room.
In addition St Mary's College
St Mary's College, St Andrews
St Mary's College of the University of St Andrews, in Fife, Scotland - in full, the New College of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary - was founded in 1538 by Archbishop James Beaton, uncle of Cardinal David Beaton on the site of the pedagogy or St Johns College .St Mary's College was...
has a JCR for the use of undergraduates and an SCR for the use of staff.
The previous principal of St Andrews, Brian Lang
Brian Lang
Brian Andrew Lang FRSE is a Scottish social anthropologist who served as deputy chairman of the British Library and Principal of the University of St Andrews....
, was criticized and finally rebuked by the university court for requisitioning common rooms in certain halls for private parties, despite complaints by residents about noise and disruption to hall activities. His successor, Louise Richardson
Louise Richardson
Professor Louise Richardson FRSE is a political scientist whose specialist field is the study of terrorism...
, has indicated that she will not continue this or any similar practice.
Southampton
JCRs at the University of SouthamptonUniversity of Southampton
The University of Southampton is a British public university located in the city of Southampton, England, a member of the Russell Group. The origins of the university can be dated back to the founding of the Hartley Institution in 1862 by Henry Robertson Hartley. In 1902, the Institution developed...
exist in each of the different halls of residences; Archers Road, Bencraft, Chamberlain, Connaught Hall, Erasmus Park (At Winchester School Of Art), Glen Eyre
Glen Eyre Halls
Glen Eyre Halls is a halls of residence complex owned by the University of Southampton. It is situated in the Bassett district of Southampton, approximately one quarter mile north of the University campus in Highfield....
, Highfield halls and Montefiore. The JCRs provide a welfare and support role to new students, and coordinate social and sports activities around the halls. Yearly elections are held in December, with members serving one or two yearly terms. In 2009 JCR's became part of Southampton University Students' Union representative structure and operate under the JCR Executive officer, with a budget of nearly £92,000.
York
All but one of the colleges at the University of YorkUniversity of York
The University of York , is an academic institution located in the city of York, England. Established in 1963, the campus university has expanded to more than thirty departments and centres, covering a wide range of subjects...
have a JCR and SCR in a similar way to the colleges at the University of Oxford
University of Oxford
The University of Oxford is a university located in Oxford, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest surviving university in the world and the oldest in the English-speaking world. Although its exact date of foundation is unclear, there is evidence of teaching as far back as 1096...
. The postgraduate-only Wentworth College
Wentworth College
Wentworth College is a college of the University of York, named after Thomas Wentworth, 1st Earl of Strafford. Originally opened in 1972, since 2002 it has had the distinction of being the only college exclusively housing postgraduate students; though postgraduates can be resident in all colleges...
is the exception, having no undergraduate members, and thus, no JCR. York does not have any MCRs.
Halifax College
Halifax College
Halifax College is the largest and newest college of the University of York. It was founded in 2001 and is named after Edward Frederick Lindley Wood, the 1st Earl of Halifax....
students are represented by a Students' Association, which represents both undergraduate and postgraduate students of the College.
The junior common rooms are run by a "JCRC" (Junior Common Room Committee). Annual elections are held in November with people coming forward to stand for the various positions. Each individual college's JCRC is slightly different in composition, however all are elected by the undergraduate population following a hustings. The successful candidates are then elected for a whole year, bar any extenuating circumstances e.g. a Vote of No Confidence. The JCRC's primary functions are to be representative of the specific needs of their undergraduate populations, and to provide welfare help to students in the form of welfare reps who can offer advice or give contact details of other groups to students through informal drop-in sessions.
With York's collegiate system though, JCRCs are increasingly involved in fostering college spirit through organising the many major social events a college has, such as Christmas and Summer formal Balls.
Harvard
At Harvard CollegeHarvard College
Harvard College, in Cambridge, Massachusetts, is one of two schools within Harvard University granting undergraduate degrees...
, the term "Junior Common Room" officially refers to the collection of undergraduates affiliated with one of Harvard's 13 houses. Every undergraduate is assigned to a house in the spring of his or her freshman year and thereafter is a member of that house's Junior Common Room, including students who have chosen to reside off campus.
In everyday usage, however, "Junior Common Room" almost always refers to a large common room in an undergraduate house by the same name, or simply "JCR" for short. JCRs are generally available for undergraduates to study or watch television, and student groups often reserve the space for meetings. This is in contrast to a "Senior Common Room," or SCR, which is for exclusive use of members of the houses' Senior Common Room members, which includes the House Masters, tutors, and other accomplished academics in the community.
McGill University
The Faculty of Religious Studies houses a JCR and SCR. The JCR is a center for social activity among students, and the SCR is often used as a setting in films due to its luxurious setting. The university residences also have areas which are designated as "common rooms".Trinity College, University of Toronto
The University of Trinity College in the University of TorontoUniversity of Toronto
The University of Toronto is a public research university in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, situated on the grounds that surround Queen's Park. It was founded by royal charter in 1827 as King's College, the first institution of higher learning in Upper Canada...
has adopted many of the traditions of Oxbridge
Oxbridge
Oxbridge is a portmanteau of the University of Oxford and the University of Cambridge in England, and the term is now used to refer to them collectively, often with implications of perceived superior social status...
, including the wearing of academic gowns and several common rooms, including a Junior Common Room, Divinity Common Room, and Senior Common Room, which are all communities within the college as well as physical rooms. All undergraduate students registered in the college are members of the Junior Common Room, which hosts a variety of lively social activities, as well as serving as a comfortable student lounge with newspapers from around the world. The Divinity Common Room is available to students in Trinity's Faculty of Divinity, the oldest Anglican theological faculty in Canada. The Senior Common Room consists of college fellows with teaching appointments in the University of Toronto, teaching staff in the Faculty of Divinity, senior college administrators, postgraduate students who serve as academic dons, and divinity graduate students with fellowships. Other select members of the wider academic, social, and ecclesiastical community are also included. The SCR hosts a number of social and educational events and weekly high table dinners in Strachan Hall. The physical space is a gracious room overlooking the college quadrangle and is a faculty lounge hosting daily tea and weekly wine receptions.
Ormond College, University of Melbourne
The student population at Ormond College is split into four common rooms:- The Junior Common Room (JCR) for undergraduate students
- The Upper Common Room (UCR) for later year undergraduate students
- The Middle Common Room (MCR) for graduate students
- The Senior Common Room (SCR) for postgraduate students, tutors and staff
Trinity College, The University of Melbourne
Trinity has three common rooms:- The Junior Common Room (JCR) for undergraduate students
- The Cripps Middle Common Room (MCR) for graduate and postgraduate students
- The Senior Common Room (SCR) for tutors and staff
St. Andrew's College, University of Sydney
The student population at St. Andrew's College, Sydney is split into two common rooms:- The Junior Common Room (JCR) - for the junior undergraduate population
- The Senior Common Room (SCR) - for academics, postgraduates and invited senior JCR members
St. Paul's College, University of Sydney
The student population at St. Paul's College, SydneySt. Paul's College, Sydney
St Paul's College in Sydney, Australia, is an Anglican residential college for men which is affiliated with the University of Sydney. Founded in 1856 by an 1854 act of the New South Wales Legislative Council, it is Australia's oldest university college...
is split into two common rooms:
- A Junior Common Room (JCR) - for the junior undergraduate population
- A Senior Common Room (SCR) - for academics and postgraduates