Short for Junior Common Room, the JCR represents both the undergraduate student community and the communal spaces we all share.
The JCR Committee is the governing body elected from among the JCR to ensure that Somerville has a vibrant undergraduate community which welcomes everyone. We do this by running events, providing welfare support and making sure the voice of the student body is heard. We’re also responsible for dealing with any issues that undergraduates at Somerville face, from housing ballots to acquiring new equipment for college.
A Message From the JCR President
“In 1879, Somerville College was founded to include the excluded. From the very beginning Somerville was non-denominational, international and anti-establishment. The college gave those who traditionally could not be educated, a place to flourish, and soon enough, Somerville became a beacon of female academic success. This spirit is at the heart of being a Somervillian, who we are, what we do, to this day.
It’s embedded in our community, our ethos of inclusion, opportunity and excellence remains as strong as ever. The college remains at the forefront of creating greater equality and inclusivity within Oxford colleges, recently becoming one of only two Colleges of Sanctuary. This is perhaps one of the reasons why, year on year, Somervillians are known to be the most friendly, welcoming cohorts in Oxford, as we always aim to foster an environment where no matter who you are or where you come from, you can flourish.
Coming to university can be incredibly daunting; it’s a huge life stage and for many of us, the first time living away from home. Ever since arriving at Somerville, the atmosphere and people I’ve met have made me feel incredibly welcomed and what’s really struck me is that so many students, myself included, really do feel like Somerville is a home away from home!
Fundamentally, the JCR (Junior Common Room) is the entire undergraduate community here at Somerville. The JCR committee consists of elected students who’s sole purpose is looking after the well-being of students, representing your views, concerns, interests, and continuously trying to make life here at Somerville as good as it can be for all our students. We liaise with College management to ensure student voices are heard, so if there are any issues or ideas you may have about how College is run, the committee is your first port of call. The committee are an amazing group of really dedicated students, who are always there for you, you can find all their profiles below!
Up the Ville!”
JCR President 2021-2022
The JCR Committee
Thomas Bainbridge
JCR Access and Admissions OfficerJamie See
JCR PresidentHi! I’m Jamie (she/her) and your JCR president for this academic year. I am a second year doing history and economics.
My role is to lead the JCR, which consists of the identity, welfare and administrative officers who represent you. I also facilitate conversations between the student body and college staff, and run the JCR more formally such as through our fortnightly Open Meetings. I am always here for a chat and to answer questions about how things work in college and in Oxford more generally!
Feel free to drop me a message (jamie.see@some.ox.ac.uk) if you have any questions or suggestions for the JCR!!
Álvaro de Frías Vazquez
JCR SecretaryReuben Smith
JCR Environment and Ethics OfficerMolly Ross
JCR Environment and Ethics OfficerHello, I’m Molly, a second year Biology student and committee member for Oxford Ornithological society and Oxford Nature Conservation Society. I love hiking, wild swimming, plants and birds! As an E&E Rep, I hope to run plenty of nature-based activities for students, and campaign for a more sustainable Somerville. Last year we worked with both OxUnboxed and Reserva Youth Land Trust to deliver some exciting events such as free sustainable washing pods, student vouchers to refill shops, and a fundraiser for Ocean Conservation. Along with gardening club, expect lots of similar and new exciting initiatives from E&E in the 2024/25 academic year. Our role is to represent student opinions on ethics and environment in Somerville, so if you have any concerns or suggestions on either of these topics please get in contact!
Clara Bauby-Just
JCR Domestic OfficerZoe Byrne
JCR Treasurer and Academic Affairs and Careers OfficerSheikh Mohiddin
JCR Charities OfficerDylan Heydon-Matterface
JCR IT and Communications OfficerHey! I’m Dylan (he/him) and I’m a second year studying Maths and Computer Science. This year I’m serving as the JCR’s IT & Communications Officer. My role mainly involves managing the JCR website and social media presence, so if you follow the JCR on Instagram (@somervillecollegejcr), chances are you’ll see things that I’m posting!
In my spare time I love tinkering with technology and software so I’m really excited to be serving in this role this year. If you have any suggestions for how we can improve on the IT side of things, please feel free to get in touch with me – I’d love to hear from you!
Ursula Batchelor
JCR Terrace OfficerBetsy, Esme, Jack and Sonny
JCR Entz TeamChloe Riley
JCR Class OfficerHi guys, I’m Chloe (she/her) and I’m in my third year studying PPE.
My role as the JCR Class Officer entails ensuring that the college is a friendly and accessible place to people from a working class background (which to me includes all sorts of economic and cultural backgrounds, not just the traditional blue collar workers). However, as the role is still a fairly new one in college, and there’s not yet a strong class community resembling that of the BAME and LGBTQ+ students here, it’s also my job to try and establish this through running events and by always being there to try and help anyone experiencing class-related issues here.
Please contact me via Facebook (Chloe Riley) or Instagram (chlo.r4) if you have any questions or concerns, and keep an eye out on the JCR noticeboard and the somerville.class Instagram for any events I’m running!
Ameal Wolf
JCR Disabilities OfficerHi, I’m Ameal (they/them), a third year studying English, and I’m the JCR Disabilities officer at Somerville. I’m here to discuss disability-related concerns and act as an additional channel through which to communicate those concerns to the college.
I run the JCR Prescription Reimbursement Fund, which allows JCR members to be reimbursed up to a certain amount for their NHS prescriptions. I also enjoy running joint events with other JCR Identity Officers to make sure as many people as possible are able to access them.
Feel free to email me at jcr.disability@some.ox.ac.uk if you have any queries or concerns!
Conan Tan
JCR Ethnic Minorities OfficerAmrit Rooprai
JCR Ethnic Minorities OfficerYushan Zhu
JCR Internationals OfficerHi guys, my name is Yushan Zhu, I am your international officer!!
Just a little bit about myself, I am from China, started living in Cyprus since I was 12, I speak fluent Mandarin and unfortunately only the most basic bits of Greek. Some hobbies of mine include outdoor activities like hiking and water sports during the summer break (honestly to regain that vitamin D the entire UK is lacking for three quarters of the year…)
As your international officer, I am here to provide as much support and help as possible for you to settle in with comfort. It can be overwhelming when you just arrived in a different country, with everything surrounding you being completely different. I am no stranger to those feelings and experiences, so please do not hesitate to talk to me if you find yourself struggling!
I will also be hosting a variety of activities throughout the terms, for you to meet one another from different years and other colleges; as well as for me to check up on you to see if everything is going well and if there is anything I could help with. Do look out for those activities!
Looking forward to meeting you all 🙂
Lucy Pollock
JCR LGBTQ+ Rep.Hey! I’m Lucy, one of two of Somerville’s LGBTQ+ Reps. Our role is to represent and support the queer community at Somerville. This mostly involves running events, but it also includes supporting student welfare and running the Gender Expression Fund (GEF). Our biggest events are the LGBTQ+ Formal, a formal dinner held in Michaelmas; and Pride Week, but there are smaller events on almost every week.
François de Robert Hautequere
JCR Welfare OfficerHi, I’m François (he/him) and I’m a second year music student. I sing with the Somerville choir and Acapella groups, but also enjoy fencing when I’m free from musical commitments. What I found most refreshing about Somerville in arrival, as I’m sure many others will have told you, is its tight-knit community and really welcoming atmosphere. I didn’t actually apply to Somerville directly, but I couldn’t be more pleased with where I ended up. As part of the welfare team I’m just one of the people you can talk to or message for any kind of support, however informal. I hope that all of you will find yourselves having a fantastic first year just as I did!
E-shen Low
JCR Suspended Students OfficerMillie Kennedy
JCR Womens OfficerI’m Millie Kennedy (she/her), a second-year PPE student, and I’m really excited to be the JCR’s W*men’s Officer this year. As w*men’s officer, my role is to promote the wellbeing of w*men in college — whether that be academic, social, or personal wellbeing — and also organising events that help build a welcoming and inclusive environment. My goal is to foster a supportive network that reflects the values of Somerville, ensuring that w*men feel empowered and connected.
Somerville has such a great tradition of celebrating and championing w*men, and I’m particularly enthusiastic about continuing Somerville’s legacy, building upon a strong (and fun) community, keeping w*men at the heart of Somerville.
If you have any ideas, questions or concerns, please don’t hesitate to reach out to me at millie.kennedy@some.ox.ac.uk.
Milton Lee and Poppy Shaw
JCR Keeper of the SlinkyKeeper of our college pet!
Ben, Francesca and Hannah
JCR Freshers CommitteeFreshers president is Ben Liow (benjamin.liow@some.ox.ac.uk) and freshers committee include Francesca Bahadur (francesca.bahadur@some.ox.ac.uk) and Hannah Ruck (hannah.ruck@some.ox.ac.uk)
JCR Blog
To learn more about our undergraduate community, visit the JCR Website.