About the Middle Common Room ...

MCR stands for Middle Common Room, and confusingly refers to both a room and a body of people.  The room is the Postgraduate Centre in college.  The people are the postgraduate students of John’s, in a group that is run by postgraduates, for postgraduates.  This body represents the views of postgraduates to college, and vice versa, hosts events, and much more. 

The MCR is a fairly new establishment in John’s: it is only a couple of years old and to some extent is still finding its feet.  This makes it dependent on enthusiastic new members for its future development!

The purpose of the MCR is to create a postgraduate-orientated student body within college.  It represents postgraduates to the college, ensuring that it caters to their needs, while letting postgraduates know what is going on within the college.

The MCR is run by an executive of the President, Vice-President (Welfare), Secretary and Treasurer, as well as the non-executive officers of Chair and Social Secretary.  As it evolves, new posts may be created to meet the demands of the postgrads.

However, as a democratic body it is also run by the members: YOU (upon payment of the fee of £30 per year), through MCR meetings.  Meetings are held during term time every few weeks.  All members of the MCR are entitled to attend, vote, present motions and stand for election.

Currently, elections to executive positions are held at the second meeting and those to non-executive positions at the fourth meetings of the MCR in the Michaelmas (first) term.  If you wish to stand for an executive position you will need a manifesto, a proposer and seconder, but don’t be put off by these requirements if you’re interested!  Contact us for more information.

The MCR does all kinds of things, from hosting social events, to improving the facilities in the postgrad rooms, to maintaining communications channels. .  The MCR exec will be grateful for advice about what you would like to see happening – Christmas party?  Trips?...

Every member of the MCR is also a member of the JJCR or Joint Junior Common Room ,  which includes all students in John’s: undergraduates, postgraduates and Cranmer Hall.  It funds and runs a wide range of facilities, including the bar, Bailey Room and laundries, to name but a few.  It also funds many of the college-wide social events, including the college balls. 

One very important financial function of the JCR is that it holds funds for hardship and travel bursaries – so if you have paid your MCR subscription, you are eligible to apply for these funds.  As with the MCR, meetings are held during term time every few weeks, and all members are entitled to attend, vote, present motions and stand for election.