Notice of forthcoming Referendum

[head_porter.cowspan@gmx.co.uk]
[CONFIDENTIAL]

Dear all,

after staying behind for the new recruits' induction into the collegiate system, I was asked by the Master to see him in his apartments.

In my email to you yesterday, I did not think it necessary to include an item included in College Council agenda about a proposed referendum regarding the Buttery, forwarded by the Bursar and seconded by Dr Donal Taylor, who was voted into the role of Keeper of Silver at the meeting, in addition to his longtime role as convenor of the Social Inclusion Committee. The proposal was not carried and details would have been in the College Council Communications memo at the end of the month.

The Bursar's proposal was for a referendum on whether the Buttery should become all-vegan, in order not to inadvertently discriminate against those who, like the Bursar and the Keeper of Silver, identify as having alternative dietary needs.

The Master counter-proposed hiring a dedicated chef to prepare nothing but vegan food on dedicated equipment, to be made available for sale on a similarly dedicated counter. The Bursar replied it would be impossible to release funds for an extra chef due to the need to source more wine for the Fellows' Wine Cellar (again see yesterday's email) so that Cowspan's traditional ways do not perish.

I had offered my opinion to the Bursar that it would be unwise to hold such a referendum, given that a third of undergraduates will be new starters and we therefore have no baseline as to their dietary needs. She assured me, very nicely, that my comment had been noted. The Master used his Chair's privelege to force a vote between a referendum and a dedicated chef, and the result was a tie between the two options, with the Master using his casting vote to opt for the new chef.

The Master, it appears, was informed after College Council that voting papers for the referendum have gone out with tenancy agreements for both graduates and undergraduates. The Bursar had them sent out as she foresaw no opposition to her proposal. The Master therefore saw no other option than to go ahead with the referendum so as not to give students, especially freshpeople, reason to become disillusioned as to College administration. The referendum will take place on the Thursday after coming-up weekend, ie towards the end of Freshers' Week.

I'm not sure how this will go, as older hands will know we don't get notice of student's serious medical needs until halfway through the academic year, let alone tenancy agreements. I have no idea about how strongly feelings rise about Buttery issues in the Lodge, but would encourage porters, and indeed all support staff, with strong feelings to make sure they vote, so they have at least made their voice count.

I reiterate that these notes are confidential to the Lodge and are not to be shared, verbally or otherwise, outside the Lodge.

Wat

Charles Watson Tyler
Head Porter
Cowspan College
Vachepont Parva 
[CONFIDENTIAL]