University College Oxford Record 2020

THE SENIOR COMMON ROOM
2019-2020
We had planned a full year
calendar of events in 2019/20
to celebrate Univ’s full cultural
diversity, sadly cut-short towards
the end of Hilary Term 2020 by
the beginning of the COVID-19
emergency. Our aim, as always,
was to build upon, and reinforce,
Univ’s widely recognised culture
of inclusiveness, friendliness and
openness of its academic community.
The first events of Michaelmas Term
provided a very warm welcome return to the
teaching and research environment for new and
well-established Fellows, Junior Research Fellows,
College Lecturers and teaching staff. These
built upon a number of joint MCR/SCR dinners
that were laid on over the summer of 2019 to
recognise the increasing importance of the postgraduate
student community to College life. The
Master and Lady Crewe formally welcomed
everyone’s return at Domus Supper at the
beginning of Term.
Michaelmas Term began brightly with the
annual “Oktoberfest” dinner in Hall with the
celebration of cultural and personal ties with
Germany and Austria. The German-themed
menu was accompanied by Bavarian-style ales,
and the Hall was decorated beautifully with pine
cones, flowers and British-German flags. A smaller
dinner, laid on by Catering Manager Robert
Mercer later in the term, also allowed the SCR to
pay tribute to and celebrate the best of France.
The SCR were highly complementary of the
evening, with presiding Fellow, Professor Roger
Gundle, Supernumerary Fellow of Medicine,
requesting that it become a regular feature of the
SCR calendar.
In fourth week of Michaelmas Term, the SCR
celebrated the 40th Anniversary
of the Admission of Women
Undergraduates to College. The
Hall was full and wonderfully
decorated for the occasion. The
SCR heartily welcomed back
our first female Fellow, Professor
Helen Cooper for the occasion.
Also, the SCR are highly appreciative
of the efforts of Dr Catherine Holmes
in her tireless work to promote this special
occasion. We invite everyone to celebrate the
successes of our students and staff over the
intervening years by visiting the Univ Website
bit.ly/univ0680
The Thanksgiving celebration of cultural ties
to the United States of America fell in seventh
week this year. The College choir provided a
wonderful rendition of the hymn Amazing Grace
and the eighteenth century folksong Shenandoah
under the skilful leadership of Dr Giles
Underwood, Univ’s Director of Music. Professor
Joel David Hamkins reflected on the meaning of
the Thanksgiving celebration and the connection
to friendship and good-will to all humankind.
The three, well-attended annual Christmas
celebrations concluded Michaelmas Term in Hall.
When we returned in Hilary Term, we
celebrated Chinese New Year with a wonderful
menu and equally fantastic decorations in Hall.
This was quickly followed by the LGBTQ+
History Month dinner. The Hall was very
colourfully decorated, as last year. The JCR and
MCR diners had all invited other members of the
University to dine with them that evening, and
Univ’s welcoming atmosphere was appreciated
by everyone who attended. The Hall was
suitably decorated for St David’s Day, with Welsh
favourites and delicacies appreciated by all.
16 University College Record | October 2020