And the critics go wild …

Genuine unsolicited views:

“Great!”

“Still wiping away tears of laughter …”

“Best set of minutes I’ve ever read.”

Okay, so it wasn’t comic genius, but my first effort at minute taking over here seems to have gone down fairly well.

From the minutes, I give you …

1. Sherry and port at Grad Halls

Henry will put up a sign-up sheet, so people can take turns helping out dispensing drinks before and after Grad Halls.

Adam stressed that we should all do our bit to help out, that as sherry is something we all enjoy we should see it as our duty to sign up at least once - or Henry will be stuck doing it.

David pointed out that sherry is not necessarily something we “enjoy” but that it is all that is available. The minute-taker took him otherwise to concur with the proposition that we should “all do our bit to help out”.

2. The new accommodation building

Apparently, there will be one.

This will meet the need for more student rooms: demonstrated by the growing number of satellite properties, and inevitable as some existing historic-site rooms are refurbished and turned into additional bathrooms, etc.

Plans were passed around, which looked pretty. The new building will spring from the soil of the “cabbage patch” (don’t ask me I just minute this stuff) which is apparently near the football pitch. It will house 100+ students. Construction noise begins September 2003.

(Which is fine if you’re here for an M Phil concluding in May.)

The first phase will cost £13 million, of which £12.85 million is approved. Apparently this is not an arithmetical error, as our “very sensible bursar” has ensured that “Phase A” can be built from existing funds. At the end of “Phase A” construction the “Phase A” buildings will be fit to inhabit (which sounds eerily logical).

All rooms will be ensuite and mixed undergrads and grads (well, the buildings will be mixed undergrads and grads – not individual rooms. That would be rather crowded, and maybe even unsanitary.)

“Phase B” will be built with anticipated funds if/when they materialise. If even more funds turn up than are presently projected there will be a “Phase C”.

Adam on the project: “It’s gonna be nice.”

Okay, I admit it, I’m scrounging for material today.

But I did spend an hour coming up with a two page outline of the remaining plot for Naylor’s Canberra – which should be a great relief to the people actually reading it.