Langwith College

Langwith College, being one of the oldest and smallest colleges at York, boasts a tight-knit community. Helpfully located right next to the Courtyard, it’s in the centre of campus, and is known to be a big supporter of the arts, including within its sphere the Norman Rea Gallery.

However, with one year to go before Langwith moves to Heslington East, outgoing Chair Cem Turhan had his job cut out for him if he wanted to try to make a name for the college. Vision spoke to Turhan to find out how he feels the year went.

When Turhan was elected as Chair, he highlighted in his speeches that Langwith needed to improve its welfare structure and its college sports. With an eye to consolidating college spirit before the move to Heslington East, he proposed a series of events, called ‘XXXL’, which would successively grow bigger and bigger, and would culminate with a “huge event” with “a big headline act.” He was also anxious about what could be done for the new Heslington East site, which was without shop, bar or cash point, a mere two years before the move. While his greatest success, he says, was getting the bar on Hestlington East, with thanks to his campaign reps Tim Bierley and Will Barnes, it is by no means his only achievement.

He has successfully transformed the way Langwith Welfare is run, with Lucy Arnold, Vice Chair for Welfare, overseeing the new four-times-weekly drop-in sessions and coffee mornings. On top of this, the Welfare and Events Committee organised new non-alcoholic events during Freshers Week, as well as their busiest event, ‘Love Music Hate Homophobia’, to raise awareness for NUS and LGBT campaigns. While the XXXL nights failed to take off as Turhan had originally hoped, the other Langwith events continued to be a success. The ’50s prom night, overseen by Amy Clark, Vice Chair for Entertainment, was such a success that TSS/JSS described it as “the best on-campus event they have been to in five years.”

Turhan went on to tell Vision: “XXXL was on my mandate, and I always knew that it would be unrealistic to expect any event to be huge in a year, which is what I stated when I ran on the platform, so we did two XL events this year to begin the brand. I know the newly elected Ents Reps are keen to start a XXXL committee, so I have high hopes for the brand going on into next year,” adding, “honestly, I feel I achieved everything I wanted to.” With regard to the sports, while there was a mixed response to its success, Turhan points out that there has been increased player turn-out, and a new website for up-to-date scores.

What are your greatest achievements from your term as Chair?

Securing the bar on Heslington East is something I’ll always be proud of, and is something I know I’ll be remembered for. I think that our Welfare team has been amazing this year though, it used to be just the Welfare Reps, now we have eight people on the team, and so with all our drop-ins and events we have been really successful; for example being the only college with no alcohol-related incidents and being nominated for a YUSU award. Our Ents have been amazing too; for example, our Freshers Week roller-disco, ‘Love Music Hate Homophobia’ night and ’50s prom were all hailed as amazing events.

What are you greatest regrets from your term as Chair?

I have no regrets, but I wish that I had more time, or that I could do it as a full-time job! There’s so much I still want to do, but I know that next year’s committee all have the same ideas as me so I can see more varied sources of communication, especially with the new website being launched next week which will improve the use of our social media and include more online videos, so look out for the first one next week. I’m really proud to have completed what has been for me a really tough year personally, with my integrity intact and knowing I worked the hardest I could; I never once did anything to further my own career or potential YUSU elections, but always did everything with Langwith students as my top priority.

Who has been your “Committee Superstar”?

This year’s committee have truly been great, and so many people have stood out. However, Free Food Thursdays (Upper JCR 1-2pm…free jacket potatos for all!) would not be the same without the work of Jordan Lloyd and all the hours he spends prepping, cooking and cleaning up all the jacket potatoes. That sounds like a joke but he literally spends the whole day doing them from 9am.

What advice would you give your successor?

1. It’s easy to try to do too much so remember to delegate because teamwork is key!
2. Always take a re-sealable container with you to University meetings as there is always loads of food left at the end.
3. It will be the best year of your life so enjoy it!!

Vision also spoke to Amy Clark, the outgoing ‘Vice for Entertainment’ about her role and working for Cem. She said “Cem was always passionate about Langwith and keen to get things done as well as make sure all the committee contributed. He was happy for me and the other Vice to get on with our roles and didn’t interfere which meant we were able to get as much done as efficently as possible. In three words, he was: passionate, persistent and dedicated.”

When asked what she thought her greatest achievements and regrets were, she answered that Freshers Week was her greatest success; “I coordinated/organised this and everyone kept saying how good it was. As Ents Vice I have to say I think our events this year have been brilliant and everyone seems to have enjoyed them, they’ve all been popular.” She continued: “I think I personally could have helped more with Langwith sports – but with all the work we had on I ended up leaving it largely to the brilliant Sports Reps. For the committee I don’t have any regrets.” She concluded, “What I think about Langwith? The World’s Greatest.”

The incoming Vice Chair, Craig Burnell, also spoke to Vision, commenting, “Working for Cem was a pleasure. He was hard working and that inspired the rest of the committee to do the same and achieve our aims for the college. Cem is very friendly and easy to approach. He is supportive of all the members of the JCRC and the college. He is a good friend to everyone.”

Turhan was, he went on to say, “brilliant. He achieved the aims that he set out to do.” When asked what advice he would pass on to the incoming Sports Rep, Craig suggested “to always pursue any needs or issues members of the college have even if they seem unachievable, because they can be done, as shown by the bar on Heslington East… Langwith till I die!”

First Year Philip Howard: “The JCR have been great this year. They have helped organize several great events, especially during Freshers’ Week! Langwith is a fantastic college that I feel very lucky to be a part of. It is a small college so everyone is a lot closer. The Chair seems to have done a perfectly good job, but I can’t claim to know him very well.”

Second Year Alex Finnis: “I think Cem and the committee have done brilliantly to ensure that Hes East will have a bar when we move over there next year. There was a long period when it looked really unlikely but now that it’s sorted it’ll be a massive boost for college spirit next year.I was also impressed with this year’s Freshers Week. It was definitely an improvement on last year. We are improving on the sports field too, and I’m hopeful we can get a rugby team out next year”

Third Year Andy Green: “The committee of 2011, led by Cem, has built on the fantastic work of the committee of 2010. Although the XL themed events didn’t take off, Langwith Fresher’s Week was the biggest since I have been at university, linking big events with the brilliant welfare system that has been put in place. Cem has led the position with passion, with the greatest success securing the new bar on Hes East.”

Finally, in the spirit of cliche, Vision asked Turhan to sum up his time as Chair in three words. His answer was:

Best year ever!