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Beyond JCH

aka the Inter-Collegiate Space

By Mara Quach

What is ICAC? ICSC? ICC!? Who runs sports? Where colleges’ student club presidents to ensure no colleges
does Mara get all her Queen’s friends from? What is this have beef with each other. Our Student Club President,
“Fresher Dance Off” I keep hearing about? How do I make Hilly, represents JCH within ICC.
friends from other colleges? Who is Mara???????? These
are 6 clickbait titles in one opening paragraphs, but read 4. The Inter-Collegiate Pride Network
along if you want to learn the secrets to being invited to A new kid on the block, the Pride Network is run by
parties at other colleges without climbing the fence ;) and for queer collegians. I founded the Network with a
lovely friend of mine from Newman, and together with
Firstly, let me explain what I mean by the “Inter-collegiate the Queer Reps from the other colleges, we run events
space”. JCH is one of ten residential colleges affiliated and advocate for the representation and wellbeing of
with the University of Melbourne. We are proud to be a sexual- and gender-diverse residential students. Last
vibrant bunch of fun, groovy, and artsy youngsters that year, the Network ran five social events, including an
throw wicked events such as parties, plays, open mic intercollegiate room crawl attended by 50-ish people
nights etc…. Within the other nine residential colleges, (that is a lot for a room crawl), a movie screening, and
there also exists equally amazing uni students who enjoy a picnic. These events are a great opportunity to meet a
the same thing. Sometimes, we play sports against bunch of queer friends on campus and be welcomed by
them. Sometimes, we play mahjong with them. These a group of inclusive and wholesome individuals.
events where two or more colleges come together are
called “intercollegiate events”, within the “intercollegiate So… here’s a fun fact: in 2019, all four of the above
space”. There are four main student-run committees committees were led by JCHers – Ella, Carol, and me!
that run these inter-collegiate events: JCH has a great place in the intercollegiate space, so
don’t feel intimidated entering it, even though it might
1. ICAC: The Inter-Collegiate Activities Council have a lot of unfamiliar faces sometimes. MELBOURNE
Sometimes called the “Intercollegiate Love Council”,
ICAC holds arts and culture events throughout the Of course, you don’t need to go to intercollegiate events
year in which all colleges are invited to participate. Half to make intercollegiate friends, but it does help heaps.
of ICAC events are competitive, and the other half are Perhaps you have a school friend living in another college.
for people to mingle, make friends, and generally have Perhaps you’ve moved from another college. Perhaps
a good (artsy) time. I have personally made countless you put up a big sign saying “text me” with your phone
friends from all around the colleges, all thanks to ICAC. number on the window facing Ormond, and become
The Council also runs something called “Dinner Swaps” great friends with the Ormondian living across from your
every second week, where a group of 10 JCHers will room (this is a true story!). Having intercollegiate friends
get to attend High Table at another college and have a means you will sometimes find yourself invited to parties
tour after. Have a look at the colourful ICAC flyer in your at IH, having a tea tasting at Newman, pretending to be a
fresher bag for a list of all events this year! Our Arts & chicken at UC, frolicking and singing on the uni oval with
Culture rep, Lee, represents JCH within ICAC. Queeners, and looking at the stars from the Ormond’s
clocktower. JCH is great (wonderful, actually), but if you
2. ICSC: The Inter-Collegiate Sports Council ever want to branch out, just attend an intercollegiate
Staying true to its name, the ICSC runs, you guessed it, event!
sports events. They hold the sporting competitions that
you will be training on the JCH tennis court for. ICSC
offers a range of sports, from netball, to badminton, to
tennis, and football, and one of its biggest events is the
Rowing regatta, for which a bunch of college people will
be heading down to the Yarra river proudly wearing their
college merch. The JCH Sports Reps, Wendy and Gus,
sit within the ICSC.

3. ICC: The Inter-Collegiate Council
The ICC doesn’t really hold events (at least not in 2020).
Rather, it oversees ICAC and ICSC, and works with all the

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