SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION FOR GRADUATES
COLLEGE ADVISERS
Everyone reading for a higher degree is assigned a Fellow of the College as
his/her `college adviser'. The aim is to provide an academic and social link with a
senior member of the College, and someone with whom you can discuss matters
that you may not wish to raise with your supervisor. The description of College
advisers offered by the University states:
The College Adviser will be in a position to discuss the student’s academic
work. This does not mean that the graduate and adviser must be members of
the same Department or Faculty. The College Adviser is not in any way
intended to replace the University supervisor, or to act in his or her stead and
should, therefore, not be expected to give the same detailed academic
guidance and direction. Thus, a College Adviser to a graduate should not also
be the graduate’s University supervisor. Rather, the intention is to provide a
focal point for an individual student’s relationship with the College, which
nevertheless includes an academic component.
The College Adviser is expected to monitor a student’s progress, to discuss
the University supervisor’s reports, and to be available for regular consultation
on academic or other matters, including those issues that a student may feel
unable to raise with his/her supervisor. Advisers should, as appropriate,
comment positively on students’ progress, and achievements; they are not
only there to monitor students’ progress and pick up problems. The Adviser
may wish to consult with the Dean of Graduates about any students who
appear to be experiencing difficulties with their academic work, or direct
students to other appropriate persons for assistance with non-academic
related difficulties.
The Dean of Graduates is responsible for the graduate affairs of the College in
general, and is always ready to help with any problems that college advisers may
be unable to handle - e.g. dealings with Faculty Boards and the British Academy,
college endorsement of applications, and so on. The Women's Adviser and
Welfare Adviser are also available for consultation if required.
MEALS
Junior members must book for evening meals via the College website at
http://epos.merton.ox.ac.uk using their University card.
New Junior members will have their meal accounts credited by £20 which will be
added to the first battels bill. After that advance payments, minimum £20, may be
made during normal bursary office hours, 9.00 a.m.-12.00 noon and 1.30 p.m. 4.30 p.m. Monday to Friday. Any unused credits will be refunded on battels at the
end of the course of studies.
Booking for supper and Formal Hall must be completed by 10.00 a.m. for dinner
on the same day. There are restrictions on the numbers that may book in for
supper and Formal Hall.
It is not necessary to book in advance for breakfast or lunch. Payment for the
meal is completed by swiping the University card on the terminal in the Hall at
mealtimes.
Bookings for guest meals may be made via the College website. Up to three guests
may be invited for any meal.
Special Guest Nights are normally held in Hall on Fridays of 2nd, 4th and 6th
Weeks.
A joint SCR/MCR dinner is held during the Christmas and Easter vacations.
COLLEGE AMENITIES
All graduates are automatically members of the Junior Common Room as well as
the Middle Common Room, and of the Amalgamated Sports Club. A nominal
subscription is charged per term in arrears (on battels) by the MCR, to cover
social and other events. This charge will be levied unless the College is instructed
to the contrary, as it is presumed that all graduates will wish to take part in the
social and other life of the MCR. The College offers various facilities, including
payphones and laundry facilities. The MCR has its own common room (with
newspapers, periodicals, television, video and drinks cabinet), and there are
personal computing facilities in the College. There is also a College bar. The
MCR currently holds two dinners a term and numerous social events.
FEES AND CHARGES
Academic fees, board and lodging and other charges are payable by the end of the
first week of each term. If there are any problems with these you should discuss
the situation with the Finance Bursar before the date when payment is due.
GRANTS
The College is willing to consider applications from graduates for grants towards
expenses incurred in travelling in the course of furthering their research, or any
special expenses incurred during research over and above those which would
normally be expected. Graduates may apply only once per academic year.
Applications should be submitted to the Academic Administrator by the
end of the fifth week of any term. Application forms are available from the
MCR website under “Links & Forms”.
LANCELYN GREEN FOUNDATION FUND
The Committee for the Lancelyn Green Foundation Fund makes grants to
graduate members of the College to further research into English and Classical
Literature, or for travel for the purpose of research into classical studies in Greece
and the adjacent countries. Applications should be in the form of a letter
addressed to the Classical Tutor.
SIMMS FUND
The College Simms Fund Committee considers applications for grants from the
Simms Fund to assist graduates in the completion of their theses, if they have
encountered difficulties or delays beyond what would normally be expected,
particularly if the thesis is likely to be submitted in a reasonably short time.
Requests for grants for other major and exceptional research expenses may also
be considered, if these cannot be reimbursed from regular funding authorities.
HARDSHIP
The College has a Student Support Committee to consider cases of financial
distress among junior members. Details may be obtained from the Chaplain.
LIBRARIES
The opening times of the College libraries are posted on the Lodge noticeboard.
Apart from the various University Libraries (about which information is provided
in a separate leaflet) the Oxford City Library in the Westgate Centre is worth
mentioning.
GOWNS
Gowns are always worn for formal dinner during Full Term and for Chapel
services. Several Oxford outfitters stock them. Those reading for higher degrees
may wear either the Advanced Student's gown or the academic dress of their own
universities. Those reading for a second BA degree may wear the Advanced
Student’s gown when required, but must wear the Commoner’s gown when
sitting examinations. Visiting Students may wear the Commoner’s gown.
ADDRESSES
Please inform BOTH the Lodge AND the Tutorial Office of any change of
address or telephone number, and leave a forwarding address when you are
away from Oxford. Failure to do so can cause a lot of inconvenience to both the
College and yourself.
At the end of the academic year please make sure that the Tutorial Office and the
Domestic Bursary know whether or not you will be in Oxford for the following
year. Otherwise you could find yourself being charged fees unnecessarily.
RESIDENCE
`Keeping Term' is defined by the University Statute as spending 42 nights in
Oxford during the period of the University term (usually from about a fortnight
before the beginning of Full Term to about a fortnight after the end). If you have
a room or set, you must fill in a departure card if you plan to be away for more
than three days.
ACCOMMODATION FOR COUPLES
The College has a small number of flats for graduate couples. Please contact the
Estates Bursary if you wish to apply for one. Otherwise the University
Accommodation Office at Ewert House, Ewert Place, Banbury Road, Oxford
OX2 7DD http://www.admin.ox.ac.uk/accommodation/
may be able to help. For advertisements, the local weekly paper The Oxford Times,
which appears on Fridays, will probably be more useful than the daily Oxford Mail.
A few accommodation agencies will be found in the classified telephone directory.
The College is not able to offer accommodation to families with children.
PROCTORIAL REGULATIONS
Graduate members of the College, unless they are Oxford MAs or MAs by
incorporation from Cambridge or Trinity College, Dublin, are in statu pupillari and
subject to the Proctor's regulations concerning the conduct of junior members of
the University - though in practice some of these regulations are relaxed in favour
of graduate students. If in doubt please contact your college adviser or the Dean
of Graduates.
MEDICAL SERVICES
Details of the services of the College doctors (Drs Bogdanor, Leaver and O’Shea),
nurse (Ms Haines), and dentist (Mr Le Tocq) are given in the College Handbook.
There is no obligation to use the College's medical facilities; if you live out of
Oxford with your family, you may prefer to register with a local doctor. But most
graduates will probably be best served by the College arrangements.
Please inform the Lodge if you are ill, so that any necessary help can be given.
The College also has a Welfare Dean (Anna Camilleri) who may be consulted if
required.
TELEPHONES
Graduate rooms are provided with phone jacks linked to the University network.
Graduates may, at their own expense, make use of these private lines in
conjunction with telephone services companies approved by the University and
the College. There are two payphones in the Merton Street precinct and
University network line in the laundry in Holywell Street. You must supply your
own handset. Calls may be made using 0800 phone card. Your room telephone
number is available from the Lodge. A separate phone instruction sheet will be
circulated by email to all graduates on arrival.
CLUBS
The University Club – situated at Mansfield Road, provides social, sporting and
hospitality facilities for all staff, post-graduates, alumni and retired staff of the
university and associated institutions; (tel: 01865 271044; email:
reception@club.ox.ac.uk)
The British Council – has local offices at 1 Beaumont Place, and welcomes
overseas students (tel: 01865 316636).
The Newcomers' Club The Oxford University Newcomers’ Club is an
organisation, run by volunteers, whose aim is to help newly-arrived wives,
husbands or partners of members of the University and visiting scholars to settle
down and to give them the opportunity to meet people in Oxford. The Club is
based at University Club, 11 Mansfield Road, OX1 3SZ; (email:
newcomers@ox.ac.uk)
BICYCLES
Bicycles are not to be brought into College quadrangles, rooms or corridors.
Bicycles may be kept in Old Warden's Lodgings Yard or in the bicycle store in the
basement of Holywell Buildings. The College accepts no responsibility for
bicycles, and junior members are advised not to bring expensive bicycles to
Oxford.
CARS
Junior members of the College are advised against bringing motor cars and motor
cycles into Oxford because of tight traffic restrictions, the scarcity of parking
places and the high level of car crime. Junior members are not allowed to park
vehicles on College premises. However, there are a limited number of spaces
available at the Sports Ground. You will need to contact the Estates Bursary to
see if any spaces are available before coming to Merton. There is a charge of £70
per term plus £10 deposit and you will be required to register your vehicle with
the Estates Bursary.