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Keble College MCR
Freshers Handbook2018-19
Welcome MessageDear Fresher,
I am glad to welcome you to Keble College MCR, and congratulations on your acceptance. I amsure that you will thoroughly enjoy your time here.
The term MCR (Middle Common Room) refers to two things. First and foremost, the MCR is thename given to the postgraduate student body at Keble, of which you are now a member. It iscomposed of around 330 full-time and 100 part-time graduate students, studying all kinds ofsubjects,. We are one of the largest MCRs within Oxford, and are well known to be one of themost social and inclusive. Alongside the MCR, in Keble exist the JCR (Junior Common Room) forundergraduate students and the SCR (Senior Common Room) for academic staff. The MCR isalso a physical place within the college (and from November onwards within the HB AllenCentre too), consisting of a reading room, kitchen and games room. Feel more than welcome tocome around and use (for free!) all these facilities both for relaxing and for socialising with thepeople there.
As you will discover, we offer so many different activities that you can check on our socialcalendar (http://mcr.keble.ox.ac.uk/calendar.html). We have scheduled several events duringFreshers’ week (30th September - 6th October) for you to get a taste of these as well as to helpyou settle in and get to know other members of the MCR. You will be able to get moreinformation about what is going on in Oxford at the College and University Freshers’ fairs,where a lot of clubs and associations have their stands. One of the most important eventsduring Freshers' week is the Welcome Dinner on Thursday 4th October. I would recommendyou to sign-up for this event (https://goo.gl/forms/jrp Q PenDBs02hGvD3 ) so that you do not missit. Please note this is also a separate event to the Graduate Freshers’ Dinner on Wednesday 3rdOctober that is organised by college: sign-up for this is not required but attendance isexpected.
This year will be a special and exciting one because of the opening of the HB Allen Centre. Mostof us will be living in this new building where we will try to host some of the MCR events. Weare aware that there will be some issues at the start of the year (people moving, the buildingbeing finished...) but all the committee and I, jointly with College, will try to solve them as soonas possible so the HB Allen Centre becomes a great space where to live in.
In this guide, you will find everything you need to know about Keble MCR, the college itself, theHB Allen Centre and more general information about moving to Oxford. Feel free to email anycommittee member with any questions you have. In advance of coming to Oxford, if you are aFacebook user, please join our Facebook group (https://www.facebook.com/groups/KebleMCR/)as an easy way of keeping up with MCR events and announcements. We also have a MessengerGroup on Facebook called “The Breakfast Club”; ask any of the MCR members to add you thereas soon as you arrive!! In addition, by the end of September, you should receive two emailsinforming you that you have been added to our two mailing lists ([email protected] [email protected]). If it was not the case, please do not hesitate to contactour IT officer ([email protected]), who will add you
Just to finish, I would like to encourage you to come to as many events as you can and getinvolved as much as you want. I have to say that the first time I arrived in Oxford I had no ideaabout what was the MCR - and even it sounded a bit weird - but now, I should say that KebleMCR is the thing I like the most about studying here.
Looking forward to meeting you all,
Javier (Javi) Pardo Díaz
Keble College MCR President([email protected])
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Map of Keble
Location of the HB Allen Centre
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A quick guide to the MCR
Executive CommitteeAs executive committee members, we run the MCR meetings (twice termly) andmanage the MCR budget. We also deal with the Governing Body of College, domesticissues and have regular meetings with important members of College including theWarden, Bursar and Domestic Bursar. We sound boring but I promise deep down weare fun – or at least that is what we think!
President – Javier Pardo ([email protected])
Javi claims to be a second year DPhil student in Statistics, butit seems that he is always in the MCR. He is one of the formerMCR Social Secretaries who likes going out and bein involved.If you have any question about how the MCR works, he’s theone you should ask!
Vice President – Carolin Schulte ([email protected])
Carolin is about to start the second year of her DPhil studies inBiotechnology. When she’s not in the lab, she enjoys rowing andgetting involved in science communication. As Vice-President,she is the point of contact for both constitutional matters anddomestic issues.
Treasurer – Susy Rees ([email protected])
Susy is starting the second year of her MPhil in Theology but istrying not to let that get in the way of the real reason she ishere in Oxford - to play rugby! As treasurer, Susy will try tomake sure that we make the best use of our budget and willpay the MCR's invoices.
Secretary – James Kohout (s [email protected] )
James is entering his second year of a maths DPhil in partialdifferential equations. He can usually be found under thesurface playing his favourite sport: underwater hockey. AsSecretary he is in charge of sending the weekly notices to MCRmembers and taking minutes at the general meetings.
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WelfareThe MCR Welfare Team is comprised of our Welfare and Equality Officers and a trained teem ofPeer Supporters (reference: http://www.keble.ox.ac.uk/students/student-support/welfare-contacts). Whatever difficulty, problem or stress you may be encountering in life – personal,academic, emotional, health, financial or otherwise – we are here for you, and hope you will feelencouraged to get in touch with any of us. We will see you in confidence, listen and support, andtry to help in any way we can, and we hope to continue help building a safe, comfortable andenjoyable community for all of you – one that values looking out for one another.
Welfare Officers act as a point of contact for all matter pertaining to welfare within thegraduate community, and liase between central University and the MCR to continuallyimprove Keble’s welfare provision. They represent the Common Room at StudentSupport Committee, Health & Safety, Domestic, and Welfare Committee meetings.Together with the Equality Officer, they seek to raise issues that affect the welfare ofmembers of our community, and work towards ensuring that needs of all members areheard fairly at College and University levels. To enhance community life and to bringmembers together, Welfare Officers organize weekly Welfare Teas (Sundays, 4 pm)and Brunches (Saturdays, 11 am). They also provide contraception, pregnancy tests,panic alarms, lube and dental dams on confidential request thoughout the year.
The role of the Equality Officer is to be a source of advice for those who requiresupport in equality matters, to promote equal participation of members in all aspectsof the MCR, and to discourage discrimination against any particular group.
Peer support offers an easily accessible and relatively informal opportunity to talkthrough issues which may be concerning you. Peer supporters have been selected andtrained to take up this role and receive ongoing support and supervision. For furtherinformation, visit https://www.ox.ac.uk/students/welfare/counselling/peersupport/ .
Female Welfare Officer – Beatrice Yeung(female- [email protected] )
Beatrice is entering the second year of her MPhil in Medical Anthropology,and enjoys spending time with, and getting to know the differentcommunities surrounding Oxford. She also loves musical theatre andstaying active through ballet. She is thrilled, and so grateful to be part ofthis wonderful community as one of your welfare officers and is lookingforward to having loats of conversations over tea, or coffee!
Male Welfare Officer – Joseph (Jiao-Yu) Wang(male- [email protected] )
Joseph (Jiao Yu) is a 3rd year DPhil student in synthetic chemistry. Whennot in the lab, he can be found in the MCR and enjoying its wonderfulcompany. Joseph is looking forward to meeting and getting to know manyof the MCR members, current and freshers alike, in the coming year.
Equality Officer – Thomas Player ([email protected])
Thomas has been knocking around Keble since 2013, and he is not only theEquality Officer for the MCR but is also being trained as Peer Supporter.He'll be helping to promote equal participation and discouragediscrimination in the MCR, and is looking forward to a great year ahead!
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Peer Supporters* – Hanna Nowiecka ([email protected])
Hanna is a third year DPhil student in Medical Imaging, working on methodsto analyse brain MRI scans. Hanna has been a Welfare Officer and a PeerSupporter already in the previous years. She enjoys playing football, boardgames, and tries to learn salsa.
Peer Supporters* – Adam Zibak (adam.zibak @keble.ox.ac.uk )
Ellen Pasternack ([email protected]), Beatrice Yeung, Thomas Player andIan McDole ([email protected]) are all receiving the Peer Supporter* training;they will finish it during next term
*Peer Supporters are not committee members: They have received a special trainingso that they can take up this role.
SocialThe two biggest events every term are the MCR BOP (fancy dress party) and the Black-Tie Dinner. However, there is never a week where there is nothing going on and ingeneral, we aim to have multiple events per week throughout the year. From boardgames to sports, karaoke nights, drinks, BBQs, and subsidized theatre trips. We willprovide a range of both alcohol-free and alcohol-friendly events throughout the year. Ifyou fancy running an event, or have an idea for one, get in contact with the socialteam. Another important point are the Exchange Dinners arranged with other colleges:these events allow you to have really cheap dinners in other halls. We also have abook club (https://www.facebook.com/groups/216791512444750/) that you are verywelcome to join. Although not run by the MCR, the Keble College Ball, in May of eachyear, is run by a student committee and attended by almost everyone in College. MCRmembers are always involved so look out for recruitment emails when they comealong.
Social Secretaries – Gavin Fleming and Dominic Dootson ([email protected])
This is Gavin’s fourth year at Keble, during which he will embarkupon an MPhil in Theology. He has been active in a number of areasof Oxford life including student journalism and politics, but hisgreatest interest is in theatre and drama (both on and off thestage). In his spare time, he enjoys complaining about very menialthings. As your Social Secretary, he promises to be very sociable –perhaps even more so than Dom.
As a newly promoted Social Secretary, Dominic believes he canbuild on his experience as Keble’s JCR entertainment officer tobring a revolution to the world of MCR entertainment. Fromplanning BOPs to pub quizzes, Dominic hopes to help you make themost of all the social opportunities an MCR has to offer.
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Dom (left) and Gavin (right)
Arts and Culture – Thomas Player (a [email protected] )
From movie nights in the MCR to art gallery and theatre trips, there'snothing Thomas enjoys more than putting on artistic and cultural eventsfor the MCR community - when not doing this he is starting his secondyear of a DPhil in Chemistry, trying to understand how birds navigate.
Black Tie Dinner – Ellen Pasternack (black-tie- [email protected] )
Ellen is a second year DPhil student in the zoology department. As wellas all things biology-related, she is passionate about sciencecommunication and women's rights. She loves a good pub quiz, has alove-hate relationship with rowing, and is peer support trained, meaningshe will be happy to listen if you want to talk about any problem large orsmall!
Exchange Dinners – Ian McDole (exchange- [email protected] )
Ian is a second-year DPhil student looking at all things medieval. When nothunched over old manuscripts, he enjoys good company and good food:both of which he hopes to find for the MCR in the other colleges
SportsAt Oxford, you can play sport at University (‘Blues’) or college level. While the Bluesteams tend to be a bit more serious, taking part in college sport is a great way to stayactive, fuel your competitive edge and meet new people - all teams also have a greatsocial scene! In Keble, there are various MCR specific teams including men’s andwomen’s Football and Cricket, but when combined with the JCR you can get involvedwith anything from Rowing and Hockey to Dancesport and Croquet. That doesn't meanthere aren’t other new sports on offer if you fancy them: Keble MCR members havejoined university teams such as Quidditch, Ultimate Frisbee and Australian RulesFootball so there should definitely be something on offer for you! If you want to knowmore of what is available in Keble and Oxford have a look at the Sports page on theMCR website or get in touch with the Sports Officer.
Keble MCR has a punt rented at the Cherwell Boathouse that can be use during TT andSummer. The booking of the punt should me made at https://pitchbooking.com/book-pitch/120855.
Sports Officer – Nikos Athanasiou ([email protected] )
Nikos is a third-year Dphil student in mathematics. In his spare time heenjoys socialising and playing the piano or playing pool in the MCR.
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IT and Social NetworksAs default way for communication within the MCR, we have two different mailing lists.The first one ([email protected]) is the “official” one and we would like toencourage you not to unsubscribe from it. The second one ([email protected]) is the “social” one, that is used for sending out informationabout social events. By the end of September, you should receive an email informingyou that you have been added to both mailing lists. If it was not the case, please donot hesitate to contact our IT officer, who will add you.
Besides that, the best way to stay in touch with what is going on is to subscribe to theMCR calendar (http://mcr.keble.ox.ac.uk/calendar.html) and check our Facebook page( https://www.facebook.com/groups/KebleMCR/ ) and the “The Breakfast Club”, ourFacebook Messenger group chat (ask any MCR member to add you if you are not stillthere!).
IT Officer - Ștefan Săftescu ([email protected] )
Ștefan is the email list responsible and the one that organizes theMCR elections and manages our webpage. His DPhil in roboticsinvolves self-driving cars and in his spare time, he enjoys swingdancing
FacilitiesThe main room of the MCR is the reading room and has loads of comfy sofas and anopen fireplace which is often lit in the winter. It is (in my opinion) one of the nicestplaces to work/relax in Oxford! Other MCR facilities include a TV room with a Sky TV,Blu-ray player and Wii, a kitchen with a refrigerator, microwave and dishwasher, whicheveryone is free to use. Disabled access to the MCR is via Hayward Quad. The gamesroom contains a free pool table, table football, a computer and the Cellar. Printingfrom this computer will incur a small charge on your termly battels account. The Cellaris stocked regularly with beer, soft drinks, chocolate, crisps and other snack foods, andworks on an honesty system; sign out what you take and you’ll be charged at the endof the term via your battels (college billing) account.
The HBAC also has two graduate common rooms, one intended for social activities andone intended as a quiet room.
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Freshers Week
At Keble MCR, it is very important for us to make you feel welcome from the very firstday of your time here in Oxford. We are therefore organising various welcome eventsbefore and at the beginning of Michaelmas Term. Most of them will be taking placeduring Freshers’ week (30th September to 6th October), please follow this link to findall the events: http://mcr.keble.ox.ac.uk/freshers/mcr_freshers_calendar_2018.pdf.This is a great opportunity for you to get to know people at your college, understandhow life in College works and ask any burning questions you may have!
Freshers’ Week officially kicks off with the Welcome Dinner on the Sunday 30 th
September (0th week); make sure you sign up in advance using the following link:https://goo.gl/forms/jrpQPenDBs02hGvD3. This will most likely be your firstopportunity to dine in Keble’s magnificent hall (and also the last one until April,because it will close for refurbishment), along with fellow Freshers and currentmembers of the MCR.
We are organizing ‘Drop-in-Desks’ on several evenings, where current members ofKeble MCR are more than happy to answer your questions. Additionally, to help yousettle in, we have introduced a college family system this year. Your assigned ‘collegeparents’ (MCR members who have been at Keble for at least one year) will show youaround and answer any questions you may have!
The finalised timetable for noughth (0th) and first week is included in your welcomepack, events range from the more relaxed quiz nights, chocolate fountains andcinema trips to pub crawls, karaoke nights and BOPs. These events are a great way toget to know other new students at Keble, as well as current members, so make sureyou get involved. Your college advisor (a tutor in your field of study) will also be incontact regarding the Graduate Freshers’ Dinner on Wednesday 3rd October (0th
week). You will meet your college advisor and Freshers on similar courses for a pre-dinner gathering before heading over to hall. If you don’t hear from your collegeadvisor during Freshers’ week, or have trouble getting in touch with them, contactPenny Bateman ([email protected]) in the College Office, fountain of allKeble knowledge.
Apart from socialising, there are a few other things you need to do in the first coupleof weeks, such as registering with a GP, meeting the college nurse and attending theofficial College welcome event (including the fire safety talk), on Wednesday 3rd
October (0th week). A very important date for your calendar is matriculation on the13th October. By attending a formal ceremony in the Sheldonian Theatre, you willofficially become a member of the University of Oxford. On a rather informal note,there will be a matriculation brunch in the MCR and the famous BOP at Linacrecollege that you won’t want to miss!
The University of Oxford also runs orientation programmes for overseas students. Ifyou are from overseas, you will have probably received notification about theseprogrammes already. If not, visit the international student webpage atwww.admin.ox.ac.uk/io/. Depending on your nationality and visa requirements, youmay need to undergo police registration. Registration costs £34 (bring cash) and mustbe done within seven days of arrival in the UK. The nearest police station is on St.Aldates, a little beyond Christ Church College, seewww.ox.ac.uk/students/international_students/visaduring/police / for more details.
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Oxford terms are eight weeks and referred to by name: Michaelmas term (MT) runsfrom October to December, Hilary term (HT) from January to March, and Trinity term(TT) from April to June.During term, weeks are referred to by number (e.g. 1st week,2nd week, etc.), and run from Sunday to Saturday. Both the college and yourdepartment will be running orientation activities normally throughout 0th Week(Freshers’ week, starting 30th September this year) to help you familiarize yourselfwith Oxford and to meet new people. You should contact your department or facultyto find out exactly when your course begins, in case you need to arrive earlier than 0th
week. Most of the MCR stay in Oxford the entire year, even though undergraduatestypically leave during the vacations. We continue to run events throughout thevacations. Dates of term are listed below (0th week - 9th week):
Michaelmas 2018 Sunday 30th September Saturday 8th December
Hilary 2019 Sunday 6th January Saturday 16th March
Trinity 2019 Sunday 21st April Saturday 29th June
Associate membersSome individuals who are not current graduate students at Keble but who areconnected with college are able to become associate members of the MCR for a smallfee. They are able to enjoy many aspects of the MCR; they are added to the mailinglist, can play in the sports teams and are able to come to all events.
The main criteria for being able become an associate member are: being the partnerof a full MCR member or being a previous MCR member. Please see the applicationform on the MCR website or contact the secretary for more details.
This is a particularly good opportunity if you have a long-term partner or spousecoming to Oxford with you; sometimes it can be more difficult for them to integrateinto a social scene. The associate membership gives them an excellent opportunity toquickly integrate into a common social scene.
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Before you arriveThe University has put together some useful general information for incomingstudents available here: https://www.ox.ac.uk/students/new?wssl=1 .
Coming to OxfordWeather
In the summer months Oxford can be hot and sunny and in the winter it can be coldand snowy (snowing heavily every few years), and it will also rain at any time of theyear. So while you are also packing thick jumpers for the coming term you mayexchange these for cotton shirts and swimming costumes come Trinity term. For thefirst term warm layers, a good waterproof jacket and good shoes are essential.
Dress
Dress around the University is informal. There are several occasions such as guestdinners, subject and club dinners, and balls where the dress code is black tie(tuxedo / formal cocktail dress); attendance at these events is however completelyoptional. Tuxedos can usually be hired, though second hand/cheaper ones can bebought in town. Other useful items of clothing are a smart jacket and tie and a fulllength dress, according to your preference. As a tip, remember that you will never beoverdressed in Oxford.
Specific attire is also required for formal university occasions such as matriculationand examinations (see ‘sub fusc’ in the glossary).
Bicycles
The bicycle is synonymous with Oxford. Cycling is a very popular means of transportin Oxford as it is a fast and affordable way to get around town. While it is moreaffordable to bring your own bicycle from home this isn’t always an option and thereare a number of bike shops around the city. Unfortunately, where there are bicyclesthere is bicycle theft and it is advised that you spend a little money on a D-lock andalways lock your bike to a solid object such as a rack.
There is a large second-hand bike turnover in Oxford. The facebook page, ‘Buy andSell Cycling Stuff in Oxfordshire’is a good place to look for a bike if you want to buyone second hand (https://www.facebook.com/groups/578636665511973/ )
There are bicycle racks around the perimeter of college and a new rack have beenbuilt near ARCO and in the HB Allen Centre. These racks are particularly secure as itis only accessible to members of Keble, and the area is monitored by CCTV. If youwish to use these facilities, please register your bike with the Porters’ Lodge (mainsite or in HBAC) when you arrive. A helmet is also strongly recommended, and it is alegal requirement to use bike lights (white at the front and red at the back) after dark.You can be stopped and fined for not using them. Removable bike lights (to preventtheft), locks and other things can be purchased from the university security servicesat a reduced rate http://www.ox.ac.uk/staff/news-listing/2016-12-05-bike-security .
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Cars
Parts of the city centre are only accessible to pedestrians and public transport, andparking space is limited. There are parking spaces close to college on both KebleRoad and Museum Road. There are also spaces at Norham Gardens which is a five-minute walk away. To use these parking spaces you need to purchase a parkingticket, which tends to be quite expensive. If you are living in private accommodationyou may be entitled to a residents’ parking permit, and you should speak to yourlandlord. Students are not able to park cars within college grounds.
Buses and Walking
For those who wish to avoid having a car or bicycle in Oxford, it is quite feasible towalk to most locations. Most destinations are within 5 to 20 minutes walking fromKeble, although distant locations such as the JR Hospital, Churchill Hospital, andHeadington are easily accessible by the comprehensive city bus system or by bicycle.
Passport photographs
You will probably find it useful to bring copies of recent passport-sized photographs.Membership and discount cards often require a photo of this kind. An instant-photomachine is also available in Boots, the chemist in Cornmarket street.
Electricity
British electricity is 240/220 volts and 50 Hz and runs through the large three-pinoutlets.
Visas, Customs, and Immigration
If coming from abroad, ensure that you have the appropriate entry documents onhand before leaving home. Depending on your country of origin, this may includeyour letter of admission to the college or your department in addition to your Tier 4visa. Before travelling to the UK, check the UK Border Agency website and/or yourlocal UK Embassy for more information. Remember (at least for your UKBA LandingCard) that your address in College/HB Allen is:
Keble College, Parks Road, Oxford, Oxfordshire, OX1 3PG
H B Allen Centre, 25 Banbury Road, Oxford OX2 6NN
It is probably not necessary, but perhaps advisable when clearing border control tocarry all the documentation used when applying for the student visa, particularly CASdocumentation.
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Getting to OxfordFrom London:
- One one hour by train from Paddington Station. Booking in advance withhttps://nationalrail.co.uk is the cheapest option.
- Around two hors by bus from Victoria. The options are ‘Oxford Bus Company’(https://x90.oxfordbus.co.uk/), ‘National Express’ (http://www.nationalexpress.com/ ) or ‘Oxford Tube’ (https://www.oxfordtube.com/) .
From the airport:
- Heathrow (LHR) and Gatwick (LGW): ‘The Airline’ (ww.theairline.info). Travel fromHeathrow takes 90 min and costs £23 (single) and from Gatwick takes 2.5 h and costs£28 (single). Different types of return ticket can be bought, depending on when youwill be returning to the airport.
- Birmingham (BHX): The train (https://nationalrail.co.uk) is the easiest option and itonly takes one hour.
- National Express coach service (http://www.nationalexpress.com/ ) offers a regularservices from all of the major airports: Heathrow, Gatwick, Luton and Stanstead.
Train and bus station
Gloucester Green Bus Station is the closest stop for those heading to Keble or the HBAllen Center. Anyone arriving on a bus/coach from the North (i.e. Banbury/Woodstock)get off the ‘Keble Road’ stop or the stop opposite the old Radcliffe Infirmary. Kebleand the H B Allen Centre are both about a safe 15 minute walk from Gloucester Greenbus station or 20 minutes from the train station. A taxi from the bus station or trainstation to Keble should cost around £5. (001 Taxi’s phone number: 01865 240000).
Rail and Bus Passes
Rail and bus passes can be useful if you plan to travel in the UK while at Oxford. AYoung Person's Railcard is available at the rail station for those 25 and under or full-time mature students for about £30 and will entitle you to one third reduction withoff-peak rates (http://www.youngpersonsrailcard.co.uk/). You can buy an one-yearNational Express Coachcard for £10, which gives you discounts of up to 30% onNational Express fares (http://www.nationalexpress.com) throughout Great Britain.Two passport-sized photos are typically required. Bus passes are also available fromthe Oxford Tube, Oxford Bus Company, Stagecoach and Oxford Citylink companies.
If you arrive by car, a limited number of short-stay parking places are availableoutside the college on Keble Road for you to unload your car.
Adresses
Keble College, Parks Road, Oxford, Oxfordshire, OX1 3PG
H B Allen Centre, 25 Banbury Road, Oxford OX2 6NN
For those at LInton Lodge Hotel: Linton Rd, Oxford OX2 6UJ
For those at Jurys Inn Hotel: Godstow Rd, Oxford OX2 8AL
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Arrival at Keble
Upon arriving at Keble, you should go to the porters’ lodge (open 24 hours a day)directly inside the college’s entrance off Parks road. It is very important you go to theCollege Office as soon as possible to pick up your university (Bod) card, freshersmaterial and sign the college book. In general, the porters know everyone aroundcollege and everything about it, and are good people to ask questions to.
On arrival, report to the porters’ lodge and:
1.If you are staying in college accommodation, collect your room keys and sign yourcontract – If you are staying in HBAC, you will have to go to the porters’ lodge there.
2.Check your pigeon-hole for mail (pidge).
3.Ask the porter for directions to the College Office (open 8am-6pm Monday toFriday) where you can pick up your University Card (Bod Card), Freshers’ WelcomePack, and sign the College Book.
4.Ask the porters to show you where the MCR is. You can access the MCR using yourBod card, and it is open 24 hours a day every day. We will email you the freshersschedule and put a copy of the timetable in your pidge before the beginning ofterm, so you know when official MCR events will be running. If you would like tomeet someone in the MCR when you arrive, email [email protected] we will arrange this for you.
5.Register your bike with Keble if you have one.
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Life in College and HB Allen Centre
Main building
Porters’ Lodge
The college porters are some of the most helpful people in college. The Porters’Lodge, located at the entrance to the College, is mainly responsible for security andpost but can provide you with most of the practical information you need. Don’t beafraid to ask questions. The Lodge is open 24 hours a day and the porters are there tohelp and support you. Disabled access is via the entrance to staircase 1 in LiddonQuad. The front college gate is locked after dusk but members can enter using theiruniversity card (aka Bod card).
In the Lodge you can also:
- Check your personal pigeonhole (pidge) for post pick up your parcels anddeliveries (note that your pidgeonhole will be in the HB Allen once it is finished)
- Use the university and external postal systems.
- Pick up keys for the squash court, gym, music room, etc.
- Call in case of emergency, phone number +44(0)1865 272727
Keble Library
Accessed using your BOD card, Keble library is open 24 hours a day throughout theyear, something you will probably really appreciate when university libraries closeearly in the holidays. The books within the library is largely geared towardsundergraduate courses although many graduates admit to being pleasantly surprisedby its resources.
Graduates can request the library to get a book in stock for them, if it is sufficientlyrelevant to their studies. Similarly, you can ask your college advisor to place arequest on your behalf. The library has a printer and two computers (printer use only)in the basement. Copying and printing costs will be charged to your college account(known as Battels). You can also borrow DVDs, travel guides and novels from thelibrary.
Computer Room
There is a computer room (including printers) beneath the Warden's Lodgings, whichyou access with your Bod card. It does not have disabled access. The college IToffices are also located here and they might be a good first contact to help you withany computer problems for free. You get a university email account once you haveregistered. This is done through the Oxford University Computer Services(https://register.oucs.ox.ac.uk/login) and you will be sent all the necessaryinstructions before your arrival. Since email is the default means of communicationwithin the university, it is important to activate your account as quickly as possible.
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Keble Bar
Keble bar is a good social space in the college which provides an alternative to theMCR. With £2.50 pints and a pizza bar (open during weeks 1-8 of term), this is a greatplace for a drink and a bite to eat at the end of the day. The bar is also complete withvarious games equipment including a table football and a darts board.
Keble Café
During term times Keble Café (in the Douglas Price Room of the Sloane RobinsonBuilding) is open from 11am to 6pm for refreshments. Coffee, soft drinks, sandwichesand a selection of cakes and pastries are available and payment is by cash at the till.Because of the hall closure, during Michaelmas and Hillary terms next year, “hall”meals will be served here.
Keble Gym
Keble has its own gym (located beneath the JCR). Its facilities include 7 cardio-vascular machines (2 ergs, 3 bikes, treadmill and cross-trainer), a good range ofweights equipment, incline bench etc., an exercise area with exercise balls, punch-bag etc. The gym is open from 7am until midnight every day. Gym membership costs£32 per term (£20 for EMBA students) or £65 per academic year. Membership formscan be obtained on the Keble website or from the Porters’ Lodge. Once the gym in HBAllen is built, MCR members will have to use the one in HBAC.
The O’Reilly Theatre
The O'Reilly Theatre opened in October 2002. Located in the Sloane Robinsonbuilding, it is a 181 capacity theatre whose versatile staging and technicalpossibilities make it a popular venue for some of the best student drama around.Every term five plays (four in Hilary) are selected to perform: from musicals to grittyreality dramas. It will be close during Michaelmas 2018 and Hillary 2019.
Chapel
The Keble chapel is one of the most impressive buildings in college and is open dailyto everyone. The side chapel boasts the original ’Light of the World’ painting byHolman Hunt, a reproduction of which is in St. Paul’s Cathedral. The Chapel holdsdaily services in accordance with the Church of England, including a Eucharist onSunday evenings during term time at 5.30pm and Choral Evensong on Wednesdays at6.00pm. The College Chaplain is Revd Nevsky Everett([email protected] k ) . At the end of Michaelmas, there is a candlelitAdvent carol service for Christmas which is always popular.
Dinning Hall
As its name suggest, there is where all the meals are served. Unfortunately, it will beclosed from the 8th October 2018 to 10th March 2019 for major works. See “Meals”section for further information.
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H B Allen Centre
Useful contacts
- Lodge: 01865 282 300- HBAC Manager: 01865 282 33- Housekeeping Manager: 01865 282 311
Porters’ Lodge
It will have the same functions as the one in the main site. Please note that yourpidgeon hole will be placed here once the Porters’ Lodge is finished. Also, rememberthat no grocery deliveries will be accepted.
Café
The café at HBAC will provide seating for 120 and further seating on adjacentterraces, it will open during Michaelmas Term 2018.
Gym
The price will be £32/term (£20 EMBA students) or £65/year.
Lecture Theatre
Provides seating for up to 120.
Please, refer to http://www.keble.ox.ac.uk/admissions/graduate/accommodation-food-and-facilities for further information.
Sport Facilities outside College
College’s sport ground
The College’s sports ground is 10 minutes north of the main site on the WoodstockRoad. In the summer Cricket is played and the sports ground offers two artificialcricket nets and two grass nets. Other team sports, notably rugby and hockey, areplayed in the University Parks, opposite the main site.
Squash Courts
Keble College members have use of a squash court with showers, changing room andobservation gallery. It is accessed via St. Cross Road, backing onto the University ClubSports Ground. A Membership Application Form, along with Terms and Conditions, canbe obtained on the Keble website or from the porters lodge. The membership fee is£15/year, irrespective of the time of year you choose to join and is payable by acharge to battels.
Boathouses
The College has two boat houses, one on the banks of the Isis (Thames) in amongstthe main college boathouses, and another on the Isis at Godstow. There areopportunities for novices to begin rowing in eights.
University Sport Facilities
Graduates can make use of the University’s sport facilities, many of which are locatedat the Iffley road site 10-15 minutes from Keble.
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Meals
The main link for meal booking is: h ttp://meals.keble.ox.ac.uk and you can sign inusing your bod card number. The College serves three meals a day on weekdays andtwo meals (brunch and dinner) on weekends.
Breakfast (weekdays): 8:15 – 9:45 (self-service) Lunch (weekdays): 12:30 – 13:45 (self-service, £3.00 approx for the main) Formal Dinner (Sunday, Tuesday, Thursday of odd weeks, Friday of even
weeks.) 19:00. Three courses (£7.80) Informal Dinner (Other four nights per week, and when a Black-Tie Dinner
replaces Formal Dinner) 18:00 - 19:30 (self-service) Brunch (Saturday and Sunday) 10:30-12:00 (self-service)
The prices are subject to change year-to-year, but this is a rough guide you mightexpect to pay for meals in College. Note you need to add a £2 per person surchargefor guests, and for lunch a 50% guest surcharge is added.
At the beginning of term, you will receive your Bod card, on which you can chargemeals in Hall, snacks in Keble Café and pizza in Keble Bar. These charges will appearon your Battels bill. Eating in the College costs a lot less than eating out but may bemore than cooking for yourself.
Breakfast, Brunch, Lunch and Informal Dinners
There is no need to sign up for those meals during term time, but you have to sign upduring vacations for Lunch and Brunch. Vacation meal times are also slightly differentthan term time, and will be advertised by Hall staff via email. There are alwaysvegetarian and vegan options. If you had any other dietary requirement, you shouldemail the staff. All the items will be charged to your battels by using your BOD card(you cannot pay neither with cash nor credit/debit card).
Dinner
To sign up for dinner, log on at http:// meals.keble.ox.ac.uk using your bod cardnumber (bottom right, above the barcode). This has to be done before 3 pm on theday. There is also the facility to sign up guests (normally one per meal is allowed). Ifyou have any dietary needs or are a vegetarian you can indicate this using the onlinesign-up facility. Should you want to invite more people, just send an email to theSteward in charge of Catering, Emile Hernandez (e m [email protected] k )who would be delighted to sort out things with you. The webpage also containsinformation regarding meal times, who else has booked into hall, as well as the menu.
For formal dinner, the students of the College must be seated in Hall by 7:10pm,whereupon the Senior Common Room (SCR, college fellows) file into Hall. When theyreach the High Table – an elevated table at the front of Hall – all members areexpected to rise to hear grace in Latin (read at formals, but sung by the choir onSundays) before the meal begins (the first time you hear the hammer striking thetable may be a little surprising). Typical dinners consist of salad, meat, potatoes andtwo vegetables with a pudding or fruit for dessert but alternatives are alwaysavailable for a wide range of dietary requirements including vegetarian and vegan.
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Café Keble
During term time, another daytime dining option for Keble students outside of hall isthe Café Keble (Douglas Price room), located within the Sloane Robinson building inNewman quad. Here you can buy coffee, tea soup and sandwiches and read the latestnewspapers. Many students use the café as a space for group study or informalmeetings. All payments are made with your Bod card or cash.
Keble Bar
During term time the pizza bar is open. There, you can buy homemade pizza (mealdeal around £5.00!) and paninis.
At the bar, you can buy alcoholic and not alcoholic drinks and snacks and pay withcash or debit/credit card. You can also pay with your bod card but you have to top itup beforehand through at http://meals.keble.ox.ac.uk
HB Allen Café
There will be a café at the HBAC with seating for 120 and further seating onadjancent terraces
Temporary arrangements during Hall and Servery works
From the 8th October 2018 to 10th March 2019 the Hall will be closed for major worksto enlarge the servery, clean the walls and timber panelling in the Hall and improvethe lighting. During this period ‘Hall’ meals will be served in the the Café (in theSloane Robinson Building) and Café Keble will move to the College bar, with extendedopening hours.
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Battels (Financial information)
Soon after your arrival, you should visit the Bursary to check that your BattelsAccount is in order. You will be required to pay a £150 damage deposit, whether ornot you live in college accommodation, and, for those living in, key deposits (£15)for your room key. If there is a delay setting up your bank account or some otherkind of problem with your finances, you should inform the Bursary immediately, asthe staff can usually make arrangements.
At the end of each term you will have to pay your battels (you will receive an email)but you can do it before if you prefer it. You can see all your charges and pay yourbattels at http://meals.keble.ox.ac.uk .
College Doctor
When you come to Keble, you must register with an Oxford doctor. Keble prefers thatyou register with the Jericho Health Centre on Walton Street (less than half a mileaway). Information about how to do this will be provided by the college before youarrive. If you need to see a doctor, you can always ring and make an appointment(01865 429993).
There is also a College nurse (Glenys Knighton, [email protected]),available for a couple of hours every weekday during term time (weeks 1 to 8) forminor treatments. The nurse will be holding her surgeries in Somerville College, atwo-minute walk from Keble.
UK residents, and some overseas students are entitled to free health care under theNational Health Service, so be sure to find out if you are covered. You can also askthe nurse for recommendations of dentists and other specialists.
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AccommodationCollege AccommodationThe newly built H B Allen Centre will bring around 2/3 of Keble’s graduate studentsonto one site offering top-quality accommodation and fantastic supporting facilities. Ithas 231 en suite rooms for postgraduate students. Of these, 191 are arranged in 32self-contained flats, each with a spacious communal kitchen/dining room. Theremaining 40 are individual rooms with their own kitchenette. For further information,please refer to http://www.keble.ox.ac.uk/campaign/the-h-b-allen-centre/hbac-facilities.
University Accommodation
As a University member, you may also be able to get accommodation owned andmanaged centrally by the university. For that, you must apply to the UniversityAccommodation Office (http://www.admin.ox.ac.uk/accommodation). This is typicallynot in association with Keble College and is separate to college accommodation.
Private Accommodation
Private accommodation varies widely in cost, quality and convenience. If you areliving out of the College, it is worth coming to Oxford as early as possible to find aplace to live. Accommodation in Oxford is expensive (average about £120 a week forstudents) and finding a place near your College or department can be difficult. TheUniversity Accommodation Office is the best resource and has a database of what’son offer. Another useful source of information is the www.dailyinfo.co.uk website. Themost practical way to find accommodation is through the OxGradHousing(h ttps://www.facebook.com/groups/160632823948859/ ) Facebook group. Researchstudents and those on two-year courses may need to secure this kind of housing intheir second and subsequent years. If you are a first year student who has neverbeen to Oxford and you need help with finding private accommodation, do nothesitate to email the MCR President or Vice-President listed on the MCR website.There is also a comprehensive guide available from OUSU that will be distributedaround the time of the room ballot.
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General information
FinancialAll the main banks in Oxford (Barclays, HSBC, Lloyds and Santander) are located onCornmarket Street and generally offer accounts for students. If you are a non-EUstudent on a one-year course, you may not be eligible for a student account, but it isworth researching the banks in advance to check. If you are an international student,be prepared to provide evidence of your address in the UK and your student visa inorder to set up a bank account (the best combination of documents to take are yourpassport, college enrolment certificate, and lease agreement).
Keble also has a number of travel and study awards available to students. The KebleAssociation is a registered charity that regularly supports students and can awardgrants to help with study and travel costs. The Faith Ivens-Franklin Travel Fund is forcurrent graduates to help with any travel in connection to your academic work andthe Graduate Study Support Fund awards grants for everything from course-relatedequipment to conference attendance. More information can be found athttp://www.keble.ox.ac.uk/students/student-support/graduate-specific-information/travel-award s . There are also various funds that you can apply for if you find yourselffacing financial hardship and more information can be accessed athttp://www.keble.ox.ac.uk/students/student-support/financial-and-personal-support/financial-assistance .
Shopping
There will be time in the first few days to shop for essentials, such as gowns,mortarboards, books, bicycles etc. There will be a bike sale at the Oxford Union (StMichael’s Street) at the end of 0th Week. Alternatively, you can buy a bike from bikeshops (Cowley Road or Walton Street). Argos and Boswells are good places topurchase kettles, cooking utensils, linen and other essentials for your room. TheFacebook group Oxford swap shop is platform for students to cheaply buy and sell allsorts of things and is worth becoming a member of. Gowns can be bought in theUniversity Campus Stores and similar shops on Broad Street and High Street. Allmajor shops in Oxford are based around Cornmarket, Queens (including the WestgateCentre) and the High Street.
MCR Leavers gift
Throughout your time here, former students will be supporting you and all currentstudents through the Talbot Fund. Keble alumni fund student scholarships, bursaries,prizes, our outreach programme, extra-curricular activities (sport, music and drama)and help to restore and refurbish the wonderful buildings in which we live and work.In 2016, the MCR voted for all its members to start their own tradition of alumnisupport for the next generation by opting in to making a donation of £20 to the TalbotFund as they leave. By way of thanks, MCR Leavers who make such a gift will receivea Keble ‘brick’ and become honorary members of the Talbot Society. Members will benotified about the MCR Leavers Gift before they leave and receive details of how toallocate your gift to an area of choice and how to opt-out should you wish. For furtherinformation please contact the Alumni & Development Office.
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AccesibilityA non-exhaustive compilation of wheelchair-accessible spots around Oxford
Restaurants:
Al Shami - Alpha Bar - Ashmoleon Rooftop - Atomic Burger - Bella Italia - Brown’s -Burger King - Byron - Coco Cafe - Fernando’s - G&D’s (except for St. Aldate’s) - Gino’sSpaghetti House – Greek Taverna - itsu - Jamie’s Italian** - Jericho Cafe - Majiliss -McDonald’s - Mission Burrito - Nando’s** - Noodle Nation - Olive’s - Oxford Fish andChips - Oxford Wine Cafe** - Pomegranate - Pret - Quod - Thaikhun - Turl StreetKitchen (they have a ramp inside) - Turtle Bay - Vaults and Garden
Pubs / Bars:
All Bar One - Angel’s** - Bear (definitely outside) - Big Society - Cafe Tarifa - Freud’s -Jericho Tavern – Joe Perks - King’s Arms (have a ramp stored inside) - Lamb and Flag -Mitre/Beefeater** - Plush Dance Club** - Red Lion - Royal Oak - Turf Tavern (definitelyoutside) - University Club - White Rabbit Cafes Beetroot – Caffe Nero - Combibos -Costa - George St. Social - Jimbob’s - La Croissanterie - Quarterhorse - Queen’s Lane -Rick’s - Starbucks** - Waterstone’s**
Shopping:
Westgate Centre - Clarendon Centre - Covered Market - most of Cornmarket - most ofQueen Street - Sainsbury’s - Tesco
** indicates accessible bathrooms (Source: Oxford Accessibility Project) For more information, you can refer to theUniversity's disabled students guide(https://www.oxfordsu.org/pageassets/advicecodebrackets/Disabled-Students-Guide-ONLINE.pdf) and its access guide (https://www.admin.ox.ac.uk/access / ).
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Glossary (underlined the most importants)Sub fusc : Oxford’s academic dress. Oxford students must wear subfusc to all formalacademic occasions; matriculation, some exams, DPhil vivas graduation etc. Thisconsists of black shoes, dark socks or tights, dark trousers or skirt, white shirt with abow tie or black ribbon, a black jacket or cardigan, mortarboard and academic gown.Subfusc is not required for formal dinner in hall, where you just need your gown. Thisdress code is checked and enforced so it is a good idea to obtain the appropriatedress.
Graduates wear an 'advanced student's gown', which costs about £35. A mortarboardcosts about £10. These can be bought from University shops such as the varsity shopon Broad street as a pack. Alternatively, if you wish, you may wear the gown andhood from your previous university.
Matriculation: It is compulsory that all students must matriculate or incorporate asmembers of the University at the beginning of their course, unless they are VisitingStudents who are not part of one of the specific schemes recognised by theUniversity. This consists of dressing up in subfusc (described above) and participatingin the ceremony usually at the Sheldonian Theatre, performed partly in Latin. Beforethe ceremony a champagne reception is held in the MCR and a group and individualphotographs are taken. The MCR usually also organises a party in the evening afterthe ceremony.
The vast majority of students matriculate but by an ancient arrangement graduatesof Cambridge University and Trinity College, Dublin are permitted to incorporate theirCambridge or Trinity College, Dublin degrees. This means that your degree isincorporated in absentia at the earliest possible degree ceremony. Thus you do notparticipate in a ceremony. After incorporation, the number of terms elapsed sinceyour matriculation at Cambridge or Dublin may count towards any degrees you maybe eligible for at Oxford, and you may wear the Oxford academic dress for any degreeyou have incorporated. Contact the College Office for all enquiries regardingincorporation of degrees from Dublin or Cambridge.
The college will contact you with arrangements for your matriculation.
Battels: Term for accounts/bills for students and academics at their individual
colleges, which can encompass anything from meals and accommodation to punt
hire.
Beadel: Official servant of the Vice-Chancellor.
Bod card: University card, named after the Bodleian library
BOP: A party/disco held by a college, typically tend to be themed fancy dress
Bursar: Chief financial officer of a college.
College Advisor: Postgraduate tutor in your field of study who is your point of contactwithin college for any academic issues and/or welfare concerns you may have whilstin Oxford.
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Colour-coded flowers: A non-obligatory tradition for Oxford exams. You pin a whitecarnation (flower) [to your gown] for your first exam, pink for your interim exam(s),and red for your final. The colour of the flower symbolises the blood from the heart ofa student as they bleed all the knowledge they have acquired onto the exam paper:hence the darker the flower, the closer to their final exam.
Come Up: To arrive at Oxford.
Congregation: Supreme governing body of the University, consisting of all academic
staff and senior academic-related staff.
Cuppers: Inter-college competition.
Degree Day: Dates throughout the course of the year when students may be
presented with their degrees.
Don: An academic or tutor.
Formal Hall: Evening meals hosted in Keble on Tuesdays and Sundays, and Thursdaysof odd weeks and Fridays of even weeks during term time. At Keble, gowns arerequired atop normal attire, and grace is said before food is served.
Fellows: Senior academics/appointed staff who serve as the trustees and
governing body of a college.
Go Down: To leave Oxford.
Graduation: 1) The process of graduating; 2) Ceremony in the Sheldonian Theatre
taking place on Degree Days where students are awarded their degrees.
Lodge: Base of operations for college Porters
Pigeon Post: The University’s internal mail system.
Punting: The activity of going along a river in a punt (= a long boat with a flat bottomthat is moved by pushing against the bottom of the river with a long pole). Keble MCRhas a punt at Cherwell Boathouse that can be use during TT and summer.
Scout(s): College staff tasked with maintenance, cleaning and waiting on tables
Sent Down: Being asked to leave the University, due to failure of exams or a
serious disciplinary infraction.
Tab: Student at Cambridge University.
Tutor: Academic who teaches students individually or in very small groups. They
act as both teacher and academic advisor.
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