Policy Documents

The College regulations are designed to provide a framework of practice within which members of the College can pursue such objectives, and their own interests, without interfering with those of other members or of the general public. By accepting a place at University College, students agree to abide by the College Regulations and policies, please see the Student College Contract.

Our Handbook of Regulations and Handbook of Information can be found on our Student Information page.

Our Staff Policies are listed under HR Information on the Univ intranet, whilst other regulations and policies are available below as PDFs, which open in new windows.

Academic Policies and Procedures

Equality Policy - Further Information

University College aims to promote equality of opportunity and treatment for everyone working and studying at the College or applying to do so and to ensure equality of access to all services provided by the College in line with the Equality Act 2010.

The College has due regard to the need to:

Eliminate unlawful discrimination, harassment, victimisation and any other conduct prohibited by the Act
Advance equality of opportunity between people who people who share a protected characteristic and people who do not
Foster good relations between people who share a protected characteristic and those who do not

Univ’s Equalities Objectives for 2020-24 can be found here.

The College collaborates closely with the University of Oxford’s (the University) Equality and Diversity Unit especially in matters where specialist advice and support are required. For further information visit the University of Oxford Equality & Diversity Unit website here

The University publishes high-level data covering all students and all staff employed by the University, which includes joint appointments with colleges. Please refer to the University’s website here.

Statistics on students at Univ compared to the University as a whole, are available here. We are keen to increase the diversity of our student intake. Although progress has been made in recent years, we acknowledge that more work remains to be done, especially in relation to ethnic diversity.

Previous reports are available here:
2019

In 2020 we designated one of our year 12 study days for UK students of Black African and Caribbean, and mixed African or Caribbean heritage. We are also collaborating with the Humanities Division and another College to put together an online event on studying the humanities for prospective BAME students. As a college, we are also proud of our pioneering Opportunity Programme , which has seen additional students recruited from less advantaged backgrounds since 2016.

The College carries out staff surveys from time to time and records employee equality data regularly. Employee equality data is available here.

Previous reports are available here:
2019/20

Freedom of Speech

Free speech and academic freedom are fundamental to the culture and mission of Univ and the University of Oxford. They enable the pursuit of knowledge and allow students, teachers and researchers to explore different perspectives and reflect on the variety of beliefs, theories and opinions in the world. Recognising the vital importance of free expression in deepening understanding and expanding knowledge, a higher education institution may make rules concerning the conduct of debate but should never prevent speech that is lawful.

Inevitably, this will mean that members of the University of Oxford and its colleges are confronted with views that some find unsettling, extreme or offensive. We see our responsibility as fostering freedom of expression within a framework of robust engagement. We are an academic institution which values expertise and intellectual rigour as well as openness, and we recognise that not all theories deserve equal respect. Within the bounds set by law, all voices or views which any member of our community considers relevant should be given the chance of a hearing. Wherever possible, they should also be exposed to interrogation through questioning and evidence-based argument. As an integral part of this commitment to freedom of expression, we will take steps to ensure that all such exchanges happen respectfully, with attention paid to the time, place and manner of events, with neither speakers nor listeners having any reasonable grounds to feel intimidated or censored.

It is this understanding of the central importance and particular roles of free expression in a university that underlies the approach of Univ.

The Higher Education (Freedom of Speech) Act placed new requirements relating to freedom of speech and academic freedom on universities, with most provisions originally intended to come into force from 1 August 2024. On Friday 26 July, the Secretary of State for Education announced that implementation of the Act would be stopped in order to consider options, including its repeal, and that long-term plans would be confirmed as soon as possible. Univ awaits further guidance from the Government with respect to next steps.

Gender Pay Gap Report

Non-Academic Policies and Procedures

Privacy Policy

Proctors' and Assessors' Memorandum

Subject Access Request (SAR)

“Subject Access” is the right of an individual to access personal data relating to him or her, which are held by the College. Please complete and return this form to the Finance Bursar as Data Protection Coordinator of University College using the address information on page 3 of the SAR form.

If you require information about examination results please contact the Academic Office. Examination scripts are exempt from Subject Access rights.

Your request will be processed by a very limited number of staff within the Bursar’s Office, under the supervision of the College’s Data Protection Officer, who will be required to view all the data you request, including personnel, financial and occupational health records. By submitting a Subject Access Request you are accepting that the College Office will need to request and view the data about you in order to assess what can be disclosed. Information on third parties, including staff, in some circumstances may be withheld. All data will be handled securely and in the strictest confidence.

The College Office has a duty to establish the identity of the requester. The Finance Bursar’s Office will advise you on what forms of identification are usually required. Requests from internal members of staff may not require this and you will be advised on making your request if this is the case.

The Finance Bursar’s Office will then coordinate the gathering together of the appropriate information. The College will comply with SARs as quickly as possible but will ensure that a response is provided within 1 calendar month from receipt of identification unless there is good reason for delay. Data protection laws allow for an extension of up to 2 months for responding to very complex requests. If you are able to describe the data you seek clearly this is less likely. We may also refuse requests that are deemed manifestly unfounded or excessive, and reserve the right to charge a fee. In such cases the reason for refusal, delay, or any fees payable will be explained in writing.

If you are seeking data held by the University or JCR/MCR you will need to contact them directly as they are a separate entity to the College and responsible for their own access requests.

Download the SAR form here.