Equal Opportunities

Raf

"Hey, I'm Raf, a second year studying History and Politics, and I'm your Equal Opportunities Rep for this year. This means I am the JCR member with primary responsibility for actively preventing discrimination and encouraging equality within the college. This includes making sure that those who require special arrangements and/or extra time in exams receive all the help they need. If you have any worries about any assistance you think you're going to need for whatever reason, either at university or during the admissions process, please do get in touch (see the bottom of this page for contact details) because somewhere in the wealth of available support offered by both the college and the university, is the right help for you. Merton itself is a very supportive and egalitarian place to study. It has a fantastic pastoral care team who are more than willing to help with any problem whatsoever. There are two JCR welfare reps (male and female) and various other JCR officers, including myself and the LGBT reps, who can act as a confidential listening service and help to deal with issues of concern for any student. There is also a committed and dedicated welfare team among the college staff. Because it's small and is committed to the welfare of its students, Merton acts like a family, and there is always someone in this close-knit community to help you with any problem. Discrimination on any grounds is almost unheard of at Merton and is very rare in the University generally, although the college does appoint two of its fellows as harassment officers should any issues arise. The college has historic religious connections and Latin grace is still said before every formal hall (one of the two evening meals offered six days a week). However, beyond this, the influence of religion on the college is limited and while some students do choose to worship in the chapel, the closest contact many have with the Chaplain is in his role as the head of the college's welfare team. The ratio of male to female undergraduates at Merton is about 60:40 but, uniquely in Oxford, Merton has a female Warden (head of the college) and there are many women in the college hierarchy. The college nurse also fulfils the role of women's officer, specifically dealing with issues for female students. There are both mixed and single-sex halls for first year students and any student who specifically wants to live in single-sex accommodation will be accommodated by the college. Due to its age and the protection placed on many of its buildings by the government, Merton is not fully wheelchair accessible. However the situation does appear to be slowly improving and the college is willing to attempt to accommodate students' individual needs. I really hope this brief summary gives a flavour of how supportive a place Merton is and why no-one should be put off coming here for any reason. If you still have any questions, please feel free to e-mail me or contact the college. We'll do all we can to help!"

I really hope this brief summary gives a flavour of how supportive a place Merton is and why no-one should be put off coming here for any reason. If you still have any questions, please feel free to e-mail me or contact the college. We'll do all we can to help!"