Linacre College Fellows’ Handbook
Contents
1
Welcome....................................................................................................01 Fellowship Categories...............................................................................02 Expectations..............................................................................................04 College Advisor Role.................................................................................05 Dining Hall.................................................................................................07 Library........................................................................................................09 Gym & Music Room...................................................................................10 Social Life..................................................................................................11 Academic Events.......................................................................................12 Finances....................................................................................................13 IT................................................................................................................14 Academic Support.....................................................................................15 Wellbeing...................................................................................................16 Staff Directory............................................................................................17
Last updated June 2025
01
Welcome
Founded in 1962, the College's name commemorates Thomas Linacre (c.14601524), a distinguished Renaissance humanist, medical scientist, and classicist whose accomplishments established him as one of the great scholars of his time.
The College reflects Thomas Linacre's breadth of learning in its multi-disciplinary purpose and ideals.
Approximately
Linacre welcomes students from a range of academic
200
disciplines and diverse backgrounds. The College is
fellows
progressive ethos.
known
for
its
interdisciplinary
focus
and
modern,
Situated next to the University Parks and close to the University’s main libraries and laboratories, the College fosters a supportive international community.
Fellowship Categories
02
All categories of Fellow are elected by the Governing Body following a recommendation from the Appointments Panel. A Fellow will vacate their Fellowship as soon as they no longer meet the qualifying conditions, laid out below.
Official and Professorial Fellows A
proposal
for
association
of
a
University post with an Official and Professorial Fellowship shall be made to Governing Body by the Appointments Panel if, in the opinion of the Panel, there is a long-term strategic advantage to the College in association with the post.
Research and Adjunct Fellows A proposal for election to a Research or Adjunct Fellowship shall be made to Governing Body by the Appointments Panel. The criteria used by Appointments Panel in making a recommendation are: The nominee fills a gap in College provision or where their ad personam appointment would be of great benefit to the College The nominee is of academic merit and their research is of a high standard The nominee holds senior responsibility for administration/policy within a department of the University (Adjunct Fellow). The nominee holds a University post of at least Grade 8. Nominees would usually be expected to fulfil two or more of these criteria.
Junior Research Fellows Junior Research Fellows shall be elected for an initial period of two years, which may, on application, be extended for another year. The Appointments Panel will make a recommendation to Governing Body on the extension to a Junior Research Fellowship based on the contribution that the Fellow has made to College life.
03 Visiting Fellows A Visiting Fellow may be elected for a period not exceeding one year. The limit to the number of Visiting Fellowships that the College may host at any one time shall be ten. The cost of a Visiting Fellowship is currently £1,500 per term, plus VAT. Two Visiting Fellowships are funded by the College each term. Others may be funded by the nominee’s home institution, or another sponsoring body.
Honorary and Emeritus Fellows An Emeritus Fellow is normally expected to have provided at least seven years of service to the College on appointment and is ordinarily appointed for life. Appointment to an Honorary Fellowship is for life.
Benefactor Fellow The Governing Body may elect to a Benefactor Fellowship any person who has donated in excess of £250,000.
Expectations 04 It is the Fellows’ duty to co-operate in administrative and academic matters relating to the College and to further its existence as a place of advanced study, learning, education and research. If your fellowship at Linacre is dependent on you holding a departmental position or residing in Oxford, you must let us know if your position changes. Fellows may be invited to act as a College Advisor, that is to take pastoral responsibility for a small number of students. See page 6 for more information on this role. We invite our Fellows to take various roles within the College including as members of committees and Deans. Fellows are encouraged to lunch and dine in College and to play a full part in the life of the College community where their career experience is of value and interest to the student body; this includes the Linacre Seminar Series held throughout term. Junior Research Fellows are required to produce an annual report on their research and progress which will be requested in Trinity Term. Linacre College would be grateful to all Fellows if the College is acknowledged in publications arising from research carried out while in the role.
05
College Advisor Role
You may be expected to act as a college advisor. The main aim of the position is to offer students the opportunity to access general support within College which is complementary to that provided by their department. Attempts are normally made to match Advisors with Advisees in a similar subject area, but this is not always possible, nor is it essential for fulfilling the functions listed below. Role of College Advisors While most graduate students are likely to seek advice and help on both academic and other issues from their Faculty/Departmental supervisors with whom they are often in regular contact, there are five main areas where College Advisors can also be of value: 1.By monitoring students' progress via the termly University academic supervisor’s reports (Graduate Supervision Reporting), identifying any issues, and being available for regular consultation on academic or other matters. 2.By offering another point of view if a problem arises in the relationship between a student and their Faculty/Department or academic supervisor, and where necessary initiating mediation, or organising intervention within the wider University. 3.By consulting with the Senior Tutor if a student appears to be experiencing continuous problems with academic work. 4.By supporting students if a major crisis occurs in relation to accommodation, family problems or other issues which fall outside the scope of academic direction. In more challenging situations this may involve guiding them to other appropriate persons for support with non–academic related worries within College and University. 5.By explaining the quirks of the organisation of Oxford University, or, for some, life in the UK. .
06 In addition, the College Advisor may be able to offer advice on academic-related matters such as: applications for research funding, conferences and seminar attendance, publications, and academic career planning. However, the College Advisor is not responsible for performing the role of a Department or Faculty Supervisor(s), and is not responsible for directing a student's academic work or giving detailed academic guidance. You will be contacted by the Academic Office if you have been allocated advisees, which may be in any term. Please let the Academic Office know by the third week of term if you have not yet had contact with your allocated Advisees. An information session for College Advisors will be provided by the Senior Tutor early in Michaelmas Term. We strongly advise that you do not give out your personal contact details, such as your phone number, to your advisees. College Advisors are permitted to invite their advisee for lunch or an informal dinner (excludes Guest Nights) free of charge once per term.
07
Dining Hall
The Dining Hall is open throughout the year unless otherwise communicated. The College attempts to cater to as wide a range of diets and preferences as possible. The Dining Hall is open Monday-Friday with lunch from 12pm-1:30pm and dinner from 6pm-7pm, unless otherwise stated. During term time, dinner is a takeaway service only on Tuesdays and Thursdays to allow for Guest Night Dinners to take place. As a Fellow you are entitled to free dining at lunch and dinner when the kitchens are open. If you bring any guests with you, you can charge guests to your battels or guests can pay themselves via debit/credit card. Fellows’ Dining Allowance Trial Michaelmas Term 2025 College has decided to trial a fellows’ dining allowance to encourage fellows to use the Linacre dining hall with their academic guests. This allowance is £250 worth of dining until 30th September 2026. Official, Professorial, Adjunct, Research, Junior Research and Visiting Fellows can use this in any way you choose – if taking a guest to the dining hall for a regular meal, please ask at the till for it to be charged to your fellow’s allowance. If using for a formal meal, please select your allowance as your guest type when booking. This allowance is provided to better assist you in acting as a Fellow of the College. In order that this is not seen as a taxable benefit, you are reminded that guests should be related to your academic or professional work – any friends or family should be charged as private guests as normal.
Fellows’ Lunches On Wednesdays in weeks 0-9 there are Fellows' Lunches in the Small Dining Room at 12:30. This is a great way to get to know each other and informally network.
08 If you are a College Advisor you are also entitled to bring your advisees to lunch or informal dinner free of charge once per term; inform the kitchen staff at the till that you are with an advisee and it will be free of charge for them.
Informal Guest Night Dinners On Wednesdays of weeks 3 and 5, an informal Guest Night dinner is hosted from 7pm in the Dining Hall. This is a less formal occasion, with a more relaxed dress code. Gowns are not required. Formal Guest Night Dinners During term time, Guest Night dinners are hosted on Tuesday and Thursday from 7:30pm in the Dining Hall, with a drinks reception in the Common Room from 7pm. The dress code is formal, and academic gowns are encouraged. Family-Friendly Guest Night Dinners Family-Friendly Guest Nights are held once a term and are an opportunity for members to bring their families along for a child-friendly meal. Dates for FamilyFriendly Guest Nights will be advertised throughout the term. All Guest Nights will be advertised throughout the term with an opportunity to sign up via the online system. Questions about Guest Nights should be directed to the Hospitality Team: hospitality@linacre.ox.ac.uk
09
Library
Linacre College Library is open 24/7 and provides a place for members to enjoy solo study and access to the Linacre book collection.
Finding and borrowing books The University has a central online database, SOLO, which acts as a catalogue for Oxford University’s libraries. The collection at Linacre can be searched by selecting ‘Linacre College Library’ in the drop-down box to the right of the main search bar. All books must be taken out via the self-issue terminal in the library lobby. Returns should be placed in the book returns box in the same location. Members can borrow up to 30 books at a time for a period of 4 weeks. Book suggestions are always welcome and can be made by emailing the Library Team: library@linacre.ox.ac.uk.
The Gilbert Ryle Collection The library also houses the collection of Gilbert Ryle in the Ryle Reading Room, located in the main Library. If you would like to view material from the collection, please contact the Library team in advance. The Ryle Reading Room is a quiet location for relaxed reading. You can find out more about the Ryle Collection here.
Study spaces Printing and scanning facilities are available in the Library, with additional study space (along with computers, a printer, and a scanner) on the top floor of the O.C. Tanner building and the Abraham Building.
Contacting the Library Team Linacre College is committed to improving its services for those with disabilities. Members who may have difficulty accessing the Library or materials should get in touch with the Library Team: library@linacre.ox.ac.uk
Gym & Music Room 10 Gym Located in the basement of the Abraham Building, the gym is open 24/7 and equipped with cardiovascular machines, weight machines, and a selection of free weights and other fitness equipment. All new members must attend an induction before using any gym equipment. Inductions will take approximately 15 minutes. To schedule
an
induction,
members
should
contact
the
Gym
Manager
(gym@linacre.ox.ac.uk). For the safety of all members, the gym is under CCTV supervision. Members are eligible for a swimming membership at Iffley Road Leisure Centre and can book a squash court at the Centre by contacting The Lodge team.
Music Room Members of the College are welcome to use the Music Room, equipped with an upright piano, for solo rehearsal. The Music Room can be found in the basement of the Abraham Building, and bookings can be made here. Pianos can also be booked in the Small Common Room, Music Room, and Thomas Linacre Room via The Lodge.
11
Social Life
Common Room The common room is both the name for the community of Linacre members and the space in college, home to the bar and social space. All members can vote on motions during CR meetings and in elections for CR Executive Committee positions. More information on the Common Room and CR leadership can be found here.
Sport and Societies The Common Room offers a wide range of societies and sports, including the Linacre Boat Club, Linacre Ladies who Lift, and much more. Find out more about current sports clubs and societies here.
Music The Linacre Community Choir is often at the heart of College events throughout the academic year. The choir is a non-audition, welcoming community. More information can be provided by the Senior Tutor who runs the choir: senior.tutor@linacre.ox.ac.uk
If you have ideas for new events, initiatives, or other means of College community engagement please get in touch with the Academic Office, Hospitality, or the Development Office who may be able to assist you.
Academic Events 12 Seminar Series The college hosts regular seminar events where students and fellows are invited to present their research. These events allow the whole community to get to know each other better and to network across disciplines. In a friendly atmosphere any member of the College can give a 20-minute talk on their research and discuss ideas with peers from both within and without their field. These events usually take place on alternate Tuesday evenings from 6pm - 7:15pm, followed by a semi-formal dinner where seminar contributors can sit on Senior Table. We invite Fellows to either give a talk or chair these seminars. You can find more information about the series on our website.
Fellows’ Lecture Series The Linacre Lectures are a high-profile public lecture series rooted in an ethos of interdisciplinary research. Linacre, known for its interdisciplinary focus, has hosted this event since 1991 and leading academics from around the world have been invited to share research with the College and wider University community. The series is organised and led by small groups of Linacre Fellows from different departments of the University. Every series consists of four lectures which are delivered over the course of one Oxford term. The Academic Office will advertise the opportunity for Fellows to bid for the Lecture Series each year.
Finances 13 Battels A credit system operates for all current College members, and accommodation rents, snacks, bar and other charges are billed monthly on an account called ‘Battels’. You can charge purchases to your Battels by using your University Card. Bills must be settled by the 20th of the month during which they are received. New members can complete a direct debit form, which will be provided prior to arrival to make this process easier. Any queries about billing should be raised as soon as possible with the Bursary. Battels can only be settled by direct debit or through our College payment portal, Flywire, or by a bank transfer. Any unpaid debts over 3 months old may be reported to the Governing Body.
Funding & Grants Funding for Official, Professorial, Research and Adjunct Fellows Official, Professorial, Research and Adjunct Fellows at Linacre are eligible to apply for grants from the Lucy Halsall Fund for research purposes, including costs related to travel, virtual and online conference attendance and any additional costs that may have been incurred relating research plans and facilities. Funding for Junior Research Fellows Junior Research Fellows can apply for a Travel Grant to cover costs related to travel and conference attendance. Multiple applications are permitted, up to the £500 limit (per year). Junior Research Fellows are also eligible to claim up to £300 per year (August to July) as a Research Allowance for materials or equipment that support their research. Materials purchased must demonstrate a clear link to your research topics and might include books, equipment or academic memberships but will not include meals, general living costs or ancillaries such as academic dress. Travel/conference attendance is not included in this fund and the funds cannot be claimed after the year has ended or in advance. To make an application for funding, all fellows should complete this webform.
14
IT
Email All members with a Linacre affiliation are entitled to a University email address. This account will be automatically created when a Bod card is issued, with activation details sent to a student’s personal email address.
Internet Wireless internet access is available via the University OWL and Eduroam services across college buildings. More information on how to connect to these services can be found here.
Facilities The College has a number of computers and study spaces for students to use. Computers and desks are available in the OC Tanner Building Study Room and Abraham Building Study Room. Network ports are available for personal computers at these desks. Printing and scanning facilities are also available in these areas.
Academic Support 15 University Careers Service The University's Careers Service provides information, guidance and events for research staff both for positive career advancement and when things don't quite go to plan. In particular, the Careers Services page for Researchers page may be useful. You can also explore a workbook and podcasts on overcoming a sense of academic failure; scroll down this page Responding to change or setbacks | Oxford University Careers Service
Oxford Research Staff Society The Oxford Research Staff Society (OxRSS) is a network of researchers across the University. Sign up to the mailing list for news of events and opportunities to connect with others.
The Researcher Hub The Researcher Hub exists to support researchers on fixed-term or open-ended contract with their development at Oxford and career beyond. You can read more about them here. These pages provide information on: The Charter for the Career Development of Researchers which outlines what you can expect as a researchers as well as what you are responsible for. Professional Development Planning, explaining the university’s commitment to at least 10 days professional development time pro rata per year, with tips on how to approach this opportunity, different kinds of development activity plus testimonials from researchers as to what has worked well for them. Information on Career Development Reviews and Ongoing Support. Leading and Managing People in Research Training and further modules in The Confident Manager Series
Research Staff Representation Explore this page to find your department/faculty researcher represenative and academic advocate for researchers (see tabs for each division), and connect with other researchers for mutual learning and support.
Wellbeing 16 GP Surgery If you are new to Oxford, we strongly recommend registering with a local GP Surgery in case any physical or mental health concerns arise during your time here. There are many GP Surgeries in Oxford, to find one near your address please see a list here and contact them directly for more registration information.
Welfare Lead The Welfare Lead offers a safe space to unwind and regroup, and can provide resources to support students through issues
they
may
be
facing.
More
information on the Welfare Lead and how to contact them can be found here.
University Occupational Health Service Visit the Occupational Health website for more information about the services they can provide.
Other Resources: NHS Oxfordshire Talking Therapies Oxford University Welcome Service University Before You Start Advice Harassment Advice
17
Staff Directory
Staff Office Hours The Academic Office and Bursary are open Monday to Friday from 8am to 4pm. The College OC Tanner Building is normally open seven days a week, 24 hours a day, and the Lodge staff are available to deal with enquiries. The only exceptions to this are likely to be over Christmas and Easter, and details of arrangements will be communicated in advance. All members have 24 hour access to the College premises (via their University card). For more information on accessibility around the College, please visit here.
Senior Management Team Principal Dr Nick Leimu-Brown principal@linacre.ox.ac.uk
Bursar & Development Director David Seale bursar@linacre.ox.ac.uk
Vice Principal Dr Chris Morton christopher.morton@prm.ox.ac.uk
Senior Tutor Dr Jane Hoverd senior.tutor@linacre.ox.ac.uk
Director of Estates Simon Barker simon.barker@linacre.ox.ac.uk PA to the Principal and Executive Administrator Jo Whitfield principal.secretary@linacre.ox.ac.uk
Bursary accounts.manager@linacre.ox.ac.uk accounts@linacre.ox.ac.uk fees@linacre.ox.ac.uk
Welfare Lead welfare@linacre.ox.ac.uk
18 Academic Office academic.office@linacre.ox.ac.uk
Library library@linacre.ox.ac.uk
Domestic Operations accommodation@linacre.ox.ac.uk
hospitality@linacre.ox.ac.uk
domestic.operations@linacre.ox.ac.uk
lodgemanager@linacre.ox.ac.uk
IT Office support@linacre.ox.ac.uk
Alumni Relations, Development & Communications alumni.relations@linacre.ox.ac.uk communications@linacre.ox.ac.uk
Housekeeping and Maintenance housekeeping@linacre.ox.ac.uk maintenance@linacre.ox.ac.uk
Deans Dean for Equality and Diversity Dr Clara Barker equalities@linacre.ox.ac.uk Dean of Discipline Dr Fergus Cooper fergus.cooper@dtc.ox.ac.uk