Further College Facilities & Events

8.1 Graduate Common Room
8.2 Meals
8.3 Guest Rooms
8.4 Room Bookings
8.5 College Events
8.6 Bar
8.7 Lockers
8.8 Sports Facilities and Linacre College Gym
8.9 Music Practice Room
 

8.1 The Graduate Common Room

The terms ‘Graduate Common Room (GCR)’ and ‘Graduate Common Room Exec/Committee’ are often used interchangeably. Historically the term ’Graduate Common Room’ (when not referring to a physical space) is a term used to refer to the collectivity of graduate students in a college. You may hear them referred to in many other colleges as MCRs, short for Middle Common Room). The GCR collectively elects graduates to represent their interests in college committees, act as welfare reps, social organizers etc. This is a GCR ‘executive’ or ‘committee’ but again, for shorthand is often referred to simply as the ‘GCR’.  

As the representative body for all students at Reuben College, the GCR Committee works to develop and promote opportunities for students to fully engage with the academic, social, cultural, recreational, and sporting life of the College. It also represents members in their corporate relations with societies, colleges’ clubs and other bodies across the University of Oxford.  

All on-course students at Reuben College will be eligible to vote in Graduate Common Room elections, and elections will take place in stages during Michaelmas and Hilary Terms, for the new officers to take up their functions at the beginning of the next term. A staggered series of elections will allow for the participation of students on taught as well as research courses, and for the transfer of skills and experience between committee members.  

8.2 Meals

As with many other facilities, we’re sharing dining facilities with Linacre College until our buildings open. The Linacre Dining Hall is open throughout the year, although there may be a reduced service during some short periods. Announcements will be made when this is the case. 

Normal meal service is cafeteria (self-service) style, and the College attempts to cater for as wide a range of diets and preferences as is possible. You will be entitled to student subsidised prices by showing your University Card at the till, and meals will be charged to your battels account. The dining-hall also accepts payment by debit/credit card but this will not entitle you to subsidised prices. Non-Reuben members must pay by debit/credit card. 

The standard pattern is of breakfast, lunch and dinner Monday-Friday.  Dining Hall opening hours are available on the website.  There are no meals on weekends and Bank Holidays, and costs vary according to what is eaten. Students may eat as many or as few meals at College as they wish.  

Formal Hall 

There will be a Reuben Formal Hall dinner on Wednesday evenings (weeks 1—8) at 7.30 p.m. (preceded by an early takeaway evening meal from 6.00¬6.30 p.m for those not attending the Formal Hall). Students can book up to 3 guests for any one Formal Hall. Charges are available here and bookings can be made on this booking site. You must sign up for Guest Night dinners by 9.30am on the preceding Monday. Please note that Week 5’s formal hall is known as ‘Halfway Hall’.  Instead of the usual 3 course meal, a 4 course meal would be served on that evening. We reserve the right to cancel Formal Halls if not enough attendees have been booked on.  

Linacre College holds Linacre-only guest nights every Tuesday and Thursday in term. This means there will only be an early evening meal service on these nights. 

‘Dining with Dinosaurs’ Academic Seminars and Dinners 

In recognition that Reuben lacks its own dining spaces in 2022-23, and to promote intellectual exchange, Reuben students are invited to dine on Thursday nights in term-time at the University’s Museum of Natural History. These meals are available to Reuben students who attend the prior lecture free of charge, with the expectation that diners will engage in discussion flowing from that lecture during the meal, prompted by questions given by the speakers. These dinners cannot be transferred to others, or exchanged for other benefits. Please note that although free of charge to Reuben students attending the prior seminar, to avoid waste, late cancellations and ‘no shows’ may incur a charge. All attendees must sign up for Dining with Dinosaurs through InkPath by midnight on the preceding Monday.    

After Week 4 of Michaelmas Term, Reuben students are welcome to invite guests under terms and conditions outlined at booking. Guests will similarly be expected to attend the prior lecture and to engage in the led discussions at dinner, noting that this is an academic rather than social engagement. Please note that cancellations, menu changes and changes to dietary requirements cannot be made after the booking deadline. If you have booked a guest and your guest cancels after the deadline, no refunds can be made.  

8.3 Guest Room

A twin-bedded room at Linacre College is available for guests of members of the College and may be booked through guestroom@linacre.ox.ac.uk, from where the scale of charges is also available: Guest Room | Linacre College (ox.ac.uk). Letting will normally be for a period of not more than fourteen nights. A cancellation fee of 50% is payable unless cancelled with more than 7 days' notice. The full charge is payable if cancelled within 24 hours or upon non-arrival. The College member booking the room is regarded as guaranteeing subsequent payment of appropriate charges. 

8.4 Room Bookings

The Tanner Room and CTI Room at Linacre College may be booked through the Steward & Hospitality Manager at Linacre College for meetings of College clubs and societies. A member of College who will be responsible for the organisation of the meeting and any costs or expenses incurred must always be present. Permission for all meetings involving non-College members must also be obtained from Reuben Senior Tutor not less than 7 days beforehand. A charge will be made for the use of rooms by anybody not consisting entirely of members of the College. All meetings must comply with both Linacre’s Freedom of Speech Policy, and Reuben’s equivalent policy. The Nadel Room can be used, by advanced booking with the PA of Linacre’s Principal, for students wishing to host a quiet meeting with their supervisor or academic visitors. Small, informal gatherings are also possible, but food is not permitted. 

8.5 College Events

All events held at Reuben College will be listed on the InkPath app, and attendance at events is booked through the app. All students are thus asked to download the app onto their phone or tablet through Google Play or Apple Store. You can also log into InkPath using a web browser. The app is free and you have to set-up your account when you first start using the instructions provided. 

Fellows and students play a key role in developing initiatives to support the College’s aims, and stimulating its academic life by organising events such as seminars, workshops, lectures and reading groups. Students are encouraged to attend at least one Thursday talk or Monday workshop fortnightly. Students are also encouraged to put on and get involved in a wide range of student-led social activities within the Graduate Common Room. These events may take the form of formal exchange dinners, bar nights, international evenings, garden parties, sports competitions, movie nights, pub quizzes, and much more. Students who are interested in helping to organise such events might consider running for elected positions within the GCR Committee or getting in touch with the GCR Executive through graduate.president@reuben.ox.ac.uk. 

8.6 Bar

Reuben College uses the bar at Linacre College. It is open from 12.00 noon to 2.00 p.m. and from 6.00 p.m. to 11.00 p.m. on weekdays, and 7.00 p.m. to 11.00 p.m. at weekends. The bar is “Members Only” with drinks charged via the University card. Only on larger social events can non-members purchase drinks for cash. 

8.7 Lockers

A limited number of lockers are available for Reuben students near Reuben College Common Room at Linacre College. A deposit of £20 is required. Deposit payment is made through the University Online Shop. Once you have made your payment, please make an appointment to see the Graduate and Admissions Administrator to collect your locker key. The £20 deposit will be return to you as a credit on your college’s personal credit account when you return your locker key.   

8.8 Sports Facilities and Linacre College Gym

Linacre has a very active sporting tradition, including an active boat club (in collaboration with Nuffield College), touch rugby and football teams which play in various inter-College leagues. Other sports offered include tennis, squash, table tennis, yoga, darts, pool, boxing, and weightlifting. For more information on team membership or College sports contact the Common Room Sports and Recreation Secretary. 

The Common Room owns two punts. A permit authorising you to use the Linacre punts, which are kept at Wolfson College, can be obtained from the Reception Office during the punting season. 

Use of the gym and fitness equipment at Linacre is free to Reuben College members and their guests (one accompanied guest per member), subject to completion of a Gym Membership Form, Medical Form and attendance of a short Induction given by the Gym Manager. Please email the Gym Manager for further information.  All users must note and abide by regulations posted in the gym about the use of the fitness equipment. 

Squash Courts 

Students have access to squash courts, which can be booked to train or play matches on. The courts are owned by Jesus College and are just down the road from the main Linacre site – when leaving Linacre, turn left towards the centre of the city and the squash courts are a small building on the right hand side of the road, about 200m away just before you get to Balliol’s new accommodation buildings. 

You need to make a booking by emailing lodgeopen@jesus.ox.ac.uk requesting the times you want to use the courts.  Once you have an email back accepting your request, show this to Linacre College reception and they will issue you with a Salto access fob for the courts.  There are 3 courts so you should be reasonably able to obtain a slot at any time you wish.  The lodge will retain your bod card as a ‘deposit’ and return this to you when you hand back the fob. 

8.9 Music Practice Room

There is a Music Practice Room at Linacre in the basement of the Abraham Building, with a new Yamaha piano. There is also a Yamaha clavinova in the small Common Room, and a Bluthner upright piano in the Thomas Linacre Room located within the OC Tanner Building. Headphones for silent practice on the clavinova are available from Reception. Use of the instruments can be booked at Reception who will provide advice on possible time restrictions and availability. In consideration of others practice of other instruments should not take place after 9:00pm or before 8:00am.