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Official information and FOI

Oriel places a high value on satisfying the legal obligations set out by the Freedom of Information Act (2000), the Data Protection Act (1998), and the UK General Data protection Regulation (UK GDPR). The links below have been published to provide a clear idea of the College’s mission, activities, and expenditures to encourage transparency as far as reasonably possible whilst maintaining confidentiality in accordance with the mentioned data protection legislation.

General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR)

The UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR) came into force on 25 May 2018. Oriel College is committed to protecting the privacy and security of personal data. If you have any concerns or complaints about how the College has used your personal data, please contact the Data Protection Officer, Margaret Jones, by email at dpo@oriel.ox.ac.uk or in writing: The Office of the Treasurer, Oriel College, Oxford OX1 4EW, United Kingdom.

Oriel’s Data Protection and Privacy Policies

Freedom of Information

The College follows the Information Commissioners’ Office’s recommended publication scheme, and it is important to us that it meets your needs. If you find the scheme difficult to understand, please let us know. We also welcome suggestions as to how the scheme might be improved.

Any questions, comments, or complaints about this scheme should be sent in writing to the Data Protection Officer, Margaret Jones, at dpo@oriel.ox.ac.uk or: The Office of the Treasurer, Oriel College, Oxford, OX1 4EW, United Kingdom.

Contact the Information Officer

Who We Are and What We Do

Oriel College is a constituent College of the University of Oxford. As such, it works with the central University to provide an enriching environment dedicated to the education of undergraduate and postgraduate students, and to the development of scholarship. You can view the University’s publication scheme online or request a copy by writing to the Data Protection Officer: Data Protection Officer University Offices, University of Oxford, Wellington Square, Oxford, OX1 2JD.

information and documents
History

Oriel College was founded in 1326 by Adam de Brome. Originally called the House or Hall of the Blessed Mary at Oxford, the College first acted as a source of research and learning for graduate Fellows. From 1349 it was known as Oriel, a name derived from a large house, called ‘La Oriole,’ which had been located on the current site of the College’s front quad and was given to the College through a royal grant. To this day, the College’s full name is ‘The Provost and Scholars of the House of the Blessed Mary the Virgin in Oxford, commonly called Oriel College, of the Foundation of Edward the Second of famous memory, sometime King of England’. The site of the College, the original part of which is the front quadrangle, incorporates four medieval halls: St Mary Hall, Bedel Hall, Martin Hall, and Tackley’s Inn, the last being the oldest standing medieval hall in Oxford.

Duties

The primary purpose of the College, its Fellows and other academic staff, is academic, both teaching and research, and students are encouraged to see themselves as having joined a community with a shared purpose. The College offers undergraduate tuition in thirty-one subjects, with some of the most popular being History, Modern Languages, and PPE. Postgraduate students study subjects from all four academic divisions of the University, and each is assigned a College Advisor who is normally a Fellow of the College. Current numbers for undergraduates and postgraduates are approximately 300 and 180, respectively. As a constituent college of the University of Oxford, Oriel works closely with the University to maximise its members’ academic development and welfare.

Location

The main site of the College is bordered by Magpie Lane, Merton Street, Oriel Square, King Edward Street and the High Street. A residential annexe, largely inhabited by finalists and postgraduate students, is located on Rectory Road, approximately ten minutes’ walk from the main site. The College’s sports grounds are located at the Bartlemas property approximately twenty minutes’ walk from the main site.

What we spend and how we spend it

Priorities and Progress

The College’s Governing Body, consisting of the Provost and Fellows, is responsible for the academic, domestic, and financial administration of the College. It meets at the College, meeting in Weeks 1, 4, and 8 each term.

Information about the College’s priorities and committee structure can be found in our Annual Report (links above). Links to further information about the University can be found below.

University of Oxford Annual Review
About the University of Oxford
University of Oxford Strategic Plan 2018-2024
Conference of Colleges

How We Make Decisions

The Governing Body consists of the Provost and Fellows. It meets three times per term to discuss College business and make College-related decisions. Information about our Governing Body and other Committees can be found in our Annual Report (links above).

Links to further information about our decision-making processes can be found below.

Oriel College Statutes
Oriel College Bylaws
The University’s Governance Structure

Policies and Procedures

Lists and Registers

Information held in registers required by law and other lists and registers relating to the functions of the authority (e.g. lists of registers of testing and inspection). Please contact the Data Protection Officer at the contact details above if you require information of this nature.

Gender Pay Gap Report

 

All employers with 250 or more employees are required under legislation to report on their Gender Pay Gap. Oriel College has fewer than 250 employees; however we have taken the decision to voluntarily report this information. You can read the latest Gender Pay Gap reports for the College online.

Other Documents

Below are links to other documents that you may find helpful.

Student Handbook
Student Contract
Undergraduate Fees and Charges
Postgraduate Fees and Charges

Further information

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Our history