Welfare Welcome
We hope your time at Oxford will be one of the most enriching periods of your life. There may be times, though, when for one reason or other things can get on top of you or you find yourself in trouble. The Oxford term is short, and the best way to stop minor problems becoming serious is to tackle them early. Support put in place to help you by fellow students, the College and the University can often help you deal with things if they arise.
At Brasenose, we have a range of ways you can share problems and find advice, help and support. These range from College Parents, Peer Supporters and Welfare Reps to having a conversation with your Academic Tutor to our own on-site Welfare Fellows and Officers including the College Nurse, Kinneret Milgrom, who deals with health issues (physical or mental) and who works closely with our College Doctors.
The most important thing is to talk to someone in the team as soon as a problem arises and they will support you or point you to other sources of assistance if needed.
Meet the Welfare Team
Here are the people in College to turn to for help and advice or if you find yourself in trouble of any kind. See also the further information and resources at the foot of this page as well as the pages entitled: Health Information and Welfare Guides and Policies.
The Dean - Adam Perry
The Dean oversees and is in charge of all student welfare. He is also responsible for enforcing college rules relating to discipline and is able to offer advice and support, especially in matters relating to disturbance or disruption. He is the lead college harassment officer, safeguarding officer and can be approached about any form of inappropriate behaviour for an informal chat or to receive a formal complaint. He also heads the welfare team in college, oversees the junior deans, convenes the welfare committee and is contactable about any welfare issue.
He may be contacted by email at [email protected] or via the porter's lodge.
College Nurse – Kinneret Milgrom
Kinneret, the College Nurse can help with a wide variety of personal medical issues (physical and mental health) and signposts to wider health and wellbeing resources in Oxford. She can make medical referrals to the GP, often getting you an appointment on the same day. She’s available to discuss any problem, big or small. Kinneret can be contacted by email: [email protected] or by phone: 01865 277883 or via the lodge. Her surgery is in Main College at the bottom of Staircase XII
You will need to book online here for an appointment with Kinneret during her surgery hours. You decide whether you would like a face to face appointment or one online via MS Teams using the same booking link:
https://it.brasenose.org/bookings/
During weeks 0-9 her surgery hours are:
Mon 9:30am- 12 noon
Tues 9:00am-12 noon
Weds 2:00pm- 6:00pm
Thurs 9:30am- 12 noon
Fri 9:00am- 12noon
https://www.bnc.ox.ac.uk/current-students/welfare-support/health-information
Chaplain - Rev David Sheen
David offers pastoral support and confidential listening for any issue troubling you, regardless of religious faith. He provides a safe space for you to offload or talk things through and can signpost to wider health and wellbeing resources in Oxford. He is a college harassment officer, and can be approached about any form of inappropriate behaviour. He can also signpost you to sources of spiritual support across all faiths in Oxford if desired. David is the designated peer support lead in college and works closely with all members of the welfare team in the Junior, Hulme and Senior Common Rooms.
You can contact David by email to book a 1:1 slot with him: [email protected] or phone: 01865 277830. In an emergency he can be contacted via the lodge.
Main College: Heberden 1 (above the JCR). If you would like to meet in a ground floor accessible room please notify David as his office is on the first floor.
Student Support Advisor - Sebastian Petzolt
As Student Support Advisor, I offer a space where you can talk about any concerns you may have about your emotional and mental well-being. The service I offer is confidential, free, and takes place in an informal one-to-one setting. We start with a 30 minute initial session and then see how many sessions you might need after that.
Perhaps you feel stressed, anxious, or low in mood. Maybe you’re experiencing a conflict in your family or another relationship. You feel worried about a social situation, or you’re struggling with low self-esteem. Perhaps you’ve recently suffered a loss or have experienced another life event that’s left you feeling upset or shaken. You may feel overwhelmed by your studies and find it difficult to cope with academic pressure. Perhaps you are about to go abroad, or have just returning from a year abroad, and are concerned about this transition. Maybe the pandemic has left you feeling lonely or isolated, or concerned about your health or that of your loved ones.
If you’d like to talk about these or any other issues, please use the following link to book an initial 30-minute session: https://it.brasenose.org/bookings/
My overall contact hours for student 1:1s are in weeks 0-10:
Monday: 11:30-12:00 and 13:00-16:30
Thursday: 13:00-15:00
Friday: 12:00-14:00
Main College: Staircase IX, room 5b
Email: [email protected]Senior Tutor – Simon Smith
Simon oversees the academic progress of all students in college. He is able to offer advice and support, especially in matters relating to academic work and progress as well as disabilities impacting academic work. He is a College Harassment Officer and can be approached about any form of inappropriate behaviour.
College Office in main college - Staircase XXII – appointments via MS Teams this term.
Karen Arnold can also arrange appointments for you with the Senior Tutor:
Sub Dean - Arnaud Petit
The Sub Dean responds to and supports students with welfare and discipline issues in the College, under the supervision of and on behalf of the Dean.
He works closely with the Junior Deans and other College Officers.
He may be contacted by email at [email protected] or via the porter's lodge.
Tutor for Graduates – Eamonn Gaffney
Eamonn oversees the academic progress of all graduate students and offers advice on all graduate-related welfare issues.
Email Eamonn: [email protected]
https://www.bnc.ox.ac.uk/about-brasenose/academic-staff/397-professor-eamonn-a-gaffney
Karen Arnold can also arrange appointments with the Tutor for Graduates: [email protected]
Equality & Diversity plus Fitness to Study Lead - Dr Anne Edwards
Anne is one of our medical fellows and offers support & confidential listening for any issue of concern and can advise on matters of diversity and equality. She is a college harassment officer and can be contacted about any form of inappropriate behaviour. She is also the designated Fitness to Study Lead and oversees those students who are suspending studies on the ground of ill health.
Dr Anne Edwards: [email protected]
Interim Wellbeing and Diversity Officer - Dr James Cones
James promotes and advises on equality, diversity & inclusiveness within the college for all members of its community: students & staff, with particular emphasis on welfare for the members of our community from BAME backgrounds, & on issues arising regarding race & race discrimination.
Email: [email protected]
James works for college on Thursdays wks 0-9 and is based in the Stocker Room on Thursdays.
If you would like to talk to an harassment advisor external to college please get in touch with the university harassment adviser network, which also has contact details for harassment advisers who identify as LGBTQ+ or BAME see the link here: https://edu.admin.ox.ac.uk/support and general contact information: Telephone: 01865 270760 / E-mail: [email protected]
College Doctors
Dr Leaver & Partners, Jericho Health Centre, New Radcliffe House, Walton Street, OX2 6NW, (01865) 311234. The members of the practice most likely to see you are Dr Joanna Lambert, Dr Laurence Leaver or Dr Mark O'Shea
Academic Tutors
Each student has academic tutors who will be tutoring or supervising their academic work. You can approach any of your academic tutors with concerns, particularly with your academic work or other aspects of life that impede upon that academic work. You can also choose to talk to the Senior Tutor (undergraduates) or Tutor for Graduates (Graduates) or any other member of the welfare network. The list of college tutors is here: https://www.bnc.ox.ac.uk/about-brasenose/academic-staff
Junior Deans
They are graduate students appointed by the college who are available as a first port of call for any welfare problem and may visit members of college who are unwell or in hospital. The Junior Deans also assist the Dean in maintaining reasonable, considerate behaviour throughout college. They are resident in the College and the Frewin Annexe and seek to provide pastoral support to students on each of the College's sites as key members of the welfare team.
The Junior Deans for 2021/22 pictured left from top to bottom are: Sunjuri Sun (Frewin) Arnaud Petit (Main College) and Charlotte Lee (Frewin).
There is a general Junior Dean email address you can use to contact all/any of the Junior Deans, and more contact details are available from the welfare notice, which is also available on most notice boards. The Junior Deans have a significant welfare role across college and have a rota to be on call 24/7 at evenings, night time and weekends especially. They together with the porters are also responsible for managing emergency situations and for maintaining student safety.
They represent the Dean and also act as a helpful channel of communication alongside the JCR and HCR welfare reps between Senior and Junior Members of the College.
Another of their functions is to ensure good behaviour on the College and Frewin sites and to prevent breaches of the College rules and of security. Typical tasks undertaken by the Junior Deans are ensuring that functions end on time, dispersing crowds when the bar is being closed and enforcing reasonable behaviour regarding noise within the College and Frewin.
JCR and HCR Welfare Team
Both the Junior and Hulme Common Rooms have a range of welfare officers who are trained to offer support and advice.
JCR Welfare Reps
The JCR Welfare Reps can be contacted by email at
[email protected]Details of all current JCR reps including women’s rep plus the diversity and equalities reps can be found here: https://brasenosejcr.org/about-the-jcr/committee/
JCR Welfare Representatives
Billie Delpino - 2nd Year Biochemist
Hi! I'm Billie (she/her), a second-year biochemist and I'm one of your JCR welfare reps! I'll be working with the lovely Freddie this year to support you through whatever life throws at you! Life at Oxford can be stressful and trying to juggle everything can be hard at times, and so a great welfare system is very important. Both us and our network of amazing peer supporters are here to chat (confidentially) about anything and everything, serious or not - feel free to come say hi! We'll also be running various college events to get our wonderful BNC family together, which will usually involve snacking on free food! As ever, please don’t hesitate to contact us if you feel like a chat and a coffee!
Freddie Murley - 2nd Year Biologist
Hi everyone! I’m Freddie (he/him), I’m a 2nd year Biologist, and I’m one of your JCR Welfare reps! Between us, the lovely Billie and I are here to help everyone feel supported during any of the rough times oxford may throw at you, be it through running events to get the BNC community together, being available for a chat, or communicating with college about any welfare provisions that could be improved. Living a balanced life at Oxford is rarely easy, so having strong welfare support from college is always important. We also have a great group of trained peer supporters available to have a confidential chat with for anyone who needs to get any worries off their chest, no matter how big or small. If you’re ever struggling or just need to have a chat, I’m always around along with the rest of the welfare team so feel free to send any of us a message or say hi!
HCR Welfare Officer
The HCR Welfare Officer can be reached at: [email protected]
Our HCR Welfare Officers are Dana Vuckovic and Robyn Haggis
Dana Vuckovic
My name is Dana and I'm a first year DPhil student in French. In honour of Helene and Damayanti’s wonderful work as our previous Welfare Officers, I look forward to following in their footsteps and paying tribute to the longstanding reputation of our happy and healthy Brasenose community. As a DPhil fresher, I felt a little uneasy and nervous to join such a large college, however, it is thanks to the Welfare team that I found it much easier to feel like a part of the Brasenose family. With the help of the Wellness teas, talks and Welfare care packages, I instantly felt a sense of peace and belonging. Feeling alienated and isolated can increase students’ levels of stress and anxiety, so as Welfare Officer, I'm here to ensure that students–both freshers and experienced students–feel a sense of belonging. By continuing to do the Welfare teas and walks by the meadow, we can ensure a safer, more grounded community that will allow students to feel more relaxed and at ease. In addition, as a passionate language learner with a background knowledge of Serbo-Croatian, French and Spanish, I would be more than happy to communicate and listen to students who prefer to speak in languages other than English. I look forward to working alongside Robyn and meeting all of the lovely staff and students!
Robyn Haggis
Hello! I'm Robyn, a first year DPhil student in Geography and one of your HCR welfare reps! Having done my master's and now DPhil here at Brasenose I know the stresses that graduates and those new to Oxford can face. Along with Dana, I am here to support you in your welfare needs, whether you just need someone to chat to, help coping with the various struggles that you might be facing, figuring out life in Oxford, or if you need help finding the right professional welfare services for you in the university. Dana and I will be running various welfare events, including walks around Christchurch meadow and welfare teas. For anyone who has yet to experience Brasenose formals or brunches, or wants another way to get to know people in college, we will also be organising for small groups to meet and sit together to eat in hall. If you have not yet met our lovely porters or had a chat with Andy, we will happily facilitate an introduction - they are another great welfare resource and Andy is always available for a chat. I'm really looking forward to working with the rest of the welfare team and getting to know all the students in the HCR :) You will see me around college fairly often and I am always available over email so please do reach out!
Details of all current HCR officers including women’s officer, LGBTQ+ and diversity and equalities officers can be found here: https://brasenosecollegehcr.wixsite.com/brasenosehcr/copy-of-the-committee
Peer Supporters
The Peer Support Programme is coordinated by our link counsellor at the University Counselling Service alongside the Brasenose College Chaplain as Designated Peer Support Lead in College. A peer supporter is not a counsellor but is a student (graduate or undergraduate) trained to offer confidential listening and to know when referral to another source of help would be appropriate (e.g. college nurse, dean, chaplain, student support advisor or counselling). The peer supporters receive regular confidential supervision from the Counselling Service.
Brasenose’s current peer supporters can be found here.
University Health and Welfare Provision:
The Health and Welfare section of the University's Student Gateway provides students with University information on:
- Care leavers, estranged students and student parents
- Childcare Services - Useful links to services and support available for student parents.
- Disability Advisory Service - Guidance on study support including funding, special examination arrangements and fact sheets on specific disabilities;
- Equality & Diversity - Introduction and links to the Equality and Diversity Unit website and an outline of the role it plays in ensuring no student will be treated less favourably on the grounds of age, gender, race, religion & belief and sexual orientation;
- Harassment and Conflict – support and advice
- Health - Details on registering with health professionals, medical emergencies, occupational health and an A-Z of health advice pages on common topics;
- Mental Health and the Counselling Service - Comprehensive new range of pages outlining the support available to students in the form of individual and group counselling, workshops and self-help resources plus additional pages offering advice for those supporting students such as University & college staff, parents, other students and GPs & health professionals;
- Sexual Violence and Harassment Support Service
- Student-led support - Information on the Peer Support scheme, OUSU Student Advice Service and Nightline;