Wadham SU has passed an emergency motion proposing to lobby the college for changes to the support systems for suspended students, allowing them access to college facilities.
The motion, which passed unanimously at Sunday’s SU meeting, was put forward by finalist Chloe Kane. It outlined plans to allow suspended students access to college grounds and services, and to guarantee accommodation until the end of the term in which the student rusticated, so as to allow them time to find alternative living arrangements.
A system was proposed whereby “students should have a key contact in college, who is designated as the special contact for suspended status students, who has undergone welfare training [and] can advise the student of their rights.”
Plans to provide “easily accessible information” about rustication were also put forward, and the motion stressed that the particular nature of each rusticatee’s case must be taken into account since “a blanket policy does not work well when each individual’s case and needs are different.”
Earlier this month OUSU announced changes to the University’s procedures for suspended students, under which those who rusticate will be allowed access to Oxford-wide facilities including faculty libraries, Nexus, and other services requiring a Bod card. However, under such proposals students would still excluded from individual college grounds, amenities, accommodation, and events.
One Wadham student described Sunday’s motion as “highlighting unfair treatment of rusticated students under the current system. Although at Oxford we’re told that our welfare is put first, our fantastic college-based services are off-limits to the most vulnerable at their most difficult time.”
Wadham SU President Anya Metzer stated, “College have independently expressed a desire to examine the Wadham policy on suspended students and after this motion passed unanimously we have a strong mandate to pursue the changes outlined in the motion. On the heels of OUSU’s recent triumph, students are engaging with this issue across campus, and I am keen to negotiate for the rights of suspended students as valued members of our community.”
The motion was submitted following a survey conducted through the Wadham SU Facebook page, which assessed the attitudes of Wadham students, both current and suspended, towards rustication. Of the 149 surveyed, 97 per cent felt they had received ‘little or no information on the issue of suspension’ and 92 per cent felt they ‘should have been better informed’.
Charlotte Cooper Beglin, Wadham SU’s Access Officer, commented, “Students most often suspend their studies for very difficult health or personal reasons, and they should still be seen as members of the college community and given the support they need.
“I’m glad we’re starting a conversation with college about it. Hopefully it will mean no-one feels ostracised as a suspended student and everyone gets equally good care.”
