COMMUNICATIONS WITH OUR STAFF, ADVISERS, TUTORS, ETC.

Do not forget that Oxford is a large university by British standards and, therefore, communication with the right persons is not always simple. (American students do stress that they are always treated as individuals in Oxford -- there is not the mass bureaucracy found on giant U.S. campuses).

Everything in Oxford is decentralized...that has its advantages and disadvantages. Sometimes you will find that one of the officials of your college has not heard of you because he or she has not been given an up-to-date list of all the students. If this happens, simply refer him or her to your college Oxford Academic Advisor. The college porter and the dining halls will all have your name on their various lists--although again, some mistakes are always possible. You should not be surprised by this; this is simply the way Oxford is; it has been that way for centuries, and we are not going to change it.

It might be useful at this point to quote the impressions of a well known North American essayist, Stephen Leacock, who wrote in "My Discovery of England" (1922):

"Oxford is a notable university. It has a great past. It is at present the greatest university in the world; and it is possible that it has a great future. (We are the future, Ed.) Oxford trains scholars of the real type better than any place in the world. Its methods are antiquated. It despises science. Its lectures are rotten. It has professors who never teach and students who never learn. It has no order, no arrangement, no system. Its curriculum is unintelligible. It has no president. And yet, it gets there. Whether we like it or not, Oxford gives something to its students, a life and a mode of thought which in America as yet we can emulate but not equal."

He might have added that the library system is difficult to understand (it is now in the process of being computerized). So, Oxford does change...but many would say...not much. In fairness, Oxford is now a world leader in science and very few of the lectures could be called "rotten".

As one American student once put it: "Oxford in not for everyone....especially it is not for anyone who wants everything clearly arranged for him or her." You may have to talk to two or three persons to find the person who can help. You have to remember that Oxford is NOT located in America.

But to return to the issue of communication. You will want to keep in touch with your tutors, your Oxford Academic Advisor, and other faculty and staff. Most of these persons will have regular office hours. You may see them at any of those times (as soon as the student who got there ahead of you leaves!). You will also be able to call them. Remember that people, (especially dons) are often out of their offices (teaching, etc.). Many will have answering machines or, you may leave a message for them in the College Lodge. They will then call you back (and you may be out). Bear in mind that this process of telephone tag is inevitable.

You should always receive a call or written message back in a few days - if the person is not ill, at a conference in St. Petersburg, etc. If you have an urgent problem you should consult your Adviser or our own staff.

When writing to tutors, you should obtain some college note cards or letterhead and envelopes and use the inter-college mail. There is an inter-college mailbox in every Porter's Lodge.

You should check your own mailbox in your college everyday (or have a friend or flatmate do it for you). You should look at the college bulletin boards; often an interesting event, party, lecture, etc. will be coming up. Make a point of asking one or two of your British friends who live in college to let you know if anything interesting is happening in college, either officially or unofficially.