Rough Guide to the University's Structure

Trying to campaign for change in Oxford is a complicated business.  This is due in part to traditions that are held in great esteem by many academics and administrators, but probably more because of the University’s structure.  The University comprises three main components: the Central Bodies and Administration, the Colleges, and the Divisions, Departments and Faculties.  A diagram of this structure can be found here.

Congregation

The most important body in the University is Congregation, which meets very occasionally to debate and decide issues of particular importance.  This comprises the 3,700 members of the University’s academic and administrative staff, and has ultimate responsibility for all legislative matters, able to discuss and pronounce on policies proposed by University Council.  It could be considered akin to a Parliament.  This democratic structure of the University is unique to Oxford and Cambridge.

University Council

The most important committee in the University is University Council.  Council is a Committee that meets fortnightly in term time to run the activities of the University.  Students have representation on Council but the student representatives do not have voting rights.  Council is the body that makes the most important decisions in the University.

Other Central University Committees

There are four major committees below council: EPSC, General Purposes Committee, Planning and Resource Allocation Committee, and Personnel Committee.  The most important in terms of Academic Affairs issues is Educational Policy and Standards Committee (EPSC), which is organised by the Pro Vice-Chancellor (Academic).  EPSC is responsible for access and admissions; curriculum design and course structure; teaching, learning and assessment; academic and pastoral support and guidance; and the administration and review of the Divisional Boards.  This committee has an extremely important role to play in affecting students’ time at Oxford.  Students have two representatives on EPSC – these are the Vice President (Access and Academic Affairs) and the Vice-President (Graduates).

There are also minor committees under Council, such as Student Health and Welfare, Investments and the Joint Committee with Students.  OUSU executive members sit on Student Health and Welfare and the Joint Committee with Students.  There is also Academic Services and University Collections (ASUC), which oversees the University Libraries, ICT and Museums.  There are also student representatives on many of these committees.

Divisions

Underneath Council there are the Four Divisions, each headed by a Divisional Board.  These divisions are Humanities; Mathematical, Physical and Life Sciences; Medical Sciences; and Social Sciences.  All of the subjects studied at Oxford will now have a Divisional Board who is responsible for it.  Some subjects like Philosophy, Politics and Economics will fall under two divisions.  Divisional Boards oversee the management, operation, personnel, standards and direction of their sub-units (e.g. departments or faculties).  Although day-to-day running is largely delegated to the different faculties, any major changes, the strategic direction and relations between sub-units is decided by the Divisional Board.

Central Administration

The Central Administration is primarily based in Wellington Square and carries out the decisions of University Committees, and ensures the day-to-day running of the University, from admissions to exams.  They could be described as the University’s Civil Service, who support Council and the four major committees (along with all other University Committees), while also running central University services like the International Office, the Graduate Office, the Disability Office and Student Finance and Access Office. Some elements of the University’s administration are scattered about the city.  These include Service Units (such as the Computing or Careers Service), which work within general rules set out by a Committee that oversees their activities.

Colleges and PPHs

Separate to the University structure are the 39 Colleges and 8 PPHs.  The colleges are autonomous bodies, which have very broad commercial freedom due to their independence from the University.  Most are run by a Governing Body made up of College Fellows.  Colleges have recognised that their interests are generally best served by co-operating with each other and with the Central University.  Cross college bodies such as the Conference of Colleges and the Admissions Committee encourage colleges to adopt similar practices and policies.  College members are elected from the Conference of Colleges to sit on major University committees to promote communication.  However, most of the time, colleges like to reaffirm their independence by doing things in subtly different ways from each other, or from whatever the University or OUSU suggests.