For parents
An introduction from the Provost
Each year, I have the pleasure of meeting and welcoming all new students to Alcuin College. Each year, there is a mix of students: some are fearful of leaving home and starting a new life in a new community, while others seem fearless of what lies before them.
I also have some idea of what you, as parents, are feeling. I have seen two children through University myself. But, whatever your feelings about seeing your son or daughter leave home to come to York, I know you will also have a number of questions about the environment they will be entering. I hope I can answer some of these questions here.
Accommodation and facilities
In Alcuin College we have very good quality accommodation. All our rooms have everything you would expect in a study bedroom, including plenty of desk space, good lighting, storage areas, internet access, phone, and so on. Our rooms are also en-suite, with a shower, hand basin and toilet. The student bedrooms are arranged in flats each with its own shared kitchen, again with everything needed to be self sufficient.
There is a common room for communal activities. This is fitted with modern audiovisual equipment for TV and DVDs, lots of comfortable seating, a snooker table and dartboard. We also have a very new laundry with space for ironing and folding clothes, and there are vending machines too.
B Henry's is our café-bar. At lunchtime, it serves hot and cold food, and in the evenings it is the University's only cocktail bar, serving alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks.
The College community
More important than the physical features is how your son or daughter might feel when they become part of the Alcuin College community. It is my role as Provost to make sure that we welcome new students, help them settle in, and provide an effective support system throughout their time here.
Our undergraduate students organise their own Junior Common Room Committee, made up of elected members of the College. This committee arranges for older students to be present at the start of each academic year to help welcome new members of the College. Students in their second and third years of study are also assigned to each flat to help make students feel at home when they arrive.
There are also student welfare representatives who provide peer support to help solve any problems. I meet with these representatives, and my own welfare team, every week to discuss any issues. We are also constantly watching for potential problems so we can prevent them before they occur. And, of course, my College Administrator Sheila and I are always very happy to talk to any student who approaches us.
In an emergency, expert help is never more than a quick phone call away. Our welfare team, College porters and University security are all available 24 hours a day, as am I.
Learning more
To find out more about life at Alcuin College, please feel free to explore this website and read about everything we offer our members. If you do have any other questions, please contact me directly and I will do my best to answer.
Finally, I do hope your son or daughter will decide to come to York. It will be a wise choice from an academic point of view as well as a social one. I look forward to being able to welcome them personally to Alcuin College!
