Robinson is an academic, residential and social community comprising the Warden, Fellows, students and staff. The Warden and Fellows form the Governing Body. College Council is responsible for the day-to-day business of the College and includes student representatives.

The College was founded through the benefaction of Sir David Robinson, a successful businessman and entrepreneur. Academic operations began in 1977, with the College’s first intake of students. Robinson now supports a wide range of subjects, several hundred undergraduate and postgraduate students, and a Fellowship of researchers, teachers, practitioners and writers.

You can read more about the College here.

The Porters’ Lodge is the main point of contact for urgent practical matters, access, keys, mail, first aid, security, visitors and out-of-hours help. In an emergency, call the emergency services on 999 where necessary, and tell the Porters you have done this as soon as possible.

Your Tutor is normally your main College contact for personal, welfare and general academic matters. Undergraduate students also have a Director of Studies who oversees their academic progress and supervision arrangements.

Students should raise problems early. Many difficulties are easier to resolve if the College knows about them before they become serious.

The Regulations for Students contain the binding requirements applying to students. In practical terms, students should keep contact details up to date, read College communications, attend required academic meetings, follow safety and security arrangements, and report problems promptly.

Supervisions are a central part of Cambridge teaching. Students should prepare properly, submit work by agreed deadlines, attend punctually and take an active part in discussion.

If you cannot attend a supervision, tell your supervisor in advance. The Regulations for Students deal with missed supervisions and any associated charge.

If you are struggling with work, attendance, deadlines, examination preparation or confidence, contact your Director of Studies and Tutor promptly. Academic and welfare issues often overlap, and it is usually helpful for the College to understand the full picture.

Health or personal circumstances may make special examination arrangements, coursework extensions or intermission necessary. Your Tutor and Director of Studies can advise you on the relevant University process, including applications to the Examination Access and Mitigation Committee where appropriate. You can find out more about the EAMC here.

Students considering a change of subject should speak to their current and prospective Directors of Studies as early as possible. The Senior Tutor is responsible for approving a change of subject, which will depend on academic suitability, timing, capacity and the applicable University requirements.

Cambridge residence requirements are not simply administrative: they support participation in teaching and College life. The binding College requirements on residence and living out are in the Regulations for Students.

The Finance Office deals with student accounts, fees, accommodation charges, loans, grants and related matters. Students should pay bills by the due date shown and raise any difficulty before the payment deadline where possible.

Students experiencing financial difficulty should email their Tutor or the Financial Tutor without delay. Depending on the circumstances, College or University support may be available. See here.

The College offers or administers a range of bursaries, grants, equipment support, activity funds and prizes. For current information on financial support, eligibility and how to apply, see here.

The Wellbeing Team provides professional health, welfare and wellbeing support and can help students navigate College, University and NHS services. Support is normally available during office hours. You can find out more information here, including how to book an appointment with the medical team.

The Porters’ Lodge is open 24 hours a day and is one of the most useful sources of help in College. The Porters are friendly, experienced and trained in first aid; they know the College well and they can contact the appropriate member of College staff for you when needed.

Students should register with a Cambridge GP. If you encounter difficulty, please ask the Welfare Team for advice.

If you are taken to hospital or attend hospital urgently, inform the Porters’ Lodge as soon as you can so that the College knows where you are and can offer support, such as booking a taxi from the hospital.

Students are responsible for keeping essential medication available and in date. Where a health condition or allergy is relevant to emergency response or support, students are encouraged to tell the College Nurse. Arrangements can also be discussed where medication needs refrigeration.

Needles and other medical sharps must be disposed of in a proper sharps container and must never be put in a bedroom bin or other general waste. If you do not have a suitable sharps container, contact Housekeeping or the Porters’ Lodge.

Excessive alcohol use can affect safety, wellbeing, study and conduct. Students concerned about alcohol or drug dependency can seek support from their Tutor, the Wellbeing Team, the College Nurse or other appropriate services. The College’s disciplinary rules on illegal drugs and misconduct are in the Regulations for Students.

The Support and Capability to Study procedure is intended to assist students where health, wellbeing or behaviour raises concern about the extent to which the student can continue studying, living or participating in College life safely and effectively. The procedure is supportive in purpose and may involve meetings, support plans, adjustments, medical evidence, temporary intermission or other measures. You can find more detail here.

Where there is an immediate or serious concern, an authorised College Officer (normally the Senior Tutor or Dean) may take precautionary measures to protect individuals, preserve order, manage risk or allow an investigation or process to proceed. More detail can be found here.

The Wellbeing Team and College Nurse keep appropriate confidential records. Information may need to be shared where there is a serious risk to the student or to others, or where another legal or safeguarding obligation applies. The College’s formal confidentiality and data-protection statements provide fuller detail (see here). It is important to note that other staff members of the College, such as Porters, Housekeeping Staff, Tutors and Directors of Studies are not expected to maintain confidentiality where there is a concern, and are instead asked to report any concerns to the Senior Tutor or Wellbeing Team as may be appropriate. Such information will always be treated with discretion and sensitivity.

The RCSA is the students’ association and an important part of College life. It represents students, supports welfare and community activity, organises events and gives students a strong voice in College. Student representatives sit on a range of College committees, including College Council. The RCSA website is here. The MCR website can be found here.

The JCR and MCR are both communities and physical spaces: places to meet people, relax and take part in College life. The MCR is principally used by postgraduate students; current access arrangements can be checked with the Porters’ Lodge.

Students are encouraged to take part in College clubs, societies, volunteering and student representation, while balancing these activities with academic responsibilities and consideration for others.

The College provides common rooms, social rooms and bookable spaces including the JCR, MCR, TV and Games Rooms, Party Room and J8. Availability and booking arrangements vary according to College use, maintenance and events.

Ordinary informal use of common rooms and student spaces does not require permission. To reserve a College room, or to organise an event for which approval is required, students should use the College’s room-booking or event-approval process (see here). The binding rules on events and use of College premises are in the Regulations for Students.

The Garden Restaurant provides everyday meals, and is open for lunch and in the evening. The Red Brick Café Bar is one of the informal centres of College life: it is used by students, Fellows and staff for breakfast, coffee, drinks, snacks, conversation, quizzes, open-mic evenings, watching sport and other informal events. Opening times can vary between Full Term and vacation periods, so check the current information.

Formal Hall is part of College community life, and is a Cambridge tradition. Booking arrangements and current practical information (such as arrangements during the kitchen refurbishment) are published by the College (see here). Please also read the rules on dress, alcohol and conduct at Formal Hall, in the Regulations for Students.

Students with dietary requirements or allergies should use the College’s current catering-information arrangements and ask Catering staff where they are unsure. Students with serious allergies should remain alert to the information provided and carry essential medication as appropriate.

College sport, which runs alongside University sport, is celebrated and encouraged at Robinson. We share a sports ground on Barton Road with Queens’, King’s and Selwyn Colleges. Pitches and courts are used by College teams according to season and current arrangements. Students interested in playing should look out for team information early in Michaelmas Term. The College has limited exercise space; current access arrangements should be checked before use.

Students interested in rowing should look out for information from the Boat Club and student representatives, particularly at the start of Michaelmas Term.

Robinson has extensive theatre and music facilities. The Auditorium is a 250-seat theatre in the heart of College. During productions, it is badged as “The Brickhouse Theatre at Robinson”.  The College also has the Maria Bjornsen Theatre, a open-air performance space in the garden of 2 Adams Road. There is a suite of music and music-practice rooms, together with access to several pianos. For information on theatre, students should refer to the Brickhouse Theatre Company; and for music, the Robinson College Music Society.

Postgraduate students, studying or researching for a range of Masters and Doctoral degrees, are an important part of the Robinson academic and social community. They are members of the MCR and RCSA and are encouraged to make full use of College facilities, events, catering, academic life and support.

Each postgraduate student is allocated a Tutor, who is a Fellow of the College and will normally be their main College contact for College, University or welfare issues.

Postgraduate accommodation is limited and arrangements may change from year to year. Current allocation, ballot and residence-charge arrangements should be checked with the College. The rules on the Postgraduate Residence Charge and notice requirements are in the Regulations for Students.

Students should secure their rooms and belongings, keep keys and access cards safe, and report suspicious behaviour, lost keys/cards or security incidents promptly to the Porters’ Lodge.

The rules on access control, restricted areas, keys and unauthorised entry are in the Regulations for Students.

Students should take sensible precautions when moving around Cambridge, particularly at night. Personal safety alarms are available from the Porters’ Lodge.

Lost property and suspected theft should be reported promptly to the Porters’ Lodge. Students should secure bikes, laptops and valuables. Personal possessions are not covered by the College’s insurance policy.

When a fire alarm sounds, leave immediately by the nearest safe route and go to the relevant assembly point unless it is a notified routine test. Follow Porters’ or staff instructions and cooperate with fire drills.

The detailed binding fire-safety rules — including rules on fire doors, escape routes, firefighting equipment, candles, cooking and prohibited appliances — are in the Regulations for Students.

Students should check the Regulations for Students before bringing cooking or electrical equipment into College. Some appliances are prohibited and others are restricted to kitchens or require approval.

Smoking and vaping are prohibited throughout the main College building and College hostels, and elsewhere on the College estate, except in the designated smoking area on Long Court and in the College gardens.

Students using a permitted smoking area must dispose of cigarette ends and vaping waste safely and tidily. The rules on smoking and vaping are in the Regulations for Students.

Report accidents, serious hazards and near misses promptly. Maintenance faults should be reported through the College’s maintenance system, or to the Porters’ Lodge where urgent. Students should not attempt unauthorised repairs. The relevant form for accidents and near misses is here, while maintenance requests can be made here.

Students who may need assistance in an evacuation should inform a member of the Wellbeing Team (ordinarily the College Nurse) so that appropriate arrangements can be considered in consultation with the Head Porter. This may include a Personal Emergency Evacuation Plan.

Students are responsible for using rooms and shared facilities sensibly and for reporting damage or maintenance problems. The rules on furniture, room use, guests, keys, room access, notice, vacation arrangements, damage and charges are in the Regulations for Students.

Shared kitchens should be left safe and usable for others. Food waste, dirty pans, unattended cooking, overloaded fridges and blocked access quickly create hygiene and fire-safety problems.

Students should cooperate with Housekeeping arrangements and follow current instructions about cleaning, inventories, waste and access.

Students may have guests subject to the limits and conditions in the Regulations for Students. Students are responsible for ensuring that their guests follow College rules.

Vacation residence and storage are limited. Students should follow the current instructions on departure dates, storage, clearing rooms and return dates. The Regulations for Students contain the binding notice and room-vacation requirements.

Students living outside College should keep their address and contact details up to date. Undergraduate students should consult the Regulations for Students on permission to live out.

The Code of Discipline forms Part 10 of the Regulations for Students. It covers misconduct including disruption, damage, unsafe behaviour, harassment, dishonesty, illegal drugs, and failure to comply with lawful instructions. Please read it carefully.

The Dean is a Fellow of the College with responsibility for the College disciplinary process. Anyone may refer a matter to the Dean if they believe that the Code of Discipline has been breached. The Disciplinary Regulations explain how the process works.

A welfare issue does not automatically prevent disciplinary action. Where a situation raises both welfare and conduct concerns, the College may use support and disciplinary processes alongside one another where appropriate.

Intoxication does not excuse misconduct and may, depending on the circumstances, make it more serious.

Many concerns can be resolved informally by speaking to a Tutor, the Senior Tutor, the RCSA or the relevant College Officer. The full list of Tutors can be found here.

Where informal resolution is not appropriate or does not resolve the matter, students may use the College Student Complaints Procedure. See here.

The Support and Capability to Study procedure is intended to support students where health, wellbeing or behaviour raises concern about their ability to continue studying, living or participating in College life safely and effectively. See here.

In urgent or serious cases, an authorised College Officer may take precautionary measures under the applicable College procedure. The formal procedure, rather than this Handbook, governs the circumstances and safeguards applying. See here.

Robinson College is fully committed to the principle of freedom of speech within the law, and to its promotion. Members of the College community, including students, are expected to engage with disagreement constructively and peacefully. The College’s Code of Practice on Freedom of Speech provides the governing framework for this important subject. See here.

The College and University also have responsibilities under the Prevent Duty. Current policies governing events, speakers and related risk assessment should be consulted where relevant. See here.

The College processes student information for academic, welfare, accommodation, financial, security, legal and administrative purposes. Students should also respect the personal data and privacy of others. Formal data-protection notices and policies provide fuller information. See here.

Online conduct and commentary can affect individuals and College life just as in-person conduct can. Where online behaviour amounts to harassment or other misconduct, those responsible for the content may be subject to action under the Disciplinary Regulations. Use of the College crest requires permission from the Senior Tutor. The College has a Social Media and Networking Policy that can be found here.