Rules and Regulations: The Cliff Notes

Please take the time to read our digital handbook, Dreaming Spires. We hope that every section will familiarize you with the rules, expectations, and benefits of the Programme, which will help make your stay in Oxford enjoyable and valuable. Some of the most critical rules & regulations to be found in the document are summarized briefly here:

Residency

WEPO residency rule, updated April 29, 2024

No student may leave during an academic term until all academic work is completed as determined by their tutors. For all students, residency must be maintained until all work is completed in week 8 of each term. For those students whose tutors have determined that academic work should continue into week 9, residency must be maintained until the completion of academic work in week 9. When a tutor determines the schedule of academic work at the beginning of the term that schedule is non-negotiable. Students may not, after academic requirements have been established, seek to change a schedule of work. It a tutor determines that academic work must extend to week 9, students must respect that decision and commit to staying in residence until their work is completed, as reported by the tutor, in week 9. 

WEPO tutorials each count for 1.6 Williams College classes. If the residency requirement is violated, all tutorials for that term will be deemed deficient. Therefore, if the affected WEPO term includes two deficient tutorials, the student will be penalized three Williams College deficiencies that must be made up. If the affected WEPO term includes one deficient tutorial, the student will be penalized two Williams College deficiencies that must be made up. 

Should a student have three WEPO deficiencies, whether due to a violation of the residency rule or for other reasons, they would be penalized five Williams College deficiencies that must be made up and would also be in violation of the Williams College rule of eight semesters in residence to qualify for graduation.

College policy states that “deficiencies are typically made up by courses taken after the deficiencies have been incurred…” Thus, the Registrar has stated that "students are not supposed to use a prior fifth course to ‘ bank’ a reduced course load later. Failure to complete a course with the condition of using their prior extra course would not be acceptable." 

Attendance

• All students are expected to remain in residence until at least the end of 8th week in Trinity term. If students have work assigned in 9th week, they must remain in residence until that work has been completed. Early departures are not permitted. If a student leaves before the end of the term without the explicit, written permission from the Faculty Director, the student will not be given academic credit for the tutorials taken during that term, even if all of the required work is completed.

• If you must be absent from classes, lectures, appointments, or events (for justifiable reasons, and with the Faculty Director's explicit permission), you must give fair and sufficient notice to the necessary persons involved. Failure to notify or late attendance for any of the above are taken incredibly seriously.

Respect the Space

• No smoking (including e-cigarettes) is permitted in any EWH buildings or outdoor areas, in accordance with our fire and insurance regulations. All public buildings in the UK are smoke-free.

• Respect the facilities and those who care for them by doing your part to keep things clean, tidy, and functional.

• You are sharing kitchens, lounges, and toilets/shower rooms with others- please be considerate! Keep these spaces clean and tidy during and after use. If there is a maintenance issue with any space in the EWH buildings, please tell us right away using Joblogic.

• Keep your room tidy and do not use tape, tack, or nails on the walls. WEPO staff have more access to your room than at Williams (never without notice and/or knocking).

• Respect your residential neighbours and keep noise levels reasonable in the evenings/early mornings. Students should avoid loud outside activities, such as sports or other gatherings after 10pm.

Security

• Keep entry gates and house doors closed at all times; close ground floor windows in any room when leaving the room. Security is a legitimate issue for which we are all responsible.

• Be aware of Fire Doors- propping open a Fire Door is strictly prohibited. Only official and installed fire door props are to be used to keep fire doors opened. These are installed on all student bedrooms for your convenience. If they stop working, please fill out the maintenance form and we will be by to replace the batteries.

• Lock bicycles to assigned bike racks and bring bike accessories indoors with you.

• Lock your laptops in the Oxford libraries with the 'Compulocks' to avoid theft, and lock your screen to hide any sensitive materials from sight. Do not leave materials out in the library or computer lab; use your Exeter locker to store your books and materials when you are not present.

• All overnight guests must be signed in with the Director of Administration in accordance with our guest policy. Any unauthorized guests will be asked to leave the site.