People: Who Does What

Fellows
Tutors
Directors of Studies and Supervisiors
Other Staff
College Government

Fellows

A full list of Fellows and Staff, with contact information, can be found in the Directory for Murray Edwards College.

The President of the College is Dr Jennnifer Barnes.

The President's Secretary is Mrs Jane Collins, and the College Administrator is Miss Sarah Greaves (Aa9).

The Senior Tutor of the College, who has overall responsibility for undergraduate educational provision and for student welfare, is Dr David Jarvis (Aa6). The Admissions Tutor (for undergraduates) is Dr Hilarie Bateman. Dr Robin Hiley is the Executive Graduate Tutor.

The Bursar is Paola Morris (Aa5), and her Secretary is Mrs Margaret Hilton (Aa4).

The Fellows of a Cambridge College (rarely now called 'dons') are in most cases academics pursuing research and teaching programmes in University Departments, elected to undertake a limited amount of teaching for the College in addition to their main responsibilities. In addition to teaching students, they accept responsibility for promoting the interests of the College as a place of education, learning and research, determining its policies and actions through the various bodies described below. In a few cases, the College employs a Fellow full-time, supporting their research too, and it elects a few Research Fellows for a limited period without teaching duties. Murray Edwards College has about fifty Fellows.

Tutors

All students in the University of Cambridge are allocated a College Tutor, who is the formal link between them and the University. You should consult your own Tutor in the first place on any matter with which you would like help or advice, including accommodation problems, finances, general well-being, possible changes of course and difficulties with other members of the college (junior or senior), and may expect to do so in confidence. The Tutors are not trained counsellors, but know how the College and University work, and can offer the perspective of their own experience of what it is to be a student on a demanding course. Students are often over-hesitant to 'bother' their Tutor, perhaps fearing that their concerns may seem trivial; your Tutor is likely to welcome hearing about them nevertheless.

Undergraduate Tutors will arrange to see their tutees soon after arrival in Michaelmas Term, and will thereafter be available during regular Tutorial Hours posted on the Tutorial noticeboard and website. You may consult any other Tutor as well if you want to for any reason.

Graduate should see their Graduate Tutor at the beginning of Michaelmas Term. If their regular Tutorial hours (posted on the website) are not convenient, then please ring or email them in order to fix up a more suitable time to meet. The Graduate Tutors' contact details are listed on the Tutorial website. As well as helping with any personal problems you may have, your Graduate Tutor can act as a liaison between you and your Faculty or Department in case of difficulty.

Both the Tutorial and President's Offices will give help if needed at very short notice throughout the working day.

Directors of Studies and Supervisors

The separate Academic Guide explains the roles of undergraduate Directors of Studies and Supervisors.

Graduate research students, including candidates for the MPhil degree, have a Supervisor appointed by the University who oversees their academic work. You should contact your Supervisor through the Faculty or Department as soon as you arrive in Cambridge.

Other Staff

Academic matters while you are here are dealt with by the Tutorial Office (Aa1/2) through the Tutorial Office Manager, Wendy Klein, the Tutorial Administrator, Christine von Rabenau and the Graduate Administrator, Cat Carter. The Tutorial Office can also advise on applications for the various support funds available, provision for disabilities and arrangements for Graduation.

Bills are paid to the Student Accountant, who also administers student loans and will help with specific queries.

Accommodation matters should in the first instance be referred to the Accommodation Manager, who also acts as the College's Safety Officer, or the Housekeeper, whose office is in the basement of Pearl House.  Repairs and the checking of electrical equipment are dealt with by the Maintenance Superintendent who may be contacted via the Porters.

The Service and Hospitality Manager (A5) can arrange special meals e.g. society dinners. Rooms for meetings, rehearsals, parties etc. should be booked through the Conference Office (Aa1). As a whole, the College's conference and catering is overseen by the Conference & Catering Director (A4); conferences are vital to the College's survival, as one of the few ways in which its currently large annual deficit can be addressed; much time and money has been devoted to minimising their interference with the academic work of the College and your forebearance is sought in respect of the most obvious impact they have upon students, namely the need to clear most rooms at the end of each term.

The Admissions Administrator, Schools Liaison Officer and the Admissions Secretary assist the Admissions Tutor with the work of the Admissions Office. They often require help with visitors/open days, and are very grateful for the positive and enthusiastic help that our undergraduates usually provide.

The College Nurse is shared with Fitzwilliam College, and is available for regular surgery hours during Term. She may be consulted on all matters of health and welfare, and she will advise on GP registration. She will see any students with known medical problems during their first week.

Above all, the Porters - the Head Porter and his team - will help to direct your queries or problems to the most appropriate member of staff. If in doubt, try the Porters' Lodge first. The Head Porter also acts as Security Officer and Fire Officer.

The Praelector is responsible for Matriculation on your arrival, and in due course certifies your good character when presenting you for your Degree.

The Dean deals with any disciplinary problems, and is responsible for the good conduct of public student events.

College Government

The government of the College is vested by a Royal Charter in the Governing Body, which consists essentially of all its Fellows, and meets termly. Most business is actually transacted by the College Council, on which students also serve as voting members, and which meets approximately once a month, or by one of its many sub-committees such as the Finance Committee, the Academic Policy Committee and the Estates & Buildings Committee, almost all of which also have student members.

The President has overall responsibility for the College and its external relations; the Bursar administers its staff, finances, buildings and assets; and the Senior Tutor has primary responsibility for academic provision and student welfare.

Murray Edwards College encourages a high level of student participation in decision-making, and you are invited to make suggestions or raise problems through the student members of these committees, the Liaison Committee or the Graduate Liaison Committee; any JCR or MCR Committee member will put you in contact with the appropriate representatives. Your Tutor may be able to help you find out how (and under what constraints) things are run, so that your suggestions can be well targeted.

A list of college publications, in accordance with the Freedom of Information Act, can be found on the College's FOI web page. A number of Policy Statements are also available via the website.

Checked and updated by LLS 11/10