Merton College, Oxford

Student life and politics

Merton college admitted its first female students in 1980 (largely due to pressure from the JCR) along with other traditionalist colleges such as Christ Church, leaving Oriel as the only remaining all-male college. Since this time however men have predominated at Merton and it consistently has one of the highest male to female ratios of an Oxford college (around 3:2). However Merton was the second traditionally male college to elect a female Warden in 1994. Merton has the distinction on these grounds also of being the only college to have single sex accommodation as freshmen are sorted with female students going into the Rose Lane buildings and most male students going into 3 houses on Merton Street. Merton has had a reputation for having the best food in Oxford since an old Mertonian left money specifically for the improvement of the kitchens, however after a dominant period spanning over 20 years this reputation is fading.

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In 2003 Merton JCR passed a motion expressing general support for student tuition fees making it the only pro tuition fee student body in the UK, However this has generally been put down to an apathy towards student politics and a feeling that student opposition to such fees would not be successful. This apathy has come to typify Merton politics with no Mertonians rising to the top of either the Oxford Union or OUSU for many years. Depending on who you ask they are all far too busy in the library or have come to see the pettyness of student politics at Oxford.

Related Topics:
Oxford Union - OUSU

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