New College marks University Mental Health Day

University Mental Health Day is an annual day to discuss student mental health and working together to make mental health a university-wide priority.

At New College, we recognise that academic success and personal development are interdependent activities and that students are likely to need guidance and support in each of these areas whilst at University. Our Tutor for Welfare collaborates with the Senior Tutor and Dean to ensure that College's policies and practices reflect its commitment to providing a context within which all students can flourish and fulfil their potential. 

As part of University Mental Health Day, we asked our Cox and Salvesen Fellows, Andrew Ramos and Bethany Dubow, about the mental health support we provide at New College.

Andrew Ramos and Bethany Dubow

What mental health support does New College offer to students?

New College has many avenues of support for students. The Welfare Team offers students 30-minute support meetings, with appointments normally offered within a few days of a request being made. In the case of an emergency, students can go to the Porter’s Lodge to request a meeting with a member of the Welfare Team 24 hours a day during termtime. Students can also opt to speak to our College Nurse, Jo, who is a Registered Mental Health Nurse. The JCR and MCR have welfare officers who are available to talk, and who host events, including termly welfare weeks – often featuring walks with the Warden’s dogs. The college additionally has a network of trained Peer Supporters who can offer advice, listen or signpost to further support. Our College Chaplain, Erica, and Assistant Chaplain, Susan, are also both highly experienced in pastoral listening, and can provide support in both secular and religious contexts.

How can students access this support, particularly during vacations?

Outside of term, support continues. Support meeting appointments can still be made via the welfare@new.ox.ac.uk inbox with either Milly, Student Welfare and Staff Counsellor, or Freyja, Academic Registrar.

What are your main duties as Cox and Salvesen Fellows?

We are Junior Research Fellows, so one of our key duties is to progress our independent research. Andrew is a synthetic biologist, cancer immunotherapy and genomics specialist with past experiences in bone and skin tissue engineering and digital health entrepreneurship. His most recent work is in chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cells. Beth is a fellow in English, and is currently writing a book about sixteenth-century poetics in the context of the period's reception of classical mathematics and cosmology. In addition to this, we serve as Welfare Fellows, offering support meetings to any student who would like to talk. We also host a variety of events, including Welfare Teas, Mince Pies and Mulled Wine with the freshers, Halfway Hall, and the summer Garden Party. We sit on College committee meetings.

What can students come and ask you about?

We are here to listen to anything that might be on someone's mind - whether academic, personal or some combination. We are a good first port-of-call for all welfare-related issues.

What are your top tips for managing the transition to university life?

Settling in can take time, so trust that things will fall into place and focus on finding a rhythm that feels sustainable. Try to be open to challenges and uncertainties, whether in academics, extracurriculars, or personal life; processes of change, improvisation and recalibration are part of life - accepting this can be quite liberating.

To find out more about mental health support at New College, visit our Health and Welfare pages.