College address (Mail can be sent to your name/George Mason Program at the following): Mansfield College Mansfield Rd. Oxford OX1 3TF College number is 0 1865 270999 (to dial from the USA the number is 011 44 1865 270999)
ARRIVAL/CHECK-IN All participants are asked to report to the Porter's Lodge (located at College entrance) to register where they will receive room keys and program information. There is only one entrance to the College and the Porter’s Lodge is located there with a large sign (you can’t miss it). There will be an orientation in the Chapel at at 6.00pm. On an individual basis, students may be able to arrive before or stay after the study program for an additional charge. Students interested in such arrangements should contact Michal McElwain Malur at mmcelwai@gmu.edu.
TRAVEL TO AND FROM THE AIRPORTS The cheapest, easiest, and fastest way to get to Oxford is by bus. Buses depart from both Gatwick and Heathrow and run directly to Oxford. You can by your bus ticket the day of departure with the bus driver. If you plan to return by bus at the end of the program, you can purchase a “return ticket” which will save you some money. Train service to Oxford is also available via London Paddington Station. Buses run every 15 minutes from several spots within London to Oxford.
MEALS For the period of the study program, the Program fees include room as well as breakfast at Mansfield College, Oxford. There are two Gala dinners and several lunches also included (for an exact listing please consult the program schedule).
ROOMS At Mansfield College students enjoy individual rooms with their own bathrooms. Towels and bed linens are provided. Face washing cloths are not provided and you may want to bring an extra towel, as Mansfield charges for make-up on their towels. There are irons and ironing boards on each floor in the dorm. There are no hair dryers. Coin-operated laundry is also available. Partial maid service is included. Anything students would want in terms of additional food, drinks, personal items, souvenirs, etc. is available within easy walking distance of the College. Most students will be in the 'Hand's Building' dorm. If someone calls you via the Mansfield Lodge Mansfield's direct number (011 44 1865 270999), you can simply have them reference the GMU program and give your name. Messages can be taken by the Porter and a note will be pinned up for you in the Porter's lodge or passed to a member of staff. Each room has a private telephone with a direct line. Once at Oxford, you can give this number to your family and friends to call you directly. Phone calling cards can be purchased at the Porter's Lodge and used from your rooms. If you need to be in constant communication with home or work, I would suggest seeing if your US mobile phone will work in the UK (need to arrange this with your service provider before travel). Phones can also be rented upon your arrival at the airport. Pay phones are available within the College within E block.
COMPUTERS AND COMPUTING FACILITIES Participants can use the internet connection via their own personal laptops in their dorm rooms. There is a computer in the Porter’s lodge that students can use to print papers for a small fee. Unfortunately there is no access to College computing facilities at Mansfield.
DRESS AND WEATHER English weather is always unpredictable. Even in summer, a raincoat of some kind is often necessary and you are advised to bring some warm clothing as well as summer clothes. The best arrangement is to have clothes which can be worn in layers. Please also be aware that the nights can get chilly. Classroom attire at Oxford is casual (shorts and sneakers are fine). Coat-and-tie attire is required for the two dinners, the London trip, and the class photo.
LINEN & LAUNDRY A washing machine and tumble dryer are available to participants, and they are situated in the main building. Cards for the washing machine and coins for the machine dryer can be obtained from the Porter's lodge. There are irons and ironing boards on each floor in the dorm.
SPORTS FACILITIES Punts and rowing boats can be hired for use on the Thames and Cherwell Rivers. There are a couple of public tennis courts around the City, however you must supply your own equipment. There is a public gym in town that costs approx 10 pounds a day to use. A nice run is in the university park located beside Linacre College (near Mansfield).
MONEY The program fee includes the academic program, accommodation and some meals. Please note that all other expenses are the responsibility of the individual. Banks and Bureaux de Change in Oxford are not open on Sundays and, if you are arriving in Britain on a Sunday with a limited amount of sterling, you may wish to exchange some more at the airport. Alternatively, there are ATM machines in various places in town, most of which have a Cirrus connection. The British Pound is divided into 100 pence. Notes are issued for £5, £10, £20 and £50 though small businesses are extremely reluctant to accept £50 notes. The coins are: £2, £1, 50p, 20p 10p, 5p, 2p and 1p; please note that the larger 50 pence coins in circulation before the autumn of 1997 are no longer legal tender.
CITY OF OXFORD Oxford is a city of about 142,000 people approximately one hour west of London. The town developed at the point where the River Cherwell joins the River Thames. The legendary beginning of Oxford is attributed to Frideswide, a Saxon noblewoman, who is said to have founded a religious house in AD 727. The town thrived through the Anglo-Saxon and Norman periods because of the natural defense provided by the rivers. However, beginning in the Middle Ages, the town suffered a prolonged economic decline as it became increasingly under the domination of the University. It was not until the growth of motor car factories after World War II that Oxford was able to free itself from economic dependence on the University and become an industrial and commercial centre. In the later part of the Twentieth Century, the motor industry was replaced by high-tech companies and service industries. However, education remains an important part of life in Oxford. General information about the city and its activities can be obtained from the City of Oxford Tourist Information Centre, Broad Street, Oxford ((01865) 726871.
You can also find information on the web at www.oxfordcity.co.uk.
OXFORD UNIVERSITY The University has no formal date of foundation, but it is known that by 1100, individual teachers were lecturing to large audiences in the town. Oxford is thus believed to be the oldest English speaking University in the world. Oxford received a great boost in 1167 when upheavals in Paris led to a mass return of British students. By 1200, Oxford had developed into a full university with faculties, doctors, masters, and scholars. With the support of church and state, the University grew to about 1,500 scholars by 1300. The fortune of the University was closely tied to the Church of England, and it expanded or declined depending on the king's support for the Church. This continued to the 19th century when reform - both internal and imposed by Parliament - transformed Oxford into a modern institution devoted to teaching and scholarship. In 1878, women were admitted to the University, but it was not until 1920 that they were allowed to earn degrees. Today, there are 39 colleges (all but one is co-educational) and approximately 12,000 undergraduates and 5,000 postgraduate students. In 2002 Oxford University claimed first place in annual (London) Times good University guide which ranks universities according to the quality of teaching and research.
COLLEGE ENVIRONMENT The University of Oxford is composed of several dozen individual colleges. This study program will be at Mansfield College. Mansfield College occupies one of the most attractive sites in Oxford. The 1886 buildings which house all the College's public rooms, are regarded as amongst the finest work of the important Victorian architect, Basil Champneys. The youngest and smallest of the Oxford Colleges (Mansfield's students membership comprises 200 undergraduate, 70 graduate and 35 visiting students), Mansfield is renowned for successfully combining the best of traditional Oxford with the College's own innovative personality. The College is also committed to making the scholarship of Oxford available to students from all over the world. The college has its own dormitories, dining hall, classrooms, chapel, computer room, library, etc. Most of the group academic activities will be at or near Mansfield College. Additional information on these facilities is available at the Mansfield College web site.
SHOPS Throughout Britain only a few shops are open after 5:30pm, and a six-day week is in general operation. However, most of the major shops in Oxford are open on Sundays till about 4.00pm.
ILLNESS & MEDICAL ATTENTION Participants are recommended to bring an adequate supply of any medication they use with them rather than rely on obtaining further supplies in Britain. Many forms of medication available over the counter in other countries are only available on prescription from a doctor in the UK. Free National Health Service treatment cannot be provided for persons from countries which do not have a reciprocal health agreement with the UK. Participants coming from such countries, of which the USA is one, are strongly recommended to arrange their own private health insurance prior to departure and must expect to be treated as a private patient and pay (with cash only) on the day for any treatment received. It should also be noted that treatment is given on an appointment only basis. Participants who need to consult a doctor in Oxford during their visit are recommended to contact the porters.
PERSONAL PROPERTY AND VALUABLES Mansfield College buildings are open to visitors and the observance of reasonable security precautions is strongly advised. Participants are recommended to keep the doors of their rooms locked at all times when they are absent, and care must be taken that money and articles of value are not left casually in participants' rooms or elsewhere.
Contact: Michal McElwain Malur with additional questions.
mmcelwai@gmu.edu
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