Your room and your belongings
The College seeks to ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, the security and safety of all Fellows, staff and students, as well as visitors and contractors, whilst on College premises. Ultimately responsibility for security and personal safety rests with everyone who studies, works, lives in, or visits Selwyn.
Please familiarise yourself with the following information.
4.4.1 Access to the College
On coming into residence, every student living in College accommodation is issued by the Porters with a key to their room (also known as a ‘Late Key’). A deposit of £40 (refundable when you graduate) is charged for this key. As well as your room, it also give access to various gates and common areas around the College, such as the main front gate, the pedestrian gates to Ann’s Court and the Ramsay Murray Gate, Cripps Court, the Library, and the JCR.
It is important both for students’ own security and that of the College to take particular care of this key. Please take all precautions to avoid the loss or theft of keys. If you misplace your room key, you can sign out a spare from the Porters’ Lodge. If you lose your key or fail to return the spare within a week, a non-refundable charge of £40 will be added to your College bill. The same additional charge will be made if the College has needed to cut a replacement. Students must return keys to the Porters’ Lodge before they go down each term.
4.4.2 Personal Possessions
Students have responsibility for their own possessions; personal belongings are not covered by the College’s insurance. Students should explore the possibility of adding their possessions to their parents’ household insurance, but if this is not possible, the College strongly advises students to take out their own insurance cover. The College does not accept any responsibility for any loss or damage, including accidental damage by College staff.
The College has limited storage space which is reserved for students who live abroad. Such international students who wish to store their possessions should apply to the Head Porter at least three weeks before they are due to leave. Please note that all stored items are left entirely at the owner’s risk. The College will accept no responsibility or liability for any damage to any item, no matter how such damage is incurred. All items must be clearly named and dated. Items contained in plastic bags will not be accepted. No other general storage is available and students are asked to be mindful of the quantity of possessions they bring to College.
4.4.3 Access to Student Rooms
While students are in residence, their room is their home. Everybody – staff, Fellows, and other students – should respect this right to privacy. From time to time however, it may be necessary for a College Officer or member of staff to gain access to student rooms as a matter of urgency, whether or not they are present. For example, there might be a potential danger to people or to the fabric of the building; or people from outside the College, such as window cleaners or electrical contractors, may need to carry out approved work; or a College Officer or staff member may need access in order to perform their duties.
Whenever practicable and reasonable, an attempt will be made to arrange a mutually convenient time (usually giving three days’ notice), but if the matter is urgent, access must be granted without undue delay. Most staff wear identifying badges, and visiting contractors are issued with identification badges. Porters who access students’ rooms un-announced will leave a form to advise the student that a member of staff entered their room and the reason why access was necessary.
4.4.4 Security of Buildings and Rooms
The main College gate and the metal gates are closed at around 7.30 pm. After this time access to the College is via the Porters’ Lodge. The smaller wicket gate remains open until 2.00 am in term and 12.00 midnight out of term. The gates are re-opened at 6.00 am. Cripps Court is locked at 7.30 pm in Full Term and at all times outside Full Term. The Ramsay Murray Gates (vehicle access) and Old Library Gates are also locked at 7.30 pm. Access to the College courts can be obtained by use of a room key, or ‘Late Key’. Students who return to College without a Late Key can obtain entry by ringing the bell at the Porters’ Lodge; as this may involve waiting for the Porter to return from patrol, students should endeavour to remember their keys. After gate closure, members of the College are expected to accompany departing guests to the main gate.
Porters lock the Library at approximately 2.00 am during Term and at midnight outside of Term.
It is very important that all security gates and other doors accessed via a late key remain closed at all times, and that security combinations to rooms or buildings are not given to strangers or, indeed, any non-resident of the College.
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