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Benet’s Master struggles in attempt to admit women

Master of St Benet’s Hall Professor Werner Jeanrond has spoken of his struggle in the ongoing attempts to admit women to the Hall, claiming that the University is slowing the process down and “hindering equality”.

The Permanent Private Hall includes a community of 16 monks who cannot live in the same accommodation as women and the College is therefore seeking a second building in which to house women undergraduates.

The Hall admitted its first female postgraduate this year, in Jewish Studies, but must offer accommodation to any first year undergraduates.

Speaking to The Times, Professor Jeanrond said, “When I was interviewed for the job I made it clear I wouldn’t oversee a patriarchal institution. The decision was unanimous for women to be admitted as postgraduates from this autumn. […] I’m actively campaigning with university admissions to be given another building to lease — the minute we do that we will admit female undergraduates.”

The Hall currently admits 16-17 undergraduates per year to study History, Classics, Theology, Oriental Studies, and PPE, but upon reception of a new building would accept more undergraduates of both genders.

Professor Jeanrond said that he has spoken to the University about the possibility of taking over the recently-vacated University-owned building at 41 St Giles, three doors away from Benet’s, but has received no confirmation. 

St Benet’s JCR President Samuel Marks said, “St Benet’s is a small PPH, but one that has big ambitions. To fulfil those however, the Univer- sity needs to match our commitment to our future aspirations with their obligation to meet them. We urgently need a second building to provide more housing for students, teaching facilities and offices for senior members — developments that would have both immediate and long-term benefits for the Hall.”

Professor Jeanrond continued, “The University is being too slow on this, it’s hindering equality. There are [available] university buildings in the vicinity. In Oxford, nothing happens overnight. It’s not negotiable for me, women should have access. Equality is written in the university’s strategic plan. I’ve talked to everyone about the need for a new building.

“They’re all very friendly but it lacks a certain transparency to me — how decisions are made. It forces me to write to our female applicants and say ‘not yet, come back next year’.”

St Benet’s Hall is not the only single-sex PPH: Campion Hall is a Jesuit foundation that generally admits only men studying for the priesthood. However, it is a smaller institution than Benet’s, consisting of about 35 members, and the majority of undergraduates at Benet’s are laypeople who have just left school.

A spokesperson for the University said, “The University supports St Benet’s aim of providing female undergraduate places and has been working with the Hall on its search for accommodation, given the many competing demands for space in central Oxford.”

JCR President Marks continued, “St Benet’s is a place students enjoy being at — for the past two years we have come first and second respectively in the student barometer on overall experience out of all Oxford Colleges.

“I welcome the Hall’s development plans which will renew and strengthen St Benet’s, extending the unique experience of our active and vibrant community to female undergraduates and ensuring the needs our of monastic students, whilst constantly striving to preserve the things that makes St Benet’s the attractive place it is to be.”

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