Hertford College is facing backlash from students following a request that the Middle Common Room (MCR) removes a Pride flag from its window. Students have also criticised the College’s limited display of the LGBTQ+ flag above Hertford this Pride month, flying it for only two days to mark Oxford’s Pride parade on 7th June.
Speaking to Cherwell, the College’s MCR President said that the flag was raised in the common room “to show solidarity and commitment to its student community”, who felt let down by the College after it failed to consistently fly the Pride flag. She added that: “As MCR President, I was emailed on Friday 20th June 2025, a couple of days after the flag was first displayed, and asked to take the flag down on the basis of a purported policy.”
In response to the College’s request, the MCR President asked for a copy of the policy. But to the President’s “tremendous disappointment” no such copy was provided.
Hertford explained to Cherwell that staff requested the flag be removed from the MCR’s window because of a “long-standing principle that no flags (or indeed any form of advertisements, signage, temporary lighting, or similar) should be mounted over windows, or in public / shared areas”.
The College’s student common rooms have both voted in favour of revising Hertford’s policy to encourage the College to fly the Pride flag — with the Junior Common Room (JCR) motion receiving 100% support to further petition the College. However, Hertford has refused to update the policy until it can be brought before the College’s Equity, Inclusion and Diversity Committee – which is yet to be formally established.
The MCR President added that “Hertford’s behaviour came as a surprise to us, who were under the impression … that Hertford has a long-standing socially progressive tradition. What are we as the Hertford student community to take from this? Hertford is progressive no more.”
Hertford’s Interim Principal, Professor Pat Roche, told Cherwell: “The College did fly the Pride flag during the Oxford Pride weekend, only taking it down when the flagpole had to be removed to allow a crane to be installed for ongoing building works. The College has not prevented the MCR having a flag in its common room. Indeed, the College even offered to assist with mounting it securely”
He added that “the College receives a lot of input regarding our policies and we will be reviewing many of them in the coming months. Hertford remains progressive and inclusive.”
A spokesperson from the University of Oxford emphasised the University’s “commitment to an inclusive community”. They continued: “Oxford is a place where every student should be safe, welcomed and be able to thrive, whatever their background. We are committed to ensuring our University community is one in which the rights and dignity of all our students and staff are respected”.
 removes a Pride flag from its window. Students have also criticised the College's limited display of the LGBTQ+ flag above Hertford this Pride month, flying it for only two days to mark Oxford’s Pride parade on 7th June.){kind=link}