Quiet rooms, contemplation rooms and lactation rooms are available across departmental buildings within the Social Sciences for use by staff, students, and with some available to wider members of the community.
The St Cross Building offers a Contemplation Room close to the accessible entrance to the building on Manor Road for anyone in the vicinity who needs a quiet, private space, for a short period during the working day. It is intended to be a place for wellbeing, reflection, and prayer for people of all faiths and none, and is available on a shared or first-come-first serve basis.
The Manor Road Building has a dedicated facility for people to express milk during the working day. The Lactation Room is located on the top floor of the building and is available to staff, students, visitors and members of the public. In order to ensure privacy in this space users need to request the access code for the lock at Manor Road’s reception.
The Oxford Department of International Development in Queen Elizabeth House has a Staff Quiet Room, which is available during opening hours on a shared or first-come-first serve basis. It offers EDI and Wellbeing resources, including books as well as a comfortable and private space to decompress.
The increasing proliferation of spaces like these is designed to enable members of the University and the wider community to participate fully in the life of the division. They promote wellbeing and inclusivity by making space for neurodiversity, spirituality, mental health breaks and breastfeeding parents.
