From: crj10@phx.cam.ac.uk (Clive Jones)
Newsgroups: soc.bi
Subject: Re: cambridge colleges, choice of
Date: 23 Nov 92 21:16:06 GMT
Organization: 6am Digital Playground
Telephone-Messages: +44 223 33 4900
Address: Christ's College, Cambridge CB2 3BU, ENGLAND.
X-Furry-Character: Gerald_Duck

In article <1992Nov23.013558.24983@samba.oit.unc.edu>, Chris.Varnam@launchpad.unc.edu (Chris Varnam) writes:
> 
> I'm applying for gradu. studies at Cambridge in genetics (any one want to 
> give me 90 000 dollars to help?)

Er... not just at the moment, I'm afraid. (-8

> I'm trying to choose the three collages for my application form and would
> like some on the ground suggestions - all the prospectus write-ups are 
> glowing or don't address some of the important points. 
 
> My criteria include:
> women-friendly
> science friendly
> GLB friendly.
> email access?

Well - the first thing to notice is that no colleges (except _possibly_
Magdalene) have remotely bad reputations w.r.t. treatment of women, or LBGs.
I, and several other people posting here, and a few others besides, all come
from different colleges, and don't know of any particular prejudices against
LBGs. There are a significant number of out members of staff, etc. There *are*
some groups (notably one or two of the religious factions) who cause a little
trouble, but they aren't concentrated on particular colleges. The three
female-only colleges (New Hall, Newnham and Lucy Cavendish (I think LC is
female only...) ) are worth considering, but the gender ratio is passable at
between 2:1 and 4:1 is OK elsewhere.

Science friendly - all of Cambridge is OK on sciences, really. If I remember,
I'll put a geneticist I know onto you - he might know more about this. (He
wouldn't like his e-mail address being publicised, though...)

E-mail access - that's a university issue not a college one. All members of the
university have access to Computer Service facilities. Colleges have varying
number and quality of terminals - Churchill, Downing, Trinity, St. John's,
Emmanuel and Queen's are best for provision of terminals, although all have at
least some. Queen's, Wolfson and Churchill can give you lines to your room -
Churchill can give you Ethernet TCP/IP access if you don't mind living in
the most crass architectural monstrosity in the entire of Cambridge.

If you're in a central college, you will be able to wander easily to the public
terminal areas to check e-mail. Newnham is close to the Sidgwick site, which has
more public terminals. Most departments (including genetics) have plenty of
terminals, too.
 
> Also,  is it politic to belong to the same college as one's supervisor?
> His is Emmanuel which actually mentions offical lack of admission
> discrimination based on sex, race, religion, but no listing og
> orientation.  

It's slightly odd that Emma should even choose to mention this - most colleges
take it for granted that you will assume they're enlightened and liberal. (-8
I didn't feel the need to mention my sexuality when applying, even though at
least one of my interviewers was (I later discovered) gay.

Supervisors - at postgraduate level, I don't think being at the same college
matters as much as it can at undergraduate level.

> Any info.  on colleges and the town in general - email or posted - would be
> massively appriecated. 

The town is fairly compact, and oozes history. You'll soon get sick of tourists,
(especially as you'll no doubt already be sick of stereotypical American
tourists (-8 ). Social life is quite varied, there are quite a few different
student unions battling it out, and plenty of pubs, restaurants, college bars,
etc. You needn't be too closely tied to your college if you don't want to be.
There is a large-ish "computer culture" of those of us who use the net, and
local computers. (If you do arrive here, ask someone about "GROGGS".) The LBG
scene is small, but most of us don't see the need to be part of a scene, since
sexuality fails to be an issue amongst friends 95% of the time.

Look us up when you get here, if we're still around. (I graduate this summer...)

--Clive.