Vanbrugh College

York College Infobox
Name = Vanbrugh

Motto =
Colours = Green and White
Named_after = Sir John Vanbrugh
Established = 1968
Provost = Allen Warren "(retiring summer 2008)"
Deputy_Provost = Caroline Hall
Dean = David Efird "(to become Provost in summer 2008)"
Undergraduates = 166
Postgraduates = 18
Website = [http://www.vanbrughcollege.co.uk Vanbrugh College]

Vanbrugh College is a college of the University of York, UK, and was opened in 1968. The College is home to the History and History of Art departments, together with 166 undergraduates and 18 graduate students.

The College

The main college building, three storeys high and constructed in the 1960s in the CLASP system, consists of four blocks arranged within a square. The western, northern and eastern blocks are known, respectively, as A, B and C blocks, all of which were residential blocks when the college opened in 1968. The southern side, often known as the teaching block, contains offices for the History and History of Art departments plus two lecture theatres. It was also home to the Mathematics department until the early 2000s. C Block also houses a Computing Service computer room, V058, previously known in abbreviated form as "vuft" when it belonged to the Computer Science department.

In addition, social space located in an extension off the teaching block includes a large dining hall, bar, JCR, SCR, a Porter's Lodge and a wide corridor known as Vanbrugh Stalls, which takes its name from the frequent society and ticket-selling stalls that are set up there. The college has 24 hour portering.

A further building to the west contains offices for the Students Union as well as Your:Books, the Students' Union second hand book store. Now called Grimston House, it was originally known as X Block. The reason for this has become a campus legend, but is in fact true: university buildings are named by their college or building name initial and then a block letter. As the fourth block in Vanbrugh, this would have been known as VD block. The University decided to call it VX instead. This was in part as the building, when viewed from above, was X-shaped. The building underwent major alterations in 1999, changing the shape of the east frontage, and was then renamed.

Vanbrugh students also can apply for off-campus accommodation at Fairfax House which is situated on Heslington Road, approximately 10 minutes walk from the main college building, housing approximately 90 students, in addition to around 30 Vanbrugh residents in the hall of residence on Fulford Road, Fulford House.

Between A and X Block a shed once used as cleaners cupboard is used by University Radio York which broadcast radio locally at the 1350AM Radio Frequency.

Vanbrugh College has a reputation for sporting achievement.

In autumn of 2007 the College football team completed a naked calendar in which they raised over £300 for Cancer Research UK.

Donald Barron and Barbara Scott Courts

This new accommodation was completed in October 2007 and comprises two courts named after prominent former members of the university: Donald Barron and Barbara Scott. Providing living space for approximately 250 students, extensive landscaping has taken place around the site during early 2008 to improve its aesthetic appearance with the planting of trees, plants and the laying of grass.

These courts feature large kitchens, probably the largest on the Heslington campus, and brick-built bike storage facilities.

Future Developments

In 2005 it was decided that half of Block B and all of Block C would be converted into offices. In January 2006, 86 students moved into P and Q blocks of Alcuin College while retaining their membership of Vanbrugh College. Residents in these blocks have dubbed themselves "Valcuin". These accommodation arrangements were only for the year 2005–2006 while the old Bleachfield site to the north-west of Heslington campus was completed.

Junior Common Room

All residents of Vanbrugh College are members of the Junior Common Room, and continue to remain members throughout their time at the university. There is additionally a Senior Common Room for the use of postgraduate students.

The JCR is run by the Junior Common Room Committee (JCRC) which consists of around 40 members. Recent Chairs and Vice Chairs have included:

Entertainment Events - Planet V

Planet V is a disco-type event run by Vanbrugh JCRC. The event takes place in the college Bar, JCR and Dining Hall simultaneously, each of which plays a different style of music to suit individual tastes. All areas have a late licence, usually until 1.00 am however occasionally this is extended until 1.30 am. With a capacity of 600, it is the largest college venue on campus. Planet V is due to be rebranded during the 2007–2008 academic year. The new name has been decided on and will be released and heavily publicised during Fresher's Week 2008.

External links

* [http://www.vanbrugh-college.co.uk Vanbrugh College JCRC Official Web Site]
* [http://www.yusu.org/vanbrugh York University Students Union JCRC Web Site]
* [http://www.york.ac.uk/univ/coll/van/welcome.htm University Website for Vanbrugh College]
* [http://vanbrugh.uycu.org.uk Vanbrugh Christian Union]