The establishment of Parks College was approved by a vote in the university congregation on 7 May 2019. On 11 June 2020, the University announced that it had received an £80 million gift from the Reuben Foundation towards an endowment and scholarships, which would be marked by changing the name of the college to Reuben College. The college was formally renamed on 30 June 2020. The planned initial intake of graduate students is in the 2021–2022 academic year with an eventual annual intake of 200 students, studying for research degrees and on taught courses. Initially there will be a focus on three interdisciplinary research clusters, which will be increased to six or eight clusters once there is a full complement of graduate students. Professor Lionel Tarassenko was invited by the Vice-Chancellor, Louise Richardson, to oversee the development of the college as its founding president. The college appointed its first fellows in 2019, including Jane A. McKeating and E. J. Milner-Gulland.
The Lankester Room and Main Stack, a two-storey extension under the lawn of the museum, built between 1972 and 1975.
Reuben College will also consist of the western wing of the Inorganic Chemistry Laboratory and Abbot’s Kitchen. Completion of the redevelopment of the RSL building is scheduled for the start of the 2021–2022 academic year. Completion of the redevelopment of the western wing of the Inorganic Chemistry Lab, Abbot’s Kitchen and connecting spaces is scheduled for the start of the 2022–2023 academic year. Student accommodation will be offered in the newly refurbished building at Farndon Court.
Administration
Together with Kellogg and St Cross, Reuben is one of only three Oxford colleges without a royal charter. It is officially a society of the university rather than an independent college. The main difference from an independent college is that the governing body only recommends a president, who is then appointed by Council; in other colleges, the head of house is elected and appointed by the governing body directly. For accounting purposes, the societies are considered departments of the university.
