Structure

There are 37 boat clubs within the University: Oxford University Boat Club (OUBC) and 36 college boat clubs, with over 3000 active members in total.

Each club is affiliated in its own right to British Rowing (BR), the sport’s governing body. Together with local school and town clubs, the 37 clubs constitute Division TU1 (Isis-Cherwell) of the BR Thames Regional Rowing Council (TRRC). A Divisional Representative serves to facilitate direct communication between the clubs and BR, and to represent the interests of the Division on TRRC.

The 37 clubs together form a confederation known as Oxford University Rowing Clubs (OURCs). OURCs exists to organise inter-collegiate competitions (such as Autumn Fours, the Isis Winter League, Torpids and Summer Eights), and to maintain local rules governing conduct and safety on the Isis and other waterways used by the constituent clubs, such as operating a ‘flag’ system in collaboration with the Environment Agency (EA) to restrict rowing in adverse conditions, and controlling the number of boats on the river at any one time to prevent overcrowding. The OURCs Committee consists of the Chair (who will be one of the presidents of OUBC), six officers, a Senior Treasurer, a Senior Member, and up to fifteen ordinary members appointed by the Secretary and ratified by a Captains' Meeting.

All college boat clubs must send a representative to a Captains' Meeting, generally held two or three times a term. This is the body that elects or ratifies OURCs committee members, and makes the OURCs Constitution, Code of Conduct, and its associated Rules of Racing.

The Sabbatical Officer for Rowing (‘RowSab’) is employed by the University to take on a large part of the administration associated with OURCs activities, and to help the constituent clubs to comply with the safety requirements and recommendations of BR, the EA, and the University. The cost of employing the RowSab is shared between OURCs (which charges each of the constituent college boat clubs an affiliation fee to cover this salary) and the University Sports Department.

Every club, as well as OURCs itself, has a Senior Member – an eligible member of the University’s academic or administrative staff through whom the club is accountable to the College (where applicable), the University’s Director of Sport, and, ultimately, the Proctors (who oversee compliance with the University Statutes).

The Director of Sport oversees the activities of all registered sports clubs within the University. They are assisted by a Sports Safety Officer who is responsible for ensuring that all University sporting activities, including rowing, are carried out in accordance with the safety guidelines laid down by the respective sporting governing bodies, as required by the University.

Overseeing the entire structure is the Council for Oxford University Rowing (COUR). COUR consists of the presidents, Safety Officer and Senior Member of OUBC, the Secretary, Sabbatical Officer and Senior Member of OURCs, the TRRC Divisional Representative, a representative of the college bursars, the University Sports Safety Officer, the University Director of Sport, and the Senior Proctor. The OURCs Captain of Coxes and an elected representative of the college captains are also invited to attend meetings. COUR serves as a single point of contact between the Director of Sport and the Proctors on one hand, and the 37 rowing clubs collectively on the other. COUR’s primary remit is to oversee safety, and it reports to the University's Sports Strategic Sub-Committee. It meets once per term, and the position of Chair rotates amongst the COUR Senior Members annually.

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