Your Tutor is your first contact on the University staff. He or she will want to get to know you as an individual, know how you are getting on, what is going really well for you, what problems you have and how you are dealing with them. Then he or she will know you well enough to write references on your behalf when you apply for a job, and to speak on your behalf at exam boards. Tutors can help overcome many of the major or minor problems of university life relatively easily, provided you bring them up in good time. When they can't deal with a particular problem, they can usually direct you to someone who can help. So make sure your tutor knows if you are ill, or in dispute with your landlord. But do tell him or her too if you have been elected to a responsible post in the Union or have made the cross-country skiing team.

You must see your tutor during the first week of each term so that we know that you are safely back. Details vary, but usually your tutor will want to see you on the first day of term. This meeting is often used to discuss which modules you are taking, registration formalities, and arrangements for tutorials. If an exam or other really unavoidable cause means you can't come when it is suggested, send an e-mail instead and call at the very first opportunity.

Academic work with your tutor. Your tutor is an academic member of staff who will expect to advise you about the choices in your course, and discuss mathematics in detail. In the first year you are likely to have group tutorials; you may also request individual ones. In later years, as modules become more specialised, you will probably receive most of your direct mathematical support from other sources; your tutor will be involved for some modules such as the MA213 Essay (to be replaced by MA262 Scientific Communication for students starting in 2022/23), and will continue to be your first port of call for general mathematical advice about module choices, etc.

Specialist tutors: The Department has the following specialist tutors who have experience in answering questions and solving problems related to their specialist areas. Please make use of them in addition or in place of your personal tutors.

• Tutor for Women
• Overseas students' tutor
• Maths/Business Studies degree representative
• Maths/Economics degree representative

Please ask in the Undergraduate Office for details of which staff member has each job and how to contact them (e-mail, phone or room numbers).

Changing your tutor: Occasionally a student does not get on well with his or her tutor. If this happens to you, you can easily change, and no offence will be taken. Simply ask the Senior Tutor in Mathematics or the Undergraduate Office, to assign you a new tutor. You will not be required to explain your reasons. Note, however, that you will not be able to choose who your next tutor will be!