Dining rights
Encyclopedia
Dining rights, in the United Kingdom, are the right to use the dining facilities offered to the members (and possibly their guests, when accompanied by a member) of certain organisations such as universities, clubs, colleges and bodies such as the House of Lords
, and the Hawks' Club
.
They are typically offered to ex-members of such institutions, alumni, or individuals who are in some way involved with furthering its aims, often in the spirit of honoris causa. Such rights can be highly sought after.
As dining is considered a highly social process, dining rights permit diners to engage with like minded colleagues, members and their guests in a milieu that is less formal (but may still contain certain formalities) than that of the academic meeting, colloquium
or seminar
.
Such rights do not usually permit the holder to take part in the management or the functions of the institution that has offered them.
Such rights do not (usually) exempt the holder from any charges for using them, though they are extended to the holder on the same basis as the usual holders of such rights. However, restrictions are typically placed upon their frequency of use.
Holders are usually held responsible for both the bills incurred by themselves and their guests, and the behaviour of their guests during the exercise of such rights.
Typically alumni of a college or university may be offered such rights, but only on payment of a fee, and after holding an appropriate academic degree
, or after a number of years since graduation
.
House of Lords
The House of Lords is the upper house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Like the House of Commons, it meets in the Palace of Westminster....
, and the Hawks' Club
Hawks' Club
The Hawks' Club is a members-only social club for sportsmen at the University of Cambridge. It was founded in 1872.-Eligibility criteria:Application for membership is open to any man who is either a member of any college at the University of Cambridge or who has been admitted ad eundem to the...
.
They are typically offered to ex-members of such institutions, alumni, or individuals who are in some way involved with furthering its aims, often in the spirit of honoris causa. Such rights can be highly sought after.
As dining is considered a highly social process, dining rights permit diners to engage with like minded colleagues, members and their guests in a milieu that is less formal (but may still contain certain formalities) than that of the academic meeting, colloquium
Colloquium
Colloquium can refer to:* the Parliament of Scotland, called a "colloquium" in Latin records.* any musical piece celebrating birth or distribution of good news, a hymn...
or seminar
Seminar
Seminar is, generally, a form of academic instruction, either at an academic institution or offered by a commercial or professional organization. It has the function of bringing together small groups for recurring meetings, focusing each time on some particular subject, in which everyone present is...
.
Such rights do not usually permit the holder to take part in the management or the functions of the institution that has offered them.
Such rights do not (usually) exempt the holder from any charges for using them, though they are extended to the holder on the same basis as the usual holders of such rights. However, restrictions are typically placed upon their frequency of use.
Holders are usually held responsible for both the bills incurred by themselves and their guests, and the behaviour of their guests during the exercise of such rights.
Typically alumni of a college or university may be offered such rights, but only on payment of a fee, and after holding an appropriate academic degree
Academic degree
An academic degree is a position and title within a college or university that is usually awarded in recognition of the recipient having either satisfactorily completed a prescribed course of study or having conducted a scholarly endeavour deemed worthy of his or her admission to the degree...
, or after a number of years since graduation
Graduation
Graduation is the action of receiving or conferring an academic degree or the ceremony that is sometimes associated, where students become Graduates. Before the graduation, candidates are referred to as Graduands. The date of graduation is often called degree day. The graduation itself is also...
.