Students at Oxford's last all-women's college are warning that its single-sex status is under threat.
St Hilda's College students claim that discussions on admitting male students could take place next month.
The college's governing body says that the single-sex status is an issue which may be discussed and voted on "at any time".
And it reserves the right to hold such discussions away from "intrusive publicity".
Campaigns have been launched by student unions in Oxford and Cambridge to preserve the last few remaining all-women's colleges – and students at St Hilda's have called on the college to "come clean" about its plans.
'Closed doors'
"The ethos of this college is being discussed behind closed doors," said Helen McCabe, president of the college's junior common room.
Students who want to keep the all-women status say they have not been allowed to enter the debate about the college's future status – and they say they want it to be discussed "openly and honestly".
The college's governing body has issued a statement in response – and says that it will not elaborate any further on its plans.
"The single-sex status of the college is an issue which the fellows may discuss at any time and a vote may be requested in accordance with the statutes," says the college's statement.
And the governing body says that, while it takes note of the students' arguments, "on matters which crucially affect the college" it "reserves the right, when deemed appropriate, to hold discussions in confidence and without intrusive publicity".
A proposal to allow male undergraduates to study at St Hilda's was narrowly defeated earlier this year – after it failed to gain a two-thirds majority among fellows voting at St Hilda's.
A poll of undergraduate students at the college also suggested that a majority were against a change to a mixed-sex college.
There are three remaining women's colleges at Cambridge University, Newnham, New Hall and Lucy Cavendish.
