The Council

The Council is the principal executive and policy-making body of the University. It has general responsibility for the administration of the University, for defining its mission, for the planning of its work, and for the management of its resources. The Council deals with relations between the University and the Colleges, and conducts negotiations with outside bodies on many matters (other than those relating directly to the educational and research programmes of the University which are dealt with on its behalf by the General Board of the Faculties). It is responsible for the appointment or nomination of certain members of internal and external bodies, and for many student matters (excluding the selection of entrants, which is a College concern).

Membership

The Council consists of the Chancellor, the Vice-Chancellor, nineteen elected members, and four appointed (external) members. The elected members comprise:

  • four heads of Colleges
  • four Professors or Readers
  • eight other members of the Regent House
  • three current students of the University (one must be a graduate student)

Dates of forthcoming meetings

The dates of Council meetings in the 2011-12 academic year are as follows:

  • 17 October 2011
  • 21 November 2011
  • 12 December 2011
  • 23 January 2012
  • 20 February 2012
  • 19 March 2012
  • 23 April 2012
  • 28 May 2012
  • 18 June 2012
  • 16 July 2012
  • 24 September 2012

Committee structure

The following Committees report to the Council:

The following Committees report jointly to the Council and the General Board:

Audit Committee
Finance Committee
Advisory Committee on Committee Membership and External Nominations
Standing Advisory Committee on Student Matters
Remuneration Committee
Executive Committee
Business Committee

Human Resources Committee
Planning and Resources Committee
Resource Management Committee
Buildings Committee

Further information on the Council

Details of the powers, responsibilities, and membership of the Council may be found in the University’s Statutes and Ordinances, Statute A, Chapter IV.

Further information about the Council and how it works is available from the ‘How the University works’ section of the University website.

Official University business is published in the Cambridge University Reporter.

The link below is for users on the University network only, and will take users to a site containing more information about the Council and its business.