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The GENERAL BOARD beg leave to report to the University as follows:
1. In 1920 the Scott Polar Research Institute was established in the University to encourage and support polar science and exploration. The Institute has subsequently developed an international reputation for bi-polar and inter-disciplinary research and worldwide use is made of its works on polar studies that are housed in its Museum, Library, and Archives.
2. The Institute was established originally as an independent institution but in 1957 became a Sub-department within the Department of Geography, primarily to facilitate the integration of the Institute's work into the mainstream of University teaching and research. In 1980 the Institute reverted to its earlier status as an independent institution, but remained within the scope of the Faculty of Geography and Geology (subsequently the Faculty of Earth Sciences and Geography). In 1996 a review by the Council of the School of the Physical Sciences concluded that polar studies occupied an important place in the work of the University and recommended therefore that support for the Institute and its work should continue for the foreseeable future. The Council of the School informed the General Board that this could best be secured by taking forward the integration of the Institute into mainstream teaching and research, initially by developing closer links between the Institute and Departments responsible for undergraduate teaching. This view was endorsed by the Board in their Report, dated 26 February 1997 (Reporter, 1996-97, p. 479), in which they proposed the following:
| (a) | offices should be established in future in an appropriate Department, but with duties concerning the Institute; |
| (b) | a new Committee of Management for the Institute should be established, with representation from other Departments within the School of the Physical Sciences having an interest in polar studies; the Committee should have direct responsibility for the management of the Institute and its work; |
| (c) | the membership of the existing Advisory Committee for the Institute should be revised to consist mainly of members drawn from bodies external to the University; |
| (d) | there should be revised arrangements for the Directorship of the Institute, from 1 December 1997, whereby the Directorship became an office held concurrently with another University office and for a maximum period of five years at a time; |
| (e) | provision should be made for an office of Deputy Director to be held on similar terms to those of the Director. |
The Board's recommendations concerning the above were approved by Grace 6 of 30 April 1997.
3. The successful implementation of these measures has led to close interaction between the Institute and the Department of Geography; three University Teaching Officers have been appointed in the Department under the new arrangements and both the past and present Directors of the Institute are Professors of physical geography. The M.Phil. course in Polar Studies has been radically revised, and its structure reformed, and course elements are now shared with M.Phil. courses offered by the Department of Geography. In addition, a number of recent academic-related appointments have duties that concern both institutions. In order to develop further the academic, intellectual, financial, and infrastructural benefits already established through this interaction, the Committee of Management of the Scott Polar Research Institute have now proposed that the Institute revert to its former position as a Sub-department within the Department of Geography. All staff within the Department and the Institute have been fully consulted and have consented to the proposal, which also has the approval of the Faculty Board of Earth Sciences and Geography.
4. The Council of the School of the Physical Sciences fully support this proposal, which is not intended to have any bearing on the day-to-day activities of the Institute, nor to affect the job descriptions of the staff. It would provide the Institute, however, with increased security and enhance possibilities for it to become fully engaged in the core activities of the University. The School consider the Department of Geography to be the most suitable host for the Institute, both for historical and intellectual reasons. They have accordingly advised the General Board that it would be appropriate for the Institute to become a Sub-department of the department of Geography with effect from 1 October 2002.
5. The Board have accepted the School's case and will ensure, if the recommendations contained in this Report are approved, that the contracts of employment of staff currently employed in the Institute are amended to reflect this change in status. In the case of the Professorship of Ocean Physics, however, the Board concur with the recommendation of the Faculty Board of Earth Sciences and Geography and the Faculty Board of Mathematics that this Professorship, which was established from 1 October 2001 in the Scott Polar Research Institute for Professor P. Wadhams be reassigned to the Department of Applied Mathematics and Theoretical Physics with effect from 1 January 2003. The reassignment of the office is proposed in order to reflect more appropriately the current areas of Professor Wadhams' academic work.
6. The Scott Polar Research Institute was funded originally though a Treasury grant-in-aid and from endowments, a number of which have no formal regulations. The General Board accordingly propose to regularize this position in order to ensure the most efficient use of these resources.
7. The General Board recommend:
I. That the regulations for the Scott Polar Research Institute (Statutes and Ordinances, p. 607) be replaced, with effect from 1 October 2002, by the regulations set out in the Annex to this Report.
II. That Regulation 4 of the regulations for Sub-departments (Statutes and Ordinances, p. 611) be amended to include the following:
Geography Scott Polar Research Institute
The Director of the Scott Polar Research Institute.
III. That the Professorship of Ocean Physics, held by Professor P. Wadhams be reassigned to the Department of Applied Mathematics and Theoretical Physics from the Scott Polar Research Institute, with effect from 1 January 2003.
IV. That the regulations for The Scott Polar Research Institute Endowment Fund, as set out in the Schedule to this Report, be approved.
| 2 October 2002 | ALEC N. BROERS, Vice-Chancellor | MALCOLM GRANT | A. C. MINSON |
| P. J. BAYLEY | J. C. GRAY | KATE PRETTY | |
| N. O. A. BULLOCK | S. LEATON | GRAY M. SCHOFIELD | |
| KATIE CHILDS | PETER LIPTON | S. J. YOUNG | |
| ANDREW CLIFF |
1. The Scott Polar Research Institute shall be a Sub-department of the Department of Geography.
2. The Institute shall be under the general control of a Committee of Management which shall consist of:
| (a) the Chairman of the Council of the School of the Physical Sciences, who shall be Chairman of the Committee; |
| (b) the Director of the Institute, who shall be Secretary of the Committee; |
| (c) the Head of the Department of Geography; |
| (d) two persons appointed by the Council of the School of the Physical Sciences; |
| (e) two persons appointed by the General Board after consultation with the Councils of the Schools of the Biological Sciences, the Humanities and Social Sciences, and Technology; |
| (f) not more than two persons co-opted by the Committee, provided that it shall not be obligatory for the Committee to co-opt any person or persons. |
Members in classes (d) and (e) shall be appointed in the Michaelmas Term to serve for four years from 1 January following their appointment. Members in class (f) shall serve until 31 December of the year in which they are co-opted or of the following year, as the Committee shall determine at the time of their co-optation.
3. The Committee of Management shall meet not less than twice in each academical year. Five members of the Committee shall constitute a quorum.
4. Subject to the powers of the Council, the General Board, and the Faculty Board of Earth Sciences and Geography, the duties of the Committee shall be:
| (a) to promote teaching and research in polar studies; |
| (b) to co-operate with outside bodies in the encouragement of research in polar studies; |
| (c) to assess the Institute's needs in respect of staffing and resources and report these to the Director; |
| (d) to make such reports to the Council of the School of the Physical Sciences and the General Board as those bodies may require. |
5. There shall be an Advisory Committee for the Institute, which shall consist of:
| (a) one person appointed by the General Board on the nomination of the Council of the School of the Physical Sciences, who shall be Chairman of the Committee; |
| (b) the Director of the Scott Polar Research Institute, who shall be Secretary of the Committee; |
| (c) the Director of the British Antarctic Survey; |
| (d) the Hydrographer of the Navy; |
| (e) the Head of the Polar Regions Section, Foreign and Commonwealth Office; |
| (f) the High Commissioner for Canada in the United Kingdom or a person appointed by the High Commissioner; |
| (g) two persons representative of industry appointed by the General Board on the nomination of the Committee of Management; |
| (h) one person appointed by the Royal Society; |
| (i) one person appointed by the Royal Geographical Society; |
| (j) not more than two persons co-opted by the Committee, provided that it shall not be obligatory for the Committee to co-opt any person or persons. |
Members of the Committee in classes (g)-(i) shall be appointed in the Michaelmas Term to serve for four years from 1 January following their appointment. Members in class (j) shall serve until 31 December of the year in which they are co-opted or of the following year, as the Committee shall determine at the time of their co-optation.
6. The Advisory Committee shall meet not less than once in each academical year.
7. The duties of the Advisory Committee shall be to advise the Director of the Institute as to the most advantageous lines of education and research, and to promote co-operation with other bodies concerned with polar research.
1. There shall be a University office of Director of the Institute, which shall be held concurrently with another University office.
2. The Director shall be appointed by the General Board on the recommendation of the Head of the Department of Geography and the Council of the School of the Physical Sciences, and shall be eligible for reappointment. Appointments and reappointments to the office of Director shall be for such periods not exceeding five years at a time as the General Board may determine on the recommendation of the Head of the Department of Geography and the Council of the School.
3. Under the general control of the Committee of Management, the Director shall be responsible for the direction of polar studies in the Institute and their encouragement generally in the University.
4. The Director shall conform to such conditions of residence as may be determined by the General Board after consultation with the Committee of Management.
1. The sums received from the Captain Scott Memorial Polar Research Trust, the Pilgrim Trust, and the British Museum shall form a fund to be called the Scott Polar Research Institute Endowment Fund I.
2. The purpose of the Fund shall be to support the activities of the Scott Polar Research Institute.
3. The Fund shall be administered by the Head of the Department of Geography and the Director of the Scott Polar Research Institute.
4. Any unspent income in a financial year may be added to the capital of the Fund, or accumulated for use as income in a future year, at the discretion of the administrators.
1. The sums received as a result of the Scott Polar Research Institute Appeal shall form a fund to be called the Scott Polar Research Institute Endowment Fund II.
2. The income of the Fund shall be used to support the activities of the Library, Archives, and the Museum of the Scott Polar Research Institute. The first charge on the income of the Fund shall be the stipend, the national insurance and pension contributions, and associated indirect costs of staff appointed to develop the work of the Library, Archives, and Museum.
3. The Fund shall be administered by a Board of Managers who shall be:
| (a) The Director of the Scott Polar Research Institute as Chairman; |
| (b) The Librarian of the Scott Polar Research Institute; |
| (c) The Head of the Department of Geography; |
| (d) The Chairman of the School of the Physical Sciences; |
| (e) The Chairman of the Friends of the Scott Polar Research Institute. |
The Managers shall make annual recommendations to the General Board concerning the expenditure of any income of the Fund not already committed by their previous decisions.
4. Any unspent income in a financial year shall either be added to the capital of the Fund, or accumulated for use as income in a future year, at the discretion of the Managers.
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Cambridge University Reporter, 9 October 2002
Copyright © 2002 The Chancellor, Masters and Scholars
of the University of Cambridge.