No 6520
Wednesday 3 October 2018
Vol cxlix No 2
pp. 22–37
7 October, Sunday. Scarlet day.
9 October, Tuesday. Discussion at 2 p.m. in the Senate-House (see below).
14 October, Sunday. Preacher before the University at 11.15 a.m., The Rev’d Dr A. P. Davison, CC, Starbridge Lecturer in Theology and Natural Sciences.
15 October, Monday. Leslie Stephen Lecture at 5.30 p.m. in the Senate-House. Lecturer, Professor Sir Simon Schama, Honorary Fellow of Christ’s College.
20 October, Saturday. Congregation of the Regent House at 11 a.m. End of first quarter of Michaelmas Term.
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Discussions (Tuesdays at 2 p.m.) |
Congregations (Saturdays unless otherwise stated) |
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9 October |
20 October, at 11 a.m. |
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23 October |
24 November, at 2 p.m. |
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6 November |
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20 November |
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4 December |
The Vice-Chancellor invites those qualified under the regulations for Discussions (Statutes and Ordinances, p. 105) to attend a Discussion in the Senate-House, on Tuesday, 9 October 2018 at 2 p.m., for the discussion of:
1. Report of the Council, dated 16 July 2018, on the period of membership of external members of the Council (Reporter, 6515, 2017–18, p. 833).
2. Joint Report of the Council and the General Board, dated 23 July and 11 July 2018, on amendments to Special Ordinance D (v) concerning precautionary action (Reporter, 6516, 2017–18, p. 864).
Further information on Discussions, including details on format and attendance, is provided at https://www.governance.cam.ac.uk/governance/decision-making/discussions/.
The Vice-Chancellor gives notice that an election is to be held to appoint eight members of the University Council for four years from 1 January 2019. Members are to be elected in the following classes under Statute A IV 2:
(a)two from among the Heads of Colleges;
(b)two from among the Professors and Readers;
(c)four from among the other members of the Regent House.
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 undergraduate admissions, which is a College concern). Further information about the Council is available to members of the University on the Council website (https://www.governance.cam.ac.uk/committees/council/). Questions about its work can be addressed to the Registrary by emailing registrary@admin.cam.ac.uk.
The University is committed to equality, which includes supporting and encouraging all under-represented groups, promoting an inclusive culture, and valuing diversity. Nominations from groups that are under-represented on the Council are welcomed.
The Council of the University of Cambridge is one of the few principal bodies in the higher education sector with a majority of members elected from internal constituencies; most equivalent bodies are made up predominantly of external members. The Council draws its strength from the expertise, engagement, and scrutiny of its members – those elected in the classes noted above as well as its external and student members. It is key to the continuing success of the University that elections to the Council attract strong candidates who are willing to share their knowledge and commit their time for the benefit of the University as a whole.
The University is both an exempt charity,1 and a corporation established by common law. Council members are therefore both charity trustees of the University and, effectively, its corporate directors. They have associated legal responsibilities and duties, including the promotion of the interests of the University and acting with integrity, care, and prudence. Under regulatory guidance, Council members must be 'fit and proper persons'.2 It is important for candidates to recognize and accept the obligations that Council membership would confer upon them.
The Handbook for Members of the Council sets out the Council’s primary responsibilities and provides advice and guidance to members of Council on their legal and other responsibilities. Members of the Council are expected to attend all meetings of the Council. Following an amendment to procedures in 2017–18, members will not normally be able to take more than one term of leave during their period on the Council and may instead carry forward their leave entitlement. Potential nominees might wish to familiarize themselves with the key aspects of the University’s Statutes and Ordinances (http://www.admin.cam.ac.uk/univ/so/), the most recent Budget Report (Reporter, 6508, 2017–18, p. 632), and the Annual Reports and Financial Statements (Reporter, 6489, 2017–18, p. 195).
Further useful information is provided by the Office for Students (https://www.officeforstudents.org.uk/advice-and-guidance/regulation/), and the Charity Commission (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/the-essential-trustee-what-you-need-to-know-cc3). This information includes details of the extent of a charity trustee’s personal liability. Instances of personal liability are rare and unlikely to occur, providing trustees act honestly, prudently, in good faith, in the best interests of the University, and in compliance with legislation and the University’s governing documents.
In order to be eligible, candidates for election are asked to send their nominations to the Vice-Chancellor, to be received not later than 12 noon on Friday, 9 November 2018. The Vice-Chancellor asks candidates to address their nominations to the Registrary in the Old Schools; they can be sent by email including electronic signatures to Registrary@admin.cam.ac.uk. The nomination (which can be made on a form available on the governance site)3 should include (a) a statement signed by two members of the Regent House, nominating the candidate for election and specifying the class in which the candidate is nominated, and (b) a statement signed by the candidate confirming consent to be nominated. The candidate is also required to provide a personal statement by the same date (see below). No one may be nominated for election in more than one class. Two periods of four years should normally be regarded as the maximum length of continuous service for elected members of the Council.
In accordance with the regulations governing the election (Statutes and Ordinances, p. 112), those standing for election should send to the Registrary, by 12 noon on Friday, 9 November 2018, a statement in support of their nomination, which will be provided to voters. Each statement should be no more than 500 words in length and should cover the following points:
•the candidate’s present position in the University;
•previous posts held, whether in Cambridge or in other universities or outside the university system, with dates;
•the candidate’s reasons for standing for election, and the experience and skills they would bring to the role;
•a note of the candidate’s particular interests within the field of University business.
Nominations will be published on the Senate-House Noticeboard as they are received; the complete list of nominations will be published in the Reporter on Wednesday, 14 November 2018.
If the election is contested, it will be conducted by ballot under the Single Transferable Vote regulations. Online voting will open at 10 a.m. on Monday, 19 November 2018 and close at 5 p.m. on Thursday, 29 November [2018].* Hardcopy voting papers and supporting materials will be distributed not later than Monday, 19 November 2018 to those who opt by 2 November 2018 to vote on paper (see p. 25); the last date for the return of voting papers is 5 p.m. on Thursday, [29] November 2018.*
1The University has charitable status but is exempt from the statutory requirement which otherwise obliges a charity to register with the Charity Commission. The Office for Students is the principal regulator of the University as regards its compliance with its legal obligations in exercizing control and management of its administration as a charity.
2For a full definition of ‘fit and proper persons’, see: https://www.officeforstudents.org.uk/advice-and-guidance/regulation/public-interest-governance-principles/
3Nomation forms for the Council elections are available at https://www.governance.cam.ac.uk/committees/council/Documents/CouncilNominationForm2018.pdf
* 12/11/2018: The text in square brackets was originally mistyped and has now been corrected in both the online and pdf editions.
The Review Committee on Student Discipline thanks those who made submissions in response to the consultation on student discipline, which took place in the Easter Term 2018. The Review Committee’s response to the comments received during the consultation and to the remarks made at the Discussion on 1 May 2018 (Reporter, 6509, 2017–18, p. 663) is available at: https://www.studentcomplaints.admin.cam.ac.uk/consultation.
The draft Roll of the Regent House for the academical year 2018–19 (i.e. the list of names proposed to be placed on the Roll when it is promulgated in November) was published in the Reporter, in Special No. 1, on 1 October 2018 (see http://www.admin.cam.ac.uk/reporter/2018-19/special/01/section2.shtml).
Members of the Regent House are asked to check the list and to make sure that their entries are correct. They should note that the Roll constitutes the list of eligible voters for any elections to the Council or ballots that may be called during the following academical year. Notice of any corrections or amendments should be sent in writing to the Registrary at the Old Schools (email: roll.enquiries@admin.cam.ac.uk) as soon as possible; any corrections received by Tuesday, 23 October 2018 will be incorporated in the definitive Roll, which is to be promulgated on 6 November 2018.
Members of the Regent House are reminded that online voting is the default voting method in ballots of the Regent House. On the occasion of a ballot, those on the Roll of the Regent House (see above) will receive an email alert shortly after voting opens.
If members wish to receive, or to continue to receive, hardcopy voting papers and supporting materials, they should submit a request to opt out of online voting by 5 p.m. on Friday, 2 November 2018. Members already receiving hardcopy voting papers have been contacted to ask whether they wish to continue to opt out of online voting. New requests to receive hardcopy voting materials should be sent to ballots@admin.cam.ac.uk or to the University Draftsman at the Old Schools, and include confirmation of the voter’s CRSid and the College or Departmental postal address to which voting materials should be sent. Requests to opt out received by 2 November 2018 will be effective until the promulgation of the Roll in November 2019. Further information on ballots of the Regent House is available on the University governance website at https://www.governance.cam.ac.uk/ballots/rh/.
The 2018 edition of the University’s Statutes and Ordinances is now available online in pdf format at http://www.admin.cam.ac.uk/univ/so/; the html version will be available there shortly.
The Reprographics Centre in the Old Schools has agreed to produce copies for the University at a cost of £15 for a thermal-bound, two-volume copy. Orders for these are being collated by the Registrary’s Office until 31 October 2018 and should be sent – clearly stating the contact name, Department or College, number of copies required, and delivery address – by email to University.Draftsman@admin.cam.ac.uk. Copies required after the end of October should be placed directly with Reprographics by emailing the above information to reprographics.enquiries@admin.cam.ac.uk.
The lecture-list for 2018–19 is available at https://www.timetable.cam.ac.uk. Queries regarding lecture-lists and their availability should be directed to the Department concerned.
The Cambridge University Reporter is published weekly, usually on Wednesdays, during the Term. Special issues, including the preliminary and promulgated Rolls of the Regent House, the list of University officers, members of the Faculties, Fellows of the Colleges, and members of University bodies (committees, boards, syndicates, etc.) are also published during the academical year.
Notices for publication in the Reporter should be sent, preferably by email (reporter.editor@admin.cam.ac.uk), to the Editor, Cambridge University Reporter, The Old Schools, Cambridge, CB2 1TN (tel. 01223 332305). Items for publication should be sent as early as possible in the week before publication; short notices will be accepted up to 4 p.m. on Friday for publication the following Wednesday. Information on format and submissions is available at http://www.reporter.admin.cam.ac.uk/content-and-submissions. Inclusion is at the discretion of the Editor.
An email alert notifying subscribers of the weekly publication of the Reporter is available. The email contains web links to individual sections of the issue as well as a link to the pdf version. To subscribe, please visit the Reporter homepage (http://www.admin.cam.ac.uk/reporter) and click on the blue ‘Join the mailing list’ button.
Certain material published in the Reporter will be restricted to those with access to the University of Cambridge network (i.e. the Cam domain) and holders of Raven accounts. Separate pdf versions are provided as appropriate.
The UAS Bulletin is a monthly e-newsletter featuring a round-up of news and activities from the Unified Administrative Service and central offices, as well as key issues and policies from within the higher education sector. A link to sign up to the Bulletin, which is available to all members of the University, can be found on the right-hand side of the University staff webpages (http://www.staff.admin.cam.ac.uk/).
The University Combination Room is open for the use of current members and retired members formerly on the Roll of the Regent House. Visiting academics may also be issued with access cards on nomination by their College or Department. The Combination Room will be open from Monday to Friday, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., unless notified otherwise in the Reporter.
Details of how to gain access to the University Combination Room can be found at http://www.admin.cam.ac.uk/univ/combinationroom/.
An online resource on the governance of the University is available at http://www.governance.cam.ac.uk (log in via Raven to access restricted content). With detailed information on the University’s governance structure, decision-making bodies, processes, and instruments of governance, the site is designed to help University members understand and engage with the governance processes of the University. The site also contains papers, core documents, and membership information for the University Council, the General Board, the Audit Committee, the Finance Committee, and various other University committees.
Comments and queries about the site, including from University committee secretaries interested in joining it, should be sent to the Reporter team by email to governance@admin.cam.ac.uk. Queries on the work of individual committees or the availability of minutes or papers should be addressed to the relevant committee secretary.