Notices

Calendar

26 October, Saturday. Congregation of the Regent House at 11 a.m. (see p. 72).

1 November, Friday. All Saints’ Day. Scarlet Day.

3 November, Sunday. Commemoration of Benefactors. Scarlet Day. Preacher before the University at 11.15 a.m., The Rev’d Canon Prof. S. R. I. Foot, CAI, Regius Professor of Ecclesiastical History and Canon Professor, Christ Church, University of Oxford (Lady Margaret’s Preacher).

5 November, Tuesday. Discussion at 2 p.m. (see below).

9 November, Saturday. Michaelmas Term divides.

Discussions (Tuesdays at 2 p.m.)	Congregations (Saturdays unless otherwise stated)
5 November	26 October, at 11 a.m.
19 November	30 November, at 2 p.m.
10 December

Discussion on Tuesday, 5 November 2019

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, 5 November 2019 at 2 p.m., for the discussion of:

1. Twenty-fourth Report of the Board of Scrutiny (Reporter, 6563, 2019–20, p. 42).

Further information on Discussions, including details on format and attendance, is provided at https://www.governance.cam.ac.uk/governance/decision-making/discussions/.

Update on report on the advantages and disadvantages of a policy of divestment

23 October 2019

The Council fully supports the view shared across the University that progress needs to be made on identifying the best ways to deliver a zero-carbon future. It therefore supported the request for a report which would ‘set out fully the advantages and disadvantages, including the social and political ones, of a policy of divestment from fossil fuels’ and provide costings, as set out in Grace 1 of 25 April 2019 (see Reporter, 6544, 2018–19, p. 489). The work on that report is being led by Dr Ellen Quigley, who is a researcher working on a collaboration between the Centre for Endowment Asset Management and the Centre for the Study of Existential Risk and who has been seconded on a part-time basis to initiate work ahead of the appointment of the Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) Officer (see Reporter, 6544, 2018–19, p. 486). She has been commissioned to consult widely across the University and to draw on the latest research to provide a comprehensive literature review. This Notice provides an interim report and timeline for completion of the final report, in response to the Grace.

Working with the different constituencies interested in divestment within the University and the Colleges, Dr Quigley has assembled a comprehensive programme of events and consultations. Following up on the Council’s commitment in its response to the Divestment Working Group report (Reporter, 6511, 2017–18, p. 702), Dr Quigley has also recommended that the University join the Institutional Investors Group on Climate Change (IIGCC) and the Responsible Investment Network – Universities (RINU), which the Council has approved. Dr Quigley’s interim report is available to members of the University community at https://www.admin.cam.ac.uk/cam-only/reporter/2019-20/weekly/6564/interim-divestment-report-Oct2019.pdf and will be accessible via other channels in the near future. The final report will be provided to the Council by July 2020 and will be made more widely available shortly after that date.

Council is well aware of the urgency in addressing climate change and in particular the need to move fast in responding to the Grace. It is committed to doing this while maintaining an evidence-based approach in keeping with its status as a research institution, and by harnessing the great interest and knowledge already amassed within the collegiate University.