Statutes and Ordinances of the University of Cambridge
Statute D
THE UNIVERSITY OFFICERS

Chapter VI

THE PROCTORS

1. The Proctors and Pro-Proctors shall be elected by the Regent House. Subject to the provisions of section 3 below, they shall be nominated for election by such of the Colleges as may be prescribed in Schedule A, in turn, two for every year, according to the Cycle prescribed in that Schedule; and when the series of years specified in the Cycle is ended, the order of nomination shall proceed as in the beginning of the Cycle and until the end of it, and so on continually, provided that the University shall have power to amend the Cycle from time to time. The persons nominated for election shall be members of the Senate of at least three years’ standing.

2. In the Easter Term of each year the Head of each College whose turn it is to nominate a Proctor for the ensuing academical year shall, either in person or through a deputy, present to the Vice-Chancellor, in the presence of the Registrary, the person nominated by the College, and shall certify in writing that during the past two years the person nominated has resided in the University for the greater part of each of three terms at least. Before the end of the academical year each of the two persons nominated Proctor shall nominate either one or two persons for election as deputy Proctors.

3. If the nomination of a Proctor, having been duly made by a College, becomes void or is withdrawn before the election for some cause deemed sufficient by the Council, the College shall make a further nomination. If the College whose turn it is fails to make a nomination, or if the Regent House declines to elect the person nominated, the Council shall nominate a person for election by Grace of the Regent House.

4. The election of the Proctors shall be held on the first weekday of the Michaelmas Term each year at 10 o’clock in the morning, the Proctors for the previous year vacating their offices immediately beforehand. At the election the two Esquire Bedells shall stand in scrutiny and shall take their own votes and those of other voters by the words placet or non placet. If each of the persons nominated is approved by a majority of those voting, the Esquire Bedells shall declare him or her to be elected. When the Proctors have been elected, the election of the deputy Proctors shall be held without delay. If after the election a Proctor desires to nominate an additional person for election as deputy Proctor, he or she shall request the Council to submit a Grace to the Regent House for the approval of the person nominated.

5. Each Proctor and each deputy Proctor shall by public declaration give an undertaking that he or she will faithfully discharge the duties of the office.

6. If the office of Proctor becomes vacant after the election by death, resignation, deprivation, or any other cause, Trinity Hall shall nominate and present a person for election, in manner as nearly similar as possible to that described above, and the person elected shall hold office until the first weekday of the Michaelmas Term next ensuing.