Skip to main contentCambridge University Reporter

No 6280

Wednesday 10 October 2012

Vol cxliii No 3

pp. 33–41

Notices

Calendar

14 October, Sunday. Preacher before the University at 11.15 a.m., Dr Eve Poole, of Newnham College, Associate of the Ashridge Business School and Director, the Foundation for Workplace Spirituality.

20 October, Saturday. Congregation of the Regent House at 11 a.m. End of first quarter of Michaelmas Term.

23 October, Tuesday. Discussion at 2 p.m. in the Senate-House.

4 November, Sunday. Commemoration of Benefactors. Scarlet Day. Preacher before the University at 11.15 a.m., The Rt Rev’d Stephen D. Conway, of Selwyn College, Lord Bishop of Ely (Lady Margaret’s Preacher).

Discussions at 2 p.m.

Congregations

23 October

20 October, Saturday at 11 a.m.

6 November

24 November, Saturday at 2 p.m.

20 November

4 December

Election to the Council: Notice

1 October 2012

The Vice-Chancellor gives notice that an election is to be held of eight persons to serve as members of the Council for four years from 1 January 2013. Members are to be elected in the following classes (see Statute A, IV, 2, Statutes and Ordinances, p. 7):

(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 the selection of entrants, which is a College concern). Further information about the Council is available to members of the University on the Council website (http://www.admin.cam.ac.uk/committee/council/).

Duties and responsibilities of Council members

Council membership offers a particularly rewarding and demanding experience. The University is both an exempt charity,1 and a corporation established by common law. As such, Council members are both charity trustees of the University and, effectively, its corporate directors. They have associated legal responsibilities and duties, and are required to promote the interests of the University and act with integrity, care, and prudence.

It is strongly recommended that those considering standing for nomination review the Handbook for Members of the Council, which sets out the Council’s primary responsibilities. Section 4 of the Handbook provides advice and guidance to members of Council on their legal and other responsibilities. The Handbook is available to members of the University to download from the bottom of the Council web page at http://raven.intranet.admin.cam.ac.uk/committee/council/default.aspx. Potential nominees might also 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 and Allocations Report (Reporter, 2011–12, p. 652; http://www.admin.cam.ac.uk/reporter/2011-12/weekly/6268/section6.shtml), and the University’s Annual Report and Financial Statements (Reporter, 2011–12, p. 215; http://www.admin.cam.ac.uk/reporter/2011-12/weekly/6246/section4.shtml).

Further useful information is provided by HEFCE (http://www.hefce.ac.uk/whatwedo/reg/charityreg/goodpracticeguidanceforinstitutionsascharities/), and the Charity Commission (http://www.charitycommission.gov.uk/Publications/cc3.aspx). 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, and in the best interests of the University, and in compliance with legislation and the University’s governing documents. Nonetheless, it is important for nominees to recognize and accept the obligations that Council membership would confer upon them.

Nomination procedure

In order to be eligible, a candidate for election in each case must be nominated on a paper sent to the Vice-Chancellor at the Old Schools so as to be received not later than noon on Friday, 9 November 2012. The nomination paper must contain (a) a statement signed by two members of the Regent House, nominating the candidate for election and specifying the class in which he or she is nominated, and (b) a statement signed by the candidate certifying that he or she consents to be so nominated. A form to facilitate the nomination process is available on the Registrary’s Office website (see http://www.admin.cam.ac.uk/offices/secretariat/general/councilnominationform2012.pdf). The candidate is also required to provide a statement of her or his curriculum vitae by the same date (see below). No one may be nominated for election in more than one class. The Council has agreed to make known its view that two periods of four years should normally be regarded as the maximum length of continuous service for elected members.

The Vice-Chancellor would be obliged if nominations could be delivered to the Registrary in the Old Schools during office hours. 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 2012.

In accordance with the regulations governing the election (Statutes and Ordinances, p. 114), each person nominated for election is required to send to the Registrary, not later than noon on Friday, 9 November, a statement of her or his curriculum vitae for distribution to members of the Regent House with the voting papers. It is suggested that such a statement should be of not more than 500 words in length, and that it 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;

• a note of the candidate’s particular interests within the field of University business.

The election will be conducted by postal ballot, under the Single Transferable Vote regulations. Voting papers will be distributed, together with the statements provided by candidates, on or before Monday, 19 November 2012. The last date for the return of voting papers will be Thursday, 29 November 2012.

Footnotes

  • 1The University has charitable status but is exempt from the statutory requirement which otherwise obliges a charity to register with the Charity Commission. HEFCE is the principal regulator of the University as regards its compliance with its legal obligations in exercising control and management of its administration as a charity. 


External financing: Notice

10 October 2012

1. By a Grace submitted to the Regent House on 9 February 2011 (Reporter, 2010–11, p. 490), the Council was given authority in advance to arrange, on the advice of the Finance Committee, external finance up to a total amount of £350 million.

2. The Council believes that there remains a clear need and case for external finance, and with the advice of the Finance Committee and its external advisors, agreed at a meeting held on 24 September 2012, to raise external finance through the issue of a public bond.

3. Consequently, the University has now agreed the terms of a bond issue. The amount will be £350 million, the coupon will be 3.750 per centum per annum, and the maturity date will be 2052. Completion of the transaction is scheduled to take place in the week beginning 15 October 2012.

4. The Council and Finance Committee consider that the factors of cost, flexibility, tenor, risk (current and future), and affordability of borrowing are appropriate and manageable in the context of the University’s current financial constraints, risks, and outlook. The funds raised are in anticipation of expected needs.