No 6441
Wednesday 26 October 2016
Vol cxlvii No 7
pp. 60–82
1 November, Tuesday. All Saints’ Day. Scarlet Day.
6 November, Sunday. Commemoration of Benefactors. Scarlet Day. Preacher before the University at 11.15 a.m., Reverend Dr Jeremy Morris, Master of Trinity Hall (Lady Margaret’s Preacher).
8 November, Tuesday. Discussion at 2 p.m. in the Senate-House (see below).
9 November, Wednesday. Michaelmas Term divides.
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Discussions (at 2 p.m.) |
Congregations |
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8 November |
26 November, Saturday at 2 p.m. |
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22 November |
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6 December |
The Vice-Chancellor invites those qualified under the regulations for Discussions (Statutes and Ordinances, p. 103) to attend a Discussion in the Senate-House on Tuesday, 8 November 2016, at 2 p.m. for the discussion of:
1. Second-stage Report of the Council, dated 17 October 2016, on the construction of an off-site storage facility for low-use library material (Reporter, 6440, 2016–17, p. 50).
In accordance with Statute A I 12 the Chancellor has by letters patent appointed The Right Honourable Lord Judge pc, Honorary Fellow of Magdalene College, formerly Lord Chief Justice of England and Wales, as Commissary from 1 November 2016.
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 2017. 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 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 (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.
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 https://www.governance.cam.ac.uk/committees/council/handbook-2016/. 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, 6426, 2015–16, p. 525), and the Annual Report and Financial Statements (Reporter, 6408, 2015–16, p. 226).
Further useful information is provided by HEFCE (http://www.hefce.ac.uk/reg/charityreg/), 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, 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.
The Vice-Chancellor gives notice of an election to fill two casual vacancies on the Board of Scrutiny. Members are to be elected in the following classes under Statute A VII:
•one member in class (c)(i) (a person who has been a member of the Regent House for not more than ten years on 1 October 2017), to serve with immediate effect until 30 September 2019;
•one member in class (c)(ii) (a member of the Regent House), to serve with immediate effect until 30 September 2017.
The Board of Scrutiny consists of:
(a)the Proctors;
(b)the two Pro-Proctors nominated by the Colleges;
(c)eight members of the Regent House elected by the Regent House.
Under the provisions of Statute A VII 4, no person may be a member of the Board of Scrutiny who is a member of the Council, the General Board, or the Finance Committee of the Council, or who holds any of the University offices of Chancellor, Vice-Chancellor, Pro-Vice-Chancellor, University Advocate, Deputy University Advocate, Registrary, Assistant Registrary, or Secretary of a School. The Statute further prohibits from membership holders of offices with primarily administrative duties designated by Ordinance: Directors and Deputy Directors in the Unified Administrative Service and Assistant Treasurers have been designated as such prohibited offices. A retiring member of the Board who has served for four or more consecutive years is not eligible to serve again as a member in class (c) until one year has elapsed after the end of her or his previous period of service.
If no nominations are received in either case in accordance with the timetable below, the Council shall be asked whether it wishes to appoint a member to any vacant place or for another election to be held, in accordance with Regulation 3 of the regulations for the election of members of the Board (Statutes and Ordinances, p. 112).
Further information about the Board of Scrutiny can be found in the Statutes and Ordinances as noted above, on the Board’s website (http://www.scrutiny.cam.ac.uk/), and obtained from Dr Lydia Drumright (email: lnd23@cam.ac.uk), Chair of the Board.
The nomination procedure and election timetable for the elections to the Council and the Board of Scrutiny is as follows.
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 12 noon on Friday, 18 November 2016. 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. Forms to facilitate the nomination process are available on the governance website (see https://www.governance.cam.ac.uk/ballots/rh/Pages/Nomination-forms.aspx). 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. Documents which are submitted by fax to 01223 (3)32332 or scanned documents containing a signature or signatures sent to the Registrary at Registrary@admin.cam.ac.uk will also be accepted. 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, 23 November 2016.
In accordance with the regulations governing the election (Statutes and Ordinances, p. 110), each person nominated for election is required to send to the Registrary, not later than 12 noon on Friday, 18 November 2016, 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 ballot under the Single Transferable Vote regulations. Online voting will open at 10 a.m. on Monday, 28 November 2016 and close at 5 p.m. on Thursday, 8 December 2016. Hard-copy voting papers and supporting materials will be distributed not later than Monday, 28 November 2016 to those who opted by 3 November 2016 to vote on paper; the last date for the return of voting papers will be 5 p.m. on Thursday, 8 December 2016.
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.
The Council wishes to make an appointment to the office of Pro-Vice-Chancellor, following the resignation of Professor Nigel Slater whose portfolio was Enterprise and Regional Affairs. The Pro-Vice-Chancellorship will be tenable for a period of up to three years in the first instance from 1 January 2017. The Council expects to make this appointment at its meeting on 12 December 2016. The Council will be advised by a Nominating Committee chaired by the Vice-Chancellor and with the following members: the Vice-Chancellor (in the Chair), Professor R. J. Anderson, Professor Dame Shirley Pearce, Professor I. H. White, Professor P. M. Allmendinger, and Professor A. L. Fowden. As required by the relevant regulation, the Vice-Chancellor elect, Professor Stephen Toope, will be a member of the Committee (by correspondence).
The general role of the Pro-Vice-Chancellors is to take forward strategy and policy development and to support the Vice-Chancellor in providing institutional leadership to the University, particularly in their areas of responsibility. The Pro-Vice-Chancellors work closely with the Heads of Schools, the Registrary, and his senior colleagues. Pro-Vice-Chancellors are normally appointed from academic officers respected within the collegiate University.
In addition to the Pro-Vice-Chancellorship held by Professor Slater, the University has four other Pro-Vice-Chancellors with the following portfolios:
•Planning and Resources (Professor Duncan Maskell)
•Education (Professor Graham Virgo)
•International and Institutional Relations (Professor Eilís Ferran)
•Research (Professor Chris Abell)
Professor Maskell is the Senior Pro-Vice-Chancellor, the senior member of the team of Pro-Vice-Chancellors with the duties of leading and co-ordinating their work. Professor Maskell attends meetings of the Nominating Committee and will play a full role in the search.
The Council considers it of the highest importance that the person appointed to succeed Professor Slater will bring forward and lead a strategy to enhance and develop the University’s engagements and partnerships with industry and commerce, and the wider enterprise economy in the University’s immediate region. To this end, the successful candidate will have a record of achievement in business and enterprise, and be able to represent the University regionally, nationally, and internationally. She or he will work closely in particular with her or his fellow Pro-Vice-Chancellors and with the Heads of Schools. The University is creating a strengthened professional structure to support the Pro-Vice-Chancellor within the Unified Administrative Service, and the successful candidate will have the opportunity to bring their expertise to bear in ensuring that the necessary resources are available for this purpose.
To reflect the emphasis placed on the importance of this principal focus for the Pro-Vice-Chancellorship, the role will be titled Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Enterprise and Business Relations). The University remains committed to its City and regional responsibilities and leadership. It will ensure that these are discharged and deepened by widening the responsibility for them throughout the senior leadership team, including within the Office of Communications and External Relations.
The Pro-Vice-Chancellor will be appointed for up to 80% of full time. The stipend payable for the office of Pro-Vice-Chancellor is point 87 of the single salary scale: £120,584 (as at 1 August 2016) pro rata.
The Nominating Committee welcomes expressions of interest by and suggestions of suitable persons who are a senior member in the University or a College and have extensive experience in higher education and a demonstrable interest and significant experience in the strategic and policy areas listed above.
Expressions of interest, including a curriculum vitae and covering letter, or suggestions of those who should be considered for this role, should be communicated to the Vice-Chancellor, University Offices, The Old Schools, Cambridge, CB2 1TN, by 4 November 2016. The Vice-Chancellor, Professor Duncan Maskell (the Senior Pro-Vice-Chancellor), and the Registrary may also be consulted for further information.
A vacancy will arise on the Council’s Finance Committee for a member of the Regent House, elected by representatives of the Colleges, to serve for three years from 1 January 2017.
The election is conducted in accordance with the Single Transferable Vote regulations. Voting is by postal ballot.
Nominations should be made in writing to the Head of the Registrary’s Office, University Offices, The Old Schools, Cambridge, CB2 1TN, and must include a statement by the person nominated that he or she is willing to serve on the Finance Committee. Nominations and statements should be made by 12 noon on Monday, 14 November 2016. Nominations should be supported by the signatures of two members of the Regent House. Documents which are submitted by fax to 01223 (3)32332 or scanned documents containing a signature or signatures sent to kirsty.allen@admin.cam.ac.uk will also be accepted.
If a ballot is necessary, papers will be dispatched by Thursday, 24 November 2016, for return by 12 noon on Monday, 5 December 2016.
The Registrary gives notice that he has received a request for the discussion of the following topic of concern to the University:
That the Regent House, as the governing body of the University, consider the report of the ACBELA Working Group on Investment Responsibility published in June 2016,1 and in particular consider a policy of divestment from fossil fuels.
The request is supported by the following members of the Regent House:
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C. Alaghband-Zadeh |
D. E. A. Curtis |
L. P. King |
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H. Azérad |
R. N. Duschinsky |
T. J. Miley |
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C. J. M. Bell |
R. J. E. Higham |
S. M. Oosthuizen |
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D. S. A. Bell |
A. J. Hutchings |
J. E. Viñuales |
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C. Brassett |
A. S. Jeffrey |
D. G. Whitebread |
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J. L. Caddick |
A. J. Kabla |
The Council has agreed that this topic will be included among the matters for consideration at the Discussion to be held in the Senate-House at 2 p.m. on Tuesday, 22 November 2016.