No 6455
Wednesday 15 February 2017
Vol cxlvii No 21
pp. 359–369
25 February, Saturday. Congregation of the Regent House at 2 p.m.
26 February, Sunday. Preacher before the University at 11.15 a.m., The Reverend Professor Ben Quash, formerly Dean of Peterhouse and Chaplain of Fitzwilliam College, Professor of Christianity and the Arts, King’s College, London (Hulsean Preacher).
5 March, Sunday. End of third quarter of Lent Term.
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Discussions (at 2 p.m.) |
Congregations |
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7 March |
25 February |
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21 March |
25 March |
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1 April |
The Vice-Chancellor gives notice that the Discussion announced for Tuesday, 21 February 2017 will not take place as there are no Reports ready for discussion.
The Reports in this issue (pp. 362 and 364) will be discussed on Tuesday, 7 March.
The Vice-Chancellor reminds members of the University that a Congregation will be held on Wednesday, 21 June 2017, at which the Chancellor expects to confer Honorary Degrees (see Graces 1–8, p. 366–67). Admission will be by ticket only and details of the arrangements and application for tickets are expected to be published in the Reporter on 26 April 2017.
The Vice-Chancellor gives notice that the following persons have been appointed in the manner prescribed by Ordinance to preach during the academical year 2017–18.
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Michaelmas Term |
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15 October 2017 |
Ms Janet Morley, of Murray Edwards College and Wesley House, writer and liturgist, formerly a Director of Christian Aid and sometime Secretary for Adult Learning, the Methodist Church |
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5 November 2017 |
The Rt Hon. Lord Mackay of Clashfern, KT, Honorary Fellow of Trinity College and of Girton College, formerly Commissary, sometime Lord High Commissioner to the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland and formerly Lord Chancellor (Lady Margaret’s Preacher) |
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Lent Term |
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28 January 2018 |
Canon Dr Paula Gooder, Theologian in Residence, The Bible Society and Honorary Canon Theologian, Birmingham and Guildford Cathedrals |
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11 March 2018 |
Professor Marilynne Robinson, novelist and essayist, Professor Emerita, Iowa Writers’ Workshop, University of Iowa (Hulsean Preacher) |
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Easter Term |
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20 May 2018 |
Dr Daleep Mukarji, OBE, formerly a Director of Christian Aid, Vice-President of the Methodist Conference 2013–14 (Ramsden Preacher) |
University Sermons are delivered in Great St Mary’s, the University Church, at 11.15 a.m. on the Sundays stated. Members of the University are reminded that they should wear academical dress when attending University Sermons. All are welcome and those present are invited to take refreshments with the Preacher at Michaelhouse after each Sermon.
The Council has considered the remarks made at the Discussion on 24 January 2017 (Reporter, 6453, 2016–17, p. 350) concerning the above Report (Reporter, 6448, 2016–17, p. 202).
The Council welcomes the reminder from Dr Drumright, in her capacity as Chair of the Board of Scrutiny, of that body’s purpose and the ways in which members of the University can contact the Board.
The Council sincerely regrets that it has not formally responded to the Discussion remarks made on the age limit for members of the Regent House to which Professor Edwards has referred in his remarks. The Council does so now, by confirming that this matter (and those Discussion remarks, which include comments from Professor Edwards) will be considered as part of the review of certain aspects of governance, including membership of the Regent House, as noted in the Council’s Annual Report. Whilst the Council sympathizes with Professor Edwards’ frustration at the delay, it believes that there is great merit in considering all issues concerning the membership of the Regent House collectively and therefore does not propose to submit a Grace to amend the relevant provisions at this time. The membership of the working group to conduct the review of governance will be published shortly, together with a call for evidence.
Professor Edwards also queries the timetable for the ballot on Grace 3 of 13 July 2016. Whilst it would have been possible for the Vice-Chancellor to have authorized a ballot on this Grace in which voting would have taken place prior to the promulgation of the Roll of the Regent House on 5 November 2016, the preference is not to hold a ballot at the beginning of the Michaelmas Term.1 The beginning of the first term of the academical year is a period of intense activity across the University and therefore not an ideal time to run a ballot. There is also generally a better turnout when votes are run concurrently (not to mention cost savings) and therefore it was announced that the ballot on this Grace would follow the same timetable as the Council’s biennial elections.
The Council notes Professor Evans’ quotation from the second of two sections in its Annual Report on the North West Cambridge development; the first section, under ‘Governance and constitutional matters’, is headed ‘Investigation into the governance and management structures of the North West Cambridge project’ and provides a summary of the outcomes of the work of the North West Cambridge Audit Group to which Professor Evans alludes, together with links to the Notices in the Reporter under which its reports were published. The Council has recognized the need for change: most of the Audit Group’s recommendations have now been implemented or are in progress. Following a rebaselining of the costs of Phase 1 of the project, the Chair of the West and North West Cambridge Estates Board now reports in person to the Council on a quarterly basis and the Council’s Finance Committee receives quarterly information on progress and key financial indicators for review. The appointment of a Chief Financial Officer2 will provide expertise in the oversight of the University’s commercial activities. With these measures, the Council has established a framework which it believes will provide appropriate scrutiny and challenge in the running of the North West Cambridge project and other such large-scale commercial undertakings in the future.
With reference to the withdrawal of Grace 1 of 14 December 2016, the Council draws Professor Evans’ attention to the revised proposals as set out in the Second Joint Report of the Council and the General Board on the consideration of student complaints of harassment and sexual misconduct, which was published in the Reporter on 25 January 2017 (Reporter, 6452, 2016–17, p. 326).
1For Council elections and other elections held under the regulations for the election of members of the Council, voting in an election held in the Michaelmas Term may only commence at least ten days after the promulgation of the Roll of the Regent House (Statutes and Ordinances, p. 110).