Notices

Calendar

24 January, Friday. End of first quarter of Lent Term.

25 January, Saturday. Congregation of the Regent House at 2 p.m.

26 January, Sunday. Preacher before the University at 11.15 a.m., Professor Peter Ward, Professor of Practical Theology, University of Durham.

  4 February, Tuesday. Discussion at 2 p.m. in the Senate-House (see below).

Discussions (Tuesdays at 2 p.m.)	Congregations (Saturdays unless otherwise stated)
4 February	25 January, at 2 p.m.
18 February	22 February, at 2 p.m.
3 March	21 March, at 11 a.m.
17 March	28 March, at 11 a.m.

Discussion on Tuesday, 4 February 2020

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, 4 February 2020 at 2 p.m., for the discussion of:

1.Second-stage Report of the Council on the refurbishment of 1 Regent Street for the Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership (Reporter, 6572, 2019–20, p. 186).

2.Annual Report of the Council for the academic year 2018–19, dated 13 November 2019 (Reporter, 6573, 2019–20, p. 194).

3.Annual Report of the General Board to the Council for the academic year 2018–19, dated 5 November 2019 (Reporter, 6573, 2019–20, p. 202).

4.Reports and Financial Statements for the year ended 31 July 2019 (Reporter, 6573, 2019–20, p. 210).

5.Joint Report of the Council and the General Board, dated 20 January 2020 and 27 November 2019, on the introduction of a final degree classification (p. 300).

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

Preachers before the University in 2020–21

The Vice-Chancellor gives notice that the following persons have been appointed in the manner prescribed by Ordinance to preach during the academic year 2020–21:

Michaelmas Term
18 October 2020	Professor Anthony Reddie, Fellow of Wesley House, Extraordinary Professor of Theological Ethics, University of South Africa and Director of the Oxford Centre for Religion and Culture, Regent’s Park College, Oxford
1 November 2020	Ms Sarah Teather, of St John’s College, Director, Jesuit Refugee Service UK (Lady Margaret’s Preacher)
Lent Term
31 January 2021	The Rt Revd Dr Guli Francis-Dehqani, Suffragan Bishop of Loughborough
28 February 2021	Professor Karen Kilby, Bede Professor of Catholic Theology, University of Durham (Hulsean Preacher)
Easter Term
23 May 2021	TBC (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.

Election to the Council

22 January 2020

The Vice-Chancellor gives notice that a bye-election is to be held to fill a casual vacancy on the Council in class (c) (other members of the Regent House) under Statute A IV 2. Dr Sam Ainsworth ceased to be a member of the Regent House on the promulgation of the Roll on 6 November 2019, following a change to the Regent House membership criteria approved by Grace 1 of 27 June 2018 as amended. Ceasing to hold Regent House membership whilst a member of the Council in class (c) creates a vacancy, in accordance with Special Ordinance A (ii) 2(a). The person elected will serve for the remainder of Dr Ainsworth’s term with immediate effect until 31 December 2022.

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 undergraduate admissions, 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.

The University is committed to equality, which includes supporting and encouraging all under-represented groups, promoting an inclusive culture, and valuing diversity. Nominations from groups that are under-represented on the Council are welcomed.

Reasons for serving on the Council

The Council of the University of Cambridge is one of the few principal bodies in the higher education sector with a majority of members elected from internal constituencies; most equivalent bodies are made up predominantly of external members. The Council draws its strength from the expertise, engagement and scrutiny of its members. It is key to the continuing success of the University that elections to the Council attract strong candidates who are willing to share their knowledge and commit their time for the benefit of the University as a whole.

Duties and responsibilities of Council members

The University is both an exempt charity,1 and a corporation established by common law. Council members are therefore both charity trustees of the University and, effectively, its corporate directors. They have associated legal responsibilities and duties, including the promotion of the interests of the University and acting with integrity, care, and prudence. Under regulatory guidance, Council members must be ‘fit and proper persons’.2 It is important for candidates to recognise and accept the obligations that Council membership would confer upon them.

The Handbook for Members of the Council sets out the Council’s primary responsibilities and provides advice and guidance to members of Council on their legal and other responsibilities. Members of the Council are expected to attend all meetings of the Council. Following an amendment to procedures in 2017–18, members will not normally be able to take more than one term of leave during their period on the Council and may instead carry forward their leave entitlement. Potential nominees might wish to familiarise themselves with the key aspects of the University’s Statutes and Ordinances (http://www.admin.cam.ac.uk/univ/so/) and the most recent Budget Reports (https://www.governance.cam.ac.uk/committees/finance-committee/Pages/budget.aspx) and Annual Reports and Financial Statements (https://www.governance.cam.ac.uk/committees/finance-committee/Pages/fmi.aspx).

Further useful information is provided by the Office for Students (https://www.officeforstudents.org.uk/advice-and-guidance/regulation/), 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, in the best interests of the University, and in compliance with legislation and the University’s governing documents.

Nomination procedure and election timetable

In order to be eligible, candidates for election are asked to send their nominations to the Vice-Chancellor, to be received not later than 12 noon on Friday, 7 February 2020. The Vice-Chancellor asks candidates to address their nominations to the Registrary in the Old Schools; they can be sent by email including electronic signatures to Registrary@admin.cam.ac.uk. The nomination (which can be made on a form available on the governance site)3 should include (a) a statement signed by two members of the Regent House, nominating the candidate for election and specifying the class in which the candidate is nominated, and (b) a statement signed by the candidate confirming consent to be nominated. The candidate is also required to provide a personal statement by the same date (see below). No one may be nominated for election in more than one class. Two periods of four years should normally be regarded as the maximum length of continuous service for elected members of the Council.

In accordance with the regulations governing the election (Statutes and Ordinances, p. 111), those standing for election should send to the Registrary, by 12 noon on Friday, 7 February 2020, a statement in support of their nomination, which will be provided to voters. Each statement should be no more than 500 words in length and 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;

•the candidate’s reasons for standing for election, and the experience and skills they would bring to the role; and

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

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, 12 February 2020.

If the election is contested, it will be conducted by ballot under the Single Transferable Vote regulations. Online voting will open at 10 a.m. on Monday, 17 February 2020 and close at 5 p.m. on Thursday, 27 February 2020. Hardcopy voting papers and supporting materials will be distributed not later than Monday, 17 February 2020 to those who opted by 2 November 2019 to vote on paper; the last date for the return of voting papers is 5 p.m. on Thursday, 27 February 2020.

EU Public Procurement Regulations

20 January 2020

The Council, on the advice of the Finance Committee, has declared that the University continues to remain outside the scope of the EU Public Procurement Regulations as it is less than 50% publicly funded. The calculation is carried out annually to ensure that it remains possible to make the declaration. It is the Council’s intention that the University’s procurement procedures should continue to follow good practice as may be set out in the regulations, as well as that in the University’s Financial Regulations (Statutes and Ordinances, p. 1051; see also http://www.finance.admin.cam.ac.uk/policy-and-procedures/financial-regulations).

Roll of the Regent House

22 January 2020

The Registrary has withdrawn the Notice dated 11 December 2019 proposing to add further names to the Roll of the Regent House (Reporter, 6571, 2019–20, p. 168). It has been pointed out that Statute A III 9 and 10 prevent further additions to the Roll after publication of the promulgated list.