No 6725
Wednesday 17 January 2024
Vol cliv No 15
pp. 224–233
23 January, Tuesday. Discussion by videoconference at 2 p.m. (see below).
24 January, Wednesday. End of first quarter of Lent Term.
26 January, Friday. Congregation of the Regent House at 2 p.m. (degrees in absence only).
28 January, Sunday. Preacher before the University at 11.30 a.m., The Revd Canon Michael Parker, KHC, CF, Chaplain‑General to HM Land Forces.
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Discussions (Tuesdays at 2 p.m.) |
Congregations (at 10 a.m. unless otherwise stated) |
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23 January 13 February 5 March 19 March |
26 January, 2 p.m. (degrees in absence only) 24 February 23 March 6 April |
The Vice‑Chancellor invites members of the Regent House, University and College employees, registered students and others qualified under the regulations for Discussions (Statutes and Ordinances, 2023, p. 111) to attend a Discussion by videoconference on Tuesday, 23 January 2024 at 2 p.m. The following items will be discussed:
1.Joint Report of the Council and the General Board, dated 6 December 2023, on a revised procedure for the investigation of an allegation of research misconduct (Reporter, 6721, 2023–24, p. 172).
2.Joint Report of the Council and the General Board, dated 10 January 2024, on changes to Statute B I on non‑payment of University Composition Fees and resignation of membership of the University (Reporter, 6724, 2023–24, p. 213).
Those wishing to join the Discussion by videoconference should email UniversityDraftsman@admin.cam.ac.uk from their University email account, providing their CRSid (if a member of the collegiate University), by 10 a.m. on the date of the Discussion to receive joining instructions. Alternatively contributors may email their remarks to contact@proctors.cam.ac.uk, copying ReporterEditor@admin.cam.ac.uk, by no later than 10 a.m. on the day of the Discussion for reading out by the Proctors,1 or may ask someone else who is attending to read the remarks on their behalf.
In accordance with the regulations for Discussions, the Chair of the Board of Scrutiny or any ten members of the Regent House2 may request that the Council arrange for one or more of the items listed for discussion to be discussed in person (usually in the Senate-House). Requests should be made to the Registrary, on paper or by email to UniversityDraftsman@admin.cam.ac.uk from addresses within the cam.ac.uk domain, by no later than 9 a.m. on the day of the Discussion. Any changes to the Discussion schedule will be confirmed in the Reporter at the earliest opportunity.
General information on Discussions is provided on the University Governance site at https://www.governance.cam.ac.uk/governance/decision-making/discussions/.
1Any comments sent by email should please begin with the name and title of the contributor as they wish it to be read out and include at the start a note of any College and/or Departmental affiliations held.
2https://www.scrutiny.cam.ac.uk/ and https://www.admin.cam.ac.uk/reporter/regent_house_roll/.
The Vice-Chancellor gives notice that she has received from the Governing Body of Newnham College, in accordance with the provisions of Section 7(2) of the Universities of Oxford and Cambridge Act 1923, the text of proposed Statutes to amend the Statutes of the College. The current Statutes of the College and the proposed amendments are available on the College’s website at https://newn.cam.ac.uk/about/governance/governance-documents/.
The Council will consider the amendments after 10 a.m. on Wednesday, 24 January 2024.
The Vice-Chancellor gives notice that she has accepted with gratitude a benefaction of HK$40,817,225 from the Hong Kong Jockey Club to endow a Hong Kong Jockey Club Professorship of Global Health (see the General Board’s Notice, p. 229). The Council is submitting Graces (Graces 2 and 3, p. 231) to seek approval for the establishment of the Professorship in perpetuity and for regulations for a Hong Kong Jockey Club Global Health Fund to support the Professorship.
The Council proposes that 1,997 square metres (0.49 acres) of land on the Anne McLaren Building plot and plot 9, located on Francis Crick Avenue at the Cambridge Biomedical Campus, be permanently disposed of by compulsory purchase. This is in accordance with the Transport and Works Act Order submitted by Network Rail in June 2021 and the General Vesting Declarations served on 11 October 2023 and 8 November 2023, to facilitate the Cambridge South Station construction, with ongoing negotiations to secure the highest possible compensation.
The Council, on the recommendation of the Estates Committee, is submitting a Grace (Grace 1, p. 231) for the approval of this disposal.
Cambridge South Station will be located at the Cambridge Biomedical Campus and has the support of the University. Full information on the project can be found at https://www.networkrail.co.uk/running-the-railway/our-routes/anglia/improving-the-railway-in-anglia/cambridge-south-station/.
As part of the works to enable the station to be built, the Transport and Works Act Order (TWAO) submitted by Network Rail in June 2021 included both the temporary use of land and the permanent acquisition of land, held by the University on two long leases of 170 years (expiring in December 2177), by Compulsory Purchase. In December 2022 the Secretary of State approved the TWAO. In March 2023 Network Rail took possession of the temporary land. This will be reinstated and given back at the end of the work period. Compensation in the form of a rental payment will be paid for the duration of the occupation of the temporary land.
The University has received two General Vesting Declarations and further notices to confirm the dates that the ownership will pass to Network Rail. Lots 48, 50 and 52 will transfer on 12 February 2024 and lots 54b and 56a on 19 February 2024. The location plan below shows the location of the land for permanent disposal in green and labelled as plot 9, and the land being used temporarily in orange and yellow.
The Council has received the remarks made at the Discussion on 5 December 2023 on the above Report (Reporter, 2023–24: 6718, p. 113; 6722, p. 200). It has also received 199 responses to a survey on the changes to Senate voting procedures set out in the Report (a series of charts representing the survey results is available at https://www.admin.cam.ac.uk/reporter/2023-24/weekly/6725/SenateSurvey2024-Charts.pdf). Although the survey’s response rate was not high, its results appear to be broadly in line with the remarks made at the Discussion.
Mr Oddy and Professor O’Kane at the Discussion and 25 survey respondents were not supportive of the proposal to revise the voting system from the single transferable vote (STV) to first past the post (FPTP) in Senate elections.1 The survey results showed a similar preference for retaining STV, with 83 respondents either strongly or somewhat disagreeing with the change to FPTP compared with 68 who strongly or somewhat agreed with it. The proposal to change the voting system was prompted by strong views against it that have been expressed in the past (see, for example, Professor Edwards’ remarks in 2014 on previous proposals to revise Senate procedures, Reporter, 6350, 2013–14, p. 614). As a result, the Council has agreed to withdraw the proposal to change the voting method at this time. The Council will call a ballot on the Senate election voting system when the next Senate election (or ballot) takes place, so that the separate votes can run concurrently. In advance of voting, the Council will publish more detailed information on the advantages and disadvantages of STV and the alternative, drawing on relevant expertise, so that members of the Senate are in a better position to make a decision either to affirm the choice of STV or change to the alternative. In the meantime, STV will continue to apply to the counting of votes in Senate elections.
Professor Evans welcomed the retirement of the Nomination Board, as did 106 survey respondents who strongly or somewhat agreed with this proposal (with 26 against). Two survey respondents noted that the removal of the Nomination Board might have unintended consequences, with unsuitable candidates being put forward. The Council draws attention to its response to similar remarks, made at the Discussion in June 2023 on the introduction of electronic voting in votes of the Senate, about the safeguards to mitigate this risk (Reporter, 6708, 2022–23, p. 838).
Mr Oddy and three survey respondents queried whether it was appropriate to elect the remaining candidate, following the withdrawal or death of any other candidates, without reopening nominations. The Council acknowledges that an election to choose between at least two candidates will always be preferable to the use of this default mechanism (or indeed the Council choosing a candidate if no candidate is nominated). Publicity during the nomination period will aim to encourage members of the Senate to nominate a strong field of candidates and give prompt notice of any changes to the list of candidates. However, if only one candidate remains at the close of nominations, the Council is persuaded that reopening nominations is the best way to ensure the legitimacy of the election result. It has therefore revised the new Ordinance to reflect that.
The survey indicated at least a majority – and in some cases a significant majority – who strongly or somewhat agreed with the remaining proposals. However, there were Discussion remarks or comments in the survey on some other points of detail.
Mr Milner suggested that there should be a minimum period for making nominations, and also that a provision similar to that for the election by the Regent House of members of the Council should be adopted to prevent any election being deemed invalid owing to the misdirection, late arrival or non-arrival of any material relating to it. The Council supports those changes. It has also slightly shortened the minimum length of time between the deadline for nominations and the date voting opens from at least seventeen to at least fourteen days.
Two survey respondents considered it to be incompatible for the Vice-Chancellor to be both the returning officer and the person who would make a decision in an equality of votes. The Report noted that the Vice-Chancellor would delegate the role of returning officer to the Registrary, so the Council is content to revise the proposed Ordinance to substitute the Registrary as the returning officer. Mr Milner’s proposal that the Vice-Chancellor as returning officer should also decide on the form of nominations is therefore revised to take account of this change.
The amendments to the Council’s original proposals are noted below.
In the new Ordinance for the Nomination and Election of the Chancellor by amending the last sentence of Regulation 1, the last sentence of Regulation 2, the last sentence of Regulation 7, and Regulations 4(a), 6 and 8, to read as follows:
[1.] Following receipt of notice of a vacancy, the Council will publish the timetable for an election in the Reporter as soon as practicable, and will include information on the arrangements for registration of voters voting electronically and, after consulting with the returning officer, the accepted methods for submitting nominations.[3]
[2.] The deadline for the receipt of nominations will be at least seventeen days after the Council has published the timetable for an election and at least fourteen days before voting opens.
4. (a) If at the close of the nomination period there is only one candidate, or if only one candidate remains after any other nominated candidates have withdrawn, the Council will reopen nominations by publishing a new election timetable in accordance with Regulation 2.
6. The Registrary, or a duly appointed deputy, will be the returning officer. The accepted methods for submitting nominations, the form of the voting paper and the method of casting votes will be determined by the returning officer. The Proctors, or those appointed as their deputies for the occasion, will be in attendance on the two days of voting in person.
[7.] The Single Transferable Vote regulations shall apply to voting under these regulations.
8. An election shall not be deemed invalid owing to the misdirection, late arrival, or non-arrival of any material relating to the election.
[3] The Council has confirmed, after consulting with the Registrary, that the accepted methods for submitting nominations shall be on paper with handwritten signatures delivered to the Old Schools and by electronic means linked to an email account registered with the University for this purpose.
The Council is submitting a Grace (Grace 1 of the Senate, p. 231) for the approval of the recommendations of the Report, as revised by this Notice.
The Council takes this opportunity to remind members of the Senate that the pilot registration process is still taking submissions (see Reporter, 2023–24, 6718, p. 111). The registration form is open until 5 p.m. on Friday, 26 January 2024. The Council will report on the outcome of the pilot in February.
1No change to the voting system used in ballots on changes to Senate procedures has been proposed. These will continue to apply STV.
Deborah Prentice, Vice‑Chancellor
Zoe Adams
Madeleine Atkins
Gaenor Bagley
Milly Bodfish
Sam Carling
Anthony Davenport
John Dix
Sharon Flood
Heather Hancock
Louise Joy
Fergus Kirman
Scott Mandelbrote
Richard Mortier
Sharon Peacock
Pippa Rogerson
Jason Scott-Warren
Michael Sewell
Pieter van Houten
The Vice-Chancellor wishes to remind members of the University of the days in 2024 appointed by regulation for the wearing of festal gowns by Doctors (which are also the days on which the academic dress of other universities may in general be worn). Under this regulation the day of the Honorary Degree Congregation is also designated an additional ‘Scarlet day’.
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31 March |
Easter Day |
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9 May |
Ascension Day |
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19 May |
Whitsunday |
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26 May |
Trinity Sunday |
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19 June |
Honorary Degree Congregation |
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26, 27, 28 and 29 June |
General Admission to Degrees |
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1 November |
All Saints’ Day |
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3 November |
Commemoration of Benefactors |
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25 December |
Christmas Day |
Published for information are the days when the University Flag will be flown from the Old Schools if it is safe and practical to do so.
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23 April |
St George’s Day |
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15 June |
Official Birthday of HM The King |
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21 June |
Birthday of HRH The Prince of Wales |
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17 July |
Birthday of HM The Queen |
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8 September |
Accession of HM The King |
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14 November |
Birthday of HM The King |
The University Flag will also be flown on all Congregation days, including 1 October (Election and Admission of the Proctors and Address by the Vice-Chancellor) and 19 June (Honorary Degrees).
Additionally, a Pride Flag will be flown on the first and last days of February.
A number of proposals have been made with the aim of improving reward and progression for research staff at the University. Views on the proposals are sought through an online survey by the deadline of 23 February 2024. The survey is open to all employees, Schools, non-School Institutions and other interested groups. Full details, including the proposals and the link to the survey can be found at https://www.hr.admin.cam.ac.uk/researcher-reward-and-progression-consultation (Raven required; please use an @cam email address).
To find out more or to ask questions, employees can book on one of the two virtual open meetings being held on 18 January 2024 (https://www.training.cam.ac.uk/cppd/event/5047828) and 12 February 2024 (https://www.training.cam.ac.uk/cppd/event/5047837).
The following ballot is currently open for voting by members of the Regent House:
•Ballot on Grace 1 of 15 December 2023 (additional Pro-Vice-Chancellor for a maximum of six years)
Voting closes at 5 p.m. on Wednesday, 24 January 2024 and members who were listed on the Roll of the Regent House promulgated on 6 November 2023 are eligible to vote. Voting information, including fly-sheets and links to the voting portal, is available online at https://www.governance.cam.ac.uk/ballots/voting/ [Raven access only].
The 2023 edition of the University’s Statutes and Ordinances is now available in pdf format on the S&O website: https://www.admin.cam.ac.uk/univ/so/. This edition incorporates changes approved during the 2022–23 academic year.
The Reprographics Centre in the Old Schools has agreed to produce hard copies for the University at a cost of £21 for a two-volume set. Orders, clearly stating the contact name, Department or College, number of copies required and a delivery address, should be placed with Reprographics (email: reprographics.enquiries@admin.cam.ac.uk).