Statutes and Ordinances of the University of Cambridge
Statute C
SCHOOLS AND FACULTIES

Chapter I

THE GENERAL BOARD OF THE FACULTIES

1. (a) Subject to the powers of the Regent House, and subject to the responsibilities of the Council under Statute A, IV, 1, the General Board of the Faculties shall be responsible for the academic and educational policy of the University, and shall advise the University on questions relating to such policy.

(b) The General Board shall consider the estimates of annual expenditure submitted by Faculty Boards and other authorities and, if it approves them, shall transmit them to the Council. The Board shall allocate the funds made available to it for the support of teaching and research.

(c) The General Board shall oversee the teaching and research work undertaken by the Schools, Faculties, Departments, and other institutions placed under its supervision; it shall ensure, in respect of those institutions,

  1. (i)that the University officers assigned to those institutions are satisfactorily performing the duties and fulfilling the conditions of tenure of their offices;
  2. (ii)that adequate facilities for teaching and research are available;
  3. (iii)that appropriate courses of study and instruction are provided and that the teaching given is of the highest standard;
  4. (iv)that research of the highest quality is conducted.

(d) The teaching programmes proposed by Faculty Boards and comparable authorities shall be submitted to the General Board. The Board shall either approve them or remit them for further consideration, and shall publish them to the University when approved.

(e) The General Board shall keep under review the regulations for such University examinations as are specified in Schedule K and shall ensure that they are properly observed.

(f) The General Board shall be accountable to the Council for its management of the University's academic and educational affairs. It shall make an Annual Report to the Council on the discharge of its duties under this section.

2. Subject to the provisions of the Statutes, the General Board shall have power, after consulting other bodies, as appropriate, to enact Ordinances and to issue Orders relating to

  1. (a)the administration and management of the institutions under its supervision other than the Schools and the Councils of the Schools;
  2. (b)such University examinations, and such degrees, diplomas, and other qualifications as are specified in Schedule K;
  3. (c)such other matters as may be delegated to it from time to time by Grace of the Regent House.

The University may make alterations in Schedule K from time to time by Grace.

3. The General Board shall appoint all Examiners other than ex officio Examiners, except when it is otherwise provided

  1. (a)by Ordinance of the General Board, in the case of examinations specified in Schedule K;
  2. (b)by Ordinance of the Regent House, in the case of examinations not specified in Schedule K;
  3. (c)by any Trust binding for the time being on the University.

4. The General Board shall consist of the following members:

  1. (a)the Vice-Chancellor;
  2. (b)eight members of the Regent House appointed by the Councils of the Schools in accordance with arrangements determined by Ordinance;
  3. (c)four members of the Regent House appointed by the Council, subject to the requirement that of the whole Board not fewer than three members (including the Vice-Chancellor) shall be members of the Council, provided that if a member of the Board ceases to be a member of the Council he or she shall not thereby cease to be a member of the Board;
  4. (d)two members elected by and from among the students of the University, of whom one shall be from among those certified by the Registrary to be undergraduate students, and one from among those certified by the Registrary to be graduate students. The term student in the University and graduate student shall be as determined under Statute A, IV, 2, and the term undergraduate student in the University shall mean any student in the University other than a graduate student so defined.

5. The Vice-Chancellor shall be Chairman of the General Board, provided that, if the Vice-Chancellor is unable to be present at any meeting, the Chairman for that meeting shall be a member of the Board appointed by the Vice-Chancellor to act as his or her deputy, or in the absence of such deputy some other member of the Board chosen by the members present.

6. Members of the General Board in classes (b) and (c) shall serve for four years, half the members in each class being appointed at the same time as, or shortly after, each biennial election of members of the Council. Changes of membership shall take effect from 1 January next following. Members of the General Board in class (d) shall serve for one year and shall be elected by students in the University in accordance with section 4(d) of this Statute and in a manner determined by Ordinance, in each academical year on a date determined by or under Ordinance.

7. If any member of the General Board in class (b) or class (c) becomes Vice-Chancellor, his or her seat shall thereupon become vacant.

8. When the General Board intends to discuss a proposal put forward by any Faculty Board or other body, it shall give that body an opportunity, if in the General Board's opinion it would assist the conduct of business, to send a representative to attend the meeting at which the proposal is to be discussed and to take part in the discussion.

9. The General Board shall meet at least twice in each term, provided that the Chairman shall have power to cancel any meeting if there is insufficient business. No business shall be transacted at a meeting unless five members at least are present.

10. Under the provisions of Statute K, 20(c) the appointment (or nomination for appointment) of Examiners, Electors to Professorships, members of Appointments Committees, and members of Degree Committees shall be reserved business; and the provisions of Statute K, 20 concerning reserved business shall apply to any member of the General Board in class (d) who is not in statu pupillari as if he or she were in statu pupillari.

11. The Registrary or a University officer designated from time to time by the Council after consultation with the General Board shall be Secretary of the Board.