Chapter III

THE VICE-CHANCELLOR AND THE PRO-VICE-CHANCELLORS

1. The Vice-Chancellor shall be appointed by the Regent House on the nomination of the Council, who may nominate any person of their choice. The person appointed shall enter upon office on a day determined by the University. As soon as conveniently may be thereafter, he or she shall be formally admitted to the office at a Congregation of the Regent House called by the Chancellor or, if the Chancellor is absent or the office of Chancellor is vacant, by the Proctors. The procedures for nomination and admission shall be prescribed by Ordinance.

2. The Vice-Chancellor shall be appointed in the first instance for five years or, in exceptional circumstances, for such other period as the University may determine. He or she may be reappointed for a further period or periods, provided that no one shall hold the office of Vice-Chancellor for a total period of more than seven years. The procedure for reappointment shall be prescribed by Ordinance.

3. The Vice-Chancellor shall enjoy the customary rights and perform the customary duties of the office. He or she shall have power to ensure that all University officers duly perform their duties, and shall have such other powers and duties as may be prescribed by Statute or Ordinance.

4. The Vice-Chancellor shall have power, after his or her formal admission, but not before, to call Congregations of the Regent House and to admit candidates to degrees or titles of degrees.

5. Except as provided in Section 6 below,

1. (a)the Vice-Chancellor shall be Chair of the Council and the General Board, and of any other body of which he or she is ex officio a member, provided that the Chancellor shall have the right to take the chair at any meeting of the Council at which he or she is present;
2. (b)the Vice-Chancellor may attend a meeting of any body constituted in the University by or under Statute or Ordinance, or of any body appointed by such a body, save that this provision shall not apply to meetings of any of the following bodies:
3.  (i)the Board of Scrutiny;
4.  (ii)a University court or disciplinary panel constituted by or under Statute D;
5.  (iii)a Board of Examiners for a University examination;
6.  (iv)a Degree Committee for a Faculty or other institution;
7.  (v)any other body which the University may specify by Grace.

6. The Vice-Chancellor shall not be present at any meeting of the Council or of any other body when the body is considering his or her reappointment or the appointment of his or her successor as Vice-Chancellor.

7. Provided always that he or she shall in general take the chair in person at meetings of the Council and the General Board, the Vice-Chancellor shall have power to appoint persons to act on his or her behalf as follows:

1. (a)The Vice-Chancellor may appoint, from among the Heads of Colleges or other members of the Regent House, one or more persons to be designated Deputy Vice-Chancellors, to whom he or she may delegate any of the duties assigned by Statute or Ordinance to the Vice-Chancellor. The name of any person so appointed shall be published forthwith.
2. (b)The Vice-Chancellor may appoint a member of the Regent House to act as his or her deputy in any matter, including attendance at a meeting under Section 5(b) above, or to perform any duty assigned by Statute or Ordinance to the Vice-Chancellor.

8. During his or her tenure of office, the Vice-Chancellor shall not undertake the duties of any other University office or any College office, or any duties inconsistent with the performance of the duties of the Vice-Chancellorship.

9. In the event of incapacity or prolonged absence from Cambridge of the Vice-Chancellor, or of suspension of the Vice-Chancellor under the Schedule to Statute C, or in the event of a vacancy in the Vice-Chancellorship, the Council shall if necessary appoint a member of the Regent House to serve as Acting Vice-Chancellor and shall publish such person’s name forthwith. A person so appointed shall perform the duties, and shall exercise all the powers, of the Vice-Chancellor during the period of his or her appointment.

10. If for any reason the Vice-Chancellorship falls vacant before the expiry of the holder’s term of office, a new Vice-Chancellor shall be appointed as soon as conveniently may be, in accordance with the provisions of Sections 1 and 2 above.

Removal of the Vice-Chancellor from office

11. Any three members of the Council may make a complaint to the Chancellor seeking the removal of the Vice-Chancellor from the office of Vice-Chancellor for good cause.

12. If it appears to the Chancellor that the complaint is trivial or invalid or unjustified, he or she may determine that no further action shall be taken upon it.

13. If it appears to the Chancellor, on the evidence presented, that the case alleged could, if proved, constitute good cause for dismissal or removal of the Vice-Chancellor from office, he or she shall direct the University Advocate to prefer a charge or charges to be considered by the University Tribunal. Such a charge or charges shall be dealt with in accordance with the provisions made under Chapter III [and Chapter V] of the Schedule to Statute C 〈and under Special Ordinance〉,1 provided that the Chancellor shall perform any duty and exercise any power there assigned to the Vice-Chancellor.

14. For the purpose of the removal of the Vice-Chancellor for incapacity on medical grounds, the provisions made under [Chapters IV and V of the Schedule to Statute C] 〈Chapter IV of the Schedule to Statute C and under Special Ordinance〉,1 shall have effect, provided that the Chancellor shall perform any duty or exercise any power there assigned to the Vice-Chancellor.

Pro-Vice-Chancellors

15. There shall be such number of offices of Pro-Vice-Chancellor as shall be determined by the Council subject to a maximum determined by Ordinance. The Pro-Vice-Chancellors shall report to the Council through the Vice-Chancellor.

16. Each appointment or reappointment to an office of Pro-Vice-Chancellor shall be made by the Council after consultation with the General Board, on the recommendation of a Nominating Committee constituted by Ordinance. A Pro-Vice-Chancellor shall hold office for not more than three years at a time and shall be eligible for reappointment, provided that no person shall hold the office of Pro-Vice-Chancellor for a total period of more than six, or in exceptional circumstances eight, years, whether consecutively or otherwise.

17. A Pro-Vice-Chancellor shall perform such duties as may be prescribed by Statute or Ordinance, and such other duties as may be determined by the Council, or the Vice-Chancellor.