Statutes and Ordinances of the University of Cambridge
CHAPTER I
pp. 105–111
THE CHANCELLOR AND THE GOVERNMENT OF THE UNIVERSITY

In this section

CONDUCT OF BUSINESS

Discussions

1. (a) Every Report submitted to the University shall be brought forward for consideration by the Regent House at a Discussion.

(b) If ten members of the Regent House submit a request on paper, by fax or by electronic mail from addresses within the cam.ac.uk domain to the Registrary that a topic of concern to the University should be brought forward for discussion, the Registrary shall report the request to the Council, and shall include the topic among the matters for consideration at an early Discussion.

2. When a Discussion is to be held, either of a Report or of any other matter, the Vice-Chancellor shall invite members of the Regent House to attend by means of a Notice published in the Reporter.

3. The following may also attend Discussions and take part:1

  1. (a)graduates of the University;
  2. (b)members of Faculties;
  3. (c)registered students and sabbatical officers of Cambridge University Students’ Union and the Graduate Union;
  4. (d)other persons authorized by the Vice-Chancellor to attend a particular Discussion.

4. The Vice-Chancellor or a duly appointed deputy shall preside at a Discussion.

5. The person presiding at a Discussion shall have power to impose a general limit on the length of speeches or to rule out of order particular remarks in a speech on the grounds that they are irrelevant or defamatory or to terminate the discussion of a particular topic.

6. Remarks made at a Discussion shall normally be published in the Reporter, provided that the Registrary, as editor of the Reporter, shall have discretion to omit or, with the agreement of the author, to amend any remarks which in his or her opinion are likely to be held to be defamatory. The Registrary shall not include in the formal record any remarks which are ruled out of order or which are otherwise in breach of a procedural ruling by the Vice-Chancellor or other person presiding. If any remarks are so omitted or amended, the Registrary shall include a note of the fact with the remarks as published.

Graces and Congregations of the Regent House

Authorization.

1. No Grace shall be submitted to the Regent House except with the authorization of the Council. Every Grace, other than a Supplicat for a degree or degrees, whether the Grace is initiated by the Council, or by some other University body, or by individual members of the Regent House under Special Ordinance A (i) 5, shall be put before the Council for authorization at a meeting, provided that a Grace shall be deemed to have been duly authorized if a copy of the Grace has been sent by the Registrary to every member of the Council so as to reach the member's address not later than the fifth day before the day specified for publication, and if no member has informed the Registrary of an objection to the Grace by 10 a.m. on the day next but one before the day of publication. The submission of Supplicats for degrees may be authorized by the Council in accordance with the procedure prescribed in the regulations for admission to degrees.

Submission.

2. Graces shall be submitted to the Regent House either by being published in the Reporter or by being read by the Senior Proctor at a Congregation. The procedure in connection with Graces submitted by publication shall be as prescribed in Regulations 4–15 below; the procedure in connection with Graces submitted at a Congregation shall be as prescribed in Regulations 16–30.

Definition of term.

3. For the purpose of these regulations the expression ‘term’ shall be deemed to include that part of the Long Vacation during which it is provided by Ordinance that courses of instruction may be given within the Precincts of the University.

Graces submitted by publication

4. Except as provided in Regulations 16 and 21, every Grace relating to a matter which under Statute or Ordinance is to be determined by the Regent House shall be submitted to the Regent House by being published in the Reporter.

Approval.

5. A Grace shall be deemed to have been approved by the Regent House at 4 p.m. on the Friday next but one after the day of its submission unless before that hour

  1. either(a)the Grace has been withdrawn by the Vice-Chancellor in accordance with Regulation 6;
  2. or(b)the Council have given notice in accordance with Regulation 7 that a vote is to be taken on the Grace;
  3. or(c)a request has been received by the Vice-Chancellor for a vote to be taken on the Grace in accordance with Regulation 8;
  4. or(d)a proposal has been received by the Vice-Chancellor for the amendment of the Grace in accordance with Regulation 9.
Withdrawal.

6. A Grace may be withdrawn by the Vice-Chancellor (i) at any time before the hour specified in Regulation 5 for its approval, and (ii) if voting is requested (Regulation 5(c)) or (iii) if amendment is proposed (Regulation 5(d)), within three weeks after the day of its submission. Withdrawal of a Grace under this regulation shall be announced by means of a Notice posted outside the Senate-House and subsequently published. If the Council decide to resubmit such a Grace in its original form they shall either (a) call a ballot or (b) publish an explanatory Notice explaining why in their opinion a ballot is not necessary.

Ballots.

7. The Council shall have power to determine that a vote shall be taken by ballot on any Grace. Notice of such a ballot shall be published in the Reporter when the Grace is submitted.

8. Any twenty-five members of the Regent House may submit a written request to the Vice-Chancellor for a vote to be taken on a Grace by ballot. If such a request is received by the Vice-Chancellor before the hour specified in Regulation 5 for the approval of the Grace, a ballot shall be held in accordance with the provisions of Regulation 13, unless the Grace is withdrawn under Regulation 6.

Amendments.

9. A written proposal for the amendment of a Grace which has been submitted to the Regent House may be initiated by members of the Regent House in accordance with Special Ordinance A (i) 5, provided that the proposal is received by the Vice-Chancellor before the hour specified in Regulation 5 for the approval of the Grace or, if a request for a ballot on the Grace has been received, within one week of the date on which a Notice of the request has been published under Regulation 10 below. In that event, (unless the Grace is withdrawn under Regulation 6), and subject to the provisions of Special Ordinance A (i) 7 and of Regulation 11 below, a vote shall be taken by ballot, using the procedure prescribed in the Single Transferable Vote regulations; the options to be voted on shall include (a) approval of the proposal contained in the Grace as submitted to the Regent House, (b) rejection of the proposal, (c) approval of alternative proposals formulated in accordance with the amendment or amendments proposed, and may include (d) any further alternative proposal which may be formulated by the Council; provided that the Vice-Chancellor may instead decide that a vote shall be taken by ballot, using the procedure prescribed in the Single Transferable Vote regulations, between propositions that the Grace be left unamended or that it be substituted by one of such one or more alternative forms as may be determined by the Vice-Chancellor to reflect the amendment or amendments proposed. If an alternative form is approved, then that alternative form shall be substituted for the Grace as originally submitted, and shall be treated for all purposes as if it were that Grace. A ballot shall then be taken for the approval of the Grace, in accordance with Regulation 13 below.

Notice.

10. If a request for voting is received under Regulation 8, or if a proposal for the amendment of a Grace is received under Regulation 9, the Vice-Chancellor shall give notice accordingly by means of a Notice posted outside the Senate-House and subsequently published. The Notice shall include the names of the persons who have requested the ballot or who have proposed the amendment, as the case may be.

11. The Vice-Chancellor shall have the following powers in respect of proposals initiated under Regulation 9 for the amendment of a Grace:

  1. (a)If in the opinion of the Vice-Chancellor a proposed amendment is in substance and effect incompatible with the main purpose of the Grace to which it refers, or immaterial to that purpose, the Vice-Chancellor may rule the amendment inadmissible, or may refer it to the Council for subsequent separate submission as a Grace. The proposers of such an amendment shall be deemed to have requested that a vote be taken on the Grace in accordance with Regulation 8 above.
  2. (b)If two or more amendments have been proposed which in the opinion of the Vice-Chancellor are substantially similar in effect the Vice-Chancellor may select one of the amendments for submission to the Regent House and may rule the other or others inadmissible.
  3. (c)The Vice-Chancellor shall have authority to determine the form in which the various propositions are set out in the voting papers; without prejudice to the generality of that power (i) if in the opinion of the Vice-Chancellor a proposed amendment comprises two or more separable propositions, the Vice-Chancellor may treat the amendment as if it were a number of amendments, each comprising one or more of those propositions as the Vice-Chancellor may determine; and (ii) the Vice-Chancellor may determine that votes shall be taken on propositions as if they were separate Graces, each such Grace being treated for all purposes as if it were the Grace as originally submitted. The Vice-Chancellor shall if necessary indicate in the voting papers (i) whether the result of voting is effective without a further Grace (by rescinding or amending a Statute, Ordinance or Order, or otherwise) or (ii) whether a further Grace would be needed to implement the result of voting.

12. If a ballot is to be held under any of Regulations 7–9, the arrangements for voting shall be determined by the Vice-Chancellor, subject to the provisions of Regulation 13, and shall be published in the Reporter.

Ballot.

13. For a ballot on a Grace of the Regent House, or a ballot held under the provisions of Regulation 9 above, the period during which votes may be cast by all members of the Regent House shall commence not later than a day appointed by the Vice-Chancellor, which shall be neither less than fourteen days nor normally more than twenty-eight days of term after the publication of the Notice announcing the ballot; provided that the Vice-Chancellor shall have power to postpone the commencement of voting until a date not later than eighty days of term after the publication of the Notice. The Vice-Chancellor shall give public notice of the period during which votes may be cast. The latest time for casting a vote shall be not earlier than the tenth day after the day appointed for the commencement of voting.

14. When a ballot is held in accordance with the preceding regulations, the presiding officer shall be the Vice-Chancellor or a duly appointed deputy. The presiding officer shall

  1. (a)arrange for the counting of the votes as soon as possible after the conclusion of the voting;
  2. (b)decide upon the validity of any doubtful vote;
  3. (c)declare the result as soon as the counting of the votes is completed.

If there is an equality of votes, the Grace or amendment shall be deemed not to be approved. The result of a ballot shall be announced by means of a Notice posted outside the Senate-House and subsequently published.

Correction of errors.

15. If an obvious or immaterial error occurs in the published form of a Grace or amendment, the Vice-Chancellor may announce a correction by means of a Notice published in the Reporter and for the purpose of Regulation 5 or Regulation 9, as the case may be, the Grace or amendment shall be deemed to have been submitted in its corrected form.

Graces submitted at a Congregation

16. The Council shall have power at their discretion to submit Graces on the following matters to the Regent House at a Congregation:

  1. (a)Graces for the conferment of a degree or degrees;
  2. (b)Graces concerning any matter on which in the opinion of the Council or the Vice-Chancellor a decision must be taken urgently.
Notice.

17. Except as provided in Regulation 21, Congregations of the Regent House shall be held in the Senate-House or elsewhere within the Precincts of the University at such times as may be appointed by the Vice-Chancellor by means of a Notice published in the Reporter. If in the opinion of the Vice-Chancellor a Congregation cannot be held at the place announced, the Vice-Chancellor may determine that the Congregation shall be held elsewhere within the Precincts of the University; provided that

  1. (a)such notice as may be practicable shall be given beforehand;
  2. (b)no Grace shall be submitted at the Congregation unless there are at least twenty members of the Regent House present.

If the Vice-Chancellor is not available, the powers of the Vice-Chancellor under this regulation may be exercised by one of the Pro-Vice-Chancellors or by a Deputy Vice-Chancellor.

Constitution.

18. In order to constitute a Congregation the presence of the following officers, or of deputies for them appointed in accordance with the several provisions of the Statutes, shall be necessary: the Chancellor or the Vice-Chancellor, the two Proctors, and the Registrary; provided that, in respect of a Congregation held before the Vice-Chancellor has been formally admitted to office,

  1. (a)the presence of the Chancellor or the Vice-Chancellor shall not be necessary;
  2. (b)if the Chancellor is absent, the Proctors shall exercise the powers and perform the duties of the Vice-Chancellor.

19. The two Pro-Proctors who have been nominated by Colleges shall either in person or by deputies approved by the Vice-Chancellor attend all Congregations; the other Pro-Proctors shall attend all such Congregations as the Vice-Chancellor may request them to attend.

Publication of Graces.

20. Except as provided in Regulation 21, every Grace to be submitted at a Congregation, other than a formal Supplicat for a degree or degrees, shall be published in the Reporter before 4 p.m. on the day next but one preceding the Congregation at which the Grace is to be submitted.

Cases of urgency.

21. If any matter should arise at any time upon which in the opinion of the Vice-Chancellor it is desirable that a decision should be taken at once, a Grace relating to such matter may be submitted, without being previously published in the Reporter, at a Congregation held at such time and place within the Precincts of the University as the Vice-Chancellor shall determine; provided that

  1. (a)such notice as may be practicable is given beforehand,
  2. (b)there are at least twenty members of the Regent House present at the Congregation when the Grace is submitted,
  3. (c)when a Grace is brought forward of which notice has not been given beforehand in accordance with Regulation 20, the attention of the Congregation shall be formally and distinctly called to the fact,
  4. (d)the Grace and the decision on the Grace shall be published subsequently in the Reporter.

If the Vice-Chancellor is not available, the powers of the Vice-Chancellor under this regulation may be exercised by one of the Pro-Vice-Chancellors or by a Deputy Vice-Chancellor.

Withdrawal.

22. A Grace of which notice of submission at a Congregation has been given may be withdrawn by the Vice-Chancellor at any time before it is submitted; provided that

  1. (a)the attention of the Congregation shall be formally and distinctly called by the Vice-Chancellor to the withdrawal;
  2. (b)the Vice-Chancellor shall subsequently explain the reasons for the withdrawal to the Council.
Correction of errors.

23. If an obvious or immaterial error occurs in the published form of a Grace it may be corrected at the Congregation by the Vice-Chancellor, provided that the attention of the Congregation shall be formally and distinctly called by the Vice-Chancellor to any such correction.

Submission.
Non placet.

24. All Graces submitted to the Regent House at a Congregation shall be read audibly at the Congregation by the Senior Proctor. Any member of the Regent House who wishes to oppose a Grace may do so by calling Non placet immediately after the Grace has been read. If Non placet is called, a vote shall be taken on the Grace; provided that, if written notice of intention to oppose the Grace has not been received by the Registrary and published in the Reporter before the Congregation, the Vice-Chancellor shall have power to withdraw the Grace. A Grace so withdrawn shall be resubmitted, either at a Congregation or by publication, as soon as convenient thereafter.

Voting.

25. When in accordance with Regulation 24 a vote is to be taken on a Grace submitted at a Congregation, voting shall take place forthwith in accordance with the procedure prescribed in Regulations 26–29; provided that the Vice-Chancellor shall have power to determine that the vote shall be taken at a later date by ballot.

26. If a vote on a Grace submitted at a Congregation is to be taken forthwith, the Senior Esquire Bedell shall once or oftener, as necessary, call in an audible voice Ad scrutinium. Members of the Regent House who desire to vote shall assemble, if they are in favour of the Grace, on the south side of the Senate-House and, if they are opposed to it, on the north side.

27. If in the opinion of both Proctors the result of such a division is obvious, the Senior Proctor shall forthwith declare the result without taking the votes singly; but any two members of the Regent House may in such a case request the Vice-Chancellor to direct that the votes shall be taken singly, and the Vice-Chancellor shall thereupon so direct.

28. Whenever the votes are taken singly, either in consequence of the Vice-Chancellor's direction or because the Proctors do not regard the result of the division as obvious, those members of the Regent House who are in favour of the Grace shall vote on the south side of the Senate-House and those who are opposed to it on the north side. The votes of those who are on the south side shall be taken singly by the Senior Proctor and one of the two Pro-Proctors; the votes of those who are on the north side shall be taken singly at the same time by the Junior Proctor and the other of the two Pro-Proctors.

Each voter shall vote by delivering to a Proctor (or to a Pro-Proctor) a card on which shall be inscribed

  1. (a)the voter's name, degree, and College,
  2. (b)the word Placet or the words Non placet (as the case may be),
  3. (c)the number of the Grace to which the card applies (if more than one Grace is opposed at the Congregation).

29. The Vice-Chancellor shall have power to determine whether the votes shall be counted forthwith or whether the counting shall be deferred until the end of the Congregation. If the results of the voting are ascertained forthwith, the Senior Proctor, after communicating the number of votes on each side to the Vice-Chancellor, shall declare them publicly to the Congregation. If the votes are counted after the end of the Congregation the results shall be published by a Notice posted outside the Senate-House as soon as they have been ascertained.

30. If the Vice-Chancellor determines under the provisions of Regulation 25 that voting on any Grace is to be by ballot, the Senior Proctor shall make an announcement to that effect at the Congregation. Such a ballot shall be conducted in accordance with Regulations 12–14 above.

Graces of the Senate

1. In the following regulations the term Grace shall mean Grace of the Senate.

Authorization.

2. No Grace shall be submitted to the Senate except with the authorization of the Council. Every Grace shall be put before the Council for authorization at a meeting, provided that a Grace may be deemed to have been duly authorized under the alternative procedure specified in Regulation 1 of the regulations for Graces of the Regent House.

Submission.

3. Graces shall be submitted to the Senate by being published in the Reporter.

Approval.

4. A Grace shall be deemed to have been approved by the Senate at 4 p.m. on the Friday next but one after the day of its submission unless before that hour

  1. either(a)the Grace has been withdrawn by the Vice-Chancellor in accordance with Regulation 5;
  2. or(b)the Council have given notice in accordance with Regulation 6 that a vote is to be taken on the Grace;
  3. or(c)a request has been received by the Vice-Chancellor for a vote to be taken on the Grace in accordance with Regulation 7.
Withdrawal.

5. A Grace may be withdrawn by the Vice-Chancellor at any time before the hour specified in Regulation 4 for its approval, provided that the Vice-Chancellor shall not have power to withdraw any Grace in respect of which a vote has been requested under Regulation 4(c). Withdrawal of a Grace under this regulation shall be announced by means of a Notice posted outside the Senate-House and subsequently published.

Ballots.

6. The Council shall have power to determine that a vote shall be taken by ballot on any Grace. Notice of such a ballot shall be published in the Reporter when the Grace is submitted.

7. Any ten members of the Senate may submit a written request to the Vice-Chancellor for a vote to be taken on a Grace by ballot. If such a request is received by the Vice-Chancellor before the hour specified in Regulation 4 for the approval of the Grace, a ballot shall be held in accordance with the provisions of Regulation 10.

8. If a request for voting is received under Regulation 7, the Vice-Chancellor shall give notice accordingly by means of a Notice posted outside the Senate-House and subsequently published. The Notice shall include the names of the persons who have requested the ballot.

9. If a ballot is to be held under Regulation 6 or Regulation 7, the arrangements for voting shall be determined by the Vice-Chancellor, subject to the provisions of Regulation 10, and shall be published in the Reporter.

10. In a ballot of the Senate voters shall give their votes in person. The Vice-Chancellor shall appoint two days, which need not be consecutive, for voting; provided that

  1. (a)neither of the days appointed shall be less than fourteen days or normally more than twenty-eight days of term after the publication of the Notice announcing the ballot;
  2. (b)one of the days appointed shall be a Saturday;
  3. (c)the Vice-Chancellor shall have power to postpone the holding of the ballot until a date not later than eighty days of term after the publication of the Notice.

Voting shall take place between the hours of 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. on each of the appointed days.

11. The arrangements for presiding over a ballot of the Senate, for counting the votes, and for announcing the result shall be as prescribed in Regulation 14 of the regulations for Graces of the Regent House.

Correction of errors.

12. The arrangements for the correction of obvious or immaterial errors in Graces of the Senate shall be as prescribed in Regulation 15 of the regulations for Graces of the Regent House.

Notice by the Council

Discussions and Fly-sheets

Discussions

1. The Council are of the view that a Discussion is likely to be more representative of different points of view, and hence more fruitful, if speakers will regard fifteen minutes as the normal maximum duration of a speech.

2. The Council consider it inappropriate for a speaker at a Discussion to include in his or her remarks a list of the names of persons who support the speaker's views. They have requested the Vice-Chancellor or other person presiding at a Discussion to rule out of order any speaker who attempts to read out such a list.

3. The Council wish to remind those attending Discussions that the Vice-Chancellor or other person presiding at a Discussion has authority to make procedural rulings which must be observed by those present.

4. Remarks should be germane to the topic under discussion. Irrelevant remarks may be ruled out of order by the Vice-Chancellor or other person presiding at a Discussion. A person whose remarks are ruled out of order is expected to respect such ruling and to restrict further remarks to the topic under discussion, or to terminate his or her remarks. Remarks which are ruled out of order, or which are otherwise in breach of a procedural ruling by the Vice-Chancellor or other person presiding do not form part of the Discussion and will not be published.

5. The Council believe that members of the Regent House and others qualified or invited to speak in Discussions will wish ordinary standards of courtesy and restraint to be observed in remarks made in Discussions.

Fly-sheets and other statements

Statements issued by members of the Regent House

6. To enable members of the Regent House to make known their views on questions which are to be the subject of a ballot, the Council have authorized the Registrary to arrange for the circulation of statements on such issues, provided that any such statement is signed by at least ten members of the Regent House. The University will bear the cost of reproducing and circulating such a statement if it reaches the Registrary by 1 p.m. on a day specified by the Council; each statement must bear the names and initials (in block capital letters) of the signatories. The specified day will be not earlier than the eighth day (or exceptionally the seventh day) following the publication of the Council's Notice announcing a ballot; provided that the Registrary may accept up to twenty-four hours later a statement signed by a representative of the body whose proposal is to be voted on. In order that they may be readily available for reference, all statements which have been issued as fly-sheets will be published in the Reporter after the proposals to which they relate have been voted on. In relation to any statements made in a fly-sheet which may be held to be defamatory, the Council have agreed that the Registrary, after consultation with the Vice-Chancellor, shall have discretion to decide whether such statements are to be included in the fly-sheet as published in the Reporter. The Registrary will inform the Council of any amendment made to a fly-sheet in this way.

Statements issued by members of the Senate

7. Arrangements similar to those described in paragraph 6 will apply mutatis mutandis to statements issued by members of the Senate in connection with ballots of the Senate. Such statements will not be circulated as fly-sheets, but will be published in the Reporter before the ballot.

Statements issued by registered students and sabbatical officers of Cambridge University Students’ Union and the Graduate Union

8. The procedure described in paragraph 6 above for the issue of fly-sheets by members of the Regent House will apply mutatis mutandis to fly-sheets issued in connection with ballots of the Regent House by registered students and sabbatical officers of Cambridge University Students’ Union and the Graduate Union. The Vice-Chancellor may, however, determine on a particular occasion that such members may not submit fly-sheets. Fly-sheets must be signed by ten such members, of whom at least five must be from among the following: the President, the Deputy Presidents, and the Women’s Officer of Cambridge University Students’ Union, the President of the Graduate Union, the three student members of the Council, the Presidents of College Junior Combination Rooms and Middle Combination Rooms (or their equivalents) and, in the case of a proposal from a Faculty Board or similar body, the student members of the body concerned. The Council has agreed that the Vice-Chancellor may, for reasons of economy, limit the number of such fly-sheets to be published on any occasion and that such a limitation may be announced at the outset or when the total number of fly-sheets is known. Fly-sheets signed by such members will be circulated to members of the Regent House only.

Footnotes

  1. 1. See also Special Ordinance A (i) 3, p. 65.a