SPECIAL ORDINANCE A (ii):
Membership of the Council: detailed provisions
(Special Ordinance under Statute A IV 3)

Amended by Grace 1 of 17 October 2018

References in this Special Ordinance to classes are to the classes prescribed in Statute A IV 2.

1. (a) Members of the Council in classes (a), (b), and (c) shall be elected to serve for four years, an election of half the members in each class being held during Full Michaelmas Term in each alternate year.

(b) Members of the Council in class (d) shall be

1. (i)the President of Cambridge University Students' Union;
2. (ii)the President of the Graduate Union;
3. (iii)one student elected by and from among the students in the University.

Members in categories (i) and (ii) of class (d) shall serve for one year from the commencement of their term of office as President. The member in category (iii) of class (d) shall be elected in each academical year on a date and in a manner determined by or under Ordinance and shall serve for one year from 1 July next following her or his election.

1. (c)(i)Members of the Council in class (e) shall be appointed to serve for four years from 1 January in a year when the calendar year is odd; the appointment of half the members in this class shall take place in each alternate year.

1.  (ii)Members in class (e) shall serve no more than two full periods of office consecutively; casual periods of office shall not count towards this limit.

2. (a) If a member of the Council in any of classes (a), (b), and (c), or any person nominated for election as a member in one of those classes, ceases to be a member of the Regent House, or suffers suspension or deprivation of her or his University office, degrees, or membership of the University, that member’s seat shall thereupon become vacant, or the nomination shall thereupon become invalid, as the case may be.

(b) If a member of the Council becomes Chancellor or Vice-Chancellor, her or his seat shall thereupon become vacant.

(c) If a member of the Council in class (a) or class (b) ceases to be the Head of a College or a Professor or Reader, as the case may be, that member’s seat shall not thereby become vacant.

(d) If the member of the Council in category (i) of class (d) ceases to be President of Cambridge University Students' Union or if the member of the Council in category (ii) of class (d) ceases to be President of the Graduate Union, that member’s seat shall thereupon become vacant.

(e) If the member of the Council in category (iii) of class (d), or any person nominated for election as the member in that class, ceases to be a student in the University, or suffers deprivation or suspension of her or his degree or membership of the University, or suffers rustication by a University court or disciplinary panel or by a College, that member’s seat shall thereupon become vacant, or the nomination shall thereupon become invalid, as the case may be.

3. (a) If any casual vacancy occurs by death, by resignation, or otherwise, among the elected members of the Council during their period of service, or if it is known that such a vacancy will occur by reason of a member’s resignation, or if any person elected dies, resigns, or is otherwise disabled from beginning service between the publication of the result of the election and the day upon which such a person is due to begin service, the vacancy shall be filled by the holding of a bye-election; provided that no bye-election shall be held to fill a vacancy that occurs less than sixty days of full term before the end of tenure of the member whose death, resignation, or disablement has created the vacancy.

(b) If at any election the total number of vacancies is not filled, the Vice-Chancellor shall arrange a further election to fill such vacancies as are unfilled.

(c) If, after the last date for sending in nominations and before the result of the election has been decided, a person nominated for election in any class dies, or is disabled from serving as a member, or if such a person’s nomination becomes invalid under the provisions of Section 2(a) or 2(d) above, all nominations for that class shall be deemed to be void, and the Vice-Chancellor shall give notice thereof and shall arrange a new election.

(d) Any bye-election, further election, or new election held under subsection (a), (b), or (c) above shall take place as soon as conveniently may be; the arrangements for the election shall be determined and published by the Vice-Chancellor.

(e) If any casual vacancy occurs by death, by resignation, or otherwise, among the members in class (e), the casual vacancy shall be filled in accordance with the procedure for the appointment of members in class (e) in Statute A IV 2(e).

4. (a) The period of service of members in classes (a), (b), and (c) shall be as follows:

1. (i)A person elected during the Michaelmas Term (otherwise than to fill a casual vacancy) shall begin service on the first day of January next following the election.
2. (ii)A person elected in any term other than a Michaelmas Term or elected to fill a casual vacancy which has already occurred shall begin service on the day next following the publication of the result of the election; provided that, if at an election of either such kind the number of persons nominated in any class does not exceed the number of vacancies in that class, the person or persons nominated shall be deemed to be elected and shall begin service on the day following the last day for the receipt of nominations.
3. (iii)A person elected in any term other than a Michaelmas Term (otherwise than to fill a casual vacancy) shall serve, notwithstanding the provisions of Section 1(a) above, until the end of the calendar year next but two following the year in which the election takes place.

(b) Any person elected a member in class (d) at a bye-election to fill a casual vacancy which has already occurred shall begin service on the day next following the publication of the result of the bye-election, provided, that, if the number of persons nominated in a bye-election does not exceed the number of vacancies, the person or persons nominated shall be deemed to be elected and shall begin service on the day following the last day for the receipt of nominations.

5. For the purpose of this Special Ordinance the term ‘student in the University’ shall be defined by Ordinance.