General Council of St Andrews University
Encyclopedia
The General Council of the University of St Andrews is the corporate body of all graduates
and senior academics of the University of St Andrews
in Scotland
. It was instituted by the Universities (Scotland) Act 1858, but its constitution
and organisation have been considerably altered by subsequent statute
s.
, who shall consider the same, and return to the Council their deliverance thereon. Members may raise any matter bearing upon the University, by reference to the Convener of the Business Committee of the General Council, College Gate, St Andrews.
The Council elects two Assessor
s to the University Court. No member of the Senatus Academicus
is entitled to vote or take part in the election of any Assessor of the General Council. (The Senate elects its own Assessors to the Court.)
No. 96 of the University of St Andrews
and is as follows:-
The Chancellor
of the University is elected by the General Council and is President
of the Council.
Under the Universities (Scotland) Act 1966, new Ordinance
s and Resolution
s are communicated in draft form to the General Council, whose opinion thereon is taken into consideration.
The Constitution and duties of the Business Committee, as determined by the Council, are as follows:-
(a) Members ex officio
(b) Elected Members
(a) The Principal.
(b) The Chancellor's Assessor on the University Court.
(c) The Assessors of the General Council on the University Court.
(d) The Conveners of all other Committees (and standing Sub-Committees) of the General Council.
(e) Two of the co-opted members of the University Court who are alumni.
(b) They shall hold office for four years.
(c) Subject to paragraph 5(b) below, they shall not be eligible for re-election until one year has elapsed from the date of demitting office.
(b) In the case of a casual vacancy the person elected to fill it shall retire when the member (s)he succeeded would in ordinary rotation have retired, and shall be eligible for immediate re-election.
(b) On the expiry of their ordinary term, the Convener and the Vice Convener shall be eligible for immediate re-election as an ordinary member of the committee, and on such re-election shall be eligible for re-election as Convener or Vice Convener.
(c) The Convener and Vice Convener shall be ex officio members of all the committees of the Council.
Alumnus
An alumnus , according to the American Heritage Dictionary, is "a graduate of a school, college, or university." An alumnus can also be a former member, employee, contributor or inmate as well as a former student. In addition, an alumna is "a female graduate or former student of a school, college,...
and senior academics of the University of St Andrews
University of St Andrews
The University of St Andrews, informally referred to as "St Andrews", is the oldest university in Scotland and the third oldest in the English-speaking world after Oxford and Cambridge. The university is situated in the town of St Andrews, Fife, on the east coast of Scotland. It was founded between...
in Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
. It was instituted by the Universities (Scotland) Act 1858, but its constitution
Constitution
A constitution is a set of fundamental principles or established precedents according to which a state or other organization is governed. These rules together make up, i.e. constitute, what the entity is...
and organisation have been considerably altered by subsequent statute
Statute
A statute is a formal written enactment of a legislative authority that governs a state, city, or county. Typically, statutes command or prohibit something, or declare policy. The word is often used to distinguish law made by legislative bodies from case law, decided by courts, and regulations...
s.
Role
The business of the Council is to take into consideration all questions affecting the well-being and prosperity of the University, and to make representations from time to time on such questions to the University CourtUniversity Court
A University Court is an administrative body of a university in the United Kingdom. In England's Oxbridge such a Court carries out limited judicial functions; whereas in Scotland it is a University's supreme governing body, analogous to a Board of Directors or a Board of Trustees.-England:In the...
, who shall consider the same, and return to the Council their deliverance thereon. Members may raise any matter bearing upon the University, by reference to the Convener of the Business Committee of the General Council, College Gate, St Andrews.
The Council elects two Assessor
Assessor (law)
In some jurisdictions, an assessor is a judge's or magistrate's assistant. This is in fact the historical meaning of this word.-By country:In Denmark, it was the former title given to Supreme Court judges. Today the title is given to Deputy Judges...
s to the University Court. No member of the Senatus Academicus
Academic Senate
An Academic Senate is a governing body in some universities and colleges, and is typically the supreme academic authority for the institution.-Scotland:...
is entitled to vote or take part in the election of any Assessor of the General Council. (The Senate elects its own Assessors to the Court.)
Constitution and rules
The membership of the General Council is governed by ordinanceLocal ordinance
A local ordinance is a law usually found in a municipal code.-United States:In the United States, these laws are enforced locally in addition to state law and federal law.-Japan:...
No. 96 of the University of St Andrews
University of St Andrews
The University of St Andrews, informally referred to as "St Andrews", is the oldest university in Scotland and the third oldest in the English-speaking world after Oxford and Cambridge. The university is situated in the town of St Andrews, Fife, on the east coast of Scotland. It was founded between...
and is as follows:-
- "The ChancellorChancellor (education)A chancellor or vice-chancellor is the chief executive of a university. Other titles are sometimes used, such as president or rector....
., all graduatesAlumnusAn alumnus , according to the American Heritage Dictionary, is "a graduate of a school, college, or university." An alumnus can also be a former member, employee, contributor or inmate as well as a former student. In addition, an alumna is "a female graduate or former student of a school, college,...
of the University (including honorary graduateHonorary degreeAn honorary degree or a degree honoris causa is an academic degree for which a university has waived the usual requirements, such as matriculation, residence, study, and the passing of examinations...
s) and holders of the Licentiateship in Dental Surgery, members and former members of the University CourtUniversity CourtA University Court is an administrative body of a university in the United Kingdom. In England's Oxbridge such a Court carries out limited judicial functions; whereas in Scotland it is a University's supreme governing body, analogous to a Board of Directors or a Board of Trustees.-England:In the...
, ProfessorProfessorA professor is a scholarly teacher; the precise meaning of the term varies by country. Literally, professor derives from Latin as a "person who professes" being usually an expert in arts or sciences; a teacher of high rank...
s and former Professors of the University, ReadersReader (academic rank)The title of Reader in the United Kingdom and some universities in the Commonwealth nations like Australia and New Zealand denotes an appointment for a senior academic with a distinguished international reputation in research or scholarship...
and LecturerLecturerLecturer is an academic rank. In the United Kingdom, lecturer is a position at a university or similar institution, often held by academics in their early career stages, who lead research groups and supervise research students, as well as teach...
s who have been in office for more than one year, former Readers and Lecturers who were members of the Council during their tenure of office as such and who continued in the employment of the University until retirement."
The Chancellor
Chancellor (education)
A chancellor or vice-chancellor is the chief executive of a university. Other titles are sometimes used, such as president or rector....
of the University is elected by the General Council and is President
President
A president is a leader of an organization, company, trade union, university, or country.Etymologically, a president is one who presides, who sits in leadership...
of the Council.
Under the Universities (Scotland) Act 1966, new Ordinance
Local ordinance
A local ordinance is a law usually found in a municipal code.-United States:In the United States, these laws are enforced locally in addition to state law and federal law.-Japan:...
s and Resolution
Resolution (law)
A resolution is a written motion adopted by a deliberative body. The substance of the resolution can be anything that can normally be proposed as a motion. For long or important motions, though, it is often better to have them written out so that discussion is easier or so that it can be...
s are communicated in draft form to the General Council, whose opinion thereon is taken into consideration.
Standing orders of the General Council
- Statutory Meetings - The Council shall assemble twice each year, such meetings to be held on the last Saturday in January and the last Saturday in June (subject to alteration from time to time by resolution of the Council with the approval of the University Court).
- Special Meetings - Special meetings of the Council shall be called through the Clerk either at the request of the Business Committee, made by a majority of all its members, or at the request of not less than fifty members of the Council.
- QuorumQuorumA quorum is the minimum number of members of a deliberative assembly necessary to conduct the business of that group...
- the quorum of the Council shall be twenty. - Chairman - At meetings of the Council, the Chancellor, whom failing the Principal, whom failing the Chancellor's Assessor, whom failing a Council Assessor on Court (in order of seniority), whom failing the Convener of the Business Committee, shall preside; in the absence of all of these, a Chairman shall be elected by the meeting. No member of the Senatus Academicus shall preside at a meeting of the Council during that part of the business devoted to the election of an Assessor on the University Court. In every case the Chairman has a deliberative and also a casting voteCasting voteA casting vote is a vote given to the presiding officer of a council or legislative body to resolve a deadlock and which can be exercised only when such a deadlock exists...
. - Committees - The Council shall appoint and determine the duties of a Business Committee. From time to time the Council may appoint other committees to report on any matter remitted to them or to carry out instructions given to them by the Council.
- Notice of Motion - Notice of every motion except procedural motions to be proposed at a meeting of the Council shall be given to the Clerk in writing, signed by the member giving it, at least eight days prior to the date of the meeting in question. If the Chairman is satisfied that due notice could not reasonably have been given in respect of a specific item of business, this Order may be suspended, for the sole purpose of discussing the business in question, on the vote of two-thirds of the members present at a meeting of the Council.
Business Committee
The affairs of the Council are conducted by a Business Committee exercising duties determined by the Council in accordance with the Council's instructions.The Constitution and duties of the Business Committee, as determined by the Council, are as follows:-
Constitution of the Business Committee
- The Business Committee shall consist of:
(a) Members ex officio
(b) Elected Members
- The following shall be members ex officio:
(a) The Principal.
(b) The Chancellor's Assessor on the University Court.
(c) The Assessors of the General Council on the University Court.
(d) The Conveners of all other Committees (and standing Sub-Committees) of the General Council.
(e) Two of the co-opted members of the University Court who are alumni.
- (a) The elected members shall be twelve in number.
(b) They shall hold office for four years.
(c) Subject to paragraph 5(b) below, they shall not be eligible for re-election until one year has elapsed from the date of demitting office.
- (a) The election of members shall take place annually at the second statutory half-yearly meeting of the General Council; but a casual vacancy may be filled at either statutory half-yearly meeting.
(b) In the case of a casual vacancy the person elected to fill it shall retire when the member (s)he succeeded would in ordinary rotation have retired, and shall be eligible for immediate re-election.
- (a) When necessary, the Convener and the Vice Convener shall be elected by the Business Committee from among its elected members at the first meeting following the second statutory half-yearly meeting of the General Council serving until their ordinary membership term expires.
(b) On the expiry of their ordinary term, the Convener and the Vice Convener shall be eligible for immediate re-election as an ordinary member of the committee, and on such re-election shall be eligible for re-election as Convener or Vice Convener.
(c) The Convener and Vice Convener shall be ex officio members of all the committees of the Council.