Statute IX: Officers of the University

Approved with effect from 1 October 2002
(Supplement (1) to Gazette No. 4633, 9 October 2002)
Amended with effect from 10 October 2006

1. The following are the officers of the University:

(1) the Chancellor;

(2) the High Steward;

(3) the Vice-Chancellor;

(4) the Vice-Chancellor-elect;

(5) the Pro-Vice-Chancellors;

(6) the Proctors;

(7) the Pro-Proctors;

(8) the Assessor;

(9) the Registrar;

(10) the Public Orator;

(11) the Bedels;

(12) the Deputy Steward;

(13) the Clerks of the Market;

(14) the Verger of the University.

Chancellor

2. The Chancellor shall be elected by Convocation and shall hold office during his or her life or until his or her resignation.

3. There shall be a Chancellor's Court of Benefactors to membership of which the Chancellor may from time to time admit major benefactors of the University.

4. The Chancellor shall have such other functions and powers as are assigned to him or her by the statutes and regulations or by the law of the land.

5. In the event of the incapacity or absence abroad of the Chancellor, or during a vacancy in the Chancellorship, or on delegation from the Chancellor, the Vice-Chancellor may exercise any of the functions and powers of the Chancellor, except where the statutes provide otherwise.

High Steward

6. (1) The High Steward shall be appointed by the Chancellor and shall hold office until he or she reaches the age of 75 or until his or her resignation, whichever is the earlier.

(2) If the Chancellor has made no appointment within three months of the office becoming vacant, Council shall make the appointment.

7. The High Steward shall have such functions and powers as are assigned to him or her by the statutes, by the Chancellor, or by regulation.

Vice-Chancellor

8. The procedures for the appointment of the Vice-Chancellor shall be laid down by Council by regulation.

9. The Vice-Chancellor shall have such functions and powers as are assigned to him or her by the statutes or by Council, whether by regulation or otherwise, or by the law of the land.

10. (1) The Vice-Chancellor shall by virtue of his or her office be chairman of all committees and other bodies of which he or she is a member, unless the statutes or regulations concerning the body in question provide otherwise.

(2) When a person becomes Vice-Chancellor, he or she shall (unless he or she resigns) remain a member of all committees of which he or she was formerly a member, except boards of electors of which he or she was formerly an elected or appointed member.

(3) Notwithstanding any provisions of the statutes and regulations concerning the composition of committees and other bodies and the appointment of chairmen and vice-chairmen, the Vice-Chancellor may attend any meeting of any committee or other body set up by or under the authority of the statutes and may take the chair at it if he or she so wishes, or may appoint any member of Congregation (whether a member of the committee or not) to attend any meeting on his or her behalf and to take the chair if he or she so directs, except that the Vice-Chancellor shall not have the right to take the chair or to appoint a chairman in the case of a meeting at which the Chancellor is present.

11. Subject to the provisions of the statutes and regulations, the Vice-Chancellor may delegate any of his or her functions and powers to any member of Congregation, but such delegations may be withdrawn (either generally or in respect of a specific item) at any time and shall not relieve the Vice-Chancellor of general responsibility for the matters delegated.

Vice-Chancellor-elect

12. A person appointed Vice-Chancellor under the regulations made in accordance with section 8 above shall be known as the Vice-Chancellor-elect until such time as he or she takes up office.

13. The Vice-Chancellor-elect shall be entitled to attend and to speak at meetings of Council and of all committees of Council from the time of the approval by Congregation of his or her appointment to the time at which he or she takes up office, but shall not be entitled to vote at any such meeting.

14. The Vice-Chancellor-elect shall have such other functions and powers as are assigned to him or her by the statutes and regulations.

Pro-Vice-Chancellors

15. The procedures for the appointment of Pro-Vice-Chancellors shall be laid down by Council by regulation.

16. The Pro-Vice-Chancellors shall have such functions and powers as are or shall be assigned to them by the statutes and regulations, or by the Vice-Chancellor under the provisions of sections 10 (3) and 11 of this statute.

Proctors

17. (1) There shall be two Proctors who shall be members of Congregation who have not previously held the office of Proctor or Assessor and who, on the day on which they take up office will have been members of Congregation for at least five years.

(2) The Proctors shall be elected annually under a procedure laid down by Council by regulation.

18. The Proctors shall have such functions and powers as are assigned to them by the statutes and regulations.

19. (1) The Proctors shall take an active part in the business of the University.

(2) Each Proctor shall have the right to see the papers of, and to attend and speak at any meeting of, any committee or other body set up by or under the authority of the statutes; but he or she shall not have the right to vote (unless a member of the committee), nor shall he or she be sent the papers of any committee of which he or she is not a member unless he or she so requests.

20. The Proctors shall see that examinations are properly conducted and in accordance with the statutes and regulations concerning them; and they may make such regulations concerning conduct in examinations as they consider necessary.

21. The Proctors shall attend the Chancellor or his or her deputy at official university ceremonies and presentations for degrees, and on other university and public occasions at the Chancellor's request.

22. The Proctors shall be available for consultation by members of the University, and may investigate complaints in accordance with regulations made by Council; and may summon any member of the University before them to assist in their investigations, any failure to attend without reasonable cause being an offence under section 2 of Statute XI.

23. The Proctors shall generally ensure that the statutes, regulations, customs, and privileges of the University are observed.

Pro-Proctors

24. Each Proctor shall, at the time of admission to office, appoint two Pro-Proctors, being members of Congregation, each of whom shall act as deputy for the Proctor appointing him or her on such occasions as that Proctor shall determine.

25. (1) At any time during his or her period of office a Proctor may, subject to the approval of the Vice-Chancellor, appoint additional Pro-Proctors, being members of Congregation.

(2) Each such additional Pro-Proctor shall act as deputy to the Proctor appointing him or her on such occasions and for such periods as that Proctor shall determine.

(3) Each such additional Pro-Proctor shall be admitted to office by the Vice-Chancellor as soon as possible after appointment, and his or her name shall be published in the University Gazette.

Assessor

26. (1) There shall be an Assessor who shall be a member of Congregation who has not previously held the office of Proctor or Assessor and who, on the day on which he or she takes up office will have been a member of Congregation for at least five years.

(2) The Assessor shall be elected annually under a procedure laid down by Council by regulation.

27. (1) The Assessor shall take an active part in the business of the University.

(2) The Assessor shall have the right to see the papers of, and to attend and speak at any meeting of, any committee or other body set up by or under the authority of the statutes; but he or she shall not have the right to vote (unless a member of the committee), nor shall he or she be sent the papers of any committee of which he or she is not a member unless he or she so requests.

28. The Assessor shall undertake any inquiry or special study of any matter concerning the policy or administration of the University at the request of Council.

29. The Assessor shall perform such other duties as are assigned to him or her by the statutes and regulations.

Registrar

30. The Registrar shall be appointed by Council.

31. The Registrar shall act as principal adviser on strategic policy to the Vice-Chancellor and to Council, and shall ensure effective co-ordination of advice from other officers to the Vice-Chancellor, Council, and other university bodies.

32. The Registrar shall have such other functions and powers as are assigned to him or her by the statutes and regulations, or by the Vice-Chancellor under the provisions of section 11 of this statute.

Public Orator

33. The Public Orator shall be elected by Congregation from among the members of Convocation.

34. The Public Orator's duties shall be to present those who are to be admitted to an honorary degree and to deliver an oration about each one; to compose letters and addresses at the direction of Council; to make speeches at the reception of members of royal families, and on other important occasions, at the direction of the Vice-Chancellor; to deliver the Creweian Oration when required by the Vice-Chancellor; and to perform any other functions that may be laid down by statute or regulation.

35. If the Public Orator is on any occasion prevented from performing the duties of his or her office, he or she may appoint a member of Congregation, subject to the approval of the Vice-Chancellor, to act as deputy on that occasion; or if he or she is unable to appoint a deputy, the Vice-Chancellor shall appoint one.

Bedels

36. There shall ordinarily be four Bedels, who shall be appointed by the Vice-Chancellor and Proctors under arrangements laid down by Council by regulation.

37. At the Encaenia and on special occasions the Vice-Chancellor may appoint two extraordinary Bedels.

38. The duties of the Bedels shall be laid down by Council by regulation.

Deputy Steward and Clerks of the Market

39. (1) The Chancellor may appoint a person of distinction to hold the honorary office of Deputy Steward.

(2) The Chancellor and the Vice-Chancellor may each appoint a person of distinction to hold the honorary office of Clerk of the Market.

(3) All such appointments shall be reported to Congregation.

Verger of the University

40. The Vice-Chancellor and Proctors may nominate a Verger of the University whose duties and conditions of appointment shall be laid down by Council by regulation.

Remuneration

41. The remuneration of the officers of the University shall be determined by Council.