Regulations of Congregation for the Conduct of Ceremonies in Congregation, and certain other Ceremonies

 Forms of Presentation
 Forms of Admission
 Part 5: Encaenia
 Part 6: Religious Services and Sermons
 Committee for the Nomination of Select Preachers
 The summons of preachers
 The qualification of preachers
 The payment of preachers
 Holy Communion
 Sermons to be preached in Full Term in St Mary's Church
 Latin Sermon
 Sermons on the Grace of Humility and the Sin of Pride
 The Ramsden Sermon
 Sermons to be preached elsewhere than in St Mary's Church
 Commemoration of Benefactors
 Part 7: Admission of University Officers
 Admission of the Chancellor
 Admission of the Vice-Chancellor

Forms of Presentation

4.2. The formulae for the presentation of candidates to the Vice-Chancellor under regulation 3.11 in Part 3 of these regulations shall be as follows.

(1) Bachelor of Arts

Insignissime Vice-Cancellarie, vosque egregii Procuratores, praesento vobis hunc meum scholarem (or hos meos scholares) in facultate Artium, ut admittatur (or admittantur) ad gradum Baccalaurei in Artibus.

(2) Master of Arts

Insignissime, etc., praesento vobis hunc Baccalaureum (or hos Baccalaureos) in facultate Artium, ut admittatur (or admittantur) ad incipiendum in eadem facultate.

(3) Bachelor of Music

Insignissime, etc., praesento vobis hunc meum scholarem in facultate Musicae, ut admittatur ad gradum Baccalaurei in eadem facultate; ad quam admissionem eum aptum, habilem et idoneum esse, sub chirographis hominum in arte musica peritissimorum abunde testatum accepistis.

(4) Doctor of Music

Insignissime, etc., praesento vobis hunc Baccalaureum in facultate Musicae, ut admittatur ad incipiendum in eadem facultate; ad quam admissionem, etc. (as above).

(5) Bachelor of Philosophy

Insignissime, etc., praesento vobis hunc meum scholarem (or hunc Baccalaureum or Magistrum) in facultate Artium ut admittatur ad gradum Baccalaurei in Philosophia.

(6) Doctor of Philosophy

Insignissime, etc., praesento vobis hunc meum scholarem (or hunc Baccalaureum or Magistrum) in facultate Artium ut admittatur ad gradum Doctoris in Philosophia.

(7) Doctor of Letters; Doctor of Science

Insignissime, etc., praesento vobis hunc Magistrum in facultate Artium (or Baccalaureum in Litteris or Scientia) ut admittatur ad gradum Doctoris in Litteris (or Scientia).

(8) Bachelor of Medicine

Insignissime, etc., praesento vobis hunc Studiosum in Medicina ut admittatur ad gradum Baccalaurei in eadem facultate.

(9) Master of Surgery

Insignissime, etc., praesento vobis hunc Baccalaureum Chirurgiae, ut admittatur ad incipiendum in eadem faultate.

(10) Doctor of Medicine

Insignissime, etc., praesento vobis hunc Baccalaureum in Medicina, ut admittaur ad incipiendum in eadem facultate.

(11) Bachelor of Civil Law

Insignissime, etc., praesento vobis hunc Studiosum in Jure Civili, ut admittatur ad gradum Baccalaurei in eadem facultate.

(12) Doctor of Civil Law

Insignissime, etc., praesento vobis hunc Baccalaureum in Jure Civili, ut admittatur ad incipiendum in eadem facultate.

(13) Bachelor of Divinity

Insignissime, etc., praesento vobis hunc Studiosum in S. Theologia, ut admittatur ad gradum Baccalaurei in eadem facultate.

(14) Doctor of Divinity

Insignissime, etc., praesento vobis hunc Magistrum (or Baccalaureum or meum scholarem) facultatis Artium (or Doctorem in Philosophia or Magistrum or Baccalaureum in Litteris or in Scientia), ut admittatur ad incipiendum in facultate S. Theologiae.

(15) Master of Science

Insignissime, etc., praesento vobis hunc meum scholarem (or hunc Baccalaureum or Magistrum) in facultate Artium ut admittatur ad gradum Magistri in Scientia.

(16) Bachelor of Fine Art

Insignissime, etc., praesento vobis hunc meum scholarem, ut admittatur ad gradum Baccalaurei in Bellis Artibus.

(17) Master of Letters, Philosophy

Insignissime, etc., praesento vobis hunc meum scholarem (or hunc Baccalaureum or Magistrum) in facultate Artium ut admittatur ad gradum Magistri in Litteris (or in Philosophia).

(18) Master of Studies

Insignissime, etc., praesento vobis hunc meum scholarem (or hunc Baccalaureum or Magistrum) in facultate Artium ut admittatur ad gradum Magistri in Studiis.

(19) Magister Juris

Insignissime, etc., praesento vobis hunc meum scholarem (or hunc Baccalaureum or Magistrum) in facultate Artium ut admittatur ad gradum Magistri Juris.

(20) Master of Theology; Bachelor of Theology

Insignissime, etc., praesento vobis hunc meum scholarem in Theologia (or hunc Baccalaureum or Magistrum in facultate Artium), ut admittatur ad gradum Magistri (or Baccalaurei) in Theologia.

(21) Master of Biochemistry, Chemistry, Computer Science, Earth Sciences, Engineering, Mathematics, Physics, Mathematics and Computer Science, Mathematics and Philosophy, Physics and Philosophy, and Computer Science and Philosophy

Insignissime, etc., praesento vobis hos meos scholares in facultate Artium, ut admittantur ad gradum Magistri in Biochimia, vel Chimia, vel Scientia Computatoria, vel Scientiis Terrenis, vel Ingeniaria, vel Mathematica, vel Physica, vel Mathematica et Scientia Computatoria, vel Mathematica et Philosophia, vel Physica et Philosophia, vel Scientia Computatoria et Philosophia prout in schedula a Registrario scriptum est.

(22) Master of Business Administration

Insignissime, etc., praesento vobis hunc meum scholarem (or hunc Baccalaureum or Magistrum) in facultate Artium ut admittatur ad gradum Magistri in Negotiis Administrandis.

(23) Master of Fine Art

Insignissime, etc., praesento vobis hunc meum scholarem (or hunc Baccalaureum or Magistrum) in facultate Artium ut admittatur ad gradum Magistri in Bellis Artibus.

(24) Doctor of Clinical Psychology

Insignissime, etc., praesento vobis hunc meum scholarem in Psychologia Medica (or hunc Baccalaureum or Magistrum) ut admittatur ad gradum Doctoris in Psychologia Medica.

(25) Doctor of Engineering

Insignissime, etc., praesento vobis hunc meum scholarem in Ingeniaria (or hunc Baccalaureum or Magistrum) ut admittatur ad gradum Doctoris in Ingeniaria.

Forms of Admission

4.3. The forms of admission under regulation 3.14 in Part 3 of these regulations shall be as follows.

(1) Bachelor of Music

Domine (or Domini, if more than one), ego admitto te (or vos) ad gradum Baccalaurei in Musica.

(2) Doctor of Music

Domine or Magister (or Domini or Magistri), ego auctoritate mea et totius Universitatis do tibi (or vobis) licentiam incipiendi in facultate Musicae.

(3) Bachelor of Arts

Domine (or Domini), ego admitto te (or vos) ad gradum Baccalaurei in Artibus; insuper auctoritate mea et totius Universitatis, do tibi (or vobis) potestatem legendi, et reliqua omnia faciendi quae ad eundem gradum spectant.

(4) Bachelor of Philosophy

Domine or Magister (or Domini or Magistri), ego admitto te (or vos) ad gradum Baccalaurei in Philosophia.

(5) Bachelor of Medicine

Domine or Magister (or Domini or Magistri), ego admitto te (or vos) ad gradum Baccalaurei in Medicina.

(6) Bachelor of Civil Law

Domine or Magister (or Domini or Magistri), ego admitto te (or vos) ad gradum Baccalaurei in Jure Civili.

(7) Bachelor of Divinity

Domine or Magister (or Domini or Magistri), ego admitto te (or vos) ad gradum Baccalaurei in S. Theologia.

(8) Doctor of Philosophy

Domine or Magister (or Domini or Magistri), ego admitto te (or vos) ad gradum Doctoris in Philosophia.

(9) Doctor of Letters; Doctor of Science

Domine or Magister (or Domini or Magistri), ego admitto te (or vos) ad gradum Doctoris in Litteris or Scientia.

(10) Master of Science

Domine or Magister (or Domini or Magistri), ego admitto te (or vos) ad gradum Magistri in Scientia.

(11) Bachelor of Fine Art

Domine (or Domini), ego admitto te (or vos) ad gradum Baccalaurei in Bellis Artibus.

(12) Master of Letters, Philosophy

Domine or Magister (or Domini or Magistri), ego admitto te (or vos) ad gradum Magistri in Litteris (or in Philosophia).

(13) Master of Studies

Domine or Magister (or Domini or Magistri), ego admitto te (or vos) ad gradum Magistri in Studiis.

(14) Magister Juris

Domine or Magister (or Domini or Magistri), ego admitto te (or vos) ad gradum Magistri Juris.

(15) Master of Theology; Bachelor of Theology

Domine (or Magister) (or Domini or Magistri) ego admitto te (or vos) ad gradum Magistri (or Baccalaurei) in Theologia.

(16) Master of Biochemistry, Chemistry, Computer Science, Earth Sciences, Engineering, Mathematics, Physics, Mathematics and Computer Science, Mathematics and Philosophy, Physics and Philosophy, and Computer Science and Philosophy

Domini, ego admitto vos ad gradum Magistri in Biochimia, vel Chimia, vel Scientia Computatoria, vel Scientiis Terrenis, vel Ingeniaria, vel Mathematica, vel Physica, vel Mathematica et Scientia Computatoria, vel Mathematica et Philosophia, vel Physica et Philosophia, vel Scientia Computatoria et Philosophia prout in schedula a Registrario scriptum est; insuper auctoritate mea et totius Universitatis, do vobis potestatem legendi, et reliqua omnia faciendi quae ad eundem gradum spectant.

(17) Master of Business Administration

Domine or Magister (or Domini or Magistri), ego admitto te (or vos) ad gradum Magistri in Negotiis Administrandis.

(18) Master of Fine Art

Domine or Magister (or Domini or Magistri), ego admitto te (or vos) ad gradum Magistri in Bellis Artibus.

(19) Doctor of Clinical Psychology

Domine or Magister (or Domini or Magistri), ego admitto te (or vos) ad gradum Doctoris in Psychologia Medica.

(20) Doctor of Engineering

Domine or Magister (or Domini or Magistri), ego admitto te (or vos) ad gradum Doctoris in Ingeniaria.

(21) Other degrees

Domine or Magister (or Domini or Magistri), ego auctoritate mea et totius Universitatis do tibi (or vobis) licentiam incipiendi in facultate Artium (or facultate Chirurgiae, Medicinae, Juris, S. Theologiae) legendi, disputandi, et caetera omnia faciendi quae ad statum Doctoris (or Magistri) in eadem facultate pertinent, cum ea completa sint quae per statuta requiruntur.

Part 5: Encaenia

5.1. The ceremony of the Encaenia shall be held in each academic year for the commemoration of the benefactors of the University, for the conferment of Honorary Degrees, and for such other business as Council may determine.

5.2. The form of the ceremony shall be determined by Council.

5.3. The day for holding the Encaenia in any year shall be appointed by Council before the end of the fourth week of Trinity Full Term in the preceding year.

5.4. The Encaenia shall be held in the Sheldonian Theatre unless the Vice-Chancellor, with the consent of Council, appoints some other place for holding the Encaenia in any year.

5.5. When the Encaenia is held in the Sheldonian Theatre, the Curators of the Theatre shall make arrangements for the conduct of the ceremony.

Part 6: Religious Services and Sermons

Committee for the Nomination of Select Preachers

6.1 Select Preachers shall be nominated by a committee consisting of:

(1) a person appointed by the Vice-Chancellor, who shall be chairman of the committee;

(2), one of the Proctors or the Assessor, as may be agreed between them;

(3), (4), two professors in the Faculty of Theology and Religion elected by the professors in that faculty;

(5), (6) two members of Congregation elected by Congregation;

(7) the Vicar of St. Mary's Church.

6.2 The elected members of the committee shall hold office for four years and shall be re-eligible.

6.3 The committee shall nominate Select Preachers in each Michaelmas Term; and the consent of four members of the committee, one of whom must be the chairman, shall be required for a nomination. The committee shall also nominate the preachers of the Court Sermon, the Sermon on the Sin of Pride, the Macbride Sermon, the Sermon on the Grace of Humility, and the Ramsden Sermon.

6.4 The names of the preachers shall be published in the University Gazette.

The summons of preachers

6.5 A person shall be appointed by the Vice-Chancellor to summon those who are to preach.

6.6 The summoner of preachers shall act as secretary to the Committee for the Nomination of Select Preachers.

6.7 If a person who has undertaken to preach is prevented by sudden illness or other urgent cause from preaching, the Vice-Chancellor shall appoint some other qualified person to replace that preacher.

The qualification of preachers

6.8 The Vice-Chancellor and the committee may use such liberty in nominating preachers as may be exercised by a Diocesan Bishop in accordance with resolutions of the Convocations of the Church of England.

6.9 At least three sermons each year shall be preached by members of Congregation.

The payment of preachers

6.10 Council shall determine the payments to be made to preachers nominated under these regulations, including travelling expenses if any preacher is not resident in Oxford, except those nominated under regulations 6.17 (1) and 6.17 (2) below.

Holy Communion

6.11 In the week before each Full Term, the Holy Communion according to the Liturgy of the Church of England shall be celebrated in the Church of St Mary the Virgin, by a person appointed by the Vice-Chancellor.

Sermons to be preached in Full Term in St Mary's Church

6.12 Sermons shall be preached before the University in St. Mary's Church on certain days, namely:

(1) on two Sundays during Michaelmas Full Term, to be determined by the Committee for the Nomination of Select Preachers;

(2) on two Sundays during Hilary Full Term, excepting the first day of Hilary Full Term, to be determined by the Committee for the Nomination of Select Preachers;

(3) on the first day of Hilary Full Term, the Latin Sermon (to be preached in accordance with Regulations 6.13 and 6.14 below);

(4) on one Sunday during Trinity Full Term, to be determined by the Committee for the Nomination of Select Preachers;

(5) on the first Sunday of Michaelmas Term, the Commemoration Day sermon.

Latin Sermon

6.13 On the first day of Hilary Full Term a Latin Sermon (to be preceded by the Litany read by one of the Proctors or by another member of Convocation appointed by them) shall be preached in the Church of St Mary the Virgin by persons nominated in turn by the heads of the colleges and societies, in the customary order of seniority.

6.14 If the head of a college or society to whose turn it falls to nominate the preacher should fail to do so, or if the preacher nominated should be prevented by sudden illness or other urgent cause from preaching, the Vice-Chancellor shall appoint some other qualified person to replace that preacher.

Sermons on the Grace of Humility and the Sin of Pride

6.15 The Sermons on the Grace of Humility and on the Sin of Pride, for which a benefaction was given to the University in 1684 by the Revd William Master, Vicar of Preston, near Cirencester, shall be preached on Quinquagesima Sunday and the last Sunday before Advent respectively, on one of a selection of texts specified by the benefactor.

The Ramsden Sermon

6.16 The Ramsden Sermon, for which a benefaction (now known as the Ramsden Benefaction) was given to the University by Mr J.H. Markland in 1847, shall be preached upon 'Church Extension within the British Commonwealth'.

Sermons to be preached elsewhere than in St Mary's Church

6.17 Sermons shall be preached before the University in certain colleges, on certain days, namely:

(1) in the Cathedral Church of Christ on the first Sunday in Advent and on Whitsunday;

(2) in Magdalen College, on the Sunday in Full Term nearest St Mark's Day, and on the Sunday nearest St John Baptists' Day, unless that is the Sunday before Encaenia, when the sermon shall be preached on the following Sunday;

(3) in Oriel College, on the eighth Sunday of Hilary Full Term;

(4) in Hertford College, the Macbride Sermon (preached in accordance with Part 40 of the Schedule to the Statutes) on the second Sunday in Hilary Term;

(5) in the Cathedral Church of Christ, when a Court Sermon is required;

(6) in Queen's College, on Trinity Sunday;

(7) in rotation, in one of those colleges and societies which have so agreed with the Committee for the Nomination of Select Preachers, the Ramsden Sermon (preached in accordance with Regulation 6.16 above), on the fourth Sunday of Michaelmas Full Term;

(8) in rotation, in one of those colleges and societies which have so agreed with the Committee for the Nomination of Select Preachers, the Sermon on the Sin of Pride (preached in accordance with Regulation 6.15 above), on the last Sunday before Advent;

(9) in rotation, in one of those colleges and societies which have so agreed with the Committee for the Nomination of Select Preachers, the Sermon on the Grace of Humility (preached in accordance with Regulation 6.15 above), on Quinquagesima Sunday.

6.18 In each instance, except those detailed in 6.17 (4), 6.17 (5), 6.17 (7), 6.17 (8) and

6.17 (9) above, the preacher shall be appointed by the college.

Commemoration of Benefactors

6.19 The preacher, in a prayer before the first University sermon after the beginning of term and in the sermon on the morning of the first Sunday of Michaelmas Term, shall make a grateful commemoration of the benefactors of the University, recalling by name those whom Council has decreed shall be commemorated in this way. The list of names shall be divided into three sections, one of which shall be read out in turn at each successive commemoration. The list shall be held by the Committee for the Nomination of Select Preachers and shall be presented to the committee at its meeting in each Michaelmas Term.

Part 7: Admission of University Officers

Admission of the Chancellor

7.1. On the occasion of the admission of the Chancellor, the instrument of his or her election under the Common Seal of the University shall be handed to him or her by the Vice-Chancellor and Senior Proctor, together with the insignia of the office of Chancellor, that is, the statute book, the keys, the seal of office, and the staves of the Bedels.

7.2. At the installation of the Chancellor, the Vice-Chancellor shall say:

'Insignissime et Honoratissime etc. Tu dabis fidem, quod omnia et singula Statuta, Libertates, Consuetudines, Jura, et Privilegia istius Universitatis, quacunque partialitate remota, indifferenter, bene, et fideliter, quantum in te fuerit, et ad tuam notitiam devenerint, durante Officio tuo, tueberis et conservabis.

'Item quod ea omnia fideliter exequeris quae ad Officium summi Universitatis Cancellarii spectant.'

and the Chancellor shall reply: 'Do fidem.'

Admission of the Vice-Chancellor

7.3. On the occasion of the admission of the Vice-Chancellor, the retiring Vice-Chancellor shall address Congregation briefly concerning his or her period of office, hand to the Proctors the statute book, the keys, and the seal of office, and leave his or her place to his or her successor.

7.4. The new Vice-Chancellor shall then give the following undertaking, to be recited by the Senior Proctor:

'Insignissime etc. Tu dabis fidem ad observandum Statuta, Privilegia, Libertates, et Consuetudines istius Universitatis.

'Item tu dabis fidem, quod ea omnia fideliter exequeris quae ad Officium Vice-Cancellarii spectant.'

and the Vice-Chancellor shall reply: 'Do fidem.'

7.5. The new Vice-Chancellor shall then receive the insignia of office from the Proctors, take his or her seat as Vice-Chancellor, and hand to the Senior Proctor a list of the persons whom he or she has selected to act for the time being as Pro-Vice-Chancellors and perform such of his or her functions as he or she shall depute to them.

7.6. (1) The Vice-Chancellor shall then dismiss Congregation, and, accompanied by the Doctors and Masters, shall escort the retiring Vice-Chancellor to his or her college or society (except when the Vice-Chancellor and Proctors determine otherwise at the request of the college or society concerned, or for other good cause).

(2) The Doctors and Masters shall then escort the new Vice-Chancellor to his or her college or society (except when the Vice-Chancellor and Proctors determine otherwise at the request of the college or society concerned, or for other good cause).