Standing Orders of the Council
Any of the duties or functions of the Chair under these Standing Orders shall be exercised by the Vice-Chair in the absence of the Chair.
(1) Meetings
(a) Ordinary meetings of the Council shall be held at such times and in such places as the Council may from time to time determine; one such meeting at least shall be held during each term.
(b) Special meetings of the Council may be held at such times and in such places as the Council may determine.
(c) Extraordinary meetings may be summoned by the Chair in cases of urgency, and shall be summoned by him on a written requisition signed by twenty members of the Council.
(d) Notices of meetings, specifying time and place of the intended meeting and the business to be transacted at the meeting and signed by or on behalf of the Registrar, shall be issued to every member of the Council at least four working days before any meeting of the Council, but the Chair of the Council may authorise a meeting to be summoned upon such shorter notice as s/he shall think justified by the urgency of the case.
(e) At special meetings and at extraordinary meetings no business shall be taken which does not appear on the agenda paper.
(2) Order of Business
(a) Subject to the discretion of the Chair, the order of business at an ordinary meeting of the Council shall be as follows:
(i) Items of business which require the full and detailed consideration of the Council, to be determined by the Chair of the Council, in the following order:
(A) the Minutes of the previous ordinary (and of any subsequent special or extraordinary) meeting;
(B) any matters arising on the Minutes;
(C) any business which the Chair may bring forward;
(D) any business which the Vice-Chancellor may bring forward;
(E) any business required by the Statutes, Ordinances, Regulations or Standing Orders to be done;
(F) business (if any) remaining from the previous meeting;
(G) report of the Senate;
(H) reports from the Committees of the Council;
(I) questions and notices of motions;
(J) other major items of business of which notice appears on the agenda paper, and motions and questions of which notice has been given, in the order in which they have been received.
(ii) Items of business deemed to be non-controversial, as determined by the Chair of the Council, which may be approved or received with the minimum of consideration and discussion, in the following order:
(A) business (if any) remaining from the previous meeting;
(B) report of the Senate;
(C) reports from the Committees of the Council;
(D) any business required by the Statutes, Ordinances, Regulations or Standing Orders to be done;
(b) It will be assumed that members of the Council will have read all the papers circulated.
(c) Papers circulated to members of the Council may not be published outside the University, or made the subject of public comment, without the agreement of the Council. Members of the Council must use their discretion if they wish to discuss the contents of such papers privately with persons whose opinion they wish to obtain and they must themselves accept responsibility for the consequences of any such disclosure.
(d) The contents of any papers circulated to members of Council which are marked ‘Strictly Confidential’ must in no circumstances be divulged or discussed with any person who is not a member of Council without the consent of the Council. The Council may at any meeting by a vote decide to remove the category of ‘Strictly Confidential’ from any paper which has been so circulated.
(3) Business of Council
(a) The full terms of motions not arising out of the business under discussion (except a motion for the suspension of Standing Orders) shall be given to the Registrar in writing, signed by the members proposing and seconding the motion not later than 9.30am on the fourth working day before the date on which the Council is to meet.
(b) No motion may be rescinded or altered in the University term in which it is passed or in the term immediately following, nor may any motion which has been rejected be moved again in the term in which it was rejected or in the term immediately following, unless the notice of the motion proposing to rescind or alter a motion which has been passed, or to re-introduce a rejected motion, be signed by ten members of the Council.
(c) No motion shall be discussed or put to the vote unless it has been proposed and seconded. When a motion which arises out of the business under discussion has been proposed and seconded, the proposer shall, if required by the Chair, provide the Chair with a copy of the motion in writing and this shall be read out before discussion of the motion proceeds, and again before a vote is taken.
(d) No motion of which notice appears on the agenda paper shall be proceeded with in the absence of the member in whose name it stands, unless he shall have requested some other member to take it up in his place; the motion, if not so taken up, shall be considered as dropped and shall not be moved without fresh notice.
(e) No motion which has been moved and seconded shall be withdrawn or altered without the consent of a majority of members present.
(f) No motion which carries financial implications for the University shall be voted upon at the Council without the Council first having sought advice on the implications from its Finance and General Purposes Committee.
(g) No motion which contains matters which fall within the terms of reference of the Building Committee shall be voted upon at Council without the Council first having sought advice on the implications from its Building Committee.
(h) Except by permission of the Chair, no member shall speak more than once on the same motion or amendment except the mover of a motion in reply, as hereinafter provided, or to a point of order or in explanation, but, on an amendment being moved, any member who has spoken to the original motion may speak again to the amendment.
(i) The mover of an original motion shall be entitled to reply, but in replying he shall not introduce new matter and, after he has begun his reply, no other member shall speak on the question. The mover of an amendment shall not be entitled to reply.
(j) Any member of Council may ask the Chair any question relating to business which is within the jurisdiction of Council. Notice of any such question shall, if the Chair desires, after being read, be delivered in writing to the Registrar.
(k) Notices shall state the date on which it is proposed that the motion shall be moved or the question shall be asked.
(l) No Standing Order shall be made, altered or rescinded except upon a motion of which due notice has been given at or before a previous meeting of the Council.
(m) Any member may propose, with the permission of the Chair, one of the procedural motions listed below at any time during a meeting. The proposer of a procedural motion may speak to it and if a seconder can be found the seconder may also speak. The motion shall then be put to the Council without further debate. No amendment may be proposed to a procedural motion, unless it relates to the time of adjournment, and no member may, under cover of a question on a procedural motion, discuss any other subject. The procedural motions which may be proposed are:
That the Council adjourn for (time specified);
That the debate be adjourned at (time);
That the question be put ;
That the question be not put ;
That the Council proceed to the next business;
That the matter be referred back to committee.
(n) All questions of order shall be decided by the Chair whose decision shall be final.
(o) Every matter shall be determined by the majority of the members present and voting on the motion, except where a postal ballot of all members shall have been ordered. In the case of equality of votes the Chair shall have a casting vote whether or not he has voted before on the motion.
(p) A postal ballot of all members may be ordered at a meeting of the Council by the Chair or on a vote of two-thirds of the members of the Council present and voting.
(q) A postal ballot of all members may be ordered by the Chair between scheduled meetings of the Council.
(r) A motion for the suspension of Standing Orders shall only be carried if two-thirds of the members present are in favour of it.
(4) Honorary Degrees
(a) All members of the Council and the Senate shall be invited once each year to submit to the Honorary Degrees Committee, through the Vice-Chancellor, in confidence, nominations for honorary degrees, provided that they shall also have the right to submit nominations in confidence to the Vice-Chancellor at any time.
(b) The Honorary Degrees Committee (hereinafter referred to as ‘The Committee’) shall be appointed annually by the Council and shall be composed as follows:
The Chair of the Council, who shall be Chair of the Committee
The Vice-Chancellor
The Deputy Vice-Chancellor
The Pro-Vice-Chancellors
Three lay members of the Council appointed by the Council
The Committee shall meet at least once in each academic year to consider the names of persons on whom it is proposed to confer honorary degrees.
(c) The Committee shall consider and report to the second meeting of the Council in the Autumn term upon the nominations submitted to it provided that, with the consent of two-thirds of the members present at the meeting:
(i) The Committee may itself make additional nominations for honorary degrees and may seek additional nominations from other members of the University in order to obtain a properly balanced list.
(ii) The Committee may seek advice from members of the University on the merits of these candidates under consideration.
The Committee shall recommend the names of the persons on whom it is proposed that honorary degrees shall be conferred in each case, bearing in mind the purpose for which the honorary degrees of Doctor and Master have been instituted.
(d) The list of names recommended by the Committee shall be put to the vote by the Council, and if the list receives a majority of the votes of the members of the Council present at the meeting the list shall be deemed to have been approved in its entirety. If the list does not receive a majority of the votes the Council shall determine by ballot the names to be approved, and an honorary degree shall not be conferred upon any person who does not receive a majority of the votes of the members of the Council present at the meeting.
(e) If the Council withholds approval of any of the names recommended by the Committee, or if any of the persons whose names have been approved by the Council is unable to accept nomination, the Committee may, as soon thereafter as may be, submit additional recommendations for the conferment of honorary degrees. The Council shall vote upon the names so proposed under the procedure laid down under (d) above.
(f) The whole proceedings in the selection of honorary graduands shall be held to be strictly private, and no communication regarding the proceedings shall be made, without the authority of the Council, to any person who is not a member of the Council.
(g) In accordance with the powers contained in Statute 18(9) the University Council on the recommendation of the Senate has instituted the following honorary degrees:
Doctor of Laws (LLD)
Doctor of Letters (DLitt)
Doctor of Science (DSc)
Master of Arts (MA)
Master of Science (MSc)
The honorary degrees of Doctor of Laws, Doctor of Letters and Doctor of Science shall be conferred upon persons of high intellectual or cultural distinction.
The honorary degrees of Master of Arts and Master of Science shall be conferred upon persons who have served the University or the community, and for whom the award of such a degree would be a proper form of recognition by the University.
(5) Terms of Reference of Standing Committees of Council
Advisory Committee on the Appointment of Chairs of Departments
(a) To keep under review matters concerning the duties and responsibilities of Chairs of Departments.
(b) To advise the Council on the effective management of Departments, and, in the exercise of that responsibility to receive and approve, on behalf of the Council, nominations for appointment of Chairs of Departments, saving those cases where a point of principle arises which requires consideration by the Council. Exceptionally, the Committee may wish to advise Departments of its views arising on the nominations submitted.
(c) To approve on behalf of the Council the appointment of Professors Responsible in those cases where a non-professional Chair of Department has been nominated for Professorial appointment, saving those cases where a point of principle arises which requires consideration by the Council.
(d) To advise the Council on all matters pertaining to the procedure on appointment of Chairs of Departments.
Strategy Committee
To consider the inter-related question of academic, financial and physical planning in order to advise Senate and Council on strategic issues for decision by the University and to make recommendations to the Senate, the Council or committees thereof on particular matters of forward development.
Building Committee
(a) To advise the Council on the physical planning of the University including review of the University's Estates Strategy.
(b) To approve on behalf of the Council the plans and programme of construction for University building projects, including additions and/or alterations to existing buildings and for the plans for landscaping of the University.
(c) To approve on behalf of the Council the acquisition of freehold and leasehold property subject:
(i) to the release of appropriate funding by the Finance and General Purposes Committee
(ii) to the consent of the Council in any case which represented any significant departure from the University's Estates Strategy or Development Plan
(d) To approve, on behalf of the Council, the programme for the repair and maintenance of University buildings, engineering services, grounds, gardens and roads. In cases where a major problem or priority arises in respect of such repair and maintenance, the Building Committee will make recommendations to the Council.
Equal Opportunities Committee
(a) To make recommendations to the Senate, the Finance and General Purposes Committee and the Council, as appropriate, on the following matters:
(i) the steps to be taken by the University to comply with the Sex Discrimination and Equal Pay Act, the Race Relations Act and the Disability Discrimination Act, together with relevant case law and codes of practice issued under the Acts.
(ii) the preparation of an institutional action plan to ensure that equal opportunities policies are translated into programmes of action.
(iii) revisions to the University's Equal Opportunities Policy.
(b) To co-ordinate and monitor the implementation of the institutional action and any action required under (i)(A) above.
(c) To monitor the implementation of the University's Equal Opportunities Policy and to ensure that all such documentation complies with the law, is effectively disseminated and, where appropriate, is complied with by the University members and staff.
(d) To monitor:
(i) the composition of the University's workforce and student body.
(ii) University practice regarding the admission of students and recruitment of staff.
(e) To consult widely with all relevant groups in the University in pursuance of the terms of reference of the Committee.
Finance and General Purposes Committee
(a) To act as a general purpose and executive committee with power to act on all day-to-day matters not within the province of any other committee of the Council.
(b) To advise and make recommendations to the Council regarding the financial policy and management of the University within the context of the University Financial Plan and in particular:
(i) to consider and approve budgets of all funds under the control of the University (other than those mentioned at (e) and (e) below);
(ii) to allocate funds to the Senate for academic purposes within the context of the University Financial Plan;
(iii) to exercise budgetary control over all funds of the University;
(iv) to manage investments;
(v) to prepare the annual accounts.
(c) To act, on behalf of the Council, in the following specific areas:
(i) To approve on behalf of the Council, in the light of recommendations of the Senate and the Estimates and Grants Committee, the establishment of academic posts in the University.
(ii) To suspend or abolish on behalf of the Council, in the light of recommendations of the Senate or the Estimates and Grants Committee, any academic post excluding posts created by University Statutes.
(iii) To approve on behalf of the Council, after considering the recommendations of the Senate, all University fees for courses of studies, saving those cases where a point of principle arises which requires consideration by the Council.
(iv) To approve on behalf of the Council, in the light of recommendations of the Senate, the establishment of Fellowships, Studentships, Scholarships and Prizes.
(v) To consider and approve on behalf of the Council the annual accounts for individual areas of University activity, noting that approval of the annual consolidated accounts of the University is the responsibility of the Council.
(vi) To approve on behalf of the Council the annual accounts for the Union of Students.
(vii) To approve on behalf of the Council the release of resources to fund University activities which have been provided for within the University's Financial Plan.
(viii) To approve on behalf of the Council the release of funds for capital projects which hve not been provided for within the University's Financial Plan, up to a maximum value of £500k, noting that ratification of the release of such funds would be sought at the next scheduled meeting of the Council.
(d) To have general oversight of funds for which the Building Committee is primarily responsible, e.g. for the construction of buildings.
(e) To have general oversight of the funds for which some other committee of the University may be made primarily responsible.
(f) To be responsible to the Council for the recruitment, training, promotion, resignation, dismissal, retirement and conditions of service of all non-academic staff, provided that all such staff shall have a right to appeal to the Council in the event of dismissal.
(g) To have executive powers to deal with matters of importance which would normally be referred to the Council, but which are agreed by the Chair of the Committee and the Vice-Chancellor to require decision as a matter of urgency, such decisions to be reported to the next meeting of the Committee and the Council.
(h) To take such action as it may consider necessary, including the negotiation of any legal proceedings, in pursuance of the management and protection of University property and the maintenance of good order.
(i) To deal with other matters referred to it by the Council.
Arts Centre Board
(a) To advise the Director of the Arts Centre and the Council on the management of the Arts Centre and the development of related artistic activity in the University.
(b) To approve, for submission to the Council, the Annual Report of the Director of the Arts Centre.
Careers Service Advisory Board
To maintain and develop the Careers Service in its task of assisting students and graduates of the University in the selection of their careers and obtaining suitable employment.
Honorary Degrees Committee
To consider and make recommendations on the names of persons on whom it is proposed to confer honorary degrees.
Information Technology Policy Committee
(a) To make recommendations on IT strategy for the University and the resource needs to implement it.
(b) To develop policies and standards of the University IT infrastructure and its operation.
(c) To develop policies and standards for academic and business systems.
(d) To develop policies and standards for management, teaching and learning information.
(e) To allocate, monitor and review the resources made available by the Strategy Committee to the various IT functions in the University, and to make an annual report to the Strategy Committee.
Lord Rootes Memorial Fund Committee
To draft appropriate notices and regulations for awards, to consider applications for awards and to make recommendations to the Trustees.
Nominations Committee
(a) To keep under review the periods of membership of persons appointed to lay membership of the Council.
(b) To keep under review the extent to which the membership of the Council is broadly representative of the public and appropriate to the interests of the University.
(c) To receive suggestions from any member of the University as to the names of persons who might be considered for appointment to lay membership of the Council.
(d) To take pro-active steps to attract nominations and suggestions for appointment to lay membership of the Council from within and without the University.
(e) To make such nominations as the Committee considers appropriate for appointment to lay membership of the Council.
(f) To keep under review and to recommend to the Council the appointment of lay members of the Council and individuals external to the University to membership of Council Committees.
Remuneration Committee
To determine and review the remuneration packages for the Vice-Chancellor and the Registrar and other senior members of the University staff whom it is deemed appropriate to refer to the Committee.
Safety Committee
(a) To advise the University Council, through Senate, on all matters relating to the safety of staff, students and members of the public entering the precincts of the University, and matters that might affect their health.
(b) To draw the attention of the University Council, through Senate, to the legal obligations of the University in respect of safety and health, including obligations towards members of the public who might be affected by the activities of the University.
(c) To oversee the implementation of safety and health policy, in co-operation, where appropriate, with the University Medical Officer.
Audit Committee
(a) To advise the governing body on the appointment of the external auditors, the audit fee, the provision of any non-audit services by the external auditors and any questions of the external auditors and any questions of resignation or dismissal of the external auditors.
(b) To discuss if necessary with the external auditors, before the audit begins, the nature and scope of the audit.
(c) To discuss with the external auditors problems and reservations arising from the interim and final audits, including a review of the management letter incorporating management responses, and any other matters the external auditors may wish to discuss (in the absence of management where necessary).
(d) To consider and advise the governing body on the appointment and terms of engagement of the internal audit service (and the head of internal audit, if applicable), the audit fee, provision of any non-audit services by the internal auditors and any questions of resignation or dismissal of the internal auditors.
(e) To review the internal auditors' audit needs assessment and the audit plan; to consider major findings of internal audit investigations and management's response; and promote co-ordination between the internal and external auditors. The Committee will ensure that the resources made available for internal audit are sufficient to meet the institution's needs (or make a recommendation to the governing body as appropriate).
(f) To keep under review the effectiveness of internal control systems, and in particular to review the external auditors' management letter, the internal auditors' annual report and management responses.
(g) To monitor the implementation of agreed audit-based recommendations.
(h) To ensure that all significant losses have been properly investigated and that the internal and external auditors, and where appropriate the HEFCE Accounting Officer, have been informed.
(i) To oversee the institution's policy on fraud and irregularity, including being notified of any action taken under that policy.
(j) To satisfy itself that satisfactory arrengement are in place to promote economy, efficiency and effectiveness.
(k) To receive any relevant repors from the National Audit Office, the HEFCE and other organisations.
(l) To monitor annually the performance and effectiveness of external and internal auditors, and to make recommendations to the governing body concerning their re-appointment, where appropriate.
(m) To consider elements of the annual financial statements in the presence of the external auditor, including the auditor's formal opinion, the statement of members' responsibilities and any corporate governance statement.
Art Collection Committee
(a) To be responsible to the Council for the management of the University’s Collection of Works of Art and for its development.
(b) To approve a Collection management plan and to receive reports and recommendations on its implementation and review.
(c) To approve, for submission to the Council, an annual report from the Curator on the Collection.
Research Ethics Committee
(a) To recommend to the Council and the Senate such policies as may be required on issues of ethics and conduct in relation to research.
(b) To provide the Council and the Senate with a detailed annual monitoring report on the work of the Committee and the operation of the research governance framework in the University.
(c) To advise the Council and the Senate of any policies that may be required in relation to accepting funds from particular sponsors of research.
(d) To review the University's Codes of Practice on Research Conduct and Research Misconduct and to recommend to the Council and the Senate proposals for their approval and amendment.
(e) To approve arrangements brought forward by academic departments for the approval and monitoring within that department of research activities containing ethical implications.
(f) To receive regular reports on the activities of the Research Ethics Sub-Committees established by academic departments to oversee procedures to approve and monitor research activities with potential ethical implications.
(g) To approve and monitor research activities with potential ethical implications and departmental procedures for maintaining such activities from those academic departments without delegated Research Ethics Sub-Committees.
(h) To act as the final body of appeal and final decision on any disputed matter concerning research ethics and conduct.