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Senate - up to August 2024

At their meetings on 26 June 2024 and 10 July 2024 the Senate and Council approved the outcomes and recommendations of the Academic Governance Review, including the revised terms of reference and constitution of the Senate, to be reflected in Statute 7 and Ordinance 5 (and proposed to the Privy Council, in the case of Statute 7).

This page currently remains live to provide an archive.

Jump down to Terms of ReferenceMembership 
Jump down to Terms of ReferenceTerms of Reference
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Secretariat
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Membership 2023/24

The Vice-Chancellor (Chair)

Professor Stuart Croft

The Provost

Professor Emma Flynn

The Pro-Vice-Chancellors/Academic Vice Presidents

Professor Lorenzo Frigerio
Professor Caroline Meyer
Professor Michael Scott
Professor Simon Swain
Professor Pam Thomas

The Librarian

Anna O'Neill

The Vice-Provosts and Chairs of the Boards of the Faculties:

Arts
Science, Engineering and Medicine
Social Sciences
Professor Rachel Moseley
Professor Mike Ward
Professor James Hayton

The holders of such other posts, including persons charged with the welfare of students, as the Senate may from time to time determine:

The Chair of the Board of Graduate Studies Professor Daniel Branch
The Dean of Students Dr David Lees
The Dean of Warwick Business School Professor Andrew Lockett
The Dean of Warwick Manufacturing Group Professor Robin Clark
The Dean of Warwick Medical School Professor Gavin Perkins

Twenty-four members of the academic staff, appointed by the Boards of the Faculties:

Arts (7 members)

Professor Katherine Astbury (School of Modern Languages and Cultures) (2025)

Professor David Fearn (Classics and Ancient History) (2026)

Dr Teresa Grant (English and Comparative Literary Studies) (2024)

Professor Stuart Hampton-Reeves (School of Creative Arts, Performance and Visual Cultures) (2024)

Professor David Lambert (History) (2025)

Dr Joanne Lee (School of Modern Languages and Cultures) (2026)

Professor Tim Lockley (History) (2024)

Science, Engineering and Medicine (10 members)

Professor Gary Bending (Life Sciences) (2025)

Dr Nikola Chmel (Chemistry) (2026)

Professor Gill Cooke (Warwick Manufacturing Group) (2025)

Professor David Davies (Warwick Medical School) (2024)

Professor Jon Forster (Statistics) (2025)

Professor John Murphy (Engineering) (2026)

Professor Mark Newton (Physics) (2025)

Professor James Robinson (Maths) (2025)

Professor Yulia Timofeeva (Computer Science) (2025)

Professor Derrick Watson (Psychology) (2025)

Social Sciences (7 members)

Professor Matthew Clayton (Politics and International Studies) (2024)

Professor Fiona Copland (School of Education, Learning and Communication Sciences) (2026)

Professor Ruth Hewston (Centre for Lifelong Learning) (2024)

Professor Nina-Anne Lawrence (Foundation Studies) (2025)

Professor Ulf Liebe (Sociology) (2026)

Professor Guy Longworth (Philosophy) (2025)

Professor Noortje Marres (Centre for Interdisciplinary Methodologies) (2024)

Six members appointed by the Assembly of whom: four should be academic staff, and two should be professional services staff. Not more than two of the academic staff members appointed by the Assembly should be Professors, however any serving academic representative of the Assembly promoted to Professor during their term of office will be able to complete their full term.

Dr Freeha Azmat (2025)

Ali Collins (2026)

Professor Charlotte Heath-Kelly (2025)

Dr Bo Kelestyn (2026)

Professor Gabrielle Lynch (2024)

Clare Watters (2024)

The President of the Students' Union Anna Taylor (2024)
Two registered students of the University elected by registered students of the University Vaishnavi Ravi (2024)
Holly Roffe (2024)

The year after a member’s name indicates that their term of office expires on 31 July of that year.

In Attendance

Registrar (Secretary)
Director of Education Policy and Quality (Assistant Secretary)
Assistant Registrar (Governance) (Senate support)
Academic Registrar
Group Finance Director
Secretary to Council

Terms of Reference

In accordance with Statute 8 (Powers of the Senate):

(1) The Senate will be the supreme academic authority of the University.

(2) Subject to the powers reserved to the Council by these Statutes, the Senate will take such measures and act in such a manner as appears to it best calculated to:

(a) promote the academic work of the University, both in teaching and research;

(b) regulate the education and discipline of the students of the University.

(3) The powers, duties and functions of the Senate will be set out in Ordinance.

(4) Subject to the Charter and these Statutes, the Senate may delegate any of its powers, duties and functions to a committee, or to any person or body.

In accordance with Ordinance 5 (The Senate: Powers of the Senate):

The Senate will, subject to the Charter and the Statutes, in addition to all other powers vested in it, have the following powers, duties and functions:

(1) To regulate and control, after considering the views of the Faculty Boards, all teaching, courses of study and the conditions qualifying for admission to the various titles, degrees and other distinctions offered by the University.

(2) To regulate the admission and progression of persons to courses of study.

(3) To recommend to the Council the establishment of Faculties; and to recommend to the Council after consultation with the Faculty Boards the establishment of Departments.

(4) To appoint members of the Senate to be members of the Council as provided for under Statute 5.

(5) To appoint jointly with the Council the Chancellor as provided for in Ordinance 3.

(6) To recommend to the Council the establishment of new academic posts in the University.

(7) To advise and make recommendations to the Council on matters affecting the appointment, duties and conditions of service of all members of the Academic Staff.

(8) To review from time to time the duties and conditions of service of all members of the Academic Staff.

(9) To recommend to the Council the appointment of the Professors, Readers and the Librarian of the University.

(10) To recommend to the Council the appointment of Associate Professors, Assistant Professors and other persons of the Academic Staff whose appointment is not provided for elsewhere in the Statutes.

(11) To grant Honorary Degrees, the title of Emeritus Professor or other University distinctions.

(12) To regulate all University examinations and to appoint examiners, whether internal or external.

(13) To prescribe the requirements of the University for matriculation.

(14) To recommend the establishment of degrees.

(15) To grant degrees and other academic distinctions to persons who have pursued in the University a course of study approved by the Senate and have passed the examinations of the University under the conditions laid down in the Regulations.

(16) To grant diplomas, licences or certificates to persons who have pursued a course of study approved by the Senate under conditions laid down by it.

(17) To grant degrees, diplomas, licences, certificates and other academic distinctions to persons who have pursued a course of study offered by the University in conjunction with another institution, the joint course of study having been approved by the Senate under conditions laid down by it.

(18) To accept such examinations and periods of study at such universities and places of learning as the Senate may approve as equivalent to such examinations and periods of study in the University as the Senate may determine.

(19) To accept courses of study in any other institution which in the opinion of the Senate possesses the means of affording the proper instruction for such courses of study in the University as the Senate may determine.

(20) To define what formalities will determine the conferment of degrees and other distinctions.

(21) To revoke any degrees or other distinctions conferred by the University, and all privileges connected with them for good cause.

(22) To advise the Council on the allocation of resources for teaching and research.

(23) To advise the Council on priorities for new buildings and on the long-term development plan of the University.

(24) To be responsible for the general administration of the University Library.

(25) To recommend to the Council the institution of Fellowships, Scholarships, Studentships, Prizes and other aids to study and research.

(26) To supervise the extra-mural work of the University.

(27) To make recommendations to the Council on any matter of interest to the University.

(28) To regulate the use of academic dress in the University.

(29) To regulate the discipline of the University and to determine in what manner disciplinary powers shall be exercised.

(30) To make recommendations to the Council concerning the constitution of the Students’ Union and on any other matter relating to supervising organisations of students.

(31) To make recommendations to the Council concerning the welfare of the students of the University.

(32) To express an opinion on any matter or thing pertinent to the University and its affairs.

(33) Generally to exercise all such powers as are or may be conferred on the Senate by the Charter and the Statutes and the Ordinances including the power to make Regulations, in the exercise of those powers of the Senate.

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Reporting Structure

The following committees report directly to the Senate [links removed as part of archive]:
Academic Resourcing Committee
Academic Staff Committee
Education Committee
Research Committee

The following committees are joint committees of the Senate and the Council:
Honorary Degrees Committee
Research Governance and Ethics Committee
Social Inclusion Committee

> Information on the Senate Sub-Group

> Diagrammatic representation of the Committee Structure.

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Secretariat

Secretary and Clerk to the Senate: Rachel Sandby-Thomas, Registrar

Assistant Secretary: Dan Derricott, Director of Education Policy & Quality

Please use senate@warwick.ac.uk in the first instance to make contact with the Senate Secretariat.

Timetable for Submission and Report Templates

The Secretary should be notified of items of business for the Senate three and a half weeks in advance of a meeting.

Timetable for submission of papers to the Senate in 2023-24

Reports for Senate must always include a cover sheet .

The report template must be used for all reports other than onward Committee reporting.

The Key Issues and Status Report template (with actions) or Key Issues and Status Report template (with risks) should be used for onward Committee reporting.

Where a Committee reports jointly to Senate and Council, the same report can usually be used. Please speak to the Senate Secretariat for advice.

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Meetings

Dates of meetings of the Senate can be found within the University Committee Timetable.

Click here to access minutes of previous meetings.

Standing Orders

The Standing Orders(PDF Document) of the Senate were approved at the meeting of the Senate held on 20 September 2023.

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