General Council (Scottish university)
Encyclopedia
The General Council of an ancient university
in Scotland
is the corporate body of all graduates
and senior academics of each university
. They were instituted by the Universities (Scotland) Act 1858, but each has had its constitution
and organisation considerably altered by subsequent statute
s.
The Act of 1858 established a tripartite structure of the General Council (advisory body), University Court
(finance
and administration), and Academic Senate
(academic affairs).
The Chancellor
of each university is elected by the General Council and is President
of the Council.
, who shall consider the same, and return to the Council their deliverance thereon.
Each Council elects 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.)
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 General Council of the four ancient universities
in Scotland
is an advisory body to the respective university
whose membership is all the graduates
and academics of the university.
The most significant functions of the General Council is appointing people to serve on the University Court
(the governing body of each university), of whom there must be at least four, and of electing the Chancellor
. The Chancellor is the titular head of the university and serves for life.
Its terms of reference also include the requirement to "take into consideration all questions affecting the well-being and prosperity of the University" and "make representations from time to time on such questions to the University Court". These activities are carried out by half-yearly meetings whilst a Business Committee prepares the papers put forward to these meetings.
was relatively successful. It was felt that Aberdeen
would benefit from the union of its two institutions. St Andrews
was slowly recovering from the lean times of the 18th century but still had problems with dilapidated buildings. However, it was the problems of government at Edinburgh University: a dispute between the professor
s and the Town Council
, ending in the courts, that led to the Royal Commission on the Universities and Colleges of Scotland, established in 1826. This Commission reported in 1831 after exhaustive work and recommended that university court
s look after administrative and financial matters, while academic senate
s would determine matters related to teaching.
The conversion of the Commission's report into legislation
was much delayed by political expediency. During this time the alumni of the universities, led by James Lorimer
, began to push for reforms beyond those of the Commission, including giving the graduates some voice in the government of the universities. The creation of a corporate body of graduates would enhance the value of graduation and introduce young minds to the running of the universities. In addition, such a body would, "be a means for inducing those alumni who become prosperous and influential, to promote the interests of institutions with which they had thus all along continued to be connected." By this Lorimer had in mind the endowment of the universities by wealthy graduates.
Others, loosely connected with Lorimer's group, saw the possibility of securing a parliamentary vote for graduates and this indeed came to pass. The Scottish universities elected three members of Parliament
up until the abolition of pluralism in the Act
of 1948.
In 1857 Lorimer was invited to draft what was to become the Universities (Scotland) Act 1858, which established the Court
, Senate
and General Council structure.
The University of St Andrews takes the winter meeting to other venues than St Andrews
has been reasonably successful in boosting attendances. These meetings can be a good way to identify potential new members of Court. The University is keen to maintain a dialogue with graduates. There is the possibility in future that digital communications may assist members who are spread around the world to contribute.
The activities General Councils now are primarily geared towards consideration of the longer term future of each university and to promoting the history and culture connected with each university.
Ancient universities of Scotland
The ancient universities of Scotland are medieval and renaissance universities which continue to exist until the present day. The majority of the ancient universities of the British Isles are located within Scotland, and have a number of distinctive features in common, being governed by a series of...
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...
is the corporate body of all graduates
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 each university
University
A university is an institution of higher education and research, which grants academic degrees in a variety of subjects. A university is an organisation that provides both undergraduate education and postgraduate education...
. They were instituted by the Universities (Scotland) Act 1858, but each has had 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 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.
The Act of 1858 established a tripartite structure of the General Council (advisory body), University Court
University 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...
(finance
Finance
"Finance" is often defined simply as the management of money or “funds” management Modern finance, however, is a family of business activity that includes the origination, marketing, and management of cash and money surrogates through a variety of capital accounts, instruments, and markets created...
and administration), and Academic Senate
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:...
(academic affairs).
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 each 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.
Role
The business of each Council is to take into consideration all questions affecting the well-being and prosperity of each 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.
Each Council elects 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.)
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.
The General Council of the four ancient universities
Ancient university
Ancient university is a term used to describe seven medieval and renaissance universities of the United Kingdom and Ireland that exist today. Six of those universities are currently located in the United Kingdom and one in the Republic of Ireland...
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...
is an advisory body to the respective university
University
A university is an institution of higher education and research, which grants academic degrees in a variety of subjects. A university is an organisation that provides both undergraduate education and postgraduate education...
whose membership is all the graduates
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 academics of the university.
The most significant functions of the General Council is appointing people to serve on the University Court
University 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...
(the governing body of each university), of whom there must be at least four, and of electing 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....
. The Chancellor is the titular head of the university and serves for life.
Its terms of reference also include the requirement to "take into consideration all questions affecting the well-being and prosperity of the University" and "make representations from time to time on such questions to the University Court". These activities are carried out by half-yearly meetings whilst a Business Committee prepares the papers put forward to these meetings.
History
The origins of the General Council lie in the reforming spirit of the 19th century. The universities at that time suffered from varying degrees of difficulty. GlasgowUniversity of Glasgow
The University of Glasgow is the fourth-oldest university in the English-speaking world and one of Scotland's four ancient universities. Located in Glasgow, the university was founded in 1451 and is presently one of seventeen British higher education institutions ranked amongst the top 100 of the...
was relatively successful. It was felt that Aberdeen
University of Aberdeen
The University of Aberdeen, an ancient university founded in 1495, in Aberdeen, Scotland, is a British university. It is the third oldest university in Scotland, and the fifth oldest in the United Kingdom and wider English-speaking world...
would benefit from the union of its two institutions. 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...
was slowly recovering from the lean times of the 18th century but still had problems with dilapidated buildings. However, it was the problems of government at Edinburgh University: a dispute between the professor
Professor
A 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 the Town Council
Burgh
A burgh was an autonomous corporate entity in Scotland and Northern England, usually a town. This type of administrative division existed from the 12th century, when King David I created the first royal burghs. Burgh status was broadly analogous to borough status, found in the rest of the United...
, ending in the courts, that led to the Royal Commission on the Universities and Colleges of Scotland, established in 1826. This Commission reported in 1831 after exhaustive work and recommended that university court
University 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...
s look after administrative and financial matters, while academic senate
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:...
s would determine matters related to teaching.
The conversion of the Commission's report into legislation
Legislation
Legislation is law which has been promulgated by a legislature or other governing body, or the process of making it...
was much delayed by political expediency. During this time the alumni of the universities, led by James Lorimer
James Lorimer (jurist)
James Lorimer was a Scottish jurist and professor of public law.-Life:Lorimer was born in Aberdalgie in Perthshire.He was admitted to the Scottish bar in 1845...
, began to push for reforms beyond those of the Commission, including giving the graduates some voice in the government of the universities. The creation of a corporate body of graduates would enhance the value of graduation and introduce young minds to the running of the universities. In addition, such a body would, "be a means for inducing those alumni who become prosperous and influential, to promote the interests of institutions with which they had thus all along continued to be connected." By this Lorimer had in mind the endowment of the universities by wealthy graduates.
Others, loosely connected with Lorimer's group, saw the possibility of securing a parliamentary vote for graduates and this indeed came to pass. The Scottish universities elected three members of Parliament
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
up until the abolition of pluralism in the Act
Representation of the People Act 1948
The Representation of the People Act 1948 was an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom that altered the law relating to parliamentary and local elections...
of 1948.
In 1857 Lorimer was invited to draft what was to become the Universities (Scotland) Act 1858, which established the Court
University 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...
, Senate
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:...
and General Council structure.
Current situation
Today, General Councils are generally limited in the issues to which it can competently contribute since its response time is essentially the six months between meetings. The Royal Commission of 1876, appointed to investigate the results of the act of 1858, found that, "the attendance at the meetings of Council is relatively very smalI," and the same comment is applicable today.The University of St Andrews takes the winter meeting to other venues than St Andrews
St Andrews
St Andrews is a university town and former royal burgh on the east coast of Fife in Scotland. The town is named after Saint Andrew the Apostle.St Andrews has a population of 16,680, making this the fifth largest settlement in Fife....
has been reasonably successful in boosting attendances. These meetings can be a good way to identify potential new members of Court. The University is keen to maintain a dialogue with graduates. There is the possibility in future that digital communications may assist members who are spread around the world to contribute.
The activities General Councils now are primarily geared towards consideration of the longer term future of each university and to promoting the history and culture connected with each university.
See also
- General Council of the University of Aberdeen
- General Council of the University of Dundee
- General Council of the University of Edinburgh
- General Council of the University of Glasgow
- General Council of the University of St Andrews