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The Chancellorship

1. Introduction

Sir Robert Worcester’s appointment as Chancellor of the University is due to end on 31 July 2013. 

Statute 4.1 The Chancellor, prescribes that “The Chancellor shall be appointed by the Council after consultation with the Senate.”  Statute 4.2 provides for a 5 year term of office and for a second and final term of 5 years.  Statute 4.4 indicates the Chancellor’s role to confer degrees and Ordinance 9.1 provides for the Chancellor “to preside over meetings of the Court.”  Ordinance 27.2 prescribes that the Chancellor is a member of the Honorary Degrees Committee.

The following arrangements for the appointment of his successor from 1 August 2013 were approved by Council on 30 March 2012. 

2. Timetable

March 2012
Council to be asked to approve the establishment of a Joint Committee to bring forward a recommendation for appointment as the University’s next Chancellor and to the arrangements and indicative timetable given below.

April 2012
Copies of this Paper forwarded to Senate.

June 2012
Senate and Council to approve the names of their appointees on the Joint Committee. The Joint Committee to hold its first meeting.

July/August 2012
An announcement of the need to appoint a new Chancellor of the University from 1 August 2013 to be made to all staff, student* and lay* members of the University (*on Council and Court) and suggestions for appointments as Chancellor to be invited.

Autumn Term 2012
Meetings of the Joint Committee to be held as it decided necessary.

Spring Term 2013
Further meetings of the Joint Committee as it decided necessary.  A recommendation for appointment to be presented to Council for approval following consultation with Senate (meeting date(s) to be determined as appropriate).

July 2013
The Chancellor-elect to attend Congregations and at one of these to be formally installed as Chancellor to take office from 1 August 2013.

3        Membership of the Joint Committee

Senate and Council have agreed the following membership of the Joint Committee.
         
Ex Officio:
Chair of Council (Chair)    John Simmonds
Vice-Chancellor                 Professor Dame Julia Goodfellow
Council:       4 lay members appointed by Council*
Tony Quigley, Colin Carmichael, Elaine Colville, Her Honour Judge Adèle Williams
Senate:        4 members of staff appointed by Senate (to include at least one non-academic staff member)**
David Nightingale, Professor Louis Passfield, Professor Sally Sheldon, Dr Louise Naylor
Students:  President of the Students’ Union and a postgraduate student nominated by the President
Tom Ritchie
Deborah Smith
Total: 12 members

*/** determined as follows:

Council appointees:  The Chair of the Council was asked “to recommend a representative and balanced group from the Council’s lay membership.., this taking into account such factors as expertise, experience, interests, judgement and strategic perspective…for the Council to approve.”  One member was the Deputy Chair of the Council.

Senate appointees:  “Deans of the Faculties or nominees to be charged to consult within the University and bring forward recommendations for appointment …, this to take full account of the following… an appropriate range of subject areas; gender balance; senior and junior staff views; experience within the University and elsewhere; the ability to adopt a strategic perspective… for Senate to approve”.  One member was the Senior Deputy Vice-Chancellor and a second was the non-academic staff representative on Council.  The Secretary to the Council acted as Convenor for the Deans’ meeting(s).

The Joint Committee held its first meeting on 26 June 2012.

4.       Criteria for consideration of persons for appointment as Chancellor

The criteria for appointment as agreed by Senate and Council, with textual amendments agreed by the Joint Committee, are as follows.

1. The Chancellor should be someone from whom students could be proud to receive their degrees.
2. He/she should be able to demonstrate the highest quality and integrity in his/her chosen walk of life.
3. He/she should have a clear commitment to the values of the University in teaching, research, in openness and in public service.
4. He/she should have a general interest in higher education and in extending it to a wide group of people.
5. He/she should be supportive of the University’s European and international role.
6. An interest in the academic areas represented in the University would be desirable.
7. He/she should not be currently active in national politics although political experience could be valuable.
8. The Chancellor should not hold comparable office at any other HE institution.
9. Whilst a previous connection with the University, the City of Canterbury, or the region of Kent and Medway is likely to be seen as attractive, the Committee has not considered it appropriate to narrow its choice by making this a requirement.