Oxford University Gazette, 27 October 2005: University Agenda
CONGREGATION 1 November 2 p.m.
Proposals for changes in governance: Topic for
Discussion
Council agreed in Trinity Term 2005 that the discussion on the governance proposals should
take place in Congregation on 1 November 2005 rather than on 28 June (see
Gazette, Vol. 135, p. 976). Under the regulation governing topics for
discussion, no vote is taken but it is the duty of Council to give consideration to the remarks
made.
This discussion is part of the continuing process of consultation on possible changes
to the University's governance arrangements. The review of the governance system was
initiated in Michaelmas Term 2004 with the appointment of a working party consisting of the
following: the Vice-Chancellor, the Principal of Somerville, Professor K. Burnett, Mr B.J.
Taylor, Dr J.F. Wheater, and Professor D.J. Womersley.
After an initial consultative exercise in which comments were invited on the operation
of the governance arrangements established in 2000, the working party produced, in the
course of Hilary Term 2005, a Green Paper which was the subject of extensive discussion
in colleges and university bodies at the end of Hilary Term, over the Easter Vacation and
into Trinity Term. Most comments made during this process have been published on the Web
at
http://www.admin.ox.ac.uk/vc/gov/responses.shtml. The Governance Working Party
has continued its discussions in the
light of those comments and its further report was published as a supplement to the
Gazette on 29 September 2005. It is intended that the discussion in
Congregation on 1 November will focus on this paper and in particular on the proposals
made for changes. These are significantly different from the original proposals made in the
Green Paper.
In the light of the discussion,
and the comments submitted by 18 November from university bodies, colleges, and
individuals in response to the request in the consultative paper,
Council and the working party will consider any
necessary further arrangements for consultation and what detailed proposals to put forward
formally.
Members of Congregation who wish to speak in the discussion of this topic are asked
to inform Mr Vice-Chancellor, if possible by 27 October, and also to indicate what particular
issues they wish to address, as this will help to determine the order in which speakers are
called. As long as time permits, any member of Congregation will be free to speak, however,
whether or not they have given notice in advance.
The regulation governing topics for discussion is Part 6 of Regulations for the Conduct
of Business in Congregation (Congregation Regulations 2 of 2002).
It is intended to publish on the Web the written comments which are submitted (unless
those who reply indicate that they do not wish their comments to be made generally
available), and
it would therefore be helpful to receive these electronically.
Note: since this notice was last published in the Gazette, the written
legal advice given in connection with the initial Green Paper has been published on the Web
at
http://www.admin.ox.ac.uk/vc/gov/legal.shtml.
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CONGREGATION 15 November 2 p.m.
2 Voting on Resolutions authorising expenditure from
the Higher Studies Fund
(i) That the University be authorised to expend from that part of the Higher Studies
Fund earmarked for Social Studies an extension of the existing grant of £15k per
annum for a further and final three years from 2007 to 2010 for the purchase of Chinese
books for the Bodleian.
(ii) That the University be authorised to expend from that part of the Higher Studies
Fund earmarked for Social Studies the sum of approximately £10k to enable the
Bodleian to purchase the People's Daily in electronic format.
(iii) That the University be authorised to expend from that part of the Higher Studies
Fund earmarked for Social Studies the sum of £125k over the two years 2006 and 2007
to provide research support for the incoming Professor of Educational Studies, Professor
Marsh.
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