How the University works

The Council

The Council is the principal executive and policy-making body of the University. It has overall responsibility for the administration of the University, for defining its mission, for planning its work, and for the management of its resources. The Council deals with relations between the University and the Colleges, conducts negotiations with outside bodies on many matters (other than those relating directly to the educational and research programme of the University, which are dealt with by the General Board). It is responsible for the appointment or nomination of certain members of internal and external Committees, and for many student matters, (excluding the selection of entrants, which is a College concern).

The Council consists of:

  • the Chancellor (who does not usually attend);
  • the Vice-Chancellor (the usual Chairman);

nineteen elected members in the following classes:

  1. four Heads of Colleges;
  2. four Professors or Readers;
  3. eight other members of the Regent House;
  4. three current students of the University (one must be a graduate student).

Members in the first three classes are elected by the Regent House. Members in the fourth class are elected by the student body under rules of procedure determined by Ordinance.

The Council also includes four External members who are appointed by Grace of the Regent House. The External members may not be employed by the University or a College. One of the External members chairs the Council's Audit Committee.

The Secretary of the Council is the Registrary.

The title of this document is: University of Cambridge: how the University works
URL: http://www.cam.ac.uk/univ/works/council.html

Last updated: 01/02/2012

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The Council