Statement of Senate Delegations

1

To grant degrees and other academic or University qualifications:

Responsibility for the granting of taught degrees has been delegated to Boards of Examiners by custom and practice.
Responsibility for the granting of research degrees has been delegated to the Chairs of Faculty Education Committees (Postgraduate).

2

To establish, regularly review and uphold academic standards of the University:

Within the overall responsibility for academic standards retained by Senate:

A new periodic review process for reviewing both Education and Research within departments was agreed by Senate at its meeting on 22 June 2010, and will be implemented in 2011/12. The review process will be overseen by Education Committee and Research Committee.

Education
Education Committee has responsibility for advising Senate on the policies and procedures for the maintenance and enhancement of quality and standards and overseeing the implementation of such policies.

Senate has agreed to delegate specific responsibility to Education Committee within the qualification framework agreed by Senate:

a) to approve new programmes;
b) to approve changes to existing programmes and withdrawal of programmes;
c) to forward reports on action taken under this delegated responsibility to Senate annually.

Education Committee is responsible for ensuring that periodic reviews of departments are undertaken in respect of each department's educational provision and for reporting on such reviews through the Quality and Standards Sub-Committee to Education Committee for approval. The Quality and Standards Sub-Committee is responsible for considering the reports of these reviews and reporting on this to Education Committee. Quality and Standards Sub-Committee is also responsible for considering reports from Faculty Periodic Review and Accreditation Panels on the follow-up to periodic reviews, signing off such reviews on behalf of EC and reporting on this to EC.

Education Committee has responsibility on behalf of Senate for College reviews, with detailed consideration of College review reports being undertaken by its Student Experience sub-committee.

Research
Research performance is also kept under review as part of the annual Faculty planning process, which is overseen by UEC. Research Committee and UEC regularly monitor data on research grants and PGR students.

In May 2006 Senate agreed to a new strategy for research centres and institutes. Research centres are overseen by Faculty Research Groups. Research Committee has responsibility for overseeing research institutes and for bringing proposals for new research institutes to Senate for approval.

3

To appoint internal and external examiners:

a) higher degree examiners: responsibility for approval of higher degree examiners has been delegated by Senate to Education Committee (normally through chair's action). A list of examiners so approved is reported to Senate annually (by being laid on the table for consultation by members).

b) undergraduate programme examiners: responsibility for approval of undergraduate programme examiners is delegated to Education Committee (normally through chair's action). A list of examiners so approved will be reported to Senate annually (by being laid on the table for consultation by members).

4

To approve examinations at other institutions as equivalent to those at the University:

The Quality and Standards Sub-Committee is responsible for considering proposals for collaborative partnerships from other organisations and making recommendations on these proposals to Education Committee, which has delegated authority from Senate for the approval of collaborative partnerships that are deemed to be low risk. Where the proposed partnership is medium or high risk the authority to approve such partnerships remains with Senate.

5

To regulate University examinations, to oversee examination policies, and procedures:

Faculty Education Committees (Undergraduate and Postgraduate) are responsible for considering any issues raised in external examiners' reports relating to curriculum and teaching matters.

Quality and Standards Sub-Committee is responsible for considering faculty summaries of external examiners' reports and the responses of departments to these reports, and University-wide overview of all examiners' reports, reporting to Education Committee on the conduct of this process and issues arising from it.

In accordance with Standing Orders, Boards of Studies are responsible ‘for the proper conduct of examinations in the subject, the recommendation for appointment of internal and external examiners, and the provision of guidance on conventions to the Board of Examiners.'

The responsibilities of a Board of Examiners as set out in the Learning and Teaching Handbook include, on behalf of Senate: arranging the division of work of assessment among its members, assessing the performance of students taking courses/modules in its subject, drawing up a list of marks for each examination, publishing the requirements of each course/module and ensuring the marking conventions and schemes are in accordance with them, appointing and briefing members to serve as its representative on General Examinations Boards.

Faculty Education Committees (Undergraduate and Postgraduate) are responsible for monitoring the conduct of Boards of Examiners as detailed in the minutes of these boards. Quality and Standards Sub-Committee is responsible for considering faculty overviews of these minutes and a University overview, reporting to Education Committee on the conduct of Boards of Examiners and any issues arising from this.

6

To recommend to the Council the establishment of new academic posts or that vacant academic posts not be filled:

Working within the budget and scheme of financial delegation approved by Finance and General Purpose Committee and Council, decisions to create new academic posts or fill vacant academic posts has in practice been delegated to Pro-Vice-Chancellors (Heads of Faculties), the Registrar and the Treasurer as budget holders. In so doing, Pro-Vice-Chancellors (Heads of Faculties) work with their academic departments. Pro-Vice-Chancellors (Heads of Faculties) must also operate within the planning and budgeting framework determined by UEC, which is a Joint Committee of Senate and Council, and has responsibility for managing the University's budget.

7

To satisfy itself that the duties and conditions of service of academic staff are satisfactory:

The Academic Progression Committee is responsible for advising Senate and Council on matters related to the promotion of academic staff and recommending criteria for promotion, and on matters relating to academic probation and the confirmation of academic staff in their appointments. Senate and Council, therefore, retain responsibility for approving the overall framework for academic progression.

Within this framework, Senate and Council have agreed to delegate to Academic Progression Committee authority to make decisions on the promotion of individual academic staff and to make decisions relating to individual academic staff probation. Academic Progression Committee reports regularly to Senate and Council on decisions made under this delegation.

Senate and Council have delegated responsibility for other HR matters to UEC which is advised by an HR Steering Group.

8

To recommend to the Council the appointment within the University of members of academic staff:

Senate and Council have agreed that authority to appoint members of academic staff (other than Canon Professors) be delegated to Heads of Faculty and Heads of Division, in conjunction with the Director of HR. A report of appointments made under this delegation is forwarded for information to Senate and Council.

The responsibility for the appointment to Statutory Officer posts (e.g. Vice-Chancellor, Pro-Vice-Chancellor, etc) is retained by Senate and Council and is not included in this delegation.

9

To ensure the regulation of discipline of students within the University, and to determine in what manner disciplinary powers shall be exercised:

Responsibility for the regulation of student discipline has been delegated by Senate to Senate Discipline Committee through the Discipline Regulations, which are part of the University's General Regulations. Senate Discipline Committee forwards an annual report to Senate and the limits of penalties imposed by Senate Discipline Committee may be reviewed periodically by authority of Senate and Council.

To regulate and control the conditions qualifying for matriculation and for admission to the various titles, degrees and other distinctions offered by the University:

Responsibility for the regulation and control of the conditions for matriculation and admission to distinctions offered by the University is delegated by Senate as detailed in the University's General Regulations and Regulations on Admissions and Matriculation published in the University Calendar Volume II.

Responsibility for the conferral of the titles Honorary Professor and Visiting Professor has been delegated by Senate to the Vice-Chancellor who reports the conferral of these titles to Senate periodically.

Responsibility for the conferral of the Honorary and Visiting Fellows and Associates has been delegated to the Pro-Vice-Chancellors (Heads of Faculty) and Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Research).