Statute IV: Congregation

1. Congregation shall have the following legislative and other functions, powers, and duties:

(1) to decide on proposals submitted to it by Council for amending, repealing, or adding to the statutes or regulations;

(2) to decide on resolutions submitted by any twenty or more of its members that Council should be instructed to make proposals for amending, repealing, or adding to the statutes or regulations;

(3) to consider any other resolutions submitted to it by Council or by any twenty or more of its members;

(4) to exercise the powers in relation to regulations assigned to it in section 18 of Statute VI;

(5) to take note of the replies to questions asked by any two or more of its members;

(6) to confer degrees;

(7) to make the elections laid down for it in any statute or regulation;

(8) to approve the appointment of the Vice-Chancellor;

(9) to perform any further duties or to exercise any further powers laid down for it in any statute or regulation.

2. (1) Any resolution passed by Congregation or other act done or decision taken by Congregation in accordance with the statutes and regulations shall bind the whole University.

(2) A decision taken by Congregation to amend, repeal, or add to any of the following statutes shall not take effect without the approval of His Majesty in Council:

Statute I
Statute III
Statute IV (sections 1-4 only)
Statute V (section 1 only)
Statute VI (sections 1-20 only)
Statute XII
Statute XV (sections 1-6 only)
Statute XVII

(3) A decision taken by Congregation to amend, repeal, or add to Part D of Statute XVI or the Schedule shall not take effect without the approval of His Majesty in Council unless that Part or the Schedule expressly permits.

(4) To cover some specific case, Council may (where it is otherwise lawful to do so) by resolution suspend the operation of any statute other than:

(a) the statutes specified in sub-section (2) above; or

(b) so much of Part D of Statute XVI and the Schedule as cannot be amended, repealed, or added to without the approval of His Majesty in Council.

3. Congregation shall consist of the following:

(1) the Chancellor;

(2) the High Steward;

(3) the Vice-Chancellor;

(4) the Proctors;

(5) the members of the faculties;

(6) the heads of all the colleges, societies, and Permanent Private Halls referred to in Statute V;

(7) the members of the governing bodies of all the colleges and societies referred to in Statute V (but not of the Permanent Private Halls);

(8) the principal bursar or treasurer of each of the colleges and societies referred to in Statute V (but not of the Permanent Private Halls), if he or she is not a member of its governing body;

(9) any other persons or classes of persons admitted by or under regulations made by Congregation;

(10) every person who was a member of Congregation under the statutes as they stood on 1 June 1977 for as long as he or she possesses the qualification which entitled him or her to membership on that date.

4. (1) The Registrar shall keep a register of the persons qualified to be the members of Congregation, and shall publish annually in the University Gazette as soon as possible after 1 January the register as it stood at that date.

(2) No person shall be admitted to vote or act as a member of Congregation unless that person's name is in the register and he or she is qualified under section 3 of this statute.

5. (1) The Chairman of Congregation at the Encaenia, or at any other meeting held for the conferment of Degrees by Diploma or Honorary Degrees, shall be the Chancellor, or, in the Chancellor's absence, the Vice-Chancellor or a Pro-Vice-Chancellor.

(2) The Chairman on all other occasions shall be the Vice-Chancellor, or, in the Vice-Chancellor's absence, a Pro-Vice-Chancellor.

6. (1) The business of Congregation shall be conducted in accordance with regulations made by Congregation.

(2) Council or any twenty or more members of Congregation may propose the amendment or repeal of or an addition to any regulation made under this section.

(3) Regulations made under this section:

(a) shall provide for the giving of notice of meetings of Congregation and of the business to be conducted at them; and

(b) may state a period within which notice of opposition or of a proposed amendment can be given or a request for an adjournment can be made.

(4) A proposal made under sub-section (2) above shall not have effect unless it:

(a) is approved at a meeting of Congregation; or

(b) is declared to have been approved under section 7 of this statute.

(5) Sections 15-20 of Statute VI shall not apply to regulations made under this section.

7. (1) The Vice-Chancellor shall have the power to declare any proposal made to Congregation under section 6 (2) of this statute or otherwise to have been approved if the following conditions are satisfied:

(a) that notice of the proposal has been duly given in accordance with regulations made under section 6 of this statute;

(b) that no opposition or proposed amendment has been notified or request for an adjournment made within the time allowed by those regulations for doing so in respect of any of the business to be conducted at the meeting at which the proposal is to be discussed;

(c) that in the opinion of the Vice-Chancellor the proposal is not of such general concern to the University as a whole that it would be inappropriate to proceed without an opportunity for further explanation or debate;

(d) that in the light of (c) the Vice-Chancellor decides that the meeting may and ought to be cancelled;

(e) that notice of cancellation is published in the University Gazette not less than four days before the meeting is due to be held.

(2) If the Vice-Chancellor makes a declaration under sub-section (1) above, he or she shall publish it in the University Gazette either in the notice given under paragraph (e) of sub-section (1) above or as soon afterwards as is practicable.

8. The operation of the whole or any part of sections 5-7 of this statute, or of the associated regulations, may be suspended by resolution of Congregation.