Standing Orders of Committees
The University Statutes contain provisions regarding the conduct of University business in general and of the University Council and other statutory bodies in particular. The Council and other statutory bodies may appoint such committees and determine Standing Orders for the purpose of the exercise of their powers and duties provided that they do not conflict with University Statutes and regulations. These Standing Orders are intended to be used by such committees, and by any other committees established for the conduct of University business, where they do not already have their own Standing Orders in place.
1. Meetings
(a) Meetings of the Committee shall be held at such times and in such places as the Chair shall determine. The Chair may cancel or change the date of these meetings.
(b) No business shall be taken at a meeting which does not appear in the agenda papers unless the Chair decides otherwise.
(c) The agenda shall be issued not less than five days before the meeting unless the Chair determines otherwise in the light of the nature of the business.
2. Notice of business
Members of the Committee are invited to suggest items of business. It is helpful for such suggestions to be made well in advance to allow for the necessary information to be presented to the Committee. The deadlines for submission of items of business shall be directed by the Secretary.
3. Categories and classification of business
(a) The category and classification of items of business for the Committee meetings shall be determined by the Chair.
4. Conduct of business
(a) The conduct of business shall be directed by the Chair of the meeting.
(b) Reports of any Sub-Committees shall be moved by their respective Chairs or their representatives. The Chair of the Committee may invite the Chair of a SubCommittee presenting a report to the Committee, but who is not a member of the Committee, to attend the meeting and speak to the report.
(c) Any person not being a member of the Committee attending in connection with an item of business shall normally be invited to stay throughout the discussion on the item.
(d) Any member of the Committee is free to represent the views of other members of staff. The Chair may make representations on behalf of anyone who so requests.
(e) Any member of the Committee who has a pecuniary, family or other personal interest in any matter under discussion at any meeting of the Committee shall as soon as practicable disclose that fact to the meeting. The Chair shall determine whether the member shall withdraw from the discussion. A member is not, however, considered to have a pecuniary or personal interest in matters under discussion merely by being a member of staff or a student of the University.
(f) All papers except those marked ‘Strictly Confidential’ or ‘Commercial in Confidence’ will be made available on the University’s website internally.
(g) The contents of any papers circulated to members of the Committee which are marked ‘Strictly Confidential’ or ‘Commercial in Confidence’ must, in no circumstances, be divulged or discussed with any person who is not a member of the Committee without the consent of the Chair. The removal of the ‘Strictly Confidential’ or ‘Commercial in Confidence’ classification of papers is determined by the Chair.
5. Quorum
There shall be a quorum when not fewer than one third of the members are present.
6. Voting
(a) All proposals put to the vote shall be decided on by a show of hands at the meeting except when the Chair orders a ballot.
(b) In the case of an equality of votes, the Chair shall have a casting vote, irrespective of having voted previously on a motion or proposal.
(c) No decision shall be rescinded or altered during the University academic year in which it was resolved, unless a proposal to re- introduce the subject in question has been put to the vote and carried by the members present at the meeting.
7. Minutes
The Secretary shall prepare Minutes of the meeting which shall be presented to the Committee for approval at the following meeting.
8. Suspension of standing orders
A motion for the suspension of Standing Orders shall only be carried if three quarters of the members present at the meeting vote in favour of it.
9. Delegation
The Chair shall be empowered to take action on behalf of the Committee between meetings on routine matters and specific matters where authority is required immediately. Where Chair’s action is taken a written report shall be made to the next meeting of the Committee.
10. Publication of members' names
Minutes will be included in the University’s Publication Scheme as required by the Freedom of Information Act 2000. Members are advised that, unless they inform the University of their objections under the General Data Protection Regulation, their names will appear in published Minutes.
John Hogan
Registrar
31 January 2018
Approved by Council, 19 February 2018