9. Creation, Amendment and Repeal of Ordinances and Regulations

 

9.1 Loughborough University Charter, Statutes, Ordinances and Regulations

(a) This is the formal ‘book of rules’ by which the University is governed and carries out its business. It contains the full Charter, Statutes, Ordinances and Regulations which are referred to throughout this Handbook. It is available as a booklet, from the Registrar’s Office, and in electronic form at;

www.lboro.ac.uk/admin/ar/calendar/cs/

The booklet is correct at the time of distribution and is re-issued on a regular basis. The web pages are updated with all changes at the time they come into effect and form a definitive record of the current versions. A web archive is now kept but if earlier versions need to be consulted reference may be required to the hardcopy booklets and/or relevant committee papers.

(b) The Charter and Statutes came into being with the establishment of the University “by Royal Charter” in 1966. They can only be changed by application to the Privy Council via Council. Amendments are usually only made when there is a pressing need or a significant number of minor amendments have accumulated and been approved by Council. The Registrar’s Office, and the Assistant Secretary to Council (Academic Registry) manages relations with the Privy Council.

(c) Ordinances provide rules for matters within the province of Council or matters jointly the province of Senate and Council. New Ordinances and amendments to existing ones must be approved by Senate and Council (see detailed protocol below). Ordinances can only be repealed after Council has confirmed the repeal at a second meeting held at least one calendar month after the meeting at which the appeal was originally agreed (Ordinance XXXII).

(d) Regulations provide rules for matters governed by Senate. Creation of new regulations and amendment and repeal of existing ones is a matter for resolution by Senate.

9.2 Protocol for the Creation, Amendment and Repeal of Ordinances and Regulations

Staff considering changes to Ordinances and Regulations should alert the Assistant Secretary to Senate in the Academic Registry at the earliest opportunity. In general, changes to Ordinances and Regulations will first be considered by the most relevant committee and then progress through the committee system to reach final approval at either Council or Senate. Occasionally, where there is no parent committee, the first consideration will be at Senate. The protocol below was agreed by Senate (29 June 2005) as a condition of the abolition of the Ordinances and Regulations Committee:

(a) The Academic Registrar has explicit overall responsibility for the wording of Ordinances and Regulations relating to academic matters and the Registrar has overall responsibility for the wording of other Ordinances and Regulations.

(b) The rigour of wording for draft/amended Ordinances and Regulations should be an explicit term of reference for relevant working groups and should be a factor in deciding whether a working group is required to take a new development forward.

(c) Those proposing changes to Ordinances and Regulations and/or committee secretaries should alert the Academic Registrar or Registrar (or their nominees) to new proposals which are in development.

(d) The Academic Registrar’s and Registrar’s roles include ensuring that key stakeholders in each area have been consulted over changes to wording where they are not in any case involved via an existing Committee or working group.

(e) Departmental administrators should always be thoroughly consulted, both on points of principle and wording, when changes to the academic regulations are proposed.

(f) The Academic Registrar and Registrar are responsible for deciding whether a legal opinion is required on any new proposals in consultation with each other as appropriate.