Appointment of Deputy Vice Chancellor, Pro Vice-Chancellors and Deans
NB The Deputy Vice-Chancellor is treated as a special Pro Vice-Chancellor in the formal governance framework.
A – Statutory Provisions
I Number, Titles and Duties of Pro Vice-Chancellors
The Charter: Paragraph 9:
There shall be a Deputy Vice-Chancellor and there may be other Pro-Vice-Chancellors not exceeding five in number, with functions and duties as may be prescribed by Council from time to time.
II Appointment of Pro Vice-Chancellors
Statute VI: The Pro Vice-Chancellors:
1. The Deputy Vice-Chancellor shall be appointed by the Council after consideration of a report from a Joint Committee of Council and Senate chaired by the Senior Pro-Chancellor.
2. The Deputy Vice-Chancellor shall hold office for such period and on such terms and conditions and subject to these Statutes shall have such functions as the Council may determine, in addition to exercising and performing all the academic functions of the Vice-Chancellor in the absence of the Vice-Chancellor.
3. Pro-Vice-Chancellors may be appointed by the Council on the recommendation of a Joint Committee of Senate and Council chaired by the Vice-Chancellor. Pro-Vice-Chancellors shall hold office for such periods and on such terms and conditions and shall have such functions as the Council may from time to time determine, after receiving the advice of the Vice-Chancellor.
III Appointment and Terms of Office of Pro Vice-Chancellors
Ordinance VII: The Pro-Vice-Chancellors
1. The Deputy Vice-Chancellor and Pro-Vice-Chancellors shall normally be appointed for three years in the first instance. Appointments may be extended by further periods of office. Each period of office shall be up to three years.
2. The Deputy Vice-Chancellor and Pro-Vice-Chancellors shall normally be appointed from among the professors of the University..
3. The same procedures will be applied for extension of appointments as pertain for initial appointments.
4. In a case where the Chair of Council and Vice-Chancellor agree that the specific skill requirements and responsibilities of the post cannot be met via the normal route of appointment, it may determine that circumstances warrant the appointment of a Pro-Vice-Chancellor by advertisement. In such cases the requirement for membership of the professoriate may be waived and the period of office and subsequent arrangements for extension shall be set by the Council as appropriate. The number of such appointments shall be limited to a maximum of two at any one time.
6. The rights of speech and voting of the Deputy Vice-Chancellor or any Pro-Vice-Chancellor acting for the Vice-Chancellor shall be the same as those of the Vice-Chancellor acting in that capacity.
B - Procedure for Appointment of Provost and DVC, and PVCs
1. The Provost and Deputy Vice-Chancellor, and Pro Vice-Chancellors are appointed by Council on the recommendation of a joint committee appointed by the Senate and Council. Appointments are made for an initial three-year period with possible re-appointment for periods of three years. Any reappointments would be subject to the normal appointment procedure set out below.
Committee for Appointment of the Deputy Vice-Chancellor
2. For the appointment of the Provost and Deputy Vice-Chancellor the joint committee appointed by the Senate and Council will be as follows:
Chair of Council (Chair)
Vice-Chancellor
2 lay members of Council appointed by the Chair of Council
2 members of Senate elected by Senate
1 elected member of Senate elected by Senate
Committee for Appointment of Pro Vice-Chancellors
3. For the appointment of Pro Vice-Chancellors the joint committee appointed by the Senate and Council will be as follows:
Vice-Chancellor (Chair)
Provost and Deputy Vice-Chancellor
1 lay member of Council nominated by the Chair of Council
2 members of Senate elected by Senate
1 elected member of Senate elected by Senate
Job Description and Person Specification
4. An updated job description and person specification will be prepared each time there is a vacancy for the role of Deputy Vice-Chancellor or Pro Vice-Chancellor. The job description and person specification will be approved by the Vice-Chancellor.
Call for Applications
5.The Secretary to Senate and Council or his/her nominee will arrange for the advertisement of vacancies to members of University staff. Applicants will be asked to provide a letter of application indicating what they hope to bring to the post and an up to date curriculum vitae.
Interview and Recommendation to Council
6. A short list for interview will normally be drawn up by the Vice-Chancellor and Chair of Council in the case of the appointment of the Deputy Vice-Chancellor and by the Vice-Chancellor and Deputy Vice-Chancellor in the case of the appointment of a Pro Vice-Chancellor. After interviewing those shortlisted, the committee shall make its recommendation to Council.
Extension of Appointments
7. Ordinance VII states that the same procedures will be applied for extension of appointments as pertain for initial appointments.. Where an extension is contemplated it should only be made where it is clearly in the interest of both the University and the appointee, and where all candidates have been considered on an equal basis.
Appointment by External Advertisement
8. Where the Chair of Council and Vice-Chancellor agree that the specific skill requirements and responsibilities of a post of Pro Vice-Chancellor cannot be met via the normal route of appointment, it may determine that circumstances warrant the appointment of a Pro Vice-Chancellor by advertisement. In such circumstances the joint committee shall be instructed at the time of its establishment to proceed via external advertisement. The joint committee shall follow the University’s normal procedures for external appointments and not those noted in 5. and 6. above.
November 2011