Royal Holloway College , Board of Governors , later called The Council

Royal Holloway College , Board of Governors , later called The Council

The Deed of Foundation for the College (October 1883) assigned the management and government of the College to twelve Governors, including the three Trustees of the College Estate appointed by the Founder, Thomas Holloway. The Board of Governors was to contain five Representative Governors, one appointed by the Lord President of the Council (or Head of the Education Department of the Government), one by the Chancellor, Vice-Chancellor and Senate of the University of London, one by the Court of Aldermen of the City of London, one by the Corporation of Windsor, and one by the Corporation of Reading. The remaining four Governors were to be co-optative and elected by the rest of the Governors. Each Governor was appointed for the term of seven years and was then eligible for re-election. The Governors were given the power to elect all future Trustees of the College and to remove Trustees from office. Governors could resign at any time and would cease to hold the office in cases of bankruptcy, insolvency, or absence from meetings for a stated amount of time. They could be removed from office by the votes of a majority of the Governors. Each vacancy was to be filled by the body which had nominated the retiring or deceased Governor.

The Governors held monthly meetings at the College during the academic terms. A Chairman was to be elected by a majority. The Board of Governors was given responsibility for the entire management of the College. As stated in the Deed of Foundation, this included the appointment and remuneration of the Principal and Professors, and all the teachers, officers and servants; the overseeing of the purchase of all food and other articles and things requisite in the conduct and management of the College; the framing of the curriculum and general regulations of the College, the College terms, the fees payable by students, the mode and system of examinations and of registering and awarding results; and the distribution of the Founders Scholarships and other prizes and awards. They also had the power to make and publish bylaws for the general management of the College and the terms of service of staff members. The Secretary to the Governors carried out the day-to-day administrative responsibilities of the Governors.

The Foundation Deed stated that women could not be Governors, and this was not changed until the Governors executed a Deed Poll in 1912. This provided that two of the co-optative Governors should be women, and at the same time extended the number of Governors to 19. The Principal and two other staff members were also invited to attend Governors Meetings after this point. In 1920 the Foundation Deed was amended to provide for the appointment of the Principal as an ex-officio Governor, and for two other staff Governors (who should be members of the Academic Board).

In 1949, the College Council replaced the Board of Governors as a result of the Royal Holloway College Act. The Council was to consist of 22 members, namely a Chairman, the Principal, six Co-Opted Members, and fourteen Representative Members elected by the Lord President of the Privy Council (1), the Senate of the University of London (2), the Court of Aldermen of the City of London (1), the Minister of Education (2), the Hebdomadal Council of the University of Oxford (1), the Council of the Senate of the University of Cambridge (1), the Mayor, Aldermen and Burgesses of the borough of Windsor (1), the Academic Board (4), and the Royal Holloway College Association (RHCA) (1). Women were appointed on the same condition as men. All representative or co-opted members were to hold office for five years at the end of which they were to be eligible for re-appointment. The representatives of the Academic Board, however, were to be appointed annually but were also eligible for re-appointment.

The Council was responsible for the management, control and administration of all property and income of the College, and for the government of the affairs of the College. Subject to various legal safeguards and the approval of the University, the Council was empowered to make new Statutes for the College. Among its specified powers were the rights to admit men as non-resident postgraduate students and to change or add to the curriculum. From 1949, the Secretary to the Governors became the College Secretary. In 1970, student representatives, one being the President of the Union, were allowed to sit on the Council.