Identity area
Type of entity
Authorized form of name
Parallel form(s) of name
Standardized form(s) of name according to other rules
Other form(s) of name
Identifiers for corporate bodies
Description area
Dates of existence
History
The Academic Council was created by the Statutes of 13 February 1900 to provide advice on the 'Internal' side of the University's activities. The Council was composed of 16 Senators representing Faculties (2 each), plus the Chancellor, Vice-Chancellor and Chairman of Convocation, together with other Senators sufficient to make the number up to 20.
The Academic Council had an advisory role only, on such matters as: the assignment of funds for the erection or extension of buildings or equipment in the University or Schools of the University; the appointment of Professors, Assistant Professors, Readers or Lecturers of the University and generally upon any matter relating to the Internal Students.
The Academic Council's role was revised by the Hilton Young reforms (named after Hilton Young, who produced the Hilton Young Report 1926), embodied in the Statutes of 23 July 1928. These reforms allocated executive functions to the Council in the following areas previously exercised by the Senate:
The constitution and personnel of Faculties, Boards of Studies and the regulation and co-ordination of their work.
The admission or retention of public educational institutions as Schools.
The establishment or abolition of posts of Professors, Readers and Lecturers of the University and the duties, tenure, remuneration and conditions of service, retirement and superannuation which shall apply to persons appointed to such posts.
The recognition of teachers.
The establishment of degrees, diplomas and certificates of proficiency for Internal Students
The regulation of courses of study for Internal Students.
The recognition of courses of study for Associate Students.
The regulation, conduct and superintendence of examinations for Internal Students and the appointment of Examiners for such examinations.
The conditions under which the Higher School Examination of the University may be accepted in whole or in part, as equivalent of the Intermediate Examination for internal Students.
Such other matters as the Senate may prescribe.
The Academic Council lost its role in giving advice on the assignment of funds for building and equipment. This role was taken over by the Court in 1928. The 1928 reforms also enlarged the Academic Council to include: 2 ex officio members (Vice-Chancellor and Principal- these were already in the AC from 1900 as in para 1), 17 Senators representing the Faculties and 9 other Senators.
With the exception of an amendment of 1951 on account of the creation of G.C.E. examinations, the Statutes concerning the Academic Council remained unchanged until the 'Saunders reforms' (named after the chairman of the Committee on Academic Organisation Sir Owen Saunders) of 1966. Under these changes the Faculty Boards were abolished (replaced by Academic Advisory Boards), the membership of the Boards of Studies was extended to include all tenured Teachers in Schools and the programme of School-sponsored degrees was extended.
The Statutes of 17 December 1980 brought about further changes to the Academic Council. The composition has been enlarged to consist of the Vice-Chancellor, the Principal, the forty members of the Senate elected by the teachers, the ten members of the Senate to be co-opted from the Recognised Teachers, and other persons exceeding nine in number annually appointed to the Senate.
From the session 1984/85 the Council for External Students was retitled, 'the Committee for External Students' of the Academic Council, while the Council for Extra -Mural Studies became the 'Committee for Extra Mural Studies. The University Entrance Requirements Committee became a committee directly constituted by the Senate. These new committees reported to the Academic Council.