About the University of Leicester

Charter

At the Court at Buckingham Palace

THE 27th DAY OF MAY 2014

THE QUEEN'S MOST EXCELLENT MAJESTY IN COUNCIL

Her Majesty in Council has allowed amendments to the Charter of The University of Leicester as set out in the Schedule to this Order

Signed: Ceri King, Privy Council

The Amendments referred to above, and all previous amendments, have been incorporated in the Charter as set out below:

Elizabeth the Second

by the Grace of God of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and of Our other Realms and Territories Queen, Head of the Commonwealth, Defender of the Faith.

To all to whom these Presents shall come, Greeting!

Whereas an humble Petition has been presented to Us by the University College of Leicester praying that We should constitute and found a University within Our City and County of Leicester for the Advancement of Knowledge, the Diffusion and Extension of Arts, Sciences and Learning, the Provision of Liberal, Professional and Technological Education and for the furtherance of the objects for which the University College of Leicester was incorporated by a Charter granted by our Royal Predecessor His Majesty King George the Sixth and dated the fourth day of December in the year of our Lord One thousand nine hundred and fifty and to grant a Charter with such provisions in that behalf as shall seem to Us right and suitable:

And Whereas We have taken the said Petition into Our Royal Consideration and are minded to accede thereto:

Now Therefore Know Ye that We by virtue of Our Royal Prerogative and of Our especial grace, certain knowledge and mere motion have willed and ordained and by these Presents do for Us, our Heirs and Successors will and ordain as follows:-

1. There shall be and there is hereby constituted and founded in Our said City and County of Leicester a University by the name and style of the "University of Leicester".
2. The persons named in the First Schedule hereto as members of the Council, the Senate and the Court, and the members for the time being of  the Council, the Senate and the Court, the staff of the University,  the Graduates and the Undergraduates of the University, the Chancellor, the Pro-Chancellors, the President and Vice-Chancellor, the Treasurer, and the Pro-Vice-Chancellors  for the time being and all others who shall pursuant to this Our Charter and the Statutes of the University for the time being be Members of the University are hereby constituted and from henceforth for ever shall be one body politic and corporate with perpetual succession and a Common Seal by the name and style of the "University of Leicester" (hereinafter called "the University") with full power and capacity by and in such name to sue and be sued and to take and hold land, and with power, subject to the Customs and Laws of Arms, to acquire armorial bearings which shall be duly recorded in our College of Arms, and to do all other lawful acts whatsoever and will full right, authority, power and capacity without any further or other licence by virtue of this Our Charter to take purchase and hold such lands, tenements and hereditaments as may be for the time being occupied by or on behalf of the University for the transaction of its business and the actual carrying out of its purposes.
3. We do reserve unto Ourself, Our Heirs and Successors to be the Visitor of the University through the Lord President of Our Council for the time being and in exercise of the Visitorial Authority We, Our Heirs and Successors shall have the right from time to time and in such manner as We or They shall think fit to direct an inspection of the University, its buildings, laboratories and general equipment and also an enquiry into the teaching, research, examinations and other work done by the University.
4. There shall be a Chancellor of the University who shall be the Chief Officer of the University and shall preside over meetings of its Court.
5. There shall be Pro-Chancellors of the University who shall subject to the Statutes of the University in the absence of the Chancellor or pending a vacancy in the Office of Chancellor exercise all the functions of the Chancellor except the conferring of Degrees and either of them if present may preside at any meetings of the Court. 
   One of such Pro-Chancellors shall always be the Chair of the Council referred to in Article 9 hereof.
6. There shall be a President and Vice-Chancellor of the University who shall be the principal Academic and Administrative Officer of the University and ex-officio Chair of the Senate and who shall in the absence of the Chancellor confer Degrees.
7. There shall be a Treasurer and other proper Officers of the University.
8. There shall be such number of Pro-Vice-Chancellors as shall be designated in the Ordinances and who shall, subject to the Statutes of the University, act for the President and Vice-Chancellor during the absence or inability of the President and Vice-Chancellor or during a vacancy in the office of President and Vice-Chancellor.
9. There shall be a Council of the University which subject to the Statutes of the University shall be the governing body and executive of the University and shall have the custody and use of the Common Seal, the management and administration of the whole revenue and property of the University and the conduct of all the affairs of the University and all such other powers and duties as may be conferred upon it by Statute or Ordinance.
10. There shall be a Senate of the University which shall subject to the Statutes of the University and the control and approval of the Council regulate and superintend the education and discipline of students of the University.
11. There shall be a Court of the University, which subject to these Presents and the Statutes and Ordinances shall appoint a Chancellor and shall have the right to receive reports on the workings of the University.
12. There shall be an Alumni Association of the University and there shall also be a Students' Union. The Alumni Association and the Students' Union shall respectively have such and so many representatives on the Council and the Court and on such conditions as may be provided by the Statutes and Ordinances of the University.
13. The University shall be both a teaching and an examining body and shall subject to this Our Charter and the Statutes have the following powers:
    1. To grant and confer under conditions laid down in its Statutes or Ordinances Degrees and other academic distinctions and, on what the University shall deem to be good cause, to deprive persons of any such Degrees or other distinctions granted or conferred by it.
    2. To provide instruction in such branches of learning as the University may think fit and to make provision for research and advisory services and for the advancement, printing, publication  and dissemination of research knowledge and other works in such manner as the University may determine.
    3. To affiliate other institutions or branches or departments thereof and to recognise selected members of the staffs thereof as teachers of the University and to admit the members thereof to any of the privileges of the University and to accept attendance at courses of study in such institutions or branches or departments thereof in place of such part of the attendance at courses of study in the University and upon such terms and conditions and subject to such regulations as may from time to time be determined by the University.
    4. To enter into any agreement for the incorporation in the University of any other institution and for taking over its rights, property and liabilities and for any other purpose not repugnant to this Our Charter.
    5. To institute and award Fellowships, Scholarships, Studentships, Exhibitions, Bursaries and Prizes.
    6. To establish and maintain and to administer and govern institutions for the residence of the students of the University whether Colleges, Halls or Houses and to license and supervise such institutions and other places of residence whether maintained by the University or not so maintained.
    7. To demand and receive fees.
    8. To do all such other acts and things whether incidental to the powers aforesaid or not as may be requisite in order to further the objects of the University as a place of education and of learning.
14. Statutes and Ordinances of the University shall prescribe or regulate as the case may be:-
    1. The constitution, powers and duties of the Council, the election and continuance in office of the members of the Council, the filling of vacancies among the members and all other matters relative to the Council which it may be thought are proper to be so prescribed and regulated.
    2. The constitution, powers and duties of the Senate and all other matters relative to the Senate which it may be thought are proper to be so prescribed and regulated.
    3. The constitution, powers and business of the Court, the election and continuance in office of the members of the Court, the filling of vacancies among the members and all other matters relative to the Court which it may be thought are proper to be so prescribed and regulated.
    4. The constitution, functions, privileges and all other matters relative to the Alumni Association which it may be thought are proper to be so prescribed and regulated.
       
       The first Statutes shall be those set out in the Second Schedule to these Presents. The Council may from time to time in accordance with a procedure prescribed by Statute amend or repeal (in whole or in part) any Statute or make any new or additional Statutes for the University which shall carry into effect this Our Charter and its provisions and which may govern and regulate the affairs, business, work and interests of the University and the members thereof as such and the status, appointment and continuance in office of the members, the Chancellor, Pro-Chancellors, President and Vice-Chancellor, Pro-Vice-Chancellors, Treasurer and other Officers of the University and may contain all such provisions as the Council may deem fit and meet with respect to or for the governing of the University its constituent parts and members or to promote the objects of this Our Charter.
       
       The Statutes may add to, amend, alter or repeal the Statutes from time to time in force including the first and the matters with regard to which the Council shall have power to make Statutes shall not be limited by or with reference to the first or any subsequent Statutes or the several matters therein dealt with.
       
       All Statutes which are not repugnant to the provisions of this Our Charter or the laws of the Realm shall be operative and have effect when allowed by our most honourable Privy Council and not before. Such allowance shall be conclusive evidence that the Statutes so allowed are authorised by the provisions of this Our Charter.
15. The Statutes of the University may direct that any of the matters by these Presents authorised or directed to be prescribed, governed or regulated by Statutes of the University shall be prescribed, governed or regulated by Ordinances of the University.
    
    Ordinances shall be made by the Council of the University and shall be operative and have effect when sanctioned by the Council and not before; provided that in matters referring to courses of study, degrees, diplomas and certificates,  the affiliation of Colleges, the recognition of Teachers, and the constitution of Joint Committees of the Council and the Senate, Ordinances shall be submitted to the Council subject to the Senate having had the opportunity to report thereon to the Council.
    
    Ordinances may add to, amend, alter or repeal Ordinances from time to time in force.
16. The Council and the Senate respectively may from time to time make Regulations for governing subject to these Presents and the Statutes of the University the proceeding of those bodies and the power to make Regulations shall include the power to add to, amend, alter or repeal any Regulations theretofore made.
    
    The Council shall make the first Regulations for the Council and the Court. The Regulations of the Court must be submitted to the Court for consideration before they are enacted.
17. It shall be the duty of the Council from time to time to bring before the Senate and the Court any matters which in its opinion should be dealt with by these bodies respectively.
    
    It shall be the duty of the Senate from time to time to bring before the Council any matters which in its opinion affect the teaching, research and general wellbeing of the University.
18. The University shall not make any dividend, gift, division or bonus in money unto or between any of its members except by way of prize, reward or special grant.
19. The Council may at any time alter, amend or add to these Presents and their Provisions by a Special Resolution in that behalf and such alteration, amendment or addition shall when allowed by us, Our Heirs or Successors by and with the advice of Our or Their Privy Council become effectual so that these Presents shall thenceforward continue and operate as though they had been originally granted and made as so altered, amended or added to in manner aforesaid.
    
    This Article of these Presents shall apply to this Our Charter as altered, amended or added to in manner aforesaid. A Special Resolution means a Resolution passed at one meeting of the Council and confirmed at a subsequent meeting held not less than one calendar month nor more than six calendar months after the former provided that the Resolution be passed at each meeting by a majority of not less than three-fourths of those present and voting.
20. In this Our Charter "Statutes" means the Statutes set forth in the Second Schedule hereto and any Statutes altering, amending, adding to or repealing the same or any of them which may hereafter be made and may be allowed by Our most honourable Privy Council. "Ordinances" means Acts of the Council under the powers conferred by this Our Charter to which Our further sanction is not hereby or by Statute required. "Regulations" except when otherwise required by the context means Regulations made pursuant to this Our Charter or to the Statutes.
21. Our Royal Will and Pleasure is that these Presents shall be construed benevolently and in every case most favourably to the University and the promotion of the objects of this Our Charter.

In Witness whereof We have caused these Our Letters to be made Patent.

Witness Ourself at Westminster the first day of May in the Sixth year of Our Reign.

By Warrant under the Queen's Sign Manual.