Structure and governance
The Chancellor
The Chancellor is head of the University. He is consulted on all public matters relative to its welfare, and he is also Conservator of its privileges. The power of conferring degrees is vested in him: this he may exercise either personally when present or by his depute when absent, with the advice of the doctors and masters of the University.
The Principal and Vice-Chancellor
The Act of 1858 explicitly empowers the Chancellor to appoint a Vice-Chancellor in his absence discharge his office. By a convention uniformly observed since 1859 the Principal of the University is appointed Vice-Chancellor.
University Court
The constitution of the University is laid down in a series of Acts of Parliament enacted between 1858 and 1966. The University Court is the supreme governing body and has responsibilities for strategy, finance, estates, health and safety and general management.
Its 23 members are drawn from academic staff, senior managers including The Principal and Vice-Chancellor, the students, alumni, the local authority in Fife and lay members from the local community. Court is chaired by The Rector who is elected by the students and normally serves a three year term. Court elects one of its lay members to serve a three-year term as Senior Governor.
The Senate
The Senatus Academicus is the supreme academic body under the presidency of The Principal. It consists of all Professors, Heads of Schools, a number of elected non-professorial members of staff and four student members. Much of the Senate's business is delegated to a smaller body, the Academic Council.
Faculties and Deans
The University is divided into four Faculties
- Arts
- Divinity
- Medicine
- Science
representing all permanent members of academic staff in each School. Each Faculty is led by a Dean. All Deans are now appointed by the University Court on the recommendation of the Principal. They report directly to the Master. In addition there is a Provost, who has responsibility for the development of Graduate Studies across the University as a whole. The Provost is also appointed by the University Court on the recommendation of the Principal and reports directly to the Master.
Deans appoint other Faculty Officers and Pro-Deans and convene Faculty Business Committees. The Faculties, comprising all their permanent staff, have one formal meeting annually. Faculty meetings review matters that have arisen during the year and provide a vehicle for communication across the academic community and advice for the Deans and Pro-Deans.
The Faculty Business Committee's recommendations are considered throughout the year by the Teaching, Learning and Assessment (TLA) Committee, a standing committee reporting to Senate and Academic Council. In 2007, the University revived the Provostship as effectively Dean of Graduate Studies with a remit for the structural and strategic development of the postgraduate community.
Schools
The University is comprised of 18 academic Schools, each headed by a research-active senior member of the academic staff of the School. Heads of School are appointed by the University Court on the recommendation of the Principal, and the duration of the appointments has varied. All Heads of School report directly to the Master.
Heads of School are normally members of both Senate and Academic Council, ensuring ongoing input to the development and implementation of the University's Academic Strategy.
Principal's Office
The day-to-day management of the University is conducted by the Principal's Office. This group is chaired by the Principal and currently comprises the Deputy Principal and Vice-Principal for Research, the Master, the Vice-Principals for External Relations, Governance & Planning, and Learning & Teaching, the Quaestor & Factor and the Proctor.
The Office of the Principal normally meets fortnightly to make operational decisions and to draw up strategic advice for the University Court and Senate.
The Office of the Principal also meets regularly with Heads of Schools and the Directors of Service Units.
Service Units
Support services across the University are provided by 26 Service Units, each led by a Director. The Directors report directly to designated members of the Principal's Office.
The Service Directors Group comprises all Heads of Service Units. The Group meets monthly to review policy and strategy and drive service improvement.
The Students' Association
The Students' Association is an independent body formed to represent the interests of students in St Andrews. It is managed by two bodies - the Student Representative Council and the Student Services Committee. The Association is responsible for managing and running the activities of the Students Union. The majority of Student Societies in St Andrews are affiliated to the Students' Association. The Association is led by a President and Sabbatical Officers who are elected by the students. Although it is autonomous, the Association receives an annual grant from the University to support its own income generating activities.