University Senate
The University Senate, or Senatus Academicus, is responsible for all academic matters within the University, in particular for regulating the teaching of the University and superintending student discipline. That responsibility is subject to the availability of material and financial resources (for which the University Court has overriding power). The Senate also approves all degrees to be conferred by the University and thus graduation ceremonies are officially an adjourned meeting of Senate. Given the size of its membership, the Senatus Academicus devolves most of its business to a more streamlined Academic Council.
The membership of Senate is regulated by Ordinance No.123 of the University Court, which regulates that its membership consists of (i) ex officio members, (ii) elected members, (iii) appointed members and (iv) student members as follows:
- The ex officio members include the Principal, the Master of the United Colleges, the Provost of St Leonard’s College, the Principal of St Mary’s College, the Professors in the University, the University Librarian, the Head of IT and any reader or lecturer who for the time being holds office as Dean of one of the Faculties in the University.
- The elected members consist of readers and lecturers equal in number to not less than one third of the number of ex officio members, who are elected periodically by the readers and lecturers themselves.
- The appointed members comprise those who have been duly appointed by the University Court as Heads or Acting Heads of School.
- The student members number four in total, three of whom are elected annually from the matriculated student body (one Undergraduate from the Arts & Divinity Faculties, one Undergraduate student from the Faculty of Science (including Medicine), and one Postgraduate student in any of the above-named faculties). The additional student member of Senate is the President of the Students' Association.
Four members of the Senate are elected biennially to serve as its Assessors on the University Court, one from, and elected by, each of the following constituencies: professors in the Faculties of Arts & Divinity, professors in the Faculty of Science (including Medicine); readers and lecturers in the Faculties of Arts & Divinity, and readers and lecturers in the Faculty of Science (including Medicine). Senate assessors on Court each serve an initial four-year term, with a further nomination for a second four-year term possible.
For a full list of Senate members, please email senate@st-andrews.ac.uk