- University Court
A University Court is an administrative body of a
university in theUnited Kingdom . InEngland 'sOxbridge such a Court carries out limitedjudicial functions; whereas inScotland it is a University's supreme governing body, analogous to aBoard of Directors or aBoard of Trustees .England
In the English universities of Oxford and Cambridge, courts of inferior jurisdiction, administering principles of justice originally founded on the canon and civil law, but now defined and limited by the
common law .At Oxford University, the judge of the chancellor's court is the vice-chancellor, who is his deputy or assessor; the court has had since 1244 civil jurisdiction, to the exclusion of the king's courts, in all matters and suits wherein a scholar or privileged person of the university is one of the parties, except in actions relating to
freehold . It had also, from 1290 downwards, jurisdiction of all injuries and trespasses against the peace, mayhem andfelony excepted, but since the Summary Jurisdiction Acts this is possibly no longer exercisable, but the chancellor, vice-chancellor and the vice-chancellor's deputy are justices of the peace forOxford ,Oxfordshire andBerkshire , where scholars are concerned, and exercise this jurisdiction under the Summary Jurisdiction Acts.The criminal jurisdiction of Cambridge University in cases where any person not a member of the university is a party has ceased, and its jurisdiction over light women, which was founded on a charter and statute of Elizabeth, was taken away in 1894 by a private act of that year, dealing with them and applicable till then only to Oxford University, was extended to Cambridge University. Previous to 1891, women of light character, who had been convicted of consorting with or soliciting members of the university "in statu pupillari", were detained in a house of correction called the spinning house, but in that year a conviction was held back.
cotland
The University Courts were first established for the ancient universities by the
Universities (Scotland) Act 1858 and they are responsible for thefinances and administration of each university. Each university, subject to approval by thePrivy Council of the United Kingdom , determines the constitution of its Court, with members coming from within each university, the local community and beyond.At an ancient university the Court is chaired by the
Rector , who ranks third after the Chancellor andVice-Chancellor , is elected by all the matriculated students of each university. Members are also appointed by the General Council,Academic Senate andlocal authority .At more modern universities there is usually a
chairman orconvenor appointed along lines similar to a Chairman of the Board in acorporation or charity.The
President of the Students' Representative Council is usually a member and lay members are co-opted onto the Court.ee also
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Ancient university
*Governance of the University of St Andrews
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