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3. Constitution of the Council

3.1

The Council shall consist of the following members:

Class 1

The Chair

The Chair of the Council, who shall not be a member of the staff or a student, shall be appointed by the Council.

Class 2

ex officio members, namely:

  • the Warden;
  • the Pro-Wardens;
  • the Clerk to the Goldsmiths' Company;
  • the President of the Students' Union.

Class 3

Elected members, namely:

  • three members of the Academic Board, by the Academic Board, in accordance with the Standing Orders of the College, subject to any more specific arrangement prescribed by Ordinance;
  • one member of the Senior Academic Staff from among their own number, in accordance with the Standing Orders of the College, subject to any more specific arrangement prescribed by Ordinance;
  • one member of the Non-Academic Staff, from among their own number, in accordance with the Standing Orders of the College, subject to any more specific arrangement prescribed by Ordinance;
  • one student, who shall be one of the elected officers of the Students' Union, the specific office concerned to be approved by Council and provided for in the Bye-Laws of the Students' Union.

Class 4

Members co-opted by the Council, namely:

fourteen persons, not being members of staff or students who shall be representative of educational, economic, social, cultural, charitable, community and other interests relevant to the work of the College;

Class 5

At the discretion of the Council, one further person who may or may not
be a member of staff or a student.

3.2

Members of the Council ex officio shall remain members for so long as they hold the relevant office.

3.3

Other members of the Council and student members shall remain members for three years from the date of their appointment, election or co-option, and shall be eligible for re-appointment, re-election or a further period of co-option but shall not serve more than two such terms consecutively.

3.4

Student members shall remain members for a period of one year, but shall be eligible for re-election or co-option for a further period provided that they shall cease to be members on ceasing to be students.

3.5

Casual vacancies among elected members shall be filled in accordance with the Standing Orders of the College, subject to any more specific arrangement prescribed by Ordinance.

3.6

Periods of appointment, election, or co-option shall commence on 1 September, except that the provisions as to casual vacancies shall be as prescribed by the Standing Orders of the College approved by Council, subject to 3(3) above concerning three-year terms, and any specific arrangements prescribed for Council by Ordinance.

3.7

Elected members of the Council shall not cease to be members if they cease to be members of the body which elected them.

3.8

The Standing Orders of the College shall govern the retirement by rotation of elected, co-opted and appointed members of the Council, other than the Chair, subject to any more specific arrangements prescribed for Council by Ordinance.

3.9

The Council may designate one of the coopted members as Deputy Chair, to have and exercise all the duties and powers of the Chair in case of the Chair's inability through illness, absence or any other cause to perform the duties and exercise the powers of the post, such designation to remain until the individual concerned ceases to be a
member of Council, or until such earlier date as may be specified by Council.

3.10

Any member of the Council, who shall be appointed Chair, shall immediately vacate the place to which he or she was originally appointed or co-opted which shall then be filled, and no account shall be taken of his or her tenure of this original place in calculating the maximum term of office as Chair under 3.3 above.

3.11

Any member who is absent from five consecutive ordinary meetings shall cease to be a member unless the Council decides otherwise.

3.12

Any member who is the subject of a receiving order or who makes an arrangement or composition with creditors or who is convicted on indictment of a criminal offence shall cease to be a member unless the Council decides otherwise.