CHAPTER XV.

THE UNIVERSITY OF OXFORD.

The University of Oxford is a corporate body, known for ages by the historic title of the "Chancellor, Masters, and Scholars of the University of Oxford," a title confirmed by Parliament in the time of Queen Elizabeth. With the exception of rare interventions on the part of the Crown, the University has always been governed by statutes of its own making.

Organization of the University.-By the Oxford University Act, 1854, the constitution of the University is framed as follows:

1. THE HEBDOMADAL COUNCIL (so called from its meeting every week), consists of certain official and of certain elected members. The official members are the Chancellor, Vice-Chancellor, ex-Vice-Chancellor, (for one year after leaving office, or till the next triennial election), and the two Proctors; the elected members are six heads of Colleges, or Halls, six University professors, and six members of Convocation (of not less than five years' standing). These are elected by the Congregation of the University of Oxford for six years, in such a way that one-half of each class vacate their seats every three years, being, however, re-eligible. This Council meets every Monday in

term-time and whenever convoked by the Vice-Chancellor; it has the initiative in all the legislation of the University, and from it all petitions,. decrees and statutes are referred for approval to Congregation and Convocation.

2. THE HOUSE OF CONGREGATION, consists of Regents either necessario or ad placitum. All Doctors of every Faculty and all Masters of Arts are necessario regentes for two years after taking their respective degrees; and all the following if members of Convocation, are regentes ad placitum: Professors, Doctors of every Faculty who are resident, Heads of College and Halls or their deputies, Public Examiners, Moderators, and Masters of the Schools, Censors and Deans of Colleges. To make a House, the presence of the Chancellor, or Vice-Chancellor, or his deputy, and of the two Proctors or their deputies, and of nine other Regents, is required. This body, described in the statutes as venerable,' exists chiefly for ceremonial purposes; its business is confined almost exclusively to ratifying the nomination of examiners by the Vice-Chancellor and Proctors, and the granting of de

grees.

3. THE CONGREGATION OF THE UNIVERSITY of Oxford, consists of members of the Hebdomadal Council, the Heads of Colleges, Professors, and examiners, and certain University officers; also all members of Convocation who are in residence within the University limits (between 300 and 400 qualify in this way). The Chancellor, or Vice-Chancellor or one of his deputies, and the two Proctors or their deputies, preside at its meetings. Its business is almost entirely confined to legislation. When

the Hebdomadal Council has passed a new statute it must first be promulgated, after due notice, in this assembly. At the time of such promulgation any members of Congregation may propose amendments; such amendments (if seconded, and not considered by the Chancellor or his deputy to be inconsistent with or irrelevant to the principle of the statute, as set out in its preamble) must be printed and considered at a subsequent meeting; the Council may also, at such times, propose any amendments, and when these have been adopted by Convocation, there is still a power of proposing further amendments vested in the Council or any twelve members of Congregation; when all amendments have been considered, the Statute after three days' notice, is submitted to the Congregation for approval. No right of negative is allowed to the Vice-Chancellor or Proctor, but every question is decided on a majority of votes. A statute approved by Congregation must then be submitted to Convocation, after seven days' notice, for final adoption or rejection.

4. THE HOUSE OF CONVOCATION, consists of all Doctors of every Faculty and all Masters of Arts who are still members of the University (i.e. whose names are still on the books of a College or other recognized institution, and who have paid all statutable fees to the University), whether they are resident or not. To make a House, the presence of the Chancellor, or Vice-Chancellor or one of his deputies, and of the two Proctors or their respective deputies is required. In this House is transacted all the formal business of the University as a corporate body, except what is named as belonging to the House of Con

gregation. No statute is binding until it has received. the assent of Convocation; matters of special and individual concern, anything that demands immediate provision, payments from the University chest, are settled by decree of Convocation. This House also confers Honorary degrees, and degrees by diploma or decree; it decides whether the University seal shall be affixed to any document, whose validity depends on such seal, and it makes most elections to University offices. In the election of burgesses, members of Convocation may send in their voting-papers without attending the poll; in other elections members must vote in person. In this House and in the House of Congregation, the Chancellor, or Vice-Chancellor or his deputy, and the two Proctors together, have the right of veto in all matters except elections; otherwise questions are decided on a majority of votes.

The Chief Officers of the University.—(a) The Chancellor of the University is elected by the members of Convocation; his is an honorary office, with no stipend attached, and is held for life; in most matters and on most occasions the Chancellor is represented by the Vice-Chancellor.

(b) The Vice-Chancellor is annually nominated by the Chancellor from the heads of Colleges. The letters of nomination are read in Convocation by the Senior Proctor; the Vice-Chancellor appoints four deputies from the heads of Colleges, to exercise his power in case of illness or absence; up till 1884 the office of Vice-Chancellor was usually held for four years; but the duties are arduous, and

since then the office has not been held for so long. The annual income is made up to £600 from the University chest.

(c) The Proctors, two in number, are elected annually by the several Colleges and by the Halls conjointly according to a cycle of thirty years beginning from 1889. The electors are all those members of the several societies who being members of Convocation are also, or have been, members of the Congregation of the University, and all those Fellows and Scholars of a College who are members of Convocation. Each Proctor, on election, nominates two deputies. A Proctor's salary is annually the sum of £350. It is the duty of the Proctors to see that students conform to the statutes which regulate their dress and conduct; for this for this purpose they patrol the streets of Oxford after dark, during term-time, and take the names and addresses of students found in prohibited places, or walking in the public streets without the University cap and gown; they summon delinquents to appear in the Chancellor's Court, and act the part of police in all cases where a member of the University is concerned. They are elected from the resident fellows or tutors of a College.

(d) The Chancellor has jurisdiction in almost all causes, civil, spiritual, or criminal, in which students or privileged persons within the University precincts are parties. A court is held every Friday of term-time, at which the Vice-Chancellor presides, and the two Proctors may sit as assessors; the Vice-Chancellor may, if he chooses, appoint a D.C.L. or B.C.L. to sit as his assessor for the better despatch of business. The so-called 'Proctorial System' for the control of students forms part of the