英国牛津大学章程.docx

英国牛津大学章程.docx

《英国牛津大学章程.docx》由会员分享，可在线阅读，更多相关《英国牛津大学章程.docx（72页珍藏版）》请在冰豆网上搜索。

英国牛津大学章程

英国牛津大学章程

Preface:

ConstitutionandStatute-makingPowersoftheUniversity

1.LegalstatusoftheUniversity

TheUniversityofOxfordisalaycorporationfirstestablishedatcommonlawbycustomorprescriptionandlaterformallyincorporatedbystatute.Ithasnofounderandnocharter.TheearlyhistoryoftheUniversity1 showsthatitevolvedfromagroupofMastersandstudentsresidinginOxfordinthelatterpartofthetwelfthcentury.TheacademicsocietywhichtheycollectivelybroughtintolifeparalleledsimilarassociationsatothercentresoflearninginEurope,notablyBolognaandParis.ThetermoriginallyusedthroughoutEuropetodescribesuchasocietywas studiumgenerale.Thepurposeofthe studiageneralia wastoprovideinstructioninthesevenliberalarts-grammar,logic,andrhetoric（the trivium）andarithmetic,geometry,astronomy,andmusic（the quadrivium）.Graduatesinartscouldembarkuponahighercourseofstudyleadingtodegreesinlaw,medicine,ortheology.

In1214thebodyofMastersandScholarsatOxfordwasplacedunderthejurisdictionofaChancellor,tobeappointedbytheBishopofLincoln.Theofficewascreatedunderthetermsofanawardofthepapallegate,NicholasCardinalBishopofTusculum,madeinsettlementofadisputewiththetownspeopleoverthehangingoftwostudentsin1209forcomplicityinmurder.Thisincidenthadresultedintheclosureoftheschoolsandthesummarydepartureofthescholarsinprotest,someofwhomwentontoestablisha studium inCambridge.LaterinthecenturyitbecamethepracticefortheBishopofLincolntoconfirminofficetheChancellorelectedbytheOxfordMastersthemselves.

After1214theChancellor,Masters,andScholarsofOxfordquicklygainedrecognitionasacorporatebodydistinctfromtheindividualswhowereitsmembers.Theword universitas,whichatthetimemeantanybodyofpersonshavingadistinctpurposeandlegalstatus,wasfirstappliedtotheMastersatOxfordin12162 andwithinthenexttwodecadeswasappliedtothebodyofChancellor,Masters,andScholarscollectivelyingrantsofroyalandpapallegalprivileges.Theenactmentofstatutesbegannotlaterthan1230;aCommonChestwasestablishedby1240;andtheuseoftheCommonSealwasfirmlyestablishedby1276.3 ProctorsandBedelswereestablishedinofficeatthebeginningofthethirteenthcentury,4 althoughtheUniversityhadtowaituntil1448fortheofficeofRegistrar,5 andthepostofVice-Chancellorwasnotfullyestablisheduntil1549.6 Theearliestrecordeddepictionofthecoatofarmsis1412-17.Itsusehadbecomeofficialby1429.7 ThefirstbuildingsownedbytheUniversitywereCongregationHouseandtheDivinitySchool,withDukeHumfrey'sLibrary.

TheestablishmentoftheUniversitiesofOxfordandCambridgemaybecontrastedwiththefoundationoftheircolleges.Allthecollegesarefoundedbycharter.Withtheexceptionofthemoremodernfoundationstheyareeleemosynarycorporations,thatistosaytheywereestablishedandendowedfortheperpetualdistributionofthebountyofthefounderandwerefrequentlychargedwiththedutyofsayingmassesorprayersforthefounderandhisorherkin.8

2.Actofincorporation

Aftermorethanthreecenturies,OxfordandCambridgeUniversitieswereformallyincorporatedin1571bystatute.TheActfortheIncorporationofBothUniversitiesisashortActcontainingapreambleandsevensections.TheprincipalintentionoftheAct,statedinthepreamble,is'thattheancientPrivilegesLibertiesandFranchisesofeitherofthesaidUniversitiesherebeforegrantedratifiedandconfirmedbytheQueen'sHighnessandhermostnobleProgenitorsmaybehadingreaterEstimationandbeofgreaterForceandStrength...'

Section1enactsthattheChancellor,Masters,andScholarsofOxfordshallbeincorporatedandhaveperpetualsuccessioninfact,deed,andname'bytheNameoftheChancellorMastersandScholarsoftheUniversityofOxford'.TheUniversityistobeknownbythatname,istohaveaCommonSeal,andmaysueandbesuedaccordingly.CorrespondingprovisionismadefortheUniversityofCambridge.AlthoughtheActdidnotcreatetheUniversitiesitstandsasthehighestlegalconfirmationoftheircorporatestatus.

3.Earlystatutes

Atcommonlawacorporationhasthepowertoenactrulesfortheregulationofitsinternalaffairsincludingproceduresforthecreationofnewrulesandtherepealoramendmentofexistingones.Theserulesareofcoursesubjecttoandmaybeoverriddenbythegenerallawoftheland.

Initsfirst400yearsOxfordUniversityexerciseditsrule-makingpowerinfullmeasure.9 TheearlystatutesrecognisedtheCongregationoftheRegentMasters,thatisthoseteachingandresidentinOxford,astheprincipalgoverningbodyoftheUniversityformostpurposes.TheyprovidedforthesummoningofCongregation,theproceduretobefollowedatmeetings,andthetakingofvotes.AgreatCongregation,orConvocation,ofNon-regentandRegentMasterswasestablishedastheUniversity'ssupremegoverningbody,meetingfromtimetotime.Convocation,notCongregation,exercisedthepowertomake,amend,andannulstatutes.TheofficersoftheUniversitywereprovidedforandthemanneroftheirelection.Statutesweremadegoverningadmissiontodegrees,thegivingoflectures,studentdiscipline,academicdress,theadministrationoftheChancellor'sCourt,andmanyothermatters.

4.TheLaudianCode

Duringthesixteenthcenturyitwasrecognisedthatthestatuteshadfallenintoanunco-ordinatedifnotchaoticstate.Nosingleauthoritativeversionexisted,variouscopiesbeinginthehandsofdifferentuniversityofficers.AttemptsweremadeduringthatcenturyandinthereignofJamesItorevisethemandgivethemamorecoherentshape.TheaccessionofCharlesIinMarch1625andtheelectionofArchbishopLaudasChancelloroftheUniversityinApril1630finallyproducedacomprehensiveandaccessiblecodeofstatuteswhichwastogoverntheUniversityforthenext200years.10

KingCharlesandtheArchbishopwereasmuchconcernedwiththeneedtocontrolreligiousdivisionsinsidetheUniversity,andstudentindiscipline,astheywerewiththeunsatisfactorystateofthestatutesthemselves.TheLaudianCodewasprecededbythecreationin1631oftheHebdomadalBoard,theweeklymeetingoftheVice-Chancellorandcollegeheadstodiscussuniversitybusiness,designedbyLaudtodilutetheinfluenceofCongregationandConvocation,andbythegrantbyCharlesIoftheGreatCharterof3March1636.ThischarterenlargedtheUniversity'slegalprivileges,andthejurisdictionoftheChancellor'sCourtinbothcivilandcriminalmattersattheexpenseofthecourtsofcommonlaw,andreinforcedtherightsandprivilegesoftheUniversityPress.

ThetextoftheCode,afteragestationperiodoffiveyears,wasfinallysettledbyLaudhimselfandpresentedtotheKingwhoratifieditbyRoyalLettersofConfirmationon3June1636.11 Thepoliticalpurposeofthisdocumentisclear,butitslegaleffectwasmoredebatable.TheoperativepartstatesthattheKing'acceptsapprovesratifiesandconfirms'theCode.ItdirectstheheadsofcollegestogivetheirwrittenassenttotheCodeonthedayofitspresentationtoandpromulgationbyConvocationandrequiresalltheMastersandScholarsoftheUniversitytosweartheirallegiancetoitwithinsixmonthsofthatevent.Itwasformallyadoptedon22June.12

TheCodeincorporatedthreestatutespreviouslysentbytheKingtoConvocationundertheroyalsignet-theso-called StatutaCarolina,orRoyalStatutes-whichconcernedamongotherthingstheappointmentofProctorsandtheestablishmentoftheHebdomadalBoard.Ontheotherhanditdidnotcodifyalltheearlierstatutes,someofwhichwereunaffectedbyit.TheprovisionsoftheCodewhichdealtwithConvocation'slaw-makingpowers,takenwiththeRoyalLettersofConfirmation,gaverisetothequestionwhethertheUniversityhadretainedanypower,andifsowhat,toalterorannulitsexistingstatutes-theCodegenerally,thethreeRoyalStatutesinparticular,oranyoftheothers-ortomakenewstatutes.Counsels'opiniondeliveredin175913 brushesasidethelegaleffectoftheLettersofConfirmationandisarobuststatementoftheUniversity'scontinuinglegalindependence.

'...wethinkthattheKinghasnopowervestedinhimbyhisprerogative,orotherwise,togivelawsorStatutestotheUniversityafteritsoriginalActofIncorporation,withouttheiracceptance,assent,orconfirmation.Andwealsothink,thatitwasnotinthepoweroftheUniversitytodelegatetheirrightofmakingperfectBy-LawsorStatutestoanysubject,oreventotheKing:

andthatnoStatutes,madebysuchdelegation,wouldbevalidwithouttheassentorconfirmationoftheConvocation.Itisthatwhichwethinkgives vitametmodum toeveryStatute,andasitwasnotinthepoweroftheUniversityitselftoenactanyStatuteswhichshouldremainunalterableorunrepealable,sowethinkitcouldnotdelegateapowertoanysubjectortotheCrown,toenactormakeanylawsthatshouldnotberepealablewithouttheconsentofsuchsubjectorhisheirs,orsuchKingorhissuccessors;andthoughpowershaveinsomeinstancesbeenactuallydelegatedbytheUniversitytotheCrown,togivethemStatutesfortheirgovernment,andtheCrownhasaccordinglysodone,andsuchStatuteshavebeenconfirmedbyRoyalauthority,yetevensuchStatutessomadeandsoconfirmedcannot（wethink）,abrogatethelegislativepowernecessarilyinherentin,andincidenttotheUniversity...'

Blackstonegaveadvicetothesameeffect.14

NotsurprisinglyConvocationwaspreparedtoactonthatadvice,buttheissuew