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A Charter for University College, Cork.

Edward the Seventh, by the Grace of God, of the United kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland and of the British Dominions beyond the Seas King, Defender of the Faith, to all whom these presents shall come, greeting:

Whereas by Letters Patent under the Great Seal of Ireland of Her late Majesty Queen Victoria, dated the twelfth day of October eighteen hundred and sixty-three, and revoking Her Majesty's previous Letters Patent under the Great Seal of Ireland, dated the thirtieth day of December eighteen hundred and forty-six, and the eleventh day of December eighteen hundred and forty-nine, Queen's College, Cork, was founded and constituted, having its seat in Cork, in the Province of Munster:

And Whereas by an Act of Parliament passed in the eighth year of Our Reign, entitled the Irish Universities Act, 1908, it is declared that We may, if pleased to do so, by Charter found a new University having its seat in Dublin.

And Whereas it is declared by the second section of the Act aforesaid that Queen's College, Cork, shall be a constituent college of the University aforesaid having its seat in Dublin, and that for the purposes of making any alterations in the constitution or government of Queen's College, Cork, which the passing of the said Act renders it expedient to make by Charter, We may, if pleased to do so, either alter the Charter existing at the time of the passing of the said Act , or grant a new Charter in lieu thereof, and may, if pleased to do so, alter the name of the College:

And Whereas the said Act contains other enactments concerning the said College:

And Whereas it is provided in the said Act that Our Royal University of Ireland shall be dissolved as from the appointed day:

And Whereas it is provided that the said Act shall come into operation on such day, not being more than two years after the passing thereof, as the Lord Lieutenant may appoint; and that different days may be appointed for different purposes and for different provisions of the said Act :

And Whereas by Order of Our Lieutenant-General and General Governor of Ireland dated the twenty-sixth day of September nineteen hundred and eight the thirtieth day of September nineteen hundred and eight was appointed for the commencement of the second section of the said Act .

Know Ye, that We, of Our special grace, certain knowledge, and mere motion, by and with the advice and consent of Our right trusty and right well-beloved Cousin and Counsellor John Campbell, Earl of Aberdeen, Knight of Our Most Ancient and Most Noble Order of the Thistle, Knight Grand Cross of Our Most Distinguished Order of Saint Michael and Saint George, Our Lieutenant General and General Governor of that part of Our United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland called Ireland, and according to the tenor and effect of Our Letter under Our Privy Signet and Royal Sign Manual, bearing date at Our Court at Windsor the nineteenth day of November, in the eighth year of Our Reign, have willed and ordered and by these presents, for Us, Our Heirs and Successors, We do will and order as follows:

Chapter 1

The College constituted by the Charters granted by Her late Majesty Queen Victoria as aforesaid, having its seat at Cork, in the province of Munster, and heretofore known as Queen's College, Cork, shall be called and known as University College, Cork, and under the name and style of University College, Cork, shall remain and continue one body corporate, with perpetual succession and a common seal, and with power, without any further license in mortmain, to take, purchase, and hold, and also to sell, grant, exchange, demise, and otherwise dispose of real and personal property, and shall be subject to all the provisions of the Irish Universities Act, 1908.

Notwithstanding anything in this Our Charter, University College, Cork , (hereinafter referred to as the College), shall not at any time hold real property in Our United Kingdom exceeding the annual value of £30,000 (according to the value of such property at the time of its acquisition) over and above the value of any site, buildings, and hereditaments used and occupied for the immediate purposes of the College.

Chapter 2. Relation of the College to the University.

In accordance with the Irish Universities Act, 1908 , the College is a Constituent College of the University With its seat in Dublin founded by Us by Charter under the name of the National University of Ireland and hereinafter referred to as the University.

Chapter 3. Powers of the College.

Subject to the Irish Universities Act, 1908, and to Our Charter founding the University, the College shall have the powers following:--

  1. To teach Students who are seeking to obtain any Degree or other academic distinction which the University confers:
  2. To provide teaching for other purposes, so far as means are available, and generally to promote the advancement and dissemination of knowledge:
  3. To provide facilities for the prosecution of original research in science, literature, or other subjects taught in the College , and especially in the applications of Science:
  4. To take such steps as are authorised by this Our Chapter in connection with any appointment to be made by the University to the office of President of the College , or of Professor or Lecturer of the College:
  5. Subject to the Irish Universities Act, 1908, to this Our Charter and to the Statutes of the College, to appoint and remove the holders of other offices in the College, including the offices of Assistants, or Demonstrators to Professors or Lecturers:
  6. To institute and award Scholarships, Prizes, and other rewards for Students of the College:
  7. To accept from Donors gift of land, money, or other property for the foundation of Professorships, Lectureships, Scholarships, or Studentships, or for the erection of buildings, or for the endowment of research, or for any other purposes connected with the College , upon such trusts and conditions, if any, as may be specified by the Donors in regard to the foundation (including, in the case of Professorship or Lectureship, any special provisions to have effect in lieu of the general provisions of this Our Charter as to the mode of appointment to or removal from such offices) : provided always, that nothing in such trusts or conditions is contrary to the provisions of the Irish Universities Act, 1908:
  8. To establish, maintain, or license halls of residence or other places for the residence of Students:
  9. To do all such things in relation to the University as may be authorised by Our Charter founding the University or otherwise:
  10. To do all such other acts and things, whether incidental to the aforesaid powers or not, as may be requisite in order to further the objects of the College .

Chapter 4. Visitor.

The Visitor of the University shall be the Visitor of the College.

Chapter 5. Membership of the College.

The President of the College, the Members of the Governing Body of the College, the Members of the Academic Council of the College, the Graduates of the University who have been Matriculated Students in the College or in Queen's College, Cork, and the students of the University, are the Members of the College for the time, being, and shall constitute the Body Corporate of the College.

Women shall be eligible equally with men to become Members of the College, or of the Governing Body of the College, and to hold any office or enjoy any advantage of the College.

Chapter 6. The President of the College.

  1. The President of the College shall be the head and chief officer of the College, and shall be entitled to preside at meetings of the Governing Body, at meetings of the Academic Council, and at meetings of Committees of the Governing Body or Academic Council.
  2. We hereby nominate Bertram Coghill Alan Windle, M.A., D.Sc., F.R.S., to be the first President of the College.
  1. If before the expiration period of seven years from the day appointed for the dissolution of Our Royal University of Ireland a vacancy occurs in the office of President, the University shall appoint a suitable person to be President for the remainder of that period; and if during the term of office of the first Governing Body a person who is not a Member of the Governing Body is appointed to be President, he will be nominated by Us to be a Member of the Governing Body:
  2. If any appointment is made to fill a vacancy as aforesaid, on the expiration of seven years from the day appointed for the dissolution of Our Royal University of Ireland the office of President shall be vacant and shall be filled by the University. The President vacating office shall be eligible for re-appointment.
  1. Save as regards the first President, who holds his office in accordance with the provisions of sub-section five of section sixteen of the Irish Universities Act, 1908, and save as is provided above in the event of a vacancy occurring within a period of seven years from the day appointed for the dissolution of Our Royal University of Ireland, the President shall hold office for such period as may be determined by the Statutes of the College, and on the occurrence of a vacancy the University shall appoint the President of the College.
  2. In every appointment of a President by the University the following conditions must be observed:--
  1. The University must obtain and consider the representations of the Governing Body of the College as to the filling of the vacancy;
  2. If the number of candidates be more than three, the Governing Body of the College shall be entitled to select not less than three candidates from amongst whom the University must make the appointment.
  1. Any President of the College who has been appointed by the University may, upon due cause shown in an application made by the Governing Body of the College, be removed from office by the University, but any President so removed from office may appeal to the Visitor, and any such appeal shall be heard and determined in the manner provided in Our Charter founding the University.

Chapter 7. The Governing Body.

  1. We hereby nominate as the first Governing Body of the College the persons following:--

* B. C. A. Windle, M.A., D. Sc., M.D., F.R.S. (President).
The Reverend G. S. Baker, B.A., B.D.
The Reverend Michael Barrett, Ph.D.
* W. Bergin, M.A. (Professor)
John Walsh Clery, D.L.
Eugene Joseph Ignatius Connolly
* Henry Corby, B.A., M.D., M.Ch. (Professor)
Henry Dale, J.P.
* Augustus E. Dixon, M.D. (Professor)
Thomas Donovan, J.P.
The Most Reverend Thomas Fennelly, D.D.
Michael Edward Fitzgerald, J.P.
Sir Stanley Harrington, B.A., J.P.
* Marcus Hartog, M.A., D.Sc. (Professor)
Maurice Healy.
William Henry Hill, B.E., F.R.I.B.A.
James Long, J.P.
William McDonald, J.P.
E. P. McSweeney.
D. D. Madigan.
The Right Reverend Thomas O'Callaghan, D.D.
* Charles Yelverton Pearson, M.D., M.Ch., F.R.C.S. (Professor)
Augustine Roche, M.P.
Miss Lucy E. Smith, M.D.
Robert Uniacke Fitzgerald Townsend
J. Travers Wolfe.

The nominations in the cases of the persons whose names are marked with asterisks have effect only while they hold the offices a description of which is attached to their names; and if any such person ceases to hold the office a vacancy occurs.

  1. Any casual vacancy in the first Governing Body shall be filled by Our further nomination.
  2. The first Governing Body shall hold office till the expiration of a period of three years and three months from the day appointed for the dissolution of Our Royal University of Ireland.
  3. The Governing Body , after the expiration of the period of office of the first Governing Body, shall be constituted as follows:--
The President 1
Nominated by the Crown 3
Appointed by the Senate of the University 2
Professors of the College elected by the Academic Council 6
Graduates of the University who are members of the College elected by those Graduates 4
The Lord Mayor of Cork 1
The Mayor of Limerick 1
The Mayor of Waterford 1
The Chairman or other member or person representing each of the following Councils to be elected by the Council:--  
The County Council of Cork 1
The County Council of Waterford 1
The County Council of Kerry 1
The County Council of Limerick 1
Elected by the County Councils of Tipperary, acting jointly in manner prescribed by the Statutes 1
Co-opted 4

Any person who by virtue of holding an office is a Member of the Governing Body shall retire from membership on ceasing to hold that office.

The Members of the Governing Body , other than the ex-officio Members, shall hold office for a period of three years. The successor in the case of a casual vacancy shall be appointed in like manner with his predecessor, and shall hold office for the remainder of his predecessor's term.

Retiring Members are eligible for re-appointment.

The Statutes of the College shall provide, so far as may be necessary, for the time at which, and the manner in which, members of the Governing Body are to be appointed.

  1. The acts or proceedings of the Governing Body shall not be invalidated by any vacancy among its Members, or by any defect in the mode of appointment of any of its Members.
  2. Members of the Governing Body are eligible equally with other persons for appointment to paid office in the College .

Chapter 8. Powers of the Governing Body.

The Governing Body shall manage and control all the affairs of the College, subject to the provisions of the Irish Universities Act, 1908, to Our Charter founding the University to this Our Charter, and to the Statutes and Regulations of the University and the College, and shall direct the form, custody, and use of the Common Seal of the College.

Subject to the Irish Universities Act, 1908, the Governing Body may make Statutes for the College, and may also make Regulations.

Chapter 9. The Academic Council.

There shall be an Academic Council which shall consist of the President and Professors of the College, with such Lecturers of the College as may be co-opted by the President and Professors; and in addition to the power to elect representatives on the Governing Body , the Academic Council shall, subject to review by the Governing Body , have the powers following--

  1. To manage and carry out the curriculum, instruction, and education afforded by the College;
  2. To make recommendations for the Scholarships and other Prizes of the College;
  3. To carry out any regulations which may be made by the Governing Body on the matters aforesaid;
  4. To regulate and carry out the discipline of the Students of the College;
  5. To transact such other matters as may be committed to the Academic Council by the Governing Body.

Chapter 10. Regulations as to Procedure.

The Governing Body, the Academic Council, and, subject to any directions given by the Governing Body, and the Academic Council respectively, Committees of the Governing Body and the Academic Council respectively, may from time to time make regulations for governing their proceedings, subject to this Our Charter and to the Statutes of the College.

Chapter 11. Officers of the College.

There shall be a Registrar and such other officers as may be provided by the Statutes. The several offices shall be held on conditions to be specified in the Statutes.

Chapter 12. Professors, Lecturers, and other Teachers of the College.

  1. The following provisions shall have effect as respects the Professorships, Lectureships, and other teaching offices of the College: provided, in the case of any teaching office founded by private benefaction accepted by the College in pursuance of this Our Charter, that no provisions in lieu thereof, or of any of them, have been specified by the donor of the endowment.
  2. The duties and remuneration of the several Professorships and Lectureships shall be determined by the Statutes of the College; and the Statutes shall also define the periods for which the several Professorships and Lectureships shall be held by any persons appointed after the expiration of the time limited for temporary appointments made in pursuance of section 15 of the Irish Universities Act, 1908.
  3. The Governing Body shall regulate the provision of Assistants and Demonstrators to the Professors and Lecturers, subject to such general conditions as are prescribed by the Statutes.
  4. After the powers of the Dublin Commissioners appointed under the Irish Universities Act, 1908, shall have ceased, appointments to teaching offices in the College shall be made--
  1. As regards Professors and Lecturers, by the University , subject to the following conditions:
  1. The University must first obtain and consider the representations of the Governing Body of the College as to the filling of vacancies;
  2. If the number of candidates be more than three, the Governing Body of the College shall be entitled to select not less than three candidates from amongst whom the University must make the appointment;
  3. The Governing Body must, before making any representations or selecting any candidate, obtain a report in reference thereto from the Academic Council;
  4. For the purpose of this provision the Governing Body shall obtain reports, select candidates, and make representations, in manner provided by the Statutes.
  1. As regards Assistants and Demonstrators to the Professors and Lecturers, by the Governing Body of the College in manner provided by the Statutes, after considering the representations of the Academic Council.
  1. Any Professor or Lecturer who has been appointed by the University may, upon due cause shown in an application made by the Governing Body of the College, be removed from his office by the University; but any Professor or Lecturer so removed may appeal against dismissal to the Visitor, and the appeal shall be heard and determined in the manner provided in Our Charter founding the University.

Chapter 13. Saving of Rights and Privileges.

Any person who has been a Student of Queen's College Cork, or has obtained any standing or other privilege therein before this Our Charter comes into operation, shall, unless he becomes a Member of the University having its seat in Belfast, be entitled to all the advantages to which he would have been entitled if his studies had been pursued or his privileges acquired in University College, Cork.

Chapter 14. Fees.

The College may demand and receive such fees as the Governing Body may appoint.

Chapter 15. General Provisions.

Except as aforesaid, and except by way of prize, reward, special grant or remuneration for services rendered or to be rendered in the past, present, or future respectively, the College shall not make any gift, division, or bonus in money unto or between any of its Members.

Chapter 16.

Any Supplemental or Amending Charter granted by Us, Our Heirs and Successors, and accepted by the Governing Body of the College, shall be binding upon all persons concerned.

Chapter 17.

In the preceding provisions of this Our Charter Statutes means any Statutes for the general government of the College made in pursuance of sections 4 and 5 of the Irish Universities Act, 1908, unless the context requires that the Statutes of the University shall be understood.

Regulations, unless the context implies otherwise, means Regulations made in the discretion of the Governing Body subject to this Our Charter and the Statutes of the College.

Chapter 18.

  1. The preceding provisions of this Our Charter shall come into effect as from the day appointed under the Irish Universities Act, 1908, for the dissolution of Our Royal University of Ireland, and on that day every provision in the Charter of Queen's College Cork, in force at the time of the passing of the said Act, save only the incorporation of the said College as a body politic and corporate, shall be determined:
  2. As from the date of this Our Charter, the first Governing Body may exercise any power given, and may perform any duty assigned, to the Governing Body under the Irish Universities Act, 1908, may do anything which is incidental to the exercise of any such power or the performance of any such duty, and may take any steps, so far as may be necessary or expedient, for the purpose of bringing the powers of the College into operation on the appointed day aforesaid:
  3. Until the day appointed as aforesaid for the dissolution of Our Royal University of Ireland the provisions of the Charter and Statutes of Queen's College, Cork, in force at the time of the passing of the Irish Universities Act, 1908, shall have effect subject to the modifications following:--
  1. The first Governing Body nominated in this Our Charter, and any Professors and Lecturers of the College who are not members of that body, shall constitute the body corporate of the College;
  2. There shall be an Academic Council , consisting of the President and Professors of the College with such Lecturers of the College as may be co-opted by the President and Professors;
  3. Everything in the said Charter which provides for the mode of Election of a College Council shall be determined and the College Council shall be dissolved;
  4. Any powers which under the Statutes are assigned to the corporate body or to the College Council shall be deemed to vest in the first Governing Body. Provided that the Academic Council shall, subject to review by the Governing Body , transact such business as may be committed to the Academic Council by the Governing Body , and shall exercise such powers as the Governing Body may delegate to it;
  5. Any reference to the College Council shall be deemed to be a reference to the Governing Body.

Chapter 19.

Our Royal will and pleasure is that this Our Charter shall be construed and adjudged in the most favourable and beneficial sense for the best advantage of the College, and the promoting of the objects of this Our Charter, as well in all our Courts as elsewhere, notwithstanding any non-recital, mis-recital, uncertainty, or imperfection herein.

Provided always that these Our Letters Patent be enrolled in the Chancery Division of Our High Court of Justice in Ireland aforesaid within the space of six calendar months next ensuing the date of these presents.

In witness whereof We have caused these Our Letters to be made Patent.

Witness, Our Lieutenant-General and General Governor of Ireland, the Second day of December in the Eighth year of our Reign.