Senate Elections 2021

A number of appointments to the elected category of the Senate’s membership will terminate on 31 August 2021.  Members of the academic and research staff who are interested in the work of the Senate are encouraged to seek nomination. 

Further information on the membership and responsibilities of the Senate plus information about the vacancies (including eligibility for election) is available via the link below.  The Nominations form can also be accessed from this link: 

• Nominations form 

We are using the mi-voice nominations platform, which allows candidates to work on their application, and, if necessary, save and come back to it at a later date, before submitting.

Candidates should check with their nominees if they are happy to support their applications, before adding their contact details to the form. 

An email will then automatically be generated from the system to each nominator, asking them to confirm their support for the candidate.  

The Governance Office will then receive notification once an application has been fully completed (including the biography), and both supporters have confirmed their support.

There is an option to add a photograph to your application, but this is not mandatory. 

The closing date for submissions is Monday, 15 February at 12 noon. 

If you would like to discuss the nomination process or the work of the Senate, then please contact me at elections@manchester.ac.uk

Mark Rollinson

Deputy Secretary

Key messages: Elections to Senate

What are the benefits of being a member of Senate?

• By becoming a member of Senate you have the opportunity to:
  
  
  • be part of high-level University policy discussions and decisions, and to challenge and question issues as part of a constructive debate
  • help shape the future of the University - its academic strategy and organisation, and in turn shape our Faculty and Schools
  • provide a mechanism for putting important issues or new ideas from your colleagues in your School onto Senate’s agenda
  • provide timely feedback about what is discussed at Senate to your School Board, so that your colleagues are kept up-to-date on current developments across the University
  • work with, and build relationships with, staff from different areas of the University in pursuit of common objectives

• The University is looking for greater diversity on Senate so that all voices from across the University can be heard, and key issues raised by colleagues can be escalated.

More information

• Senate meetings take place approximately six times per academic year.
• If you are interested in finding out more about what it means to be on Senate you may wish to contact one of the Faculty's current members whose names can be found on the Senate membership list. 
• The nominations form can be accessed via the link below: 
  • Nominations form

 The closing date for submissions is Monday, 15 February at 12 noon.

Further information: Senate elections 2021

Background

The Senate plays a key role in the governance of The University of Manchester. Subject to the authority of the Board, it acts as the University’s principal academic authority. It is responsible to the Board of Governors for the promotion of research, the regulation and monitoring of standards in teaching, and the regulation of discipline of students of the University.

Powers of the Senate

The Senate’s main powers, as designated by Statute, are:

• to formulate and keep under review, in consultation with Faculties, the academic strategy of the University;
• to promote research, scholarship, learning and teaching;
• to superintend and regulate the recruitment, selection, admission, education and assessment of the students of the University; to award degrees or other academic distinctions and to regulate the conduct, discipline and academic progress of the students;
• to monitor and maintain academic standards, to monitor and enhance the quality of academic provision, and to approve new programmes of study;
• to appoint the internal examiners of the University, and to recommend to the Board of Governors the appointment of the external examiners of the University;
• to establish, modify or revise schemes for the academic structure and organisation of the University.

Further details of the powers of the Senate

• Full details of the powers of Senate are contained in the Charter, Statutes and Ordinances of the University
• Download the full details of the Standing Orders of Senate
  

Benefits of being a member of Senate

By becoming a member of Senate you have the opportunity to:

• be part of high-level University policy discussions and decisions
• challenge and question issues as part of a constructive debate
• help shape the future of the University - its academic strategy and organisation, and in turn shape our Faculty and Schools
• highlight important issues or new ideas on behalf your School
• provide timely feedback about what is discussed at Senate to your School Board, so your colleagues are kept up-to-date on current developments across the University
• work with, and build relationships with, staff from different areas of the University in pursuit of common objectives

Membership of the Senate

The Senate has 70 members (PDF document). A third of these are designated ex officio and reserved for those with academic management responsibilities centrally and in the Faculties. The remaining two-thirds are elected academic members (professorial and non-professorial) and student representatives.

• The role profile for Senate members.

Senate meeting dates and archived minutes

Senate meetings take place approximately six times per academic year. Meeting dates and archived minutes are available at:

• Senate meeting dates
• The template for papers to be submitted to Senate.