Nominations now open for role of Chancellor of The University of Manchester
09 Mar 2015
2015 is an exciting year in the life of the University as we get ready for the election of a new Chancellor
The current Chancellor, Tom Bloxham (property developer and founder of the urban renewal property development company, Urban Splash), finishes his seven year term of office on 31 July this year and this is your chance to help identify who will follow him in fulfilling this role.
The Chancellor is the ceremonial head of The University of Manchester, who works with the President and Vice-Chancellor and other senior officers to promote the University’s achievements regionally, nationally and internationally.
A new Chancellor will be elected for a term of up to seven years from an electoral roll of over 180,000 members of the University community, including its staff, those graduates registered for the election with the Alumni Association, and the members of the General Assembly.
The Nominations Process
As a staff member this is your invitation to get involved. Further information is available at:
If you would like to nominate someone suitable for the role, please download and review the documents provided on the Site. In nominating someone, you should either be aware that the candidate will be submitting a Candidate’s Declaration or understand that an approach has been made to them to ask them to serve as Chancellor.
Please read the Nomination Guidance Notes and associated documentation on the Nominations Site carefully before submitting a Nomination Form. Nominations will close on Monday, 13 April (noon).
If you are making an approach to a potential candidate, you may wish to provide them with a nominations pack in hard copy. These are available on request:
- email chancellor.election@manchester.ac.uk
or - Tel 52086
If a ballot is required, voting will open on Tuesday, 26 May. The result will be announced by the University on Monday, 22 June.
The Election Procedure (from Ordinance I)
1. The Returning Officer for the Election is the Registrar, Secretary and Chief Operating Officer of The University of Manchester.
2. The date set for the election (i.e. the close of voting) by the Returning Officer is Thursday, 18 June (noon).
3. The electorate consists of:
(i) members of the Alumni Association whose names and addresses have been registered on their electoral roll;
(ii) those holding paid superannuable appointments in the University which extend to the date set for the election; and
(iii) members of the General Assembly whose appointments do not terminate before the date set for the election.
Any person in more than one of the above categories is entitled to only one vote.
4. Members of the electorate are now invited to make nominations for the position of Chancellor. There is no restriction on who may be nominated, other than that a person who holds a paid appointment in the University may not be nominated. Paragraph 4 of Ordinance I states that:
No candidate for election to the Chancellorship shall be deemed to be validly nominated unless:
(a) a proposition for such nomination, in writing, signed by at least twenty persons who are eligible to participate in the election, shall have been received by the Returning Officer no fewer than six weeks before the date appointed for the election;
(b) at the time the proposition for nomination is made, he or she has assented, in writing, to becoming a candidate for election, and has certified that he or she holds no paid appointment in the University.
5. To meet this requirement in a straightforward and consistent way, a Nomination Form has been prepared which appears alongside this notice. Each elector supporting a particular candidate is asked to use this form. It follows that at least twenty such forms are required to be submitted in support of any one candidate.
6. By the close of nominations the Returning Officer requires each candidate for election to:
(a) indicate a willingness to serve, if elected, by submitting a completed and signed Candidate’s Declaration form (which is being made freely available with Nomination Forms); and
(b) submit a suitable photograph biographical summary, not exceeding 300 words, for the information of electors should a ballot be required. The Returning Officer may exercise editorial discretion in the interests of ensuring equity between candidates.
7. In the event of a ballot, further information and voting instructions will be sent to each elector by Tuesday, 26 May.
8. Please note that the University has contracted the Electoral Reform Services (ERS) to assist in the operation of the election. The ERS will provide administrative support for the election for the main ballot, if required, once the nominations period has closed.
9. Completed nomination forms, the candidate’s declaration, biographical summaries and photograph can be returned by email to chancellor.election@manchester.ac.uk or, by post, to: The Governance Office, 1.031 John Owens Building, The University of Manchester, M13 9PL, to arrive by Monday, 13 April (noon).