Universities Act, 1997
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Composition of governing authority. |
16.—(1) Subject to this Part, a governing authority shall consist of such members, being not less than 20 or more than 40, as determined in accordance with this Chapter. | |
(2) The members of the governing authority shall include— | ||
(a) the chief officer, | ||
(b) a person appointed under section 17 (3) as the chairperson (if so appointed), | ||
(c) at least one but not more than two senior officers of the university having responsibility to the chief officer for academic, financial or administrative affairs, appointed by the governing authority, one of whom shall be the senior officer having responsibility for academic affairs, and | ||
(d) the following members elected in accordance with regulations made under subsection (11): | ||
(i) not less than two or more than six members of the academic staff of the university who are Professors or Associate Professors, elected by such staff; | ||
(ii) not less than three or more than five permanent or full-time members of the other academic staff of the university elected by such staff; | ||
(iii) at least one but not more than three permanent or full-time employees who are not members of the academic staff of the university elected by the non-academic staff; | ||
(iv) not less than two or more than three students of the university who are elected officers of the Students Union or other student representative body in the university recognised by the governing authority, and | ||
(v) one post-graduate student elected by the post-graduate students. | ||
(3) Subject to subsection (7), in addition to the persons chosen and appointed pursuant to subsection (2), but included in the maximum number of members specified in subsection (1), there shall be— | ||
(a) at least one but not more than four persons, chosen by a committee of the governing authority comprising the chief officer and two other members, from among nominations made by such organisations as are representative of employers, trade unions, agriculture, fisheries, community organisations, Irish language and Gaeltacht organisations, the professions, business and industry as the governing authority considers appropriate, of whom at least one shall be chosen from those nominated by organisations representative of business or industry, | ||
(b) where by or under an Act there is established a body for a region in which the university is located a function of which is to advise the Minister in relation to the planning and co-ordination of education services at primary and post-primary levels, at least one but not more than two persons who are not members of the governing authority or employees of any other university, the Dublin Institute of Technology established by section 3 of the Dublin Institute of Technology Act, 1992 , or a regional technical college established by or in accordance with section 3 of the Regional Technical Colleges Act, 1992 , | ||
chosen by a committee of the governing authority constituted as provided in paragraph (a), from among persons nominated by that regional body, and | ||
(c) subject to subsections (8) and (9), the same number of persons as chosen in accordance with paragraph (a), who shall be appointed by the governing authority on the nomination of the Minister, after consultation by the Minister with the chief officer. | ||
(4) In addition to the members chosen and appointed pursuant to subsections (2) and (3), but included in the maximum number of members specified in subsection (1), a governing authority may have as members not more than— | ||
(a) four persons appointed having particular regard to the extent to which artistic and cultural interests are represented among the members, and | ||
(b) four graduates of the university, elected by such graduates and, in the case of a constituent university, graduates for the purposes of this subsection includes persons on whom a degree of the National University of Ireland was conferred as a result of their studies at the corresponding constituent college or Recognised College, | ||
who, subject to subsection (7), shall be chosen and appointed as determined by the governing authority. | ||
(5) In addition to the members chosen and appointed pursuant to subsections (2), (3) and (4), but included in the maximum number of members specified in subsection (1), the governing authorities shall appoint as members— | ||
(a) in the case of Dublin City University— | ||
(i) one person chosen by a committee of the governing authority comprising the chief officer and two other members, from among persons nominated for that purpose by the councils of the administrative counties of Fingal, South Dublin and Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown and the Corporation of Dublin county borough, and | ||
(ii) at least one but not more than three persons chosen by a committee of the governing authority comprising the chief officer and two other members, from among persons nominated for that purpose by the Dublin City University Educational Trust or its successor body, | ||
(b) in the case of the National University of Ireland, Cork— | ||
(i) the Lord Mayor of Cork, | ||
(ii) the Mayor of Waterford, | ||
(iii) two persons nominated by the National University of Ireland, and | ||
(iv) five persons elected by the councils of the administrative Counties of Cork, Waterford, Kerry, Limerick, Tipperary (North Riding) and Tipperary (South Riding), | ||
(c) in the case of the National University of Ireland, Dublin— | ||
(i) the Lord Mayor of Dublin, | ||
(ii) two persons nominated by the National University of Ireland, and | ||
(iii) eight persons elected by the members of the General Council of County Councils, | ||
(d) in the case of the National University of Ireland, Galway— | ||
(i) two persons nominated by the National University of Ireland, and | ||
(ii) seven persons elected by the members of the Corporation of the County Borough of Galway and the councils of the administrative Counties of Galway, Mayo, Sligo, Clare, Leitrim and Roscommon, | ||
(e) in the case of the National University of Ireland, Maynooth— | ||
(i) two persons nominated by the National University of Ireland, and | ||
(ii) three persons chosen by the chief officer from among persons nominated for that purpose by the Trustees for the time being of St. Patrick's College, Maynooth, | ||
(f) in the case of Trinity College, not less than three or more than six fellows of Trinity College chosen as determined by the governing authority, | ||
(g) in the case of the University of Limerick— | ||
(i) the chairperson of the council of the administrative county of Limerick or a person nominated by him or her, | ||
(ii) the Mayor of Limerick, and | ||
(iii) at least one but not more than three persons chosen by a committee of the governing authority comprising the chief officer and two other members, from among persons nominated for that purpose by the University of Limerick Foundation or its successor body. | ||
(6) Where an educational institution is associated with a university in accordance with an agreement between that institution and the university and that agreement provides that the governing authority of the university shall have as members employees or students of the institution then, in addition to the members chosen and appointed pursuant to subsections (2) to (5), but included in the maximum number of members specified in subsection (1), the governing authority shall include such members as are so provided for. | ||
(7) Except in the case of a person appointed under subsection (4) where the governing authority has waived the restriction otherwise imposed by this subsection, a member referred to in subsection (3) or (4) shall not be an employee or a student of the university. | ||
(8) Where immediately before the commencement of this Part a governing body (by whatever name known) of a university or constituent college contained members appointed by the Minister or the Government, the number of members of the governing authority to be appointed on the nomination of the Minister in accordance with subsection (3)(c) shall be not less than the number of persons so appointed and holding office immediately before the commencement of this Part, or three persons, whichever is the lesser number. | ||
(9) In nominating persons for the purposes of subsection (3) (c), the Minister shall ensure that there are at least two members of the governing authority chosen or to be appointed under subsection (3) (a) or (c) who are nominated by organisations representative of business or industry or who, in the opinion of the Minister, are representative of business or industry. | ||
(10) In performing its functions under this section a governing authority shall ensure that each sex is represented on the governing authority in accordance with such gender balance as may from time to time be determined or approved by the Minister. | ||
(11) A governing authority may make such regulations relating to the selection, election, nomination or appointment of members of the governing authority as it thinks fit, and their selection, election, nomination or appointment shall be carried out in accordance with those regulations. |