Citation and commencement

1.  This Order may be cited as the Queen Margaret University, Edinburgh (Scotland) Amendment Order of Council 2015 and comes into force on 28th September 2015.

Amendment of the Queen Margaret University, Edinburgh (Scotland) Order of Council 2007

2.  The Queen Margaret University, Edinburgh (Scotland) Order of Council 2007(2) is amended in accordance with articles 3 and 4.

3.-(1) Article 4 (the Court) is amended as follows.

(2) Before paragraph (2)(a) insert-

"(za)the Chair, appointed by the Court in accordance with its rules and procedures from time to time, not being a member of the staff of the University or a student;".

(3) In paragraph (2)(a)-

(a)for "12" substitute "11"; and

(b)for "16" substitute "15".

(4) Before paragraph (8), after the cross-heading "Organisational", insert-

"(7A) Subject to article 5(3) and (4), the Chair shall preside at meetings of the Court.".

4.  For article 5 (Chair and Vice-Chair of the Court), substitute-

"5.    Vice-Chair of the Court

(1) The Court shall appoint a Vice-Chair of the Court from among the lay members appointed under article 4(2)(a).

(2) Any person appointed to the office of Vice-Chair-

(a)shall hold office for a period determined by the Court;

(b)may resign from office at any time;

(c)may be removed from office by resolution of the Court; and

(d)shall cease to be Vice-Chair if such person vacates office as a member under article 6(7).

(3) In the Chair's absence, the Vice-Chair shall preside at meetings of the Court.

(4) If both the Chair and the Vice-Chair are absent then the members shall appoint a Vice-Chair from among the members appointed under article 4(2)(a) present at the  meeting.".

Transitional provision

5.  The Chair of the Court of Queen Margaret University, Edinburgh who is in office on 28th September 2015 is to be regarded, for the remainder of that Chair's period of office, as if appointed in accordance with article 4(2)(za) of the Queen Margaret University, Edinburgh (Scotland) Order of Council 2007 as inserted by this Order.

EXPLANATORY NOTE

(This note is not part of the Order)

This Order amends the Queen Margaret University, Edinburgh (Scotland) Order of Council 2007 ("the 2007 Order"). The 2007 Order remains the principal governance order in relation to Queen Margaret University, Edinburgh ("the University"), made under section 45 of the Further and Higher Education (Scotland) Act 1992.

Articles 3 and 4 of this Order amend articles 4 and 5 of the 2007 Order so that separate provision is now made for the appointment of the Chair as a member of the governing body ("the Court") of the University rather than for the Chair simply to be drawn from a constituent part of that membership. A new article 4(7A) of the 2007 Order continues the provision that the Chair presides at meetings of the Court and provision continues to be made in new article 5 of the 2007 Order for the Vice-Chair to be drawn from among the lay members appointed under article 4(2)(a) of the 2007 Order.

The range of lay members to be appointed under article 4(2)(a) of the 2007 Order is reduced by one to be between 11 and 15 to ensure that the maximum membership of the Court still does not exceed 24 persons.

Article 5 makes transitional provision to ensure that the serving Chair of the Court on commencement of this Order is treated as appointed under article 4(2)(za) of the 2007 Order as inserted by this Order.