Head of college
A head of college or head of house is the head or senior member of a college within a collegiate university. The title used varies between colleges, including dean, master, president, principal, provost, rector and warden.[1][2]
The role of the head of college varies significantly between colleges of the same university, and even more so between different universities. However, the head of college will often have responsibility for leading the governing body of the college, often acting as a chair of various college committees; for executing the decisions of the governing body through the college's organisational structure, acting as a chief executive; and for representing the college externally, both within the government of the university and further afield often in aid of fund-raising for the college.[3] The nature of the role varies in importance depending on the nature of the central university. At a loosely federated university such as the University of London or the National University of Ireland, where each member institution is self-governing and some hold university status in their own right, the head of each institution has the same level of responsibility as the vice-chancellor of a university. At more centralised universities, the heads of colleges have less power and responsibility.
University governance
Heads of colleges will often participate in the governance of the central university. Mechanisms for this very between university and include:
- The Collegiate Council at the University of London, which advises the Board of Trustees and is responsible for academic affairs.[4]
- The Conference of Colleges at the University of Oxford,[5] the chair of which and one other member sit on the university council.[6]
- Four places on the university council at the University of Cambridge reserved for heads of colleges.[7]
- Ex officio membership of the senate for all heads of colleges at Durham University,[8] Lancaster University[9] and the University of Roehampton.[10]
- The Partnership Council at the University of the Highlands and Islands.[11]
- Joint appointments of heads of colleges as pro vice-chancellors and members of the university executive board at University of the Arts London.[12]
Terminology
Many different titles are used for heads of colleges. These have also changed with time, in particularly the recent move away from using master by colleges at Durham,[13] Kent (where the position of head of college was abolished),[14] Rice[15] and Yale[16] universities.
In the case of some older colleges whose statutes are in Latin, the titles used in the modern era are English translations of those found in the statutes, e.g. "provost" for praepositus, and "warden" for custos.
References
- "Oxford Glossary". University of Oxford. Retrieved 24 March 2015.
- "Glossary". University Governance. University of Cambridge. Retrieved 24 March 2015.
- Anthony Archer (February 2015). "Oxford Heads of Houses: roles and trends in recent appointments". Bridgewater Leadership Advisory. Archived from the original on 2 April 2015. Retrieved 24 March 2015.
- "Collegiate Council". University of London. Retrieved 29 December 2022.
- "Governance". University of Oxford. Retrieved 29 December 2022.
- "Members of Council". University of Oxford. Retrieved 29 December 2022.
- "The Colleges". The Structure of the University. University of Cambridge. Retrieved 29 December 2022.
- "Statutes". Durham University. Retrieved 29 December 2022.
- "Senate membership" (PDF). Lancaster University. Retrieved 29 December 2022.
- "Senate Members for 2022-2023". University of Roehampton, London. Retrieved 29 December 2022.
- "Partnership Council". University of the Highlands and Islands. Retrieved 29 December 2022.
- "Executive Board". University of the Arts London. 16 September 2022. Retrieved 31 December 2022.
- Isabella Green (5 November 2020). "Professor Wendy Powers: "No university community is fully inclusive"". Palatinate.
- "College Masters" (PDF). University of Kent. Retrieved 31 December 2022.
- Fernando Ramirez (7 April 2017). "Rice University officials change 'College Master' title due to 'negative historical connotation'". Chron.
- Salovey, Peter (27 April 2016). "Decisions on Residential College Names and "Master" Title". Office of the President Yale University. Retrieved 24 April 2020.
- "Partnership principals and directors". University of the Highlands and Islands. Retrieved 29 December 2022.
- "Professor Kristian Helin". The Institute of Cancer Research. Retrieved 31 December 2022.
- "Our leadership". London Business School. Retrieved 31 December 2022.
- "Dean of Oxford University college steps down after 'protracted disputes'". BBC News. 5 February 2022.
- "Mark Hallett Announced As New Director of The Courtauld". The Courtauld. 11 November 2022. Retrieved 31 December 2022.
- "LSHTM announces new Director". LSHTM. 4 February 2021. Retrieved 1 January 2023.
- "The Houses". Harvard College. Retrieved 31 December 2022.
- "Welcome to Froebel College, founded in 1893". Froebel College. Retrieved 31 December 2022.
- "Key Residential College Contacts". Dean of the College. Princeton University. Retrieved 29 December 2022.
- "Head of College". Digby Stuart College. Retrieved 31 December 2022.
- "Meet the Whitelands Team". Whitelands College. Retrieved 31 December 2022.
- "Who's Who at Southlands?". Southlands College. Retrieved 31 December 2022.
- "About the House System". Dartmouth College. 23 August 2016. Retrieved 1 January 2023.
- "About is". Hatfield College. Retrieved 2 January 2023.
- "History of Hatfield" (PDF). p. 22. Retrieved 22 January 2023.
- "The Mistresses of Girton". Girton College. Retrieved 4 January 2023.
- "A welcome message from our President, Professor Alan Short". Clare Hall Cambridge. Retrieved 3 January 2023.
- "Sir Laurie Bristow elected President of Hughes Hall". Hughes Hall Cambridge. 28 March 2022. Retrieved 3 January 2023.
- "Our President: Professor Dame Madeleine Atkins". Lucy Cavendish College. Retrieved 3 January 2023.
- "College leadership". Murray Edwards College. 28 February 2019. Retrieved 3 January 2023.
- "The President". Queens' College. Retrieved 3 January 2023.
- "President & College Officers". Wolfson College Cambridge. Retrieved 3 January 2023.
- "Provost& President". Trinity College Dublin. Retrieved 1 January 2023.
- "Executive Leadership". City, University of London. 23 November 2020. Retrieved 1 January 2023.
- "Our People". King's College London. Retrieved 1 January 2023.
- "Meet the Director". LSE. Retrieved 22 January 2023.
- "Who's Who at Queen Mary". QMUL. Retrieved 1 January 2023.
- "President". SOAS. Retrieved 21 September 2023.
- "About the President & Provost". UCL. 28 January 2022. Retrieved 1 January 2023.
- "Principal". Homerton College. Retrieved 3 January 2023.
- "Alison Rose: Principal". Newnham College. Retrieved 3 January 2023.
- "Who's Who". Collingwood College. Retrieved 2 January 2023.
- Calendar. Vol. 1. Durham University. 1985. p. 196.
- "Calendar". Durham University. 1989. p. 204.
- "Durham University appoints three new College heads". Durham University. 19 January 2023.
- "Our People". Grey College. Retrieved 2 January 2023.
- "Who's Who". John Snow College. Retrieved 2 January 2023.
- "Who's Who". Josephine Butler College. Retrieved 2 January 2023.
- "Who's Who". South College. Retrieved 2 January 2023.
- "Who's Who". St Aidan's College. Retrieved 2 January 2023.
- "Staff". St Chad's College. Retrieved 2 January 2023.
- "Visitor, Rector & Governors". St Chad's College. Retrieved 2 January 2023.
- "Who's Who". St Cuthbert's Society. Retrieved 2 January 2023.
- "Who's Who". College of St Hild and St Bede. Retrieved 2 January 2023.
- "College Officers". St John's College. Retrieved 2 January 2023.
- "Who's Who". St Mary's College. Retrieved 2 January 2023.
- "Who's Who". Stephenson College. Retrieved 2 January 2023.
- "Who's Who". Trevelyan College. Retrieved 2 January 2023.
- "Who's Who". Ustinov College. Retrieved 2 January 2023.
- "Who's Who". Van Mildert College. Retrieved 2 January 2023.
- "Senior Management". Royal Academy of Music. Retrieved 1 January 2023.
- "Central welcomes its new Principal, Josette Bushell-Mingo OBE". Royal Central School of Speech and Drama. 16 August 2021. Retrieved 1 January 2023.
- "Royal Holloway, University of London, appoints new Principal". Royal Holloway. Retrieved 1 January 2023.
- "Latest message from the President & Principal". RVC. 22 December 2022. Retrieved 1 January 2023.
- "St George's Leadership Team". St George's. Retrieved 21 September 2023.
- "Governance". Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama. Retrieved 31 December 2022.
- "Contact and support". University of York: Derwent. Retrieved 1 January 2023.
- "Contact and support". University of York: Langwith. Retrieved 1 January 2023.
- "Contact and support". University of York: Vanbrugh. Retrieved 1 January 2023.
- "Contact and support". University of York: Wentworth. Retrieved 1 January 2023.
- "Undergraduate Colleges". UC San Diego. Retrieved 1 January 2023.
- "Undergraduate Education College Directory". UC Santa Cruz. Retrieved 1 January 2023.
- "Election of a new Provost". King's College, Cambridge. 7 July 2022. Retrieved 3 January 2023.
- "Contact". Residential Life. University of Notre Dame. Retrieved 31 December 2022.
- "Officers of the College". Birkbeck, University of London. Retrieved 31 December 2022.
- "Meet the Director". LSE. Retrieved 22 January 2023.
- "Robinson College welcomes its third Warden, Sir Richard Heaton". Robinson College. 1 October 2021. Retrieved 3 January 2023.
- "Frances Corner - Warden of Goldsmiths". Goldsmiths. Retrieved 1 January 2022.