Vice-Chancellor I
Although the original Act of Incorporation (Calendar 1852-52, p 15) declared that the Senate should elect a Provost and a Vice-Provost (the latter to be annually elected) from their midst, the actual duties of these officials were not prescribed. Sir Charles Nicholson was elected as the first Vice-Provost of the University on 3rd March, 1851. The Finance Committee (appointed on the same date) suggested that the Vice-Provost should be the officer of the Senate responsible for overseeing the thorough system of checks on the financial affairs of the University that they proposed to put in place. The first by-laws of the University allowed for the Provost or the Vice-Provost to call special meetings of the Senate, but decreed that the Seal of the University 'be placed in the charge of the Vice-Provost and Registrar' (Calendar 1852-53, p 67). The Vice-Provost was also made an ex officio member of the Professorial Board, which was to consider 'all questions relating to the studies of the University' (p 69).
In 1857 the Provost and Vice-Provost were both nominated as members of the Proctorial Board formed to enforce 'the observance of order on the part of Undergraduates of the University' (Calendar 1858, p 66).
24 Vic No. 13. 'Sydney University Incorporation Act Amendment Act, 1861'. The titles of Provost and Vice-Provost were changed to Chancellor and Vice-Chancellor respectively, (Calendar 1862, p 32). The by-laws now allowed for the Chancellor 'or in his absence, the Vice-Chancellor, or in the absence of both, the Registrar' to call special meetings of the Senate. The Chancellor held office for three years, the Vice-Chancellor was elected annually, but both officers were eligible for re-election. The Seal of the University 'shall be placed in the charge of the Chancellor or Vice-Chancellor, and Registrar, and shall not be affixed to any document except by order of the Senate' (Calendar 1862, p 70). Both the Chancellor and Vice-Chancellor were members of the Proctorial Board and of the Conference Board (successor to Professorial Board I)
By 1876, the Conference Board was called the Board of Studies (Calendar 1876-77, p 67) and in 1886, it was amalgamated with the Proctorial Board to become the new Professorial Board II (Calendar 1887, p 311)
By-law 28 states 'the Chancellor and the Vice-Chancellor shall be members ex officio of every Board appointed by any By-law, or otherwise by the Senate; and at every Meeting of any Board the Chancellor, or in his absence the Vice-Chancellor, or in the absence of both, the Chairman shall preside - or in his absence a Member elected for that sitting' (Calendar 1887, p 106).
When the by-laws were amended to allow for meetings of Convocation other than for the election of Fellows, the Chancellor, or in his absence, the Vice-Chancellor, was to summon the meeting and to preside (Calendar 1888, p104).
In December, 1914, the Senate appointed Mr. H. E. Barff as a general executive officer under the title of Warden and Registrar ( he had been Registrar since 1882). The Chancellor, Vice-Chancellor and Warden were now ex officio members of 'every Faculty, Board, or Committee appointed by any By-law or otherwise by the Senate' (Calendar 1915, p 23).
Act No. 35, 1924. University Amendment (Vice-Chancellor) Act, 1924. The Act provided for the Senate to elect a Deputy Chancellor to fulfil the duties of the present Vice-Chancellor and to appoint a permanent executive officer to take over the duties of Warden, who would be styled Vice-Chancellor (Calendar 1925, p 23).
Functions under the Act:
(1) The Vice-Chancellor shall be the chief executive officer, and shall be specially charged with the duty of promoting the interests and furthering the development of the University.
(2) The Vice-Chancellor shall, under the Senate, subject to the by-laws and to any resolution of the Senate
(a) manage and supervise the administrative, financial, and other business of the University;
(b) collect and prepare for the Senate and Finance Committee all information, including estimates of receipts and expenditure, required by them in relation to the finances of the University;
(c) consult with and advise the Academic Board, and all other University Boards, Faculties, Committees, Heads of Departments and Professors;
(d) have the care of the property of the University;
(e) have authority to incur expenditure not exceeding five hundred thousand dollars for any urgent matter;
(f) exercise a general supervision over all persons in the service of the University;
(g) apportion administrative authority in any Faculty after consultation with the Dean and the Professors or Lecturers concerned;
(h) exercise supervision over the discipline of the University, with power, in the case of students, to impose penalties in accordance with the by-laws for breach of good order or for misconduct of any kind;
(i) give effect to the by-laws and to any resolution or report passed or adopted by the Senate;
(j) arrange for the conducting of correspondence of the University and answering of enquiries;
(k) perform such other duties as may from time to time be assigned to the Vice-Chancellor by the Senate.
(3) The Vice-Chancellor shall be ex officio a member of every Board other than a Proctorial Board, Faculty and Committee within the University, and, except in the case of the Finance Committee, the Vice-Chancellor may, if he or she desires, preside at any meeting of such Board, Faculty or Committee.
(4) Nothing in the by-law relating to the Vice-Chancellor shall affect the precedence or authority of the Chancellor or Deputy Chancellor.
Function:
To promote the interests and development of the University, and manage and supervise the administrative, financial, and other business of the University.