Assessors

The Senatus Academicus superintends and regulates the teaching and discipline of the University and has the power to promote research. The Senatus elects four Assessors, of whom at least one must be a professor and at least one a non-professorial member of the teaching staff, to the University Court.

The Universities (Scotland) Act 1858 largely removed control of university affairs from the Town Council of Edinburgh, investing it in the university itself through the following measures: The establishment of a University Court, chaired by the Rector (elected by the students), and consisting of the Principal, the Lord Provost of Edinburgh, and of Assessors appointed by the Rector, the Chancellor, the Town Council, General Council, and the Senatus Academicus. The Court's functions were to revise, on appeal, the acts of the Senatus Academicus, to sanction the expenditure by the Senatus of University funds and generally to undertake supervision of the professors.

Foundation

The Court of the University of Edinburgh was formed at the end of 1859, after the passing of the Universities (Scotland) Act 1858. It consisted of the Lord Rector, his Assessor, the Chancellor's Assessor, the Principal, the Lord Provost, the Town Council's Assessor, the General Council's Assessor and an Assessor elected by the Senatus Academicus. The Court functions at this time were to revise, on appeal, the acts of the Senatus, to sanction the expenditure by the Senatus of University funds and generally to take a supervision of the professors. The Commissioners of the 1858 Act performed many of these functions until their dispersal.

Body Corporate

By the Universities (Scotland) Act 1889, the University Court became a body corporate, with perpetual succession and a common seal; and all the property belonging to the University at the passing of the Act was now vested in that body. The present powers of the Court, which include among others, the amendment of the composition, powers and functions of the bodies in the University, and the creation of new bodies, the administration and management of the whole revenue and property of the University, internal arrangements of the University, appointments, review of decisions of the Senatus, and, on recommendation of the Senatus, the regulation of degrees and administration and discipline of students, are defined in the Universities (Scotland) Act, 1966.

Composition

The Court now also includes three assessors elected by the General Council, four Senatus assessors, one assesor elected by members of the non-teaching staff, two fully-matriculated students nominated by the Students' Representative Council and eight co-opted members. The Rector (office of) is the President of the Court. The Vice-Chairman of the Court is elected triennially by the Court from among its members. Meetings are normally held seven times a year.