Constitution and Nominations Committee

Constitution and Nominations Committee reports to Council.

Constitution and Nominations Committee' primary objective is to ensure the University's constitutional and corporate governance framework is effective.

It also recommends people to Council for honorary degrees and other non-academic honorary awards.

A key outcome of the Committee’s work is to engender confidence on behalf of Council to the wider University community, stakeholders and external regulatory and membership bodies (including the Office for Students (OfS) and the Committee of University Chairs (CUC), that transparent, accountable and responsible constitutional and nominations arrangements exist.

Terms of reference

To oversee the University’s constitutional and corporate governance arrangements for both its UK and overseas operations, and ensure that these are transparent, robust, risk-focused and compliant with the relevant external regulation and standards.
To consider and recommend for Council approval:
- Material changes to the University’s key corporate governance and constitutional frameworks, including the Charter and Statutes for onward Privy Council approval;
- Changes to the Students’ Union Code of Practice and related constitutional matters.
To approve University policy relating to corporate governance matters.
To advise Council on how equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI) issues are considered, championed, developed, and embedded in the work of Council and its subcommittees, and ensure that the Committee’s own work is informed by these considerations.
To advise Council on nomination frameworks, succession planning and recruitment strategy for the Chair of Council and other independent/co-opted members, including key independent roles (see Ordinance 7), with reference to current and future skills development needs.
To recommend the following appointments/reappointments for Council approval:
- Independent/co-opted members of Council and its sub-committees;
- The Chair of Council, the Pro-Chancellors and other key independent roles, from amongst Council’s independent membership;
- Changes to membership of Council sub-committees and appointments to other related bodies on which independent/co-opted members of Council are represented.
To oversee succession planning, governance arrangements and recruitment for the University Chancellor, and to recommend appointment/reappointment of the latter for Council approval;
To recommend for Council approval the award of Honorary Degrees and additional non-academic honorary awards by the University; and to periodically review the contributions of honorary degree recipients to champion and advance the interests of the University.
To ensure that specific risks associated with the Committee’s business are understood, assessed and managed.

Constituency and membership

Ex officio members

Dr Philip Rycroft, Senior Independent Member (Chair from 1 January 2026)
Dr Alice Maynard, Chair of Council and Pro-Chancellor
Philip Carpenter, Pro-Chancellor and Chair of Remuneration Committee
Professor Charlie Jeffery, Vice-Chancellor and President
Owen Trotter, University Treasurer and Chair of Finance Committee
David Watson, Chair, Audit and Risk Committee
Lewis Parrey, York SU Union Affairs Officer

All of the above plus the following members for business relating to honorary degrees:

Three members of academic staff appointed by Senate

Professor Caroline Dessent, Department of Chemistry (to 31 July 2028)
Professor Indrajit Roy, Department of Politics and International Relations (to 31 July 2028)
Professor Laura Stewart, Department of History (to 31 July 2028)

In attendance

Adam Hewitt, University Secretary
Joan Concannon, Chief Reputation and Stakeholder Relations Officer (business relating to honorary degrees only)
Dr Alice Wakely, Senior Governance and Assurance Officer (Secretary to the Committee)

Reporting and frequency

Reporting to Council:

Constitution and Nominations Committee is a committee of Council and reports directly to it:

Regularly: through summaries of its meetings
Annually: through honorary degree recommendations.
Periodically: via ad hoc items of business recommended for formal Council approval.

Reporting to the Committee:

Constitution and Nominations Committee has no sub-committees reporting into it, but may convene task and finish and other groups to discharge time-limited activities (e.g. Search Committee for University Chancellor). The Committee advises and provides and seeks assurance from other Council committees in relation to its remit.

Meeting frequency:

A minimum of three times per year, with decisions also being able to be transacted and recorded where necessary and appropriate by written resolution or Chair’s Action.

Meeting modes:

Physical or virtual convening of members and attendees, or meetings which simultaneously enable both modes.

Meetings and paper deadlines

Meeting dates 2025-26

Date	Time	Deadline for papers
Wednesday 5 November 2025	10am - 12.30pm	Tuesday 28 October 2025 (separate arrangements for Honorary Degree nominations)
Wednesday 4 February 2026	2 - 4.30pm	Tuesday 27 January 2026
Wednesday 29 April 2026	10 - 11.30am	Tuesday 21 April 2026
Wednesday 8 July 2026	1.30 - 3pm	Tuesday 30 June 2026

Executive summaries

2025-26

CNC executive summary 051125_redacted (PDF , 105kb)

2024-25

The meeting scheduled for 18 February 2025 was cancelled owing to insufficient business.

2023-24

The meeting scheduled for 20 February 2024 was cancelled owing to insufficient business.