University Vice Chancellors

[Hopkirk]

Why are the top bods at universities called vice chancellors?

Why not chancellors?

[squarebear]

I thought they were called Chancellors?

[jake-the-peg]

I think Chancellor tends to be an honorific post - the Vice Chancellors are the ones that actually run the place

[marval]

Have a look at this, see if it helps.

http://www.ox.ac.uk/a...d_glossary/index.html

[mike11111]

The Chancellor of a University is an honorary position occupied by someone of distinction(?) who takes no active part in the running of the institution. His position is merely ceremonial. The management of the University is in the hands of the Vice-Chancellor, the chief executive, so to speak. The easiest way to understand it is to think of the Queen as Chancellor and the PM as Vice-Chancellor.

[jake-the-peg]

Not quite sure the chancellors position is entirely ceremonial - I think he's generally expected to promote the University and further it's interests where possible.

For example Chris Patton is Chancellor of Oxford University and has for years been on things like the Today programme pushing for the abolition of the cap on tuition fees

[Hopkirk]

Boy, we British are wierd, aren't we?

[factor-fiction]

..and weird too.
Maybe the Chancellors do a lot of work promoting their university but in my experience they generally contribute nothing except they hand out the degree certificates and attend the occasional fund raising event. I suppose their presence at these events helps promote them.

[Hopkirk]

Yeah, you are right.

That's one of those words I always spell wrongly.

[boxtops]

It's the equivalent of Chairman and Managing Director - the MD does the operational stuff.

[Hopkirk]

I just think it is odd, because vice usually means deputy.

[boxtops]

or indeed, vice means something else altogether, how confusing is the English language.

[Hopkirk]

Like I said, we are weird