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

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Heads of colleges will often participate in the governance of the central university. Mechanisms for this very between university and include:

Terminology

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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.

Title Parent institution College, member institution, etc.
Chief Executive University of the Highlands and Islands UHI Argyle, UHI Inverness (held jointly with the title of principal in both cases)[17]
University of London Institute of Cancer Research (held jointly with the title of president)[18]
College Magister Rice University All colleges (changed from master in 2017)[15]
Dean University of London London Business School[19]
University of Oxford Christ Church – the Dean of Christ Church, Oxford is dean of both the college and Christ Church Cathedral.[20]
Director University of the Highlands and Islands Scottish Association for Marine Science[17]
University of London Courtauld Institute of Art[21] and London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine[22]
Faculty Dean Harvard University All houses[23]
Head University of the Arts London Camberwell, Chelsea and Wimbledon colleges (joint head of all three institutions), the London College of Fashion and the London College of Communication[12]
University of Roehampton Froebel College[24]
Head of College University of the Arts London Central St Martins[12]
Princeton University All colleges[25]
University of Roehampton Digby Stuart College,[26] Whitelands College[27] and Southlands College[28]
Yale University All colleges (changed from master in 2016)[16]
House Professor Dartmouth College All houses[29]
Master University of Cambridge Christ's College, Churchill College, Clare College, Corpus Christi College, Darwin College, Downing College, Emmanuel College, Fitzwilliam College, Gonville and Caius College, Jesus College, Magdalene College, Pembroke College, Peterhouse, St Catharine's College, St Edmund's College, St John's College, Selwyn College, Sidney Sussex College, Trinity College and Trinity Hall
Durham University Hatfield College[30] (Principal until 1919)[31]
University of Oxford Balliol College, Campion Hall, Pembroke College, St Catherine's College, St Cross College, St Peter's College, University College
Mistress University of Cambridge Girton College[32]
President University of Cambridge Clare Hall,[33] Hughes Hall,[34] Lucy Cavendish College,[35] Murray Edwards College,[36] Queens' College[37] and Wolfson College[38]
University of Dublin Trinity College (held jointly with the title of provost)[39]
University of London City,[40] Institute of Cancer Research (held jointly with the title of chief executive),[18] King's College London (held jointly with the title of principal),[41] London School of Economics (held jointly with the title of vice-chancellor),[42] Queen Mary (held jointly with the title of principal),[43] SOAS[44] and University College London (held jointly with the title of provost)[45]
National University of Ireland All constituent universities and recognised colleges
University of Oxford Corpus Christi College, Kellogg College, Magdalen College, Reuben College, St John's College, Trinity College and Wolfson College
Principal University of Cambridge Homerton College[46] and Newnham College[47]
Durham University Collingwood College[48] (changed from master between 1985 and 1989[49][50]), Grey College (changed from Master in April 2023[51][52]), John Snow College,[53] Josephine Butler College,[54] South College,[55] St Aidan's College,[56] St Chad's College,[57] (also has a rector as "titular and religious head of the college"[58]) St Cuthbert's Society,[59] the College of St Hild and St Bede,[60] St John's College,[61] St Mary's College,[62] Stephenson College,[63] Trevelyan College,[64] University College (changed from master in 2020),[13] Ustinov College[65] and Van Mildert College[66] (changed from master between 1985 and 1989[49][50])
University of the Highlands and Islands UHI Argyle, UHI Inverness (held jointly with the title of chief executive in both cases), Highland Theological College, UHI Outer Hebrides, UHI Moray, UHI Shetland, UHI North Highland, Orkney College UHI, UHI Perth, Sabhal Mòr Ostaig, UHI West Highland[17]
Lancaster University All colleges[9]
University of London King's College London (held jointly with the title of president),[41] Queen Mary (held jointly with the title of president),[43] the Royal Academy of Music,[67] the Royal Central School of Speech and Drama,[68] Royal Holloway,[69] the Royal Veterinary College[70] and St George's (held jointly with the title of vice-chancellor)[71]
University of Oxford Brasenose College, Green Templeton College, Harris Manchester College, Hertford College, Jesus College, Lady Margaret Hall, Linacre College, Mansfield College, Regent's Park College, St Anne's College, St Edmund Hall, St Hilda's College, St Hugh's College, St Stephen's House, Somerville College and Wycliffe Hall
University of South Wales Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama[72]
University of Toronto Massey College (changed from Master in 2018)
Provost University of California, San Diego All colleges[73]
University of California, Santa Cruz All colleges[74]
University of Cambridge King's College[75]
University of Dublin Trinity College (held jointly with the title of president)[39]
University of London University College London (held jointly with the title of president)[45]
University of Oxford Oriel College, Queen's College and Worcester College
Rector University of Notre Dame All halls[76]
University of Oxford Exeter College and Lincoln College
Regent University of Oxford Blackfriars
Senior College Fellow University of York All Colleges[77]
Vice-chancellor University of London Birkbeck,[78] London School of Economics (held jointly with the title of president)[79] and St George's (held jointly with the title of principal)[71]
Warden University of Cambridge Robinson College[80]
University of London Goldsmiths[81]
University of Oxford All Souls College, Keble College, Merton College, New College, Nuffield College, St Antony's College and Wadham College

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

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  1. ^ "Oxford Glossary". University of Oxford. Retrieved 24 March 2015.
  2. ^ "Glossary". University Governance. University of Cambridge. Retrieved 24 March 2015.
  3. ^ 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.
  4. ^ "Collegiate Council". University of London. Retrieved 29 December 2022.
  5. ^ "Governance". University of Oxford. Retrieved 29 December 2022.
  6. ^ "Members of Council". University of Oxford. Retrieved 29 December 2022.
  7. ^ "The Colleges". The Structure of the University. University of Cambridge. Retrieved 29 December 2022.
  8. ^ "Statutes". Durham University. Retrieved 29 December 2022.
  9. ^ a b "Senate membership" (PDF). Lancaster University. Retrieved 29 December 2022.
  10. ^ "Senate Members for 2022-2023". University of Roehampton, London. Retrieved 29 December 2022.
  11. ^ "Partnership Council". University of the Highlands and Islands. Retrieved 29 December 2022.
  12. ^ a b c "Executive Board". University of the Arts London. 16 September 2022. Retrieved 31 December 2022.
  13. ^ a b Isabella Green (5 November 2020). "Professor Wendy Powers: "No university community is fully inclusive"". Palatinate.
  14. ^ "College Masters" (PDF). University of Kent. Retrieved 31 December 2022.
  15. ^ a b Fernando Ramirez (7 April 2017). "Rice University officials change 'College Master' title due to 'negative historical connotation'". Chron.
  16. ^ a b Salovey, Peter (27 April 2016). "Decisions on Residential College Names and "Master" Title". Office of the President Yale University. Retrieved 24 April 2020.
  17. ^ a b c "Partnership principals and directors". University of the Highlands and Islands. Retrieved 29 December 2022.
  18. ^ a b "Professor Kristian Helin". The Institute of Cancer Research. Retrieved 31 December 2022.
  19. ^ "Our leadership". London Business School. Retrieved 31 December 2022.
  20. ^ "Dean of Oxford University college steps down after 'protracted disputes'". BBC News. 5 February 2022.
  21. ^ "Mark Hallett Announced As New Director of The Courtauld". The Courtauld. 11 November 2022. Retrieved 31 December 2022.
  22. ^ "LSHTM announces new Director". LSHTM. 4 February 2021. Retrieved 1 January 2023.
  23. ^ "The Houses". Harvard College. Retrieved 31 December 2022.
  24. ^ "Welcome to Froebel College, founded in 1893". Froebel College. Retrieved 31 December 2022.
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  26. ^ "Head of College". Digby Stuart College. Retrieved 31 December 2022.
  27. ^ "Meet the Whitelands Team". Whitelands College. Retrieved 31 December 2022.
  28. ^ "Who's Who at Southlands?". Southlands College. Retrieved 31 December 2022.
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  30. ^ "About is". Hatfield College. Retrieved 2 January 2023.
  31. ^ "History of Hatfield" (PDF). p. 22. Retrieved 22 January 2023.
  32. ^ "The Mistresses of Girton". Girton College. Retrieved 4 January 2023.
  33. ^ "A welcome message from our President, Professor Alan Short". Clare Hall Cambridge. Retrieved 3 January 2023.
  34. ^ "Sir Laurie Bristow elected President of Hughes Hall". Hughes Hall Cambridge. 28 March 2022. Retrieved 3 January 2023.
  35. ^ "Our President: Professor Dame Madeleine Atkins". Lucy Cavendish College. Retrieved 3 January 2023.
  36. ^ "College leadership". Murray Edwards College. 28 February 2019. Retrieved 3 January 2023.
  37. ^ "The President". Queens' College. Retrieved 3 January 2023.
  38. ^ "President & College Officers". Wolfson College Cambridge. Retrieved 3 January 2023.
  39. ^ a b "Provost& President". Trinity College Dublin. Retrieved 1 January 2023.
  40. ^ "Executive Leadership". City, University of London. 23 November 2020. Retrieved 1 January 2023.
  41. ^ a b "Our People". King's College London. Retrieved 1 January 2023.
  42. ^ "Meet the Director". LSE. Retrieved 22 January 2023.
  43. ^ a b "Who's Who at Queen Mary". QMUL. Retrieved 1 January 2023.
  44. ^ "President". SOAS. Retrieved 21 September 2023.
  45. ^ a b "About the President & Provost". UCL. 28 January 2022. Retrieved 1 January 2023.
  46. ^ "Principal". Homerton College. Retrieved 3 January 2023.
  47. ^ "Alison Rose: Principal". Newnham College. Retrieved 3 January 2023.
  48. ^ "Who's Who". Collingwood College. Retrieved 2 January 2023.
  49. ^ a b Calendar. Vol. 1. Durham University. 1985. p. 196.
  50. ^ a b "Calendar". Durham University. 1989. p. 204.
  51. ^ "Durham University appoints three new College heads". Durham University. 19 January 2023.
  52. ^ "Our People". Grey College. Retrieved 2 January 2023.
  53. ^ "Who's Who". John Snow College. Retrieved 2 January 2023.
  54. ^ "Who's Who". Josephine Butler College. Retrieved 2 January 2023.
  55. ^ "Who's Who". South College. Retrieved 2 January 2023.
  56. ^ "Who's Who". St Aidan's College. Retrieved 2 January 2023.
  57. ^ "Staff". St Chad's College. Retrieved 2 January 2023.
  58. ^ "Visitor, Rector & Governors". St Chad's College. Retrieved 2 January 2023.
  59. ^ "Who's Who". St Cuthbert's Society. Retrieved 2 January 2023.
  60. ^ "Who's Who". College of St Hild and St Bede. Retrieved 2 January 2023.
  61. ^ "College Officers". St John's College. Retrieved 2 January 2023.
  62. ^ "Who's Who". St Mary's College. Retrieved 2 January 2023.
  63. ^ "Who's Who". Stephenson College. Retrieved 2 January 2023.
  64. ^ "Who's Who". Trevelyan College. Retrieved 2 January 2023.
  65. ^ "Who's Who". Ustinov College. Retrieved 2 January 2023.
  66. ^ "Who's Who". Van Mildert College. Retrieved 2 January 2023.
  67. ^ "Senior Management". Royal Academy of Music. Retrieved 1 January 2023.
  68. ^ "Central welcomes its new Principal, Josette Bushell-Mingo OBE". Royal Central School of Speech and Drama. 16 August 2021. Retrieved 1 January 2023.
  69. ^ "Royal Holloway, University of London, appoints new Principal". Royal Holloway. Retrieved 1 January 2023.
  70. ^ "Latest message from the President & Principal". RVC. 22 December 2022. Retrieved 1 January 2023.
  71. ^ a b "St George's Leadership Team". St George's. Retrieved 21 September 2023.
  72. ^ "Governance". Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama. Retrieved 31 December 2022.
  73. ^ "Undergraduate Colleges". UC San Diego. Retrieved 1 January 2023.
  74. ^ "Undergraduate Education College Directory". UC Santa Cruz. Retrieved 1 January 2023.
  75. ^ "Election of a new Provost". King's College, Cambridge. 7 July 2022. Retrieved 3 January 2023.
  76. ^ "Contact". Residential Life. University of Notre Dame. Retrieved 31 December 2022.
  77. ^ "Governance Review outcome and next steps.PDF".
  78. ^ "Officers of the College". Birkbeck, University of London. Retrieved 31 December 2022.
  79. ^ "Meet the Director". LSE. Retrieved 22 January 2023.
  80. ^ "Robinson College welcomes its third Warden, Sir Richard Heaton". Robinson College. 1 October 2021. Retrieved 3 January 2023.
  81. ^ "Frances Corner - Warden of Goldsmiths". Goldsmiths. Retrieved 1 January 2022.
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