Guidelines for departmental activities

Certain types of scholarly activities of core staff and affiliates of the Department require advance notification and approval by the Head of Department and the relevant departmental committees.

The activities in question primarily concern the use of departmental space and resources, the representation of the Department to outside bodies, collaborative work, affiliation to the Department, and the initiation and organisation of externally funded projects.

Space and resources

Approval from the Board, the Executive Committee, or the Head of Department is required for the instigation of research grant applications, research seminars, conferences, workshops, reading groups and any other applications that make use of departmental facilities or make a call on departmental funds.

Research activities and collaboration

All funding for research activities associated with the Department must be administered by the Department. Approval must be sought for the movement of funds in or out of the Department for such activities and complete sources of funding must be identified prior to commitment to expenditure of any kind. The administration of departmental special funds, exchanges and other projects is delegated to special purpose committees appointed by the Board, where such committees are not already established under University Regulations.

The Head of Department is the formal representative of the Department in all matters, unless such representation has been specifically delegated by him or her, or by the Board. Exchange arrangements, collaborations, etc. that involve (or could reasonably be construed by others as involving) departmental representation require approval. Externally funded activities to be hosted by the Department should have prior approval by the Executive Committee and/or the Board. Approval should be renewed if there is any substantial change in the activity's nature, funding, or institutional participation. The Executive Committee should be fully consulted about the arrangements for advertisement and appointment of contract research staff. The organisation of any outside funded projects should be promptly reported (with full documentation) to the Head of Department and the Executive Committee.

If a research activity involves – either directly or indirectly – the Museum or Library, the Director of the Museum or the Librarian should be fully consulted, and their permission obtained where necessary.

The departmental letter-head should only be used by University Teaching Officers, Departmental Support Staff, Research Associates and Assistants, and Post-Doctoral Fellows sponsored by the Department.

Details of all research activities are requested annually for use in compiling the Department's Annual Report.