Convocation
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A convocation (from the Latin convocare meaning "to call/come together", a translation of the Greek ἐκκλησία ekklēsia) is a group of people formally assembled for a special purpose, mostly ecclesiastical or academic. The Britanica dictionary defines it as "a large formal meeting of people (such as church officials).[1]
In academic use, it can refer variously to a gathering of all of an institution's alumni, to a ceremony at the start of the academic year to welcome incoming students, and to a graduation ceremony (sometimes otherwise known as a commencement).
Ecclesiastical convocations
A synodical assembly of a church is at times called "Convocation"
Convocations of Canterbury and York
The Convocations of
The Convocation of York was a relatively small part of the Church in
The legislative powers of the convocations varied considerably over the centuries. Until 1664, they (not Parliament) determined the taxes to be paid by the clergy, but their powers in general were severely curtailed by
The Convocations were abolished during the Commonwealth but restored on the accession of Charles II in 1660 and they synodically approved the Book of Common Prayer which was imposed by the Act of Uniformity in 1662.[5] Formal sessions at the start of each parliament continued but no real business was discussed until after the Revolution of 1688 which brought William III and Mary II to the throne when attempts to include some of the Protestant dissenters met such resistance in the lower house that the government abandoned them and the Convocations resumed their purely formal meetings[5]
In 1697
The resumption of proper business was brought about by the political changes which had taken place some twenty years earlier. Until the
The Convocations have always been exclusively clerical assemblies. However, in 1885 the Convocations agreed to the establishment of parallel Houses of Laity elected by the lay members of the diocesan conferences. These were not part of Convocation; they had no constitutional status and were merely advisory.
University use
The most common use of the term in the university context is to refer to a formal ceremony at the start of the academic year in which new students are welcomed. Harvard University[10][11] and Columbia University,[12] for example, give their welcoming ceremonies such a name. Some other colleges term these welcome ceremonies "matriculation". These students also may sign the college matricula, a ceremonial parchment that contains the names of all of the students and alumni.[d]
In some universities, the term "convocation" refers specifically to the entirety of the alumni of a college which functions as one of the university's representative bodies. Due to its inordinate size, the Convocation will elect a standing committee, which is responsible for making representations concerning the views of the alumni to the university administration. The convocation also, however, can hold general meetings, at which any alumnus can attend. The main function of the convocation is to represent the views of the alumni to the university administration, to encourage co-operation among alumni, especially in regard to donations, and to elect members of the university's governing body (known variously as the Senate, Council, Board, etc., depending on the particular institution, but basically equivalent to a board of directors of a corporation). The equivalent of the Convocation in the Scottish university system is the
In the University of Oxford, Convocation was originally the main governing body of the university, consisting of all doctors and masters of the university, but it now comprises all graduates of the university and its only remaining function is to elect the Chancellor of the University and the Professor of Poetry.[15][16] (The equivalent body at Cambridge is the Senate.[17])
At
In the University of London, convocation, between its establishment in 1858 and its abolition in 2003, consisted of the university's graduates who were involved in the university's governance. After 1900, convocation had the power to elect the chancellor.
At some universities and colleges (e.g.
New Zealand universities have courts of convocation by which all graduates elect representatives to the institutions' governing bodies.[23][24][25][26][27][28]
Other uses
- Collective noun for eagles.
- A formal or ceremonial meeting (noun), or assembly.
- A meeting of companions of a Holy Royal Arch chapter.
Notes
- ^ York, Durham, Carlisle, Chester, and Man. In medieval times there were only four: Galloway, York, Durham and Carlisle. (Kemp Counsel and Consent pp.247,248) Only with the establishment of the Diocese of Ripon in 1836 did the number increase.
- ^ Ad hoc decisions which amplified the canon law of the Western Church to meet local conditions.
- ^ They could only meet at the royal pleasure; they needed royal permission to discuss and make canons; no action of theirs could go against the sovereign's prerogative, or the customs, laws and statues of the realm.
- The University of West Georgia, Marymount University, The University of Arkansas, William Paterson University, University of Southern California, Chapman University, Cornell College and Johnson & Wales University
References
- ^ "convocation".
- ^ a b c d e Oxford Dictionary of the Christian Church (1974) art. "Convocations of Canterbury and York"
- ^ a b c Kemp, Eric Waldram Counsel and Consent SPCK (1961) pp 111, 118 and 174 respectively
- ^ a b Kemp, Eric Waldram Counsel and Consent SPCK (1961) pp 158 and 159 respectively
- ^ a b c Kemp, Eric Waldram Counsel and Consent SPCK (1961) pp 165; 166-7; 168-9 respectively
- ^ Gibson, William The Church of England 1688-1832 Routledge (2001) p. 71
- ^ a b Neill, Stephen. Anglicanism, London Pelican(1960), p. 254 and 227 respectively
- ^ a b c Chadwick, Owen. The Victorian Church I A&C Black (1966) p. 309; 310; 311 respectively
- ^ a b Carpenter, S.C. Church and People:1789-1889 SPCK (1937) p.268
- ^ "Convocation". dso.college.harvard.edu. Retrieved 8 September 2023.
- ^ "Gay, Khurana Welcome Harvard College Class of 2027 at Convocation Punctuated by Protest | News | The Harvard Crimson". www.thecrimson.com. Retrieved 8 September 2023.
- ^ Escobar, Valeria. "Convocation 2019: Sundown marks beginning of the Columbia journey for 1,406 first-years". Columbia Daily Spectator. Retrieved 8 September 2023.
- ^ "College Convocation 2010". rochester.edu. Retrieved 19 November 2015.
- ^ "Convocation Exercises". Pomona College. 22 May 2015. Retrieved 3 July 2021.
- ^ "University Archives:A history of Congregation and Convocation, 5. The mid 20th century". ox.ac.uk. Retrieved 19 November 2015.
- ^ "University Archives". ox.ac.uk. Retrieved 19 November 2015.
- ISBN 9781139453028.
- ^ "University Calendar : University Statutes - Durham University". dur.ac.uk. Retrieved 19 November 2015.
- ^ "US Presidential adviser Fiona Hill announced as new Chancellor". 28 November 2022.
- ^ Maitland, Samuel Roffey; Rose, Hugh James. "The British magazine and monthly register of religious ... v.8 1835. - Full View - HathiTrust Digital Library - HathiTrust Digital Library". HathiTrust. pp. 36 v. Retrieved 19 November 2015.
- ^ "History of the College". St Mary's College Society. 7 January 2012. Retrieved 19 November 2015.
- ^ Convocation at Memorial University.
- ^ "Massey University Act 1963 No 7 (as at 29 November 2010), Public Act – New Zealand Legislation". legislation.govt.nz. 2011. Retrieved 30 October 2011.
Court of Convocation
- ^ "University of Waikato Act 1963 No 8 (as at 29 November 2010), Public Act – New Zealand Legislation". legislation.govt.nz. 2011. Retrieved 30 October 2011.
Court of Convocation
- ^ "Victoria University of Wellington Act 1961 No 51 (as at 29 November 2010), Public Act – New Zealand Legislation". legislation.govt.nz. 2011. Retrieved 30 October 2011.
University District and Court of Convocation
- ^ "Lincoln University Act 1961 No 52 (as at 29 November 2010), Public Act – New Zealand Legislation". legislation.govt.nz. 2011. Retrieved 30 October 2011.
Court of Convocation
- ^ "University of Auckland Act 1961 No 50 (as at 29 November 2010), Public Act – New Zealand Legislation". legislation.govt.nz. 2011. Retrieved 30 October 2011.
University District and Court of Convocation
- ^ "University of Canterbury Act 1961 No 49 (as at 29 November 2010), Public Act – New Zealand Legislation". legislation.govt.nz. 2011. Retrieved 30 October 2011.
University District and Court of Convocation