Statute of the URV
PREAMBLE
The creation of the Universitat Rovira i Virgili by Law 36/1991 (30 December) of the Parliament of Catalonia was the culmination of a wide range of efforts to restore university studies to the Camp de Tarragona and the Terres de l'Ebre, which date back to the 16th century.
The Universitas Tarraconensis came into existence in 1572 with the Studium Generale of Tarragona, an initiative of Cardinal Gaspar Cervantes, and was abolished in 1717. University courses in the arts and sciences were restarted in 1971 when a delegation of the University of Barcelona was set up in Tarragona. The historical legacy of the Studium Generale of Tarragona can be seen in the University's coat of arms, which bears the motto Sapientiae Liberi Libertati Sapientes ("free for wisdom, wise for freedom").
The Universitat Rovira i Virgili understands that it is the heir to this tradition and announces its commitment to the principles of autonomy, freedom and justice.
The University is named after Antoni Rovira i Virgili, a writer, historian and politician born in Tarragona who was president of the Parliament of Catalonia in exile. It defines itself as an institution that is academically and socially committed to human rights; to the institutions, rights and democratic ideals of the citizens and the region; and particularly to the defence of the Catalan language and culture and the knowledge generated in Catalonia.
As stated in the Universitat Rovira i Virgili's Code of Ethics, university life is governed by the principles of social commitment, well-being and health, equality in diversity, gender equality, integrity, academic freedom, respect, solidarity, sustainability and good governance.
This statute is a reform of the two previous texts, approved in 2003 and 2012, and is intended to be an updated standard that uses understandable, plain and inclusive language, in line with the principles of equality and non-discrimination.
The statutory reform process temporarily coincided with the pandemic, the declaration of the climate emergency and the eco-social challenges set by the Sustainable Development Goals. In this regard, the new times require a profound social transformation and oblige the University to adapt to unprecedented situations quickly and efficiently.
This, then, is a statute designed for the major present and future challenges that the institution must rise to in its role as a public service dedicated to social progress, development, innovation and collective well-being. The university community is firmly committed to being a leader in the cultivation of knowledge as a universal asset and, at the same time, it must introduce the concepts of digital age and electronic administration as the mainstay of the way that it regulates its information and communication technologies in the framework of teaching, research, transfer and management.
It is the firm will of the Universitat Rovira i Virgili to continue to be a driving force of cultural, scientific and technological progress in southern Catalonia, to maintain a global outlook, to encourage free, critical thinking, and to contribute to the construction of a fairer and more equitable social and cultural ethos.
By virtue of these ideals, responding to the will of the university community and bearing in mind the history, the idiosyncrasy and the special nature of the University, the Senate of the Universitat Rovira i Virgili draws up the following Statute.
PRELIMINARY CHAPTER. General provisions
Article 1. Nature
1. The Universitat Rovira i Virgili is a public institution with its own legal personality and assets and is autonomous in all areas of operation.
2. The University's activity and autonomy are based on the principle of academic freedom, expressed as the freedom to teach and engage in research.
Article 2. Legal framework
1. The University is governed by Law 36/1991, of 30 December, that created the Universitat Rovira i Virgili, the Organic Law of Universities, the Law of Universities of Catalonia, other applicable regulations and this statute.
2. The University exercises all the powers and prerogatives to which it is legally entitled as an institution in the public sector, particularly organisational and regulatory powers, except for those powers exercised exclusively by other regional entities.
3. The University's activity is governed by the prevailing legislation and the stipulations of the common administrative procedure for the public administration, adapted to the University's organisational structure, to the special procedures provided for in the legislation on the university sector and to the procedures envisaged by this statute and the rules that carry it into force.
Article 3. Purpose
The Universitat Rovira i Virgili is an institution that provides the public service of higher education and research, through teaching, research and knowledge transfer. Therefore, it must provide students, staff and society as a whole with the skills, ideas and scientific knowledge necessary to live and work satisfactorily and sustainably with others in a world that is undergoing continuous social and technological change.
Article 4. Principles
The University is governed by the principles of freedom, democracy, pluralism, justice, equality, non-discrimination, integrity, independence, solidarity, good governance, sustainability, well-being and health, equality in diversity, gender equality, social engagement and respect for all people. The university community, and in particular the governing and representative bodies, must ensure full compliance with these principles.
Article 5. Mission
In the execution of its duties, the University must take particular care to:
a) Provide as many students as possible with access to higher education.
b) Foster critical thinking, the culture of freedom and pluralism, and the transmission of the values of a democratic, open and supportive society, in particular, respect for human rights and the environment, education for peace and international cooperation, especially with impoverished countries.
c) Attain the highest levels of excellence in higher education teaching and learning processes, with the aim of providing people with the highest level of training throughout their lives so that they can develop as citizens and as professionals.
d) Generate, transfer and socialise knowledge in order to contribute to the sustained and sustainable progress of society.
e) Take on the role of driving responsible and sustainable human development, particularly for the society, culture and economy of the Camp de Tarragona and Terres de l'Ebre, by engaging in independent research, and the transmission and application of knowledge.
f) Advocate the universality of knowledge, inherent to the university, as a means of communication and dialogue between peoples by internationalising university activities to the greatest extent possible.
g) Foster the language and culture of the Catalan Countries and the respect for linguistic and cultural diversity.
h) Shape an organisation based on the participation and co-responsibility of its members with respect to the public service it provides, and on a culture of quality, personal development, evaluation and accountability.
i) Promote a healthy and dignified life for the whole university community and society, striving for the overall well-being and care of people.
j) Implement the management of change by using continuous improvement and excellence to respond to the new needs that emerge from the university community and society.
Article 6. Competencies
The Universitat Rovira i Virgili has the power to:
a) Draw up, modify and develop its statute and the regulations that carry it into effect.
b) Create, elect, appoint and remove the bodies that govern, represent and manage the University.
c) Draw up, approve and manage its budget, and administer its assets.
d) Draw up and approve curricula, research plans and specific lifelong learning plans, and determine university-specific areas of knowledge.
e) Establish the admission procedures for students in compliance with prevailing legislation, assessment systems and the regulations governing academic progression.
f) Issue certificates for the degree programmes that it teaches.
g) Create, modify, merge or suppress departments and propose the creation, modification, merger or suppression of university faculties/schools and university research institutes under the terms of this statute.
h) Select, train, improve and promote the teaching and research staff, and the administrative and service staff, and determine the conditions in which they have to carry out their duties.
i) Draft and modify the official list of staff positions.
j) Set up and manage funds for study scholarships, research, the social dissemination of culture and the provision of social benefits.
k) Organise cultural and sporting activities.
l) Create and maintain specific structures to support teaching and research.
m) Contract people, work, services and supplies.
n) Enter into agreements with other university institutions, scientific and cultural organisations, individuals and both national and international public and private entities.
o) Use any other power necessary to achieve the purposes envisaged in the current legislation.
Article 7. Headquarters
1. The Universitat Rovira i Virgili has its headquarters in the city of Tarragona, although its activities extend beyond the confines of this geographical location.
2. The University can give its faculties and schools the name of the town in which they are located. This decision is to be taken by the University Senate at the proposal of the respective faculties and schools.
Article 8. University's emblem and coat of arms
1. The image of the Universitat Rovira i Virgili is visually represented with the University's emblem and coat of arms described in the first additional provision. It is the responsibility of the Governing Council to approve the regulations they are governed by.
2. The University's governing and representative bodies and the university staff must use it on all official occasions.
3. Other institutions that need to use the University's emblem and coat of arms need to be given express permission by the rector.
Article 9. Language
1. Catalan is the University's own language and, therefore, is the language of normal and preferred use for all its activities.
2. Catalan is the University's official language, as is Spanish. The use of official languages in university activities is governed by the Language Policy Law.
3. The University must foster the understanding and use of Catalan in all areas of university activity and encourage all members of the university community to learn the language.
4. All university teaching staff, except for visiting lecturers and similar, must have a sufficient knowledge of the two official languages, so that they can respond to the demands of their academic duties and comply with prevailing regulations.
5. The University fosters collaboration in all areas with other universities from the Catalan-speaking areas, especially through the Joan Lluís Vives Institute.
6. The University must set up programmes to foster the understanding and use of other languages for the whole of the university community.
7. The University must foster the inclusive use of language and ensure that it is so used.
Article 10. Internationalisation
All the University's functions have an international, intercultural and global dimension, so as to improve the quality of education and research in the university community and society in general.
TITLE I. The University
CHAPTER 1.Structures
Article 11. Type
1. The University is made up of the following structures:
a) Faculties and schools
b) Doctoral school or schools
c) Departments
d) University research institutes
2. In accordance with current legislation, the University can have affiliated research and artistic teaching centres that are either public or private.
Article 12. Faculties and schools
1. Faculties and schools are responsible for organising degree programmes and the academic, administrative and management processes that lead to the award of official academic degrees valid throughout the state, and any other qualifications.
2. Faculties and schools must be created, dissolved or adapted in accordance with current legislation.
3. Faculties and schools have the following functions:
a) To propose the validation, implementation, modification and dissolution of degree programmes leading to the award of official university qualifications, in accordance with current legislation.
b) To organise and coordinate the academic and administrative aspects of degree programmes.
c) To define the strategic plans in accordance with the strategy of the University as a whole using, if necessary, the specific instruments designed for this purpose.
d) To ensure the quality of teaching, services and student guidance.
e) To assign its spaces and material resources for the purposes of teaching.
f) To propose lifelong learning activities and university extension activities.
g) To manage the human, material and economic resources assigned so that it can carry out its functions, and those from other sources, in accordance with current legislation.
h) To promote the recruitment of students.
i) To coordinate the processes of evaluation, accreditation and certification resulting from its activities.
j) To account for its academic and economic activity in the terms determined by the Governing Council.
k) To develop appropriate systems of quality assurance for all its activities.
l) To reinforce its relations with pre-university education, alumni, employers and other social stakeholders.
m) To carry out all other functions assigned to them by the legislation in force, this statute and the regulations that carry it into effect.
Article 13. Doctoral School
1. The Doctoral School organises and manages doctoral studies in all branches of knowledge.
2. The Doctoral School has the following main functions:
a) To foster and ensure the quality of doctoral programmes in terms of research training, transfer and interdisciplinary competencies.
b) To facilitate the planning, organisation and practice of doctoral training, and increase collaboration between the University's structures, and with other institutions and universities.
c) To respond to the needs of everyone involved in doctoral studies, namely students, teaching and research staff, administrative and service staff and possible employers.
d) To increase the recruitment of students and the employability of doctors.
e) To develop appropriate quality assurance systems for all its activities.
f) To carry out all other functions assigned to them by the legislation in force, this statute and the regulations that carry it into effect.
3. It is the responsibility of the Governing Council to approve the creation, the name, the functions, the structure and the regulations governing doctoral schools.
Article 14. Department
1. Departments are the basic structure for organising the activity of teaching and research staff, and for giving support to their teaching and research initiatives.
2. Departments are made up of teaching and research staff from one or several related areas or fields of knowledge, and include the affiliated lecturers, its research staff and the trainee predoctoral research staff. Also part of the department are the affiliated members of the administrative and service staff.
3. The Governing Council must pass the regulations that carry into effect the requirements and procedures for constituting, modifying and dissolving departments.
4. Departments have the following functions:
a) To manage the human. material and economic resources assigned or obtained from other sources to fulfil their functions, in accordance with prevailing legislations.
b) To assign lecturers teaching in their field of expertise to respond to the requirements of the University's teaching programme, to teach subjects and to coordinate content.
c) To recommend doctoral programmes and the corresponding training activities, participate in them, be members of the academic committees and propose coordinators.
d) To take part in the process of drawing up the curricula that involve their areas or fields of knowledge.
e) To propose courses for advancing and updating scientific, technical or artistic knowledge in their field or fields of expertise.
f) To take the necessary measures to continuously improve the quality of teaching, research and other activities their members are engaged in.
g) To drive and facilitate the scientific, technical and pedagogical renewal and the lifelong learning of their members.
h) To draw up strategic plans in conjunction with the University's and using the specific instruments designed for this purpose, if there are any.
i) To take part in the evaluation, accreditation and certification of their activities.
j) To take part in the procedure for selecting staff, in accordance with current regulations.
k) To account for their activity in the terms established by the Governing Council.
l) To develop appropriate systems of quality assurance for all their activities.
m) To carry out all other functions assigned to them by the legislation in force, this statute and the regulations that carry it into effect.
5. The departments are governed by this statute and the regulations, which determine how they are organised and how they function.
Article 15. University research institutes
1. University institutes engage in scientific or technical research, or artistic creation.
2. University research institutes must be created, dissolved, adapted, affiliated or disaffiliated in accordance with current legislation.
3. University research institutes can belong to the university, be constituted jointly with other universities or public or private entities, or be affiliated, in accordance with current legislation.
4. University research institutes have the following functions:
a) To organise, carry out and assess programmes of basic and applied research or artistic creation in their field of expertise.
b) To propose doctoral programmes and courses for advancing and updating scientific, technical or artistic knowledge in their field or fields of expertise, and coordinate its teaching.
c) To provide technical consultancy in their field of expertise.
d) To drive the scientific, technical and pedagogical renewal, and the lifelong learning of their members.
e) To carry out all other functions assigned to them by the legislation in force, this statute and the regulations that carry it into effect.
Article 16. URV research institutes
1. The members of URV research institutes are their research staff, the affiliated teaching staff, the trainee predoctoral research staff and the administrative and service staff who work there.
2. URV research institutes are made up of research groups, centres or clusters that share scientific objectives.
3. URV research institutes have to manage the human, material and economic resources assigned and those obtained from other sources so that they can fulfil their functions, in accordance with current legislation.
4. URV research institutes must account for their academic and economic activity in the terms established by the Governing Council.
Article 17. Affiliated centres
1. In accordance with the legislation in force, higher education teaching centres, and research and artistic creation centres, both public and private, can become affiliated to the Universitat Rovira i Virgili.
2. It is the responsibility of the rector to appoint members of the University to the governing body of the affiliated centre from among the permanent teaching staff, one of whom must be the delegate of the centre.
Article 18. University campuses
1. A university campus is a space designed so that various structures can be shared for purposes of better coordination and to improve the use of resources and the relation with the socioeconomic environment.
2. It is the responsibility of the University Senate, on the proposal of the Governing Council, and after listening to the structures involved, to create, modify and suppress university campuses.
CHAPTER 2. Other structures
Article 19. Institute of Education Sciences
1. The functions of the Institute of Educational Sciences are to provide university lecturers, doctoral students and teaching staff in any area of the education system with educational innovation, teacher training and educational research. It also promotes, develops, disseminates and applies educational research projects, advises and informs teaching staff and University structures, and gives them technical assistance.
2. These functions, both regional and international in scope, can be carried out in conjunction with other institutions and public or private bodies by means of collaboration agreements.
Article 20. Research centres
1. The University may create other centres specialising in research, without prejudice to the existence of its own university research institutes, in the areas it deems appropriate.
2. These centres can:
a) Belong to the Universitat Rovira i Virgili.
b) Be shared, with one or more universities, or with other public or private entities, via an agreement or other forms of cooperation.
c) Be linked to the Universitat Rovira i Virgili, by means of an agreement, when they are owned by another public or private entity.
3. Research centres may take any legal form that is accepted by the prevailing legislation and is appropriate to their aims.
4. The Governing Council must set the conditions by which research centres are regulated.
Article 21. Other structures
The Governing Council may create, in accordance with current legislation, other structures for organising courses that lead to the award of URV-specific degrees or structures designed for research, innovation, or the transfer of technology and knowledge.
TITLE II. University governing and representation bodies
CHAPTER 1. General provisions
Article 22. Governance
1. The governing and representative bodies of the University are at the service of the general interest, by involving the university community in decision-making, and they implement initiatives and changes to improve the University and its environment.
2. The governing and representative bodies must perform their functions in accordance with the principles of objectivity, impartiality, efficiency, effectiveness, coordination, collaboration, cooperation, transparency, accountability and consistency in decision-making.
3. The governing and representative bodies must be gender balanced, in accordance with current legislation.
4. The governing and representative bodies and their members must treat all people correctly, respect their opinions and positions, and use dialogue, debate and constructive criticism to maintain a civic and peaceful coexistence.
5. The governing and representative bodies must make the agreements and resolutions they adopt public, in accordance with current legislation.
Article 23. Type
1. The Universitat Rovira i Virgili is governed by the general collegial bodies and officers, or those pertaining to each of its structures, which are the following:
a) General collegial bodies: University Senate, Board of Trustees and Governing Council.
b) Specific collegial bodies: faculty or school boards, Managing Committee of the Doctoral School, department councils and institute councils.
c) General university officers: rector, vice-rectors, general secretary and general manager.
d) Specific university officers: dean; school director; Doctoral School director; head of department; director of university research institute; vice-dean; school deputy director; deputy head of department; bachelor's-degree, master's-degree or doctoral coordinator; and faculty or school, Doctoral School, department and institute secretary.
2. On the proposal of the rector, the Governing Council can create other governing bodies. If necessary, the Board of Trustees must authorise the corresponding assignment of funds. If the regulations make no specific provision, the rector must determine the remuneration of the holders of these offices, taking as a reference the remuneration of other academic bodies, within the budget allocations approved by the Board of Trustees.
Article 24. Dedication of university officers
1. Those members of the university community who hold governance positions must be full-time university staff or full-time members of the teaching staff on health degrees, in accordance with current legislation.
2. No one may simultaneously hold more than one of the following positions: rector; vice-rector; general secretary; general manager; dean; vice-dean; school director; deputy school director; coordinator of bachelor's degree, master's degree or doctoral programme; head of department; director of an institute; deputy head of department; and faculty, school, department or institute secretary. Exceptions to this are the coordinators of bachelor's, master's and doctoral programmes, who may coordinate more than one programme. Likewise, the Governing Council may determine other incompatibilities.
3. Holding a post as a member of the university governance team involves additional remuneration and a partial reduction in teaching workload, in accordance with current legislation.
Article 25. Appointment and dismissal
It is the responsibility of the rector to appoint and dismiss the officers who govern and represent the university, without prejudice to the provisions of the Law of Universities of Catalonia on the members of the boards of trustees. These appointments and dismissals must be made:
a) At the proposal of the Electoral Board or the corresponding electoral commission, if members of the university community are appointed after the corresponding procedure, if they are dismissed as the result of a motion of no confidence or if they do not comply with the requirements to remain in the post.
b) By virtue of the authority vested in the rector and at his or her own discretion, when they are appointed by competition or by free designation.
c) By the competent statutory body.
Article 26. Decisions
1. The decisions of the University's collegial bodies take the form of agreements, and those of the officers take the form of resolutions.
2. The agreements of the governing and representative bodies are adopted by a simple majority of the votes cast, without prejudice to the possibility of establishing a different majority according to the regulations.
3. The resolutions of the rector and the agreements of the Board of Trustees, the Governing Council and the Senate complete the administrative procedure, and can be challenged directly before the contentious-administrative courts. Appeals against the resolutions or agreements of other governing and representative bodies can be made to the rector, unless these resolutions or agreements complete the administrative procedure in accordance with current legislation.
Article 27. Coordination between bodies and conflicts of powers
1. The governing and representative bodies of the University must strive for joint and coordinated action, and must provide all the documentation and information necessary so that they can carry out their functions.
2. The rector shall resolve any conflicts of authority that may arise between officers and collegial bodies in both general and specific fields. Any conflict of authority involving the Board of Trustees shall be resolved by mutual agreement between the rector and the president of the Board.
CHAPTER 2. General collegial bodies
SECTION 1. University senate
Article 28. Definition
The Senate is the highest representative body of the university community. It can act in plenary sessions and in committees, under the terms established, as long as it guarantees the participation of all the groups in the university community on all the committees that may be created.
Article 29. Operation
1. The Senate is chaired by the rector or the vice-rector he or she delegates.
2. The University's general secretary acts as the secretary of the Senate.
3. The rector must call an ordinary session of the Senate at least twice a year in term time and outside the periods assigned for examinations.
4. On his or her own initiative, or at the request of the Governing Council or 15% of Senate members, the rector can call an extraordinary session of the Senate. In the latter two cases, the request must specify the issues to be discussed.
5. The Senate plenary and committees are constituted in the first call with the presence of the chair, the secretary and at least half of the members, and in the second, with the presence of one-fifth of its members.
6. The operation of the Senate is governed by current legislation, this statute and its regulations.
Article 30. Composition and election
1. The Senate consists of the rector, who convenes it, the general secretary, the general manager and a maximum of two hundred other members, in accordance with the following distribution:
a) The members of the Executive Council not mentioned in the paragraph above.
b) Deans and school directors.
c) Heads of department.
d) The director of the Doctoral School.
e) The directors of URV research institutes.
f) A representation of the teaching and research staff which, added to those mentioned in sections a), b), c), d) and e), makes a total of 124 members of the teaching and research staff, distributed in proportion to the number of full-time equivalent teaching and research staff members in each department and bearing in mind that the number of permanently contracted lecturers must represent the majority of the total number of members of the Senate. This representation must be elected by and from among the members of the teaching and research staff of each department, in accordance with the number and distribution of seats established by the Governing Council.
g) Fifty-two students, of whom forty-nine must be representatives of bachelor's- and master's-degree students, distributed in proportion to the number of students in each faculty or school, elected by and from among the bachelor's- and master's-degree student body of each faculty or school, and three must be representatives of doctoral students, elected by and from among the doctoral student body.
h) Twenty-four members of the administrative and service staff, from both the statutory and non-statutory bodies in proportion to the number of members of each group, elected jointly by and from among the administrative and service staff.
2. The representatives of the various groups of the university community from letters f), g) and h) in section 1 are elected by universal, free, equal, direct and secret suffrage, in accordance with this statute and the regulations that carry it into effect.
3. Membership of the Senate is personal and non-transferable.
4. The members of the Senate are renewed every four years by means of general elections called by the rector, except for the student representatives, who are renewed every two years, without prejudice to the possibility that other mid-term elections may be held to fill vacancies.
5. The members of the Board of Trustees and the ombuds officer can attend the sessions of the Senate but do not have the right to vote.
6. The regulations governing elections and the proportional distribution of the members of the Senate must be approved by the Governing Council.
Article 31. Competencies
The Senate has the power:
a) To draft and modify the University Statute.
b) To elect the representatives of the various groups within the university community on the Governing Council.
c) To elect and, if necessary, remove the ombuds officer and receive from him or her an annual report.
d) To set the University's general lines of action and propose initiatives to the Executive Council or the Governing Council.
e) To safeguard the institutional quality of the University and approve the institutional quality policy.
f) To debate aspects of how the University operates, issue institutional statements and pronounce on issues submitted to the rector for consideration or included on the agenda at the request of at least 15% of the members of the Senate.
g) To receive the rector's annual report, which must contain a summary of teaching and research activity and the annual accounts. The summary of the annual accounts must contain the consolidated budget with the entities in which the URV participates.
h) To monitor how the governing bodies are managing the University by asking specific individuals questions on matters over which they have authority.
i) To draft, approve and reform the regulations by which it is governed.
j) To ensure compliance with this statute.
k) To set up any committees it should deem appropriate and determine their composition.
l) To carry out all other functions assigned to it by the legislation in force, this statute and the regulations that carry it into effect.
Article 32. Consulting the university community
On its own initiative, on the initiative of the rector, on the initiative of the Governing Council or at the request of 5% of the members of the university community, the Senate may consult the university community before taking a decision that it considers to be of general interest.
Article 33. Extraordinary elections for rector
1. The Senate can call extraordinary elections to the post of rector, within the framework of the provisions of this article.
2. To convene the Senate a reasoned request must be submitted, which must have the support of a third of the members. The first signee shall be regarded as the spokesperson of the requesting parties.
3. As soon as the request has been received, the functions of chair of the Senate shall be assumed by a vice-rector, who shall act as chair until the extraordinary session is held.
4. The acting chair must convene the Senate within one month at most and ensure that the reasoned request is sent to all members.
5. Once the session has been constituted, and after the corresponding debate, the proposal to call elections is voted on by secret ballot. If two-thirds of the members of the Senate vote in favour, the Senate is dissolved and the rector must step down, although he or she continues to hold office until the new rector takes up his or her post. The acting chair of the Senate must call elections for rector, which must be held within a maximum of one month.
6. If the vote in favour of calling elections is not favourable, none of the requesting parties can take part in a similar initiative until at least one year after the date of the secret ballot mentioned.
SECTION 2. Board of Trustees
Article 34. Definition and composition
1. The Board of Trustees is the body through which society participates in the University. It consists of fifteen members, six of whom are representatives of the Governing Council, which guarantees representation of all groups in the university community, and the other nine are representatives of Catalan society, appointed in accordance with current legislation.
2. The Board of Trustees is responsible for exercising the functions regulated by current legislation.
Article 35. Term of office and termination
1. The term of office of the elected representatives of the Governing Council on the Board of Trustees is renewed every four years, except for the student representative, who is renewed every two years.
2. The representatives of the Governing Board on the Social Council cease to be members when they cease to be members of the Governing Board.
SECTION 3. Governing Council
Article 36. Definition and operation
1. The Governing Council is the body that governs the University. It determines the University's strategies and programmes, as well as the directives and procedures for applying them, in terms of organising courses, research, and human and economic resources, and preparing the budget. It also carries out the functions provided for in the current legislation, in this statute and in the regulations that carry it into effect.
2. It is the responsibility of the rector or vice-rector whom he/she delegates to act as chair of the Governing Council.
3. The general secretary of the University acts as secretary of the Governing Council. In the event of vacancy, absence or illness, the rector shall appoint a temporary substitute in accordance with the requirements established in current legislation for the general secretary.
4. The Governing Council must meet at least once a term.
5. The Governing Council can act in plenary sessions and in committees, under the terms established, and guarantee the participation of the different groups of the university community in any committees set up.
Article 37. Composition and election
1. The Governing Council is made up of the rector, the general secretary, the general manager and up to fifty other members, distributed as follows:
a) Vice-rectors and other members of the university community appointed by the rector up to a maximum of 10, as long as the maximum number of members of the Governing Council is not exceeded.
b) Deans and school directors.
c) Twelve heads of department, chosen by consensus or, if necessary, by lot, from among all the heads of department of the University, for a period of two years. At the end of this period, they must be replaced by the remaining twelve members. The Governing Council must determine the rotation procedure that guarantees the presence of all the groups in both periods. Heads of department who are not members may be invited to attend but not vote. If the number of heads of department is less than twelve, the vacant seats must be allocated to the group of other representatives of the teaching and research staff.
d) Sixteen members chosen by the Senate, distributed as follows: five representatives of the teaching and research staff, in proportion to the number of full-time equivalent teaching staff of the groups envisaged in the sixth additional provision; six student representatives, belonging to different faculties or schools, of which one must be a doctoral student, and five representatives of the administrative and service staff. If there are not enough candidates among the student body for a doctoral student to be appointed, the vacant seats are to be assigned to the most voted faculty or school candidates who have not obtained a seat. The members of each group must be chosen by and from among the members of the same group, in accordance with the electoral regulations.
2. Three members of the Board of Trustees must also be on the Governing Council. They must be chosen by the Board itself and not belong to the university community.
3. The eligible members of the Governing Council are renewed by means of elections called by the rector every four years, with the exception of the students, who are renewed every two years, without prejudice to the possibility that interim elections may be held to fill vacancies.
4. Membership of the Senate is personal and non-transferable.
5. The proportional distribution of the members of the Governing Council must be approved by the Governing Council itself before each electoral process.
Article 38. Competencies
1. In the area of university programming and management, the Governing Council has the power to:
a) Set the strategic planning of the University and approve all resulting measures to be taken in the areas of teaching, research, knowledge transfer, development and innovation, management and administration.
b) Approve the introduction, modification and suppression of courses leading to official university undergraduate and postgraduate degrees, in accordance with current legislation.
c) Propose to the Board of Trustees that the University constitute, modify and terminate companies, foundations or other legal entities to promote and carry into effect the aims of the University, and participate in or disassociate from other entities.
d) Approve the implementation of undergraduate and postgraduate degree programmes specific to the Universitat Rovira i Virgili.
e) Approve the rules and regulations of the University, except those expressly attributed to other bodies by this Statute.
f) Create delegate committees or other advisory or consultative bodies, and determine their composition and functions.
g) Create, modify, merge and remove the administrative and management structures necessary to carry out the University's functions, within the framework of available resources.
2. In the economic, budgetary and patrimonial spheres, the Governing Council has the power to:
a) Propose to the Board of Trustees the University's annual budget, the balance sheet, the annual accounts, the profit and loss account, the settlement of the previous year's budget and the annual accounts of dependent entities, so that they can be approved.
b) Propose to the Board of Trustees the University's multi-year programming and expenditure.
c) Propose to the Board of Trustees requests for extraordinary loans and credit top-ups that the University may have the right to in accordance with current legislation.
d) Propose public prices for university activities to be approved by the Board of Trustees.
e) Approve the regulations governing the application of Article 83 of the Organic Law on Universities.
f) Propose the transfer to and withdrawal from the public domain of university assets, and also the acquisition and disposal of patrimonial assets.
g) Approve the creation, suppression, affiliation or disaffiliation of colleges and university residences at the University and to ensure their proper functioning.
3. With respect to the various groups of the university community, the Governing Council has the power to:
a) Elect the representatives of the Universitat Rovira i Virgili community on the Board of Trustees, the Inter-University Council of Catalonia and other corresponding bodies.
b) Elect the members of the committees that resolve complaints regarding the decisions of the committees that select competitive teaching and research staff positions.
c) Determine the criteria and systems for selecting, hiring, promoting and assessing teaching and research staff and administrative and service staff.
d) Approve the appointment of emeritus professors, the granting of honorary doctorates, and the award of medals and other University distinctions.
e) Propose to the Board of Trustees, on exceptional occasions, that it assigns additional remuneration to individual members of the teaching staff, within the framework of the rules established by the Catalan Government.
f) Approve the University's catalogue of jobs for teaching and research staff, and propose the catalogue of jobs for the administrative and service staff.
4. The Governing Council has the power to draw up, approve and modify its regulations, and all other powers attributed to it by current legislation, this statute and the regulations that carry it into effect.
CHAPTER 3. Specific collegial bodies
SECTION 1. Faculty or school board
Article 39. Definition and composition
1. The faculty or school board is the collegial body of governance for faculties and school.
2. The faculty or school board is made up of:
a) The dean or school director, the vice-deans or deputy directors and the secretary.
b) The heads of the departments responsible for most of the teaching. All other heads of the departments that teach at the faculty or school may be invited to attend meetings in person but will not have the right to vote. The participation of the bachelor's and master's degree coordinators affiliated to the faculty or school is determined in the regulations.
c) A representation of members of the teaching and research staff belonging to the faculty or school equivalent to 62% of the members of the board, including the ex-officio members described in sections a) and b), elected by and from among the staff, and bearing in mind that the majority of members must be permanent university teaching staff. The regulations of each faculty or school may stipulate the percentage of members of the board who must hold a doctoral degree.
d) A representation of students equivalent to 26% of the members of the board, elected proportionally by and from among the students of each of the degrees or groups of degrees taught by the faculty or school.
e) A representation of the administrative and service staff belonging to the faculty or school, equivalent to 12% of the members of the board, elected by and from among this staff group, including the staff assigned for electoral purposes.
3. The eligible members of the faculty or school board are renewed every four years, except for students, who are renewed every two years, without prejudice to the possibility that other interim elections may be held to fill vacancies.
4. The regulations of the faculty or school must be approved by the Governing Council and must establish the rules for the election and proportional distribution of its members and the maximum number of people who make up the board.
Article 40. Competencies
The faculty or school board has the power to:
a) Elect the dean or school director and to agree on their termination.
b) Approve the general lines of action of the faculty or school.
c) Approve the proposals for new official bachelor and postgraduate degree programmes, the corresponding teaching obligations and, if necessary, their modification.
d) Approve how the degree programmes that it is responsible for are run and how the teaching staff are organised.
e) Approve the tutoring and monitoring of the students on the courses that the faculty or school is responsible for.
f) Approve and sign off the budget of the faculty or school.
g) Assign material resources to the departments that teach on any of the courses it is responsible for.
h) Report on departmental proposals regarding the teaching staff who are to teach on the courses that the faculty or school is responsible for.
i) Set up delegate committees and other advisory or consultative bodies and to determine their composition.
j) Approve the affiliation of the teaching staff to the faculty or school.
k) Account for the activity of the faculty or school.
l) Submit to the Governing Council the regulations of the faculty or school and any amendments deemed necessary.
m) Approve the quality policy of the faculty or school, along the same lines as the University's.
n) Monitor the quality of teaching, review its suitability and monitor the plans for improving degree programmes.
o) Report on teaching staff needs, in compliance with the teaching activity plans and the proposals of the departments, in terms of the creation of new posts and the allocation of vacancies.
p) Carry out all other functions assigned to it by the legislation in force, this statute and the regulations that carry it into effect.
SECTION 2. Managing Board of the Doctoral School
Article 41. Definition and powers
1. The Managing Board is the collegial body that governs the Doctoral School and is chaired by its director.
2. The Managing Board has the power to:
a) Approve the composition of examination panels and authorise the defence of doctoral theses.
b) Account for the School's activity.
c) Approve the conditions for executing the budget, the School's budget and its closure.
d) Submit a proposal of the School's regulations and any amendments to the Governing Council for approval.
e) Approve the quality policy of the Doctoral School, along the same lines as the University's.
f) Carry out all other functions assigned to it by the legislation in force, this statute and the regulations that carry it into effect.
3. The Governing Council is responsible for approving the regulations that establish the powers the Managing Board holds, how it is run and its composition. The regulations must guarantee at least the presence of the director, the academic secretary, the academic coordinator of the doctoral programmes, and a representative of the student body and the administrative and service staff.
SECTION 3. Department Council
Article 42. Definition, composition and election
1. The department council is the collegial body governing the departments.
2. The department council is made up of:
a) The head of department and secretary.
b) All the members of the department who hold a doctoral degree.
c) A representation of those members of the teaching staff who are not doctors, in a proportion of at least one for every 6 or fraction thereof.
d) A representation of the trainee researchers who are members of the department in a proportion of at least one for every 6 or fraction thereof.
e) A representation of the students from all the degree courses taught by the department. This representation cannot be less than 10% or more than 25% of the total number of members of the council.
f) All affiliated full-time members of the administrative and service staff, including staff assigned for electoral purposes.
3. The eligible members of the department council are renewed every four years, with the exception of the students, who are renewed every two years, without prejudice to the possibility of that interim elections may be held to fill vacancies.
4. The department's regulations must be approved by the Governing Council and must establish how it is organised and run, the rules governing elections and the proportional distribution of its members.
Article 43. Competencies
The department council has the power:
a) Elect the head of department and agree on their termination.
b) Discuss and approve the general lines of the department's teaching and research policy.
c) Approve the strategic planning of the department and align it to that of the University.
d) Approve the annual teaching hours for lecturers, coordinate the teaching of the subjects that the department is responsible for and validate the syllabuses of the corresponding subjects.
e) Validate research activities, knowledge transfer, and teacher training and management, and evaluate the results.
f) Approve the proposal of URV-specific qualifications.
g) Account for the department's teaching and research activities and its economic report.
h) Propose requirements for employing teaching and research staff, and administrative and service staff, announce the call for new staff, and propose renewal.
i) Issue reports on its members being assigned to other departments and university research institutes, or receive members from other departments and centres.
j) Appoint the representatives of the department on the various University committees.
k) Submit a proposal of the department's regulations and any amendments to the Governing Council for approval.
l) Set up delegate committees and other advisory or consultative bodies and determine their composition.
m) Approve and sign off the department's budget.
n) Plan the use of economic resources and be periodically informed of the decisions adopted by the head of department.
o) Carry out all other functions assigned to them by the legislation in force, this statute and the regulations that carry it into effect.
SECTION 4.
University research institute council
Article 44. Definition and composition
1. The university research institute council is the collegial body that governs the University's institutes.
2. The university research institute council is made up of:
a) The institute's director and secretary.
b) All the full-time teaching and research staff affiliated to the institute.
c) A representation of the other teaching and research staff affiliated to the institute on the terms established by the institute's regulations.
d) A representation of students on third-cycle degrees taught by the institute in accordance with the institute's regulations.
e) A representation of the administrative and service staff who belongs to the institute on the terms laid down in the institute's regulations.
3. The eligible members of the university research institute council are renewed every four years, except for students, who are renewed every two years, without prejudice to the possibility that other interim elections may be held to fill vacancies.
4. The internal regulations, which must be approved by the Governing Council, must determine the composition of the council and establish the rules for the election and distribution of its members.
Article 45. Competencies
The university research institute council has the power to:
a) Elect the director of the institute and agree on their termination.
b) Approve the annual plan of activities.
c) Propose doctoral and postgraduate programmes.
d) Inform about the teaching and research staff affiliated to the institute.
e) Draw up the institute's internal regulations and propose any amendments.
f) Approve and sign off the institute's budget.
g) Account for the institute's research and economic activity.
h) Carry out all other functions assigned by this statute and the regulations that carry it into effect.
CHAPTER 4. General university officers
SECTION 1. Rector
Article 46. Definition and duration of term in office
1. The rector is the highest academic authority of the University and represents it. He/she has all the powers that are not expressly attributed to other bodies.
2. The rector's term in office lasts four years with the possibility of re-election just once.
3. In the case of absence or illness, the rector must be substituted by a vice-rector designated by the rector him/herself, who must be a university professor. If no vice-rector has been designated, the vice-rector who has been a university professor for the longest time or who is the oldest (in this order) is required to replace him/her.
Article 47. Election
1. The rector is elected by the university community, by direct election and by universal, free and secret ballot, from among the statutory university professors on active service at Universitat Rovira i Virgili.
2. The rector must call elections to this office at least 30 days before the term of office comes to an end.
3. The vote for electing the rector is weighted for each of the groups that make up the university community:
Permanent teaching staff holding a doctoral degree: 0.51
Other teaching and research staff: 0.12
Students: 0.20
Administrative and service staff: 0.17
Article 48. Functions
The rector is responsible for:
a) Directing, governing and managing the University, within the framework of current legislation, and representing it. To exercise this representation, he/she can delegate authority.
b) Ensuring that the University is a space where ideas can be expressed and circulated freely and removing any obstacles that do not allow this to happen. To this end, he/she must guarantee security and the free exercise of rights in all areas of the University.
c) Complying and ensuring compliance with the Statute, all other regulations passed by the University and the inspiring principles collected in the Universitat Rovira i Virgili's code of ethics.
d) Directing all of the University's staff.
e) Convening and chairing the bodies of the University of which he/she is a member in accordance with this statute and the legislation in force.
f) Appointing and dismissing university officers and the ombuds officer, at the proposal of the governing and representative bodies, in accordance with the legislation in force and this statute
g) Appointing and employing the University's teaching and research staff, and administrative and service staff.
h) Authorizing expenditure and ordering payments.
i) Exercising disciplinary power.
j) Reporting annually to the Governing Council on the activities and the state of the budget of the URV Foundation and other entities in which the University has a majority share.
k) Signing and giving notice to terminate collaboration and exchange agreements with other universities, bodies or public and private centres, and also contracts involving the University, including those envisaged in article 83 of the Organic Law of Universities.
l) Carrying out all other functions by virtue of his/her office and current legislation or which are not attributed to other governing bodies by this statute or the regulations that carry it into effect.
Article 49. Executive Council
1. The Executive Council is the rector's consultative and advisory body for directing, coordinating and executing University policy and management.
2. The Executive Council consists of the rector, who chairs it, the vice-rectors, the general secretary, the general manager and, if required, other members appointed by the rector.
3. It is the responsibility of the rector to define the functions of the members of the Executive Council, and to keep the Governing Council informed thereof.
Article 50. Functions of the Executive Council
The Executive Council has the following functions:
a) To advise the rector on matters that fall within his/her competence, in particular the running, governance and management of the University.
b) To propose the general plan of action for implementing university policy.
c) To set the basic criteria for drawing up the annual budget proposal with the participation of the Board of Trustees.
d) To determine the general directives that are to guide the activities entrusted to the vice-rectors, the general secretary and the general manager.
e) To prepare the agenda for the sessions of the Governing Council and the Senate.
f) To coordinate the execution of the agreements taken by the Governing Council and the Senate.
g) Any other function entrusted by the rector, without prejudice to the competences attributed to other governing bodies of the University.
SECTION 2. Vice-rectors, general secretary and general manager
Article 51. Vice-rectors
1. Vice-rectors are appointed and dismissed by the rector from among the teaching staff holding a doctoral degree and who have permanent and full-time contracts with the University. The rector shall decide how many vice-rectors to appoint, depending on the needs of the governing body and the budget available.
2. The vice-rectors direct and coordinate activities in specific areas and exercise the powers delegated to them by the rector.
Article 52. General secretary
The general secretary directs the Office of the General Secretary, is responsible for certifying documents at the university level and acts as secretary to the Senate, the Governing Council and the University's Electoral Board, in addition to all the other functions assigned by the legislation in force, this statute and the regulations that carry it into effect, or that are entrusted to him/her by the rector or the Governing Council.
Article 53. General manager
The general manager, who is full-time, is appointed and dismissed by the rector in agreement with the Board of Trustees and manages the University's administrative services and the material and economic resources, in compliance with the rules laid down by the Board of Trustees and the Governing Council. He/she is also responsible for all other functions assigned by current legislation, this statute and the regulations that carry it into effect, or entrusted to him/her by the rector.
CHAPTER 5. Specific university officers
SECTION 1. Faculties or schools
Article 54. Dean or school director
1. The dean or school director is responsible for directing, running and representing a faculty or school.
2. The board elects the dean or director of the school from among the full-time members of the teaching staff holding a doctoral degree and on permanent contracts.
3. The term of office is four years, and the dean can be re-elected only once. The appointment is the responsibility of the rector.
Article 55. Functions of the dean or school director
The dean or school director has the following responsibilities:
a) To represent the faculty or school.
b) To direct and coordinate the functions and activities of the faculty or school.
c) To oversee the academic, administrative and budgetary management of the faculty or school, and report to the faculty or school board on a regular basis.
d) To convene and chair the faculty or school board, execute the agreements and enforce compliance.
e) To submit proposals to the rector for appointing or dismissing vice-deans or deputy directors, the secretary and coordinators of bachelor's and master's degrees from among the full-time teaching staff.
f) To oversee the functions of the administrative and service staff assigned to the faculty or school.
g) To regularly inform the faculty or school board about the issues discussed and agreements reached by the University's collegial governing and representative bodies and other bodies or committees of interest.
h) To carry out all the functions assigned by the legislation in force, this statute and the regulations that carry it into effect, and any others relative to the faculty or school that are not assigned to the faculty or school board by either this statute or the faculty or school's regulations.
Article 56. Vice-dean or school deputy director
1. The vice-dean or deputy director carries out the functions entrusted to them by the dean or director, with the exception of the academic coordination of bachelor's, master's and doctoral degrees. They are appointed by the rector, at the proposal of the dean or school director.
2. In the event of absence, vacancy or illness of the dean or school director, his/her duties shall be temporarily assumed by the designated vice-dean or deputy director. If no one has been designated, the oldest possible candidate will be the substitute.
3. The Governing Council must approve the criteria that determine the number of vice-deans and deputy directors of each faculty or school.
Article 57. Bachelor's- and master's-degree coordinator
1. Bachelor's and master's degrees must have a coordinator who, under the direction of the dean or director of the school that teaches these degrees, is responsible for academic organisation, the coordination of human and material resources, and the monitoring of teaching quality and the course improvement plan. A single member of the teaching staff can coordinate more than one degree programme and have other functions entrusted to him/her by the dean or school director.
2. The bachelor's or master's-degree coordinator is appointed by the rector at the proposal of the dean or director of the faculty or school that teaches the course.
3. The Governing Council must approve the criteria that determine the number of coordinators at each faculty or school.
Article 58. Faculty or school secretary
The secretary of the faculty or school is responsible for certifying documents at the faculty/school level and exercises the functions of the office in compliance with the Law governing the Public Sector.
SECTION 2. Doctoral studies
Article 59. Director of the Doctoral School
1. The director of the Doctoral School is responsible for directing, running and representing the Doctoral School.
2. The director is appointed by the rector from among the University's researchers of recognised prestige. The director is appointed for a period of four years, which may be extended for only one consecutive period of the same duration. The Rector may appoint as director of the Doctoral School the vice-rector responsible for this area.
3. The Governing Council is responsible for regulating the requirements and the functions of the director of the Doctoral School.
Article 60. Doctoral programme coordinators
1. In compliance with the regulations governing official doctoral programmes, doctoral programme coordinators must be members of the teaching and research staff, hold a doctoral degree and have a recognised research career. The doctoral programme coordinator chairs the academic committee that coordinates the courses and, in general, the academic processes that affect the students or teaching staff of the programme, and the programme's verification, monitoring and accreditation processes.
2. The coordinator of the doctoral programme is appointed by the rector, at the proposal of the heads of the departments that are involved in the teaching.
SECTION 3.
Departments
Article 61. Head of department
1. The head of department is responsible for representing, directing and running the department.
2. The head of department is elected by and from among the permanent, full-time teaching staff affiliated to the department.
3. The term of office is four years, except in those cases expressly provided for, with the possibility of consecutive re-election only once. It is the responsibility of the rector to make the appointment.
4. The head of department may appoint a deputy head of department from among the affiliated full-time teaching staff, who shall carry out the duties assigned.
5. In the event of absence, indisposition or vacancy of the head of department, his/her duties shall be temporarily assumed by the deputy head or, if there is no deputy head, by the oldest member of the teaching staff with a doctoral degree.
Article 62. Functions of the head of department
It is the responsibility of the head of department:
a) To represent the department.
b) To coordinate the teaching, research and academic activities of the affiliated teaching and research staff.
c) To assign the teaching staff affiliated to the department with the teaching required by the faculties or schools on the topics that belong to the department's fields or areas of knowledge.
d) To convene and chair the department council, execute the agreements and enforce compliance.
e) To direct the teaching and research staff and the administrative and service staff affiliated to the department, to ensure that the tasks they carry out comply with the Code of Ethics, and to enforce compliance with their teaching, research, administrative and other duties.
f) To oversee the administrative and budgetary management of the department, and report to the department council on a regular basis.
g) To regularly inform the department council about the issues discussed and agreements reached by the University's collegial governing and representative bodies and other bodies or committees of interest.
h) To regularly inform the department council about contracts and agreements for scientific, technical or artistic work entered into by the teaching staff affiliated to the department.
i) To carry out all the functions assigned by the legislation in force, this statute and the regulations that carry it into effect, and any others relative to the department that are not assigned to the faculty or school board by either this statute or the department's regulations.
Article 63. Department secretary
The department secretary, who must be a member of the full-time teaching staff affiliated to the department, is responsible for certifying documents at the departmental level and carries out the functions of the office in compliance with the Law governing the Public Sector.
SECTION 4. Director of a URV research institute
Article 64. Definition, election and term of office
1. The director of a URV research institute is responsible for directing, running and representing it.
2. The director is elected by the institute council from among the full-time permanent teaching staff or the research staff who hold a doctoral degree.
3. The term of office is four years, except in those cases expressly provided for, and the director can be re-elected only once. The appointment is the responsibility of the rector.
Article 65. Functions
It is the responsibility of the director of a URV research institute:
a) To represent the institute.
b) To promote and coordinate the institute's teaching and research activities.
c) To convene and chair the institute council, execute the agreements and enforce compliance.
d) To oversee the administrative and budgetary management of the department, and report to the institute council on a regular basis.
e) To oversee the functions of the administrative and service staff assigned to the institute.
f) All the functions assigned by this statute and any others that are not assigned to the institute council by either this statute or the institute's regulations.
Article 66. Institute secretary
The institute secretary, who must be a member of the full-time teaching staff affiliated to the institute, is responsible for certifying the institute's documents and carries out the functions of the office in compliance with the Law governing the Public Sector.
CHAPTER 6. Election and removal of governing and representative bodies
Article 67. Election and resignation of representatives
1. The representatives of the various groups of the university community on the governing bodies of the URV are elected by universal, free, equal, direct and secret suffrage.
2. Suffrage is a personal right. Neither the vote nor the exercise of the resulting representation can be delegated.
3. Resigning as a representative or no longer belonging to the collective requires the representative to be replaced by the next most voted member in the elections in which he/she was elected.
4. The Governing Council is responsible for approving the electoral regulations applicable to the elections to the governing bodies of the Universitat Rovira i Virgili within the framework of the provisions set out in this statute.
5. The electoral regulations must establish the mechanisms to ensure that there is a balanced number of men and women as electoral candidates, in order to promote parity in the collegial bodies.
Article 68. Voters and candidates
1. All members of the Universitat Rovira i Virgili's teaching and research staff, and administrative and service staff serving on the date of the elections and the students registered on the same date have the right to vote.
2. All electors from every sector of the university community can be candidates.
Article 69. Calling and holding elections
1. The chair of the appropriate governing body must call elections at least 30 working days before the end of the term of office of the representatives.
2. Until the new representatives are elected, the previous ones must remain in office.
3. The elections for student representatives must be held in term time and outside official examination periods.
4. From the date when the elections are announced, both electors and candidates can organise electoral meetings or information sessions. Insofar as it is possible, the University must provide candidates with the means and spaces they need to be able to provide information.
Article 70. Electoral board
The Electoral Board organises the electoral processes for the general governing bodies and supervises the University's other electoral processes. The Governing Council appoints the chair. The Electoral Regulations must determine the composition and other powers of the Electoral Board and how it is run.
Article 71. Vote of confidence
1. The deans, school directors, heads of department and university research institute directors can ask the collegial governing bodies they were elected by for a vote of confidence in their governance programme, especially when more than 51% of the body's membership is renewed.
2. Confidence is assumed to have been given if the result of the vote is a simple majority in favour.
Article 72. Motion of no confidence
The collegial governing bodies of the Universitat Rovira i Virgili can remove people that the collegial body itself has elected to occupy a particular office by passing a motion of no confidence. The electoral regulations must stipulate the procedure to be followed.
CHAPTER 7. Advisory or consultative bodies
Article 73. Definition
1. The governing bodies of the University may create committees to advise them on specialised aspects of their own functions.
2. The agreement creating the committees must stipulate their composition and guarantee the participation of all sectors of the university and compliance with the principle of gender parity.
3. Every committee must approve it own internal regulations.
Article 74. Statutory committees
1. The statutory committees are consultative bodies that advise on strategic areas of the University. The statutory committees of the URV are the following: the Social and Solidarity Action Committee, the Ethics Committee, the Gender Equality Committee, the Environmental Policy Committee, the Language Policy Committee and the Institutional Quality Committee.
2. The Senate determines the functions and composition of the statutory committees, and guarantees the participation of all sectors of the university community. Each statutory committee must draw up and approve its own rules of procedure.
3. The statutory committees must meet at least twice a year and report annually to the Senate.
4. The Senate can create other strategic consultative bodies and must determine their composition, regulations governing meetings and their functions.
5. The University's statutory, strategic or advisory committees may allow for a member of the Social Council to take part, in order to provide opinions that are external to and independent of the university community itself.
Article 75. Social and Solidarity Action Committee
The Social and Solidarity Action Committee is the body responsible for promoting the URV's policy of social impact, cooperation and volunteering; for determining strategies for action and the resources required; and for monitoring the application of this planning.
Article 76. Ethics Committee
The Ethics Committee is the body responsible for interpreting the Code of Ethics, monitoring it and ensuring compliance. It is also responsible for disseminating it, promoting it and advising on issues related to its application, and all other functions entrusted to it by the Senate.
Article 77. Gender Equality Committee
The Gender Equality Committee is the body responsible for promoting the policy for gender equality, monitoring the regulations governing equality, proposing action strategies and the resources required, putting them into practice and actively monitoring their implementation.
Article 78. Environmental Policy Committee
The Environmental Policy Committee is responsible for ensuring that university facilities and activities are governed by criteria of ecological sustainability and respect for the environment, submitting proposals of action strategies and resources to the governing bodies, and monitoring the application of the plans.
Article 79. Language Policy Committee
As part of the process of language standardisation at the University, the Language Policy Committee is responsible for defining the standardisation objectives, setting a schedule to implement these objectives, submitting proposals to the governing bodies for strategies for action and resources, and monitoring the application of the plans.
Article 80. Institutional Quality Committee
The Institutional Quality Committee is responsible for submitting the University's quality policy for approval by the Senate and for overseeing the development of a culture of quality at the URV.
TITLE III. Ombuds office
Article 81. Definició
El síndic o síndica de greuges és la persona encarregada de vetllar pels drets i les llibertats de tots els membres de la comunitat universitària davant les actuacions dels òrgans i serveis universitaris. Les funcions de la Sindicatura estan orientades a millorar la Universitat en tots els àmbits.
Article 82. Funcionament
1. La Sindicatura de Greuges es regeix pels principis d'independència i autonomia respecte de qualsevol instància universitària.
2. La Sindicatura actua a petició de part o d'ofici.
3. Qualsevol membre de la comunitat universitària pot dirigir-se a la Sindicatura de Greuges per exposar-hi queixes o peticions d'atenció o orientació. Els membres de la comunitat universitària s'hi poden adreçar de manera individual o col·lectiva.
4. Les recomanacions de la Sindicatura de Greuges no tenen caràcter vinculant.
5. El síndic o síndica de greuges pot accedir a qualsevol document intern de la Universitat i rebre informació dels òrgans de govern, representació i administració de la Universitat. Tots els membres de la comunitat universitària han d'atendre les demandes que la Sindicatura els adreci en l'exercici de les seves funcions.
6. El síndic o síndica de greuges no pot investigar les queixes l'objecte de les quals es troba pendent d'una resolució judicial, i ha de suspendre la seva actuació si, havent-la iniciada, una persona interessada interposa una demanda o un recurs davant els tribunals.
Article 83. Obligacions
1. El síndic o síndica de greuges ha de presentar un informe anual al Claustre i al Consell Social sobre les actuacions que ha dut a terme aquell any. També pot demanar presentar un informe monogràfic en qualsevol sessió claustral.
2. La Sindicatura de Greuges ha de respondre totes les qüestions que se li plantegin. Totes les respostes han de ser raonades.
Article 84. Elecció
1. El Claustre ha de designar el síndic o síndica entre persones de reconegut prestigi no pertanyents a la comunitat universitària, mitjançant una majoria de tres cinquenes parts dels membres claustrals presents a la sessió, a iniciativa del rector o rectora, un cop informat el Consell Social.
2. La durada del mandat del síndic o síndica és de cinc anys, sense possibilitat de renovació consecutiva.
3. Les condicions de la vinculació del síndic o síndica amb la Universitat, la remuneració del càrrec, si s'escau, i l'assignació econòmica per al seu funcionament les ha d'aprovar el Consell Social.
TITLE IV. University activity
CAPÍTOL 1. Disposició general
Article 85. Definició
La Universitat du a terme la seva activitat en els àmbits de la docència, la recerca, la transferència del coneixement i el compromís social de forma individualitzada. També actua en col·laboració i coordinació amb altres universitats i institucions públiques i privades, d'acord amb els principis inclosos al Codi ètic de la URV.
CAPÍTOL 2. Docència i estudi
Article 86. Principis generals
1. La missió de la Universitat Rovira i Virgili en docència és capacitar les persones perquè siguin competents en l'exercici de la seva professió, continuïn la formació al llarg de la vida i estiguin compromeses amb la millora de la societat, el progrés científic i la generació de coneixement.
2. La Universitat ofereix estudis conduents a obtenir títols universitaris de caràcter oficial i validesa a tot el territori estatal, d'acord amb la normativa de la Universitat i la legislació vigent.
3. La URV imparteix els estudis universitaris oficials i propis següents:
a) Els que condueixen a títols oficials universitaris, que s'estructuren en grau, màster universitari, doctorat i altres nivells que estableixi la legislació vigent.
b) Els que condueixen als títols i diplomes propis de la Universitat Rovira i Virgili, que aprova el Consell de Govern d'acord amb la normativa vigent.
4. La Universitat dirigeix la planificació, la programació i el desenvolupament de la docència adreçada a la formació integral dels estudiants.
5. La Universitat ha d'establir els mecanismes necessaris per garantir la qualitat dels estudis universitaris fomentant la cooperació intrauniversitària i interuniversitària i la internacionalització. També n'ha d'avaluar periòdicament el desenvolupament i els resultats per adaptar‐se a l'evolució del coneixement i a les necessitats de la societat.
Article 87. Programació i directrius docents
1. Els estudis universitaris s'han d'adaptar a les necessitats socials i professionals en tots els àmbits de coneixement.
2. El Consell de Govern és el màxim responsable de la configuració i la qualitat de l'oferta acadèmica de la Universitat.
3. A aquest efecte, correspon al Consell de Govern aprovar la programació docent de la Universitat i les directrius que han d'orientar-ne el desplegament. Aquesta programació docent inclou els objectius d'aprenentatge, la metodologia docent, l'estructura necessària de professorat i els procediments de verificació del progrés acadèmic dels estudiants.
Article 88. Innovació i qualitat docent
1. La Universitat ha d'oferir una formació universitària de qualitat, innovadora i eficaç a través de professorat amb competència professional reconeguda.
2. La Universitat ha de facilitar que el professorat pugui formar-se al llarg de la vida de manera adient per impartir una docència de qualitat i per actualitzar els coneixements i les habilitats.
Article 89. Concepte, modalitats i avaluació dels ensenyaments
1. Els estudis universitaris integren un conjunt sistemàtic i coherent de matèries, que permeten a l'estudiant obtenir formació superior en els diferents àmbits del coneixement.
2. Els estudis es poden impartir en modalitat presencial, virtual o mixta.
Article 90. Estudis de grau i màster universitari
1. La implantació i supressió dels ensenyaments conduents a obtenir títols universitaris de caràcter oficial i validesa a tot el territori estatal es fa d'acord amb la normativa de la Universitat i la legislació vigent.
2. Els estudis de grau tenen com a finalitat obtenir una formació de caràcter general orientada a exercir activitats professionals o a preparar-se per accedir a una formació avançada més especialitzada.
3. Els estudis de màster universitari tenen com a finalitat assolir una formació avançada especialitzada temàticament o de caràcter multidisciplinari, orientada a l'especialització acadèmica o professional, o a la iniciació en tasques de recerca i accés al doctorat.
4. L'aprovació i modificació de les memòries de les titulacions correspon al Consell de Govern, a proposta de les facultats o escoles corresponents, d'acord amb la normativa de la Universitat i la legislació vigent.
5. La Universitat pot acordar la impartició conjunta d'ensenyaments amb altres universitats o centres d'educació superior, mitjançant el conveni corresponent.
Article 91. Estudis de doctorat
1. Els ensenyaments de doctorat conduents a obtenir el títol de doctor o doctora tenen com a finalitat formar personal investigador, tant per a l'àmbit universitari de recerca com per al món professional i empresarial, i també especialitzar l'estudiant en un àmbit del coneixement científic, tècnic, humanístic o artístic determinat.
2. Per obtenir el títol de doctor o doctora cal complir amb els requisits d'accés establerts a la legislació vigent i la normativa pròpia de l'Escola de Doctorat. També cal superar un període de formació, si escau, i elaborar, presentar i aprovar un treball original de recerca. Aquest títol confereix plena capacitat investigadora.
3. Correspon al Consell de Govern, a proposta de l'Escola de Doctorat, aprovar les normes de desenvolupament dels estudis de doctorat, d'acord amb la legislació vigent.
Article 92. Estudis propis
1. La Universitat pot crear estudis propis, a proposta de facultats, escoles, departaments i instituts universitaris de la Universitat, o d'altres unitats o entitats expressament autoritzades d'acord amb la normativa vigent.
2. El Consell de Govern aprova la denominació i els requisits dels títols propis. El nom d'aquests títols no pot coincidir amb el dels títols universitaris oficials ni provocar confusió.
3. Els estudis propis de postgrau s'adrecen a persones amb titulació universitària que volen especialitzar-se o reciclar-se professionalment, i tenen com a finalitat assegurar la formació permanent d'especialistes i professionals al més alt nivell.
4. El disseny, l'organització, la coordinació, la gestió pressupostària i l'assegurament de la qualitat docent dels estudis propis de postgrau recau en la direcció acadèmica, que assumeix professorat de la URV, amb l'autorització prèvia del director o directora del departament.
Article 93. Doctor o doctora honoris causa
La Universitat Rovira i Virgili pot conferir el títol de doctor o doctora honoris causa a persones rellevants en els àmbits acadèmic, científic i cultural que vulgui distingir d'una manera especial en el marc de les normes que estableixi el Consell de Govern.
CAPÍTOL 3. Recerca i transferència del coneixement
Article 94. Funció
1. La recerca i la transferència de coneixement a la societat són una funció essencial de la Universitat com a fonament de la docència i mitjà per al progrés de la societat.
2. La Universitat Rovira i Virgili impulsa l'avenç del coneixement mitjançant la formació d'investigadors i la recerca bàsica i aplicada. També afavoreix la transferència de coneixement a la societat i la innovació, posant a disposició de la societat el fruit de la seva recerca.
Article 95. Dret i deure de recerca
La recerca i la generació de coneixement és un dret i un deure del personal docent i investigador doctor de la Universitat. També contribueixen a la recerca els estudiants de grau, màster i doctorat de forma supervisada.
Article 96. Grups de recerca
1. El grup de recerca és la unitat bàsica de recerca formada per membres del personal docent i investigador, del personal d'administració i serveis vinculat a la recerca i, si s'escau, del personal de suport a la recerca que comparteixen objectius científics i estan coordinats per un o més investigadors responsables.
2. Les activitats dels grups de recerca es duen a terme en el marc dels departaments, instituts universitaris de recerca o centres de recerca propis.
3. Correspon al Consell de Govern aprovar la normativa per regular els grups de recerca.
Article 97. Política científica
1. La Universitat impulsa la recerca en el marc de la seva política científica, que ha d'aprovar el Consell de Govern.
2. La Universitat ha de garantir el suport i els recursos necessaris a les activitats de recerca dintre de les disponibilitats pressupostàries, i ha d'afavorir les relacions entre els grups de recerca propis, així com amb altres institucions universitàries i entitats de caràcter científic.
3. A la Universitat Rovira i Virgili no es pot dur a terme cap recerca que s'orienti a produir o desenvolupar armament convencional, nuclear, químic o biològic.
Article 98. Iniciatives empresarials per a la transferència i la innovació
1. La Universitat pot impulsar iniciatives empresarials dedicades a la transferència i a la innovació en els àmbits que consideri apropiats i tenint en compte l'activitat de recerca. Fruit d'aquestes iniciatives, la Universitat pot constituir entitats amb personalitat jurídica pròpia sota la forma de consorci, fundació, associació, societat civil o mercantil, o qualsevol altra permesa en dret. La Universitat pot crear aquestes entitats exclusivament o poden tenir caràcter mixt, si són constituïdes conjuntament amb altres entitats públiques o privades o amb persones físiques.
2. Correspon al Consell de Govern aprovar la normativa que reguli aquestes iniciatives empresarials.
3. El Consell Social, a proposta del Consell de Govern, ha d'establir les condicions o directrius bàsiques per garantir els drets i els interessos econòmics de la Universitat a l'hora d'implementar les iniciatives.
Article 99. Parcs cientificotecnològics
La Universitat pot crear parcs cientificotecnològics de caràcter universitari o interuniversitari que apleguin centres de recerca, empreses i altres institucions en un espai que reuneixi activitats de recerca, desenvolupament i innovació. Agrupa estructures de docència, recerca i transferència del coneixement per posar en valor el coneixement i transformar-lo en projectes de desenvolupament per a les empreses.
Article 100. Difusió de les activitats de recerca i innovació
1. La Universitat ha d'estimular i afavorir la difusió de les activitats de recerca i innovació que s'hi duen a terme. En aquest sentit, ha de potenciar la participació del personal docent i investigador en conferències, comitès especialitzats, exposicions i mostres, i també la seva presència als mitjans de comunicació.
2. Els membres del personal docent i investigador han de fer explícita la condició de membre de la Universitat Rovira i Virgili de manera preferent quan publiquin o difonguin els resultats de les activitats de recerca o innovació dutes a terme amb els mitjans de la Universitat o utilitzant el coneixement adquirit amb la seva activitat acadèmica.
Article 101. Propietat intel·lectual i industrial
1. Correspon al personal de la Universitat l'autoria de les obres creades com a conseqüència de les funcions de docència i de recerca, desenvolupament i innovació a la Universitat Rovira i Virgili.
2. Correspon a la Universitat la titularitat de la recerca, les invencions o les innovacions que hagin realitzat membres del personal com a conseqüència de la seva activitat a la Universitat, sens perjudici del que disposa l'article 102. Aquestes persones tenen dret a participar en els beneficis que la Universitat obtingui de l'explotació o la cessió dels drets sobre les invencions o innovacions esmentades, d'acord amb les normes que estableixi el Consell de Govern.
3. La Universitat pot cedir la titularitat de les invencions o innovacions a la persona autora o inventora, d'acord amb les condicions pactades entre aquesta i la URV, seguint les normes establertes pel Consell de Govern i sempre que la legislació vigent ho permeti.
Article 102. Contractes o convenis de transferència
1. La Universitat, els grups de recerca, els departaments, els instituts universitaris, els altres centres de recerca i els membres del personal docent i investigador que hi pertanyin poden formalitzar contractes per dur a terme treballs de caràcter científic, tècnic, artístic o per desenvolupar ensenyaments d'especialització o activitats específiques de formació amb persones, universitats i entitats públiques o privades, d'acord amb la Llei orgànica d'universitats.
2. Els contractes o convenis els ha de signar el rector o rectora, o persona en qui delegui, que ha d'autoritzar la realització del treball al personal docent i investigador de la Universitat afectat, sempre que sigui compatible amb el compliment de les obligacions que es derivin de la dedicació acadèmica. Els directors de departament han de ser informats periòdicament dels contractes o convenis que signin els membres que hi estiguin adscrits.
3. El Consell de Govern ha d'establir els procediments per autoritzar els treballs i per formalitzar els contractes previstos en aquest article, i també els criteris per fixar la destinació dels béns i recursos que se'n derivin.
4. D'acord amb el principi de compensació, la Universitat pot retenir un cànon fix dels ingressos obtinguts a través dels contractes previstos en aquest article en concepte de costos indirectes, que en el marc de la normativa corresponent cal distribuir d'acord amb els criteris que aprovi el Consell Social, a proposta del Consell de Govern.
Article 103. Càtedres de la Universitat
1. Les càtedres són fòrums de col·laboració i difusió de les activitats de recerca, formació i transferència especialitzades creades per la Universitat Rovira i Virgili en col·laboració amb entitats públiques i privades.
2. Correspon al Consell de Govern aprovar la normativa que reguli tot allò referent a la creació i el funcionament de les càtedres.
CAPÍTOL 4. Compromís social
Article 104. Formació en el marc del compromís social
1. La Universitat Rovira i Virgili, com a institució pública al servei del conjunt de la societat, du a terme activitats adreçades a la comunitat universitària i la societat en general, amb la finalitat de contribuir a divulgar la cultura, la ciència, les arts, la tècnica i el coneixement com a bases del progrés social.
2. La Universitat fomenta convenis de coordinació, col·laboració i cooperació amb organismes i entitats públics i privats per promoure aquestes activitats.
Article 105. Activitats dirigides a la gent gran
La Universitat ha de fomentar, en la mesura que pugui, una oferta d'activitats dirigida específicament a la gent gran, mitjançant una xarxa d'aules distribuïdes pel territori.
CAPÍTOL 5. Fundació URV
Article 106. Fundació URV
1. La Fundació URV, entitat sense ànim de lucre, té com a objectiu principal fomentar les relacions entre la Universitat Rovira i Virgili, la societat i l'entorn socioeconòmic. D'acord amb l'encàrrec corresponent, gestiona les activitats de formació permanent, de transferència de tecnologia i coneixements i d'innovació, a més d'altres funcions que la Universitat li pugui encarregar.
2. La Fundació URV té personalitat jurídica pròpia, naturalesa juridicoprivada i plena capacitat jurídica i d'obrar. Es considera un mitjà propi de la Universitat als efectes de la Llei de contractes del sector públic.
3. El rector o rectora de la Universitat presideix el Patronat de la Fundació URV, i els patrons nomenats en representació dels òrgans de la Universitat constitueixen la majoria dels membres del Patronat de la Fundació URV.
TITLE V. University community
CHAPTER 1. General provisions
Article 107. Definition
1. The university community consists of three groups: students, teaching and research staff, and administration and service staff.
2. The Alumni and Iubilo associations are considered to be part of the University in the programmes approved by the Governing Council.
Article 108. Rights and duties of the members of the University community
1. The members of the University have the right to:
a) Participate in and be represented on the governing and representative bodies of the University, in accordance with the stipulations of law and this statute.
b) Be treated in accordance with ethical principles and the prevailing legislation.
c) Be sent information about the issues that affect university life.
d) Be provided with the facilities and equipment they need for activities, and use them in accordance with the rules that regulate them.
2. The members of the University community are required to:
a) Carry out their duties and help improve how the University functions as a public service.
b) Take part in the University's collegiate governing bodies when they are members, in compliance with the corresponding regulation.
c) Respect and preserve the University's property, and make proper use of the facilities, equipment and resources.
d) Respect the other members of the university community in compliance with ethical principles and current legislation.
e) Comply with this statute and the other regulations of the University.
Article 109. Attachment of the members of the groups Alumni and Iubilo
1. Those graduates of the Universitat Rovira i Virgili who wish to remain attached to the institution will be members of the Alumni community. The regulations governing this attachment must promote links between former students, society and public and private entities, and provide them with lifelong training opportunities.
2. The retired staff of the University who wish to remain attached to the institution will be members of the Iubilo community. In this way, they can continue to feel part of the University, and the institution will continue to count on the expertise, wisdom and professionalism of those who have been part of it.
Article 110. Values and working conditions
The Universitat Rovira i Virgili is committed to the values of dialogue, understanding, negotiated resolution of conflicts and decent working conditions. For this reason, and in the areas provided for by law, it agrees to negotiate with the representatives of the workers all those issues affecting the working conditions of the teaching and research staff and of the administration and service staff before approval by the corresponding bodies.
CHAPTER 2. Students
Article 111. Definition
1. All those people registered on bachelor's, master's and doctoral programmes are students of the Universitat Rovira i Virgili.
2. Also regarded as students of the University are those people registered at the URV Foundation on postgraduate programmes leading to University-specific degrees and on lifelong training programmes that last for an academic semester or more.
Article 112. Students' rights
As well as those rights listed in article 108, students have the right:
a) To receive a comprehensive, quality, up-to-date and critical education that encourages their participation in the learning process and increases their employability.
b) To receive academic information about the curricula and the syllabuses of subjects before they register
c) To assess teaching.
d) To be exempted from academic obligations when they coincide with their participation in the governing and representative bodies of which they are members.
e) To have the intellectual property of their work recognised in accordance with the regulations passed by the Governing Council.
f) To be able to study with absolute normality in adapted conditions and with all the support necessary if they are students with functional diversity.
g) To fulfil all other duties envisaged by legislation.
Article 113. Students' duties
As well as those duties listed in article 108, students are required:
a) To spend their time on study and, if necessary, research.
b) To fulfil all other duties envisaged by legislation.
Article 114. Authorship and exploitation rights of students' work
It is the responsibility of the Governing Council to approve the regulations that regulate the authorship and exploitation rights of students' work.
Article 115. Equity policies
Before the public authorities and public and private entities, the Universitat Rovira i Virgili must actively seek the adoption of policies that ensure that no one is excluded from the University. It must also provide optimal conditions so that all students can develop academically.
Article 116. Student representation
1. Students have the right to be represented and to elect the delegates, faculty/school councils, the student council and the student representatives on the University Senate, and they are required to accept the responsibility of the positions.
2. The student organisation must make provisions for at least the following bodies and representative figures:
a) The faculty/school student council, the highest representative body for the students of each faculty and school, without prejudice to the functions attributed to the University Student Council.
b) The University Student Council, the body for consultation, deliberation, representation and coordination of students, and responsible for academic matters involving students
c) Delegates, who represent and speak on behalf of the students of a particular academic year.
Article 117. Student organisations
1. Students can organise themselves to ensure that their rights and duties are respected, coordinate with one another and encourage participation in all areas of university life.
2. The University must encourage students to take part in associations, which it must support. It must also have a register of these organisations.
CHAPTER 3. Teaching and research staff
SECTION 1. General provisions
Article 118. Legal framework
The teaching and research staff of the Universitat Rovira i Virgili are regulated by the Organic Law of Universities, the Law of Universities of Catalonia, the rules that carry them into effect and this statute, without prejudice to the general legislation on civil servants and the corresponding employment legislation.
Article 119. Rights of teaching and research staff
As well as those rights listed in article 108, the University's teaching and research staff have the right:
a) To exercise all academic and research freedoms with no limits other than those established by the Constitution and legislation, and those derived from the academic structure of the University and the Code of Ethics.
b) To dispose of sufficient means to bring their knowledge up to date and carry out their teaching and research duties, within the limitations of the University's budgetary availability.
c) To programme, develop and evaluate the skills and theoretical and practical knowledge taught in the faculties and schools, in compliance with the agreement on working hours.
d) To be informed of the procedures for assessing University activity and the results of all assessments in which they are involved.
e) To develop their professional career path in accordance with the conditions laid down by the current legislation and the Governing Council.
f) To dispose of the occupational health and safety conditions envisaged in current regulations on risk prevention.
g) To fulfil all other duties envisaged by legislation.
Article 120. Duties of teaching and research staff
As well as those duties listed in article 108, members of the teaching and research staff are required:
a) To take personal responsibility for their teaching and research duties, and any other duties required by their working relationship with the University.
b) To make explicit their affiliation with the University when publishing or disseminating the results of their research, teaching or innovation activities, and to place their affiliation with the University in first position when their activity involves two or more institutions.
c) To assist the academic heads of the faculties, schools and departments, and, as a member of the team, determine teaching and research content and methodologies and keep them up to date.
d) To assist the governing bodies of the university, and exercise the positions for which they have been elected or appointed with responsibility.
e) To ensure that they are up to date with the advances made in their disciplines and aware of the new challenges facing society.
f) To subject their work to assessment and accountability.
g) To fulfil all other duties envisaged by legislation.
Article 121. Type of teaching staff
1. The teaching staff consists of all permanent members of the University teaching staff and the staff on contracts, and the categories are regulated by law.
2. All members of the teaching staff are affiliated to a department and belong to a faculty or school, or a University research institute, in accordance with current regulations.
Article 122. Permanent teaching staff
The permanent teaching staff is responsible for the University's teaching activity and has full research capacity.
Article 123. Fixed-term teaching staff
1. Those people who are in an initial phase of their teaching and research training, or who have specific knowledge or professional experience suited to unique teaching or research needs, can be hired as fixed-term teaching staff.
2. Fixed-term teaching staff have full teaching capacity and, if they are doctors, also full research capacity.
3. It is the responsibility of the Governing Council to regulate the conditions, requirements and duration of these contracts in compliance with current legislation.
Article 124. Teaching staff
The University must work towards establishing a stable and balanced body of teaching staff within the limits of current legislation. The teaching staff must be allowed to enjoy a full teaching and research career.
Article 125. Research staff
1. As its research staff, the University can recruit specialists in the various branches of knowledge who are in possession of a doctoral degree, in accordance with current legislation.
2. The University can also recruit pre-doctoral trainee research staff in accordance with the provisions of current legislation.
3. Research staff are largely responsible for research duties although they can also take part in teaching
4. Research staff must be affiliated to a department, a university research institute or another research centre.
Article 126. Selection of teaching and research staff
1. The open competition procedures and committees for selecting members of the teaching staff are governed by current legislation, the University Statute and the regulations by which they are enforced.
2. The announcement of the open competition procedures to fill vacancies or new positions must be approved by the Governing Council, bearing in mind the resources available, the plans for teaching and research and the needs of departments.
3. The procedure for selecting teaching and research staff is regulated by its own rules approved by the Governing Council, based on the principles of equality, merit, publicity and transparency. It must also consider the proposals of departments, faculties and schools regarding the members of the personnel selection committees and the profile of each position. The proposals must be agreed to by the department councils and faculty/school boards.
Article 127. List of job positions
1. Every year, the University must include in its budget the list of teaching and research staff jobs that need to be filled during the financial year, in accordance with current legislation.
2. To this end, the Governing Council must approve the list of work positions, the modifications to this list and the vacancies, once the bodies representing the teaching and research staff have been heard, and must inform the Board of Trustees when the budget must be approved. To do so, the Catalan Government is required to give its authorisation.
SECTION 2. Workload system
Article 128. Scope
1. The workload of the teaching and research staff includes the teaching, research, transfer and management activities assigned to them by the University.
2. Depending on what is required, the members of the teaching and research staff can teach in their area or field of expertise, on any of the degrees taught in the faculties or schools, in accordance with current legislation.
3. For academic purposes, permanent teaching staff and assistant lecturers who are responsible exclusively for healthcare in a university or independent health institution are considered full-time staff.
Article 129. Regulations and requirements
1. The teaching and research staff's workload is regulated by the Regulations Governing Teaching Staff.
2. The teaching and research staff must carry out the teaching and research duties assigned to them as part of their workload. Preferably they will perform their duties on a full-time basis.
3. A full-time schedule can be compatible with engaging in scientific, technical or artistic work and with taking part in specialisation courses or specific lifelong learning activities, in accordance with article 83 of the Organic Law of universities
4. Members of the teaching and research staff can take part in the activities of technology-based companies set up by the University, in accordance with article 83 of the Organic Law of Universities.
Article 130. Authorisation for time off and leave of absence
1. All members of the permanent teaching staff and other full-time teaching staff can request authorisation for time off or a leave of absence, within the legal framework established for each group.
2. Authorisation for time off, leaves of absence and the return to work are governed by the regulations in force and the regulations governing the teaching and research staff
3. It is the responsibility of the rector to authorise time off or leaves of absence, and authorisation can only be given if the procedure and the conditions are those determined by the Governing Council.
Article 131. Sabbatical year
The full-time members of the permanent University teaching staff have the right to enjoy a sabbatical year in accordance with current regulations.
Article 132. Holiday, time off and leave for teaching staff on contracts
In terms of holiday, time off and leave, the contracted teaching staff have the same rights as the statutory teaching staff. As for the rest of the academic research staff, the provisions of the contract or affiliation agreement apply.
Article 133. Assessment of teaching and research staff
1. The teaching, research, transfer and management duties of the teaching and research staff must be assessed periodically, as part of the commitment to accountability and continuous improvement that underlies all of the Universitat Rovira i Virgili's activity.
2. The assessment must be carried out in accordance with the regulations approved by the Governing Council.
CHAPTER 4. Administrative and service staff
Article 134. Type of administrative and service staff
1. The administrative and service staff of the Universitat Rovira i Virgili consists of statutory members and non-statutory members employed by the University.
2. In general, University jobs reserved for administration and service personnel must be occupied by statutory staff. In exceptional cases, positions can be occupied by non-statutory staff if legislation so allows.
3. Likewise, the rector can make discretionary appointments to cover positions of considerable responsibility or consultancy.
Article 135. Functions
The administrative and service staff of the Universitat Rovira i Virgili is responsible for management and administration, as well as providing support, assistance and advice so that, in compliance with current legislation, the University can achieve the objectives laid down by the governance team.
Article 136. Legal framework
1. The administrative and service staff are governed by the state and regional regulations corresponding to their legal framework, by this statute and by the regulations that carry them into effect. In addition, the non-statutory administrative and service are governed by the Collective Agreement for the non-statutory staff of Catalan public universities.
2. It is the responsibility of the rector to decide on the administrative situations of the members of the administrative and service staff.
Article 137. Rights of the administrative and service staff
As well as those rights listed in article 108, the University's administrative and service staff have the right to:
a) Dispose of sufficient means to carry out their duties within the limitations of the University's budgetary availability.
b) Be informed of the procedures for assessing University activity and the results of all assessments in which they are involved.
c) Take part in training activities, courses and other activities designed for the comprehensive personal development of individuals.
d) Be promoted and to develop their professional career path in the conditions laid down by the Governing Council.
e) Dispose of the occupational health and safety conditions envisaged in current regulations on risk prevention.
f) Enjoy all other rights envisaged by legislation.
Article 138. Duties of the administrative and service staff
As well as those duties listed in article 108, members of the administrative and service staff are required to:
a) Take personal responsibility for their University duties, with the required scope and dedication.
b) Help other members of the University community to attain the goals and objectives of the University.
c) Fulfil all other duties envisaged by legislation.
Article 139. Workforce of administrative and service staff
The University must have a stable workforce of administration and service staff in accordance with current legislation. This workforce must give its members access to a full professional career path at the highest level.
Article 140. List of job positions
1. It is the responsibility of the Board of Trustees to respond to the proposal of the Governing Council and to approve the list of job positions for the University's administrative and service staff, any modifications and the corresponding cost.
2. The Board of Trustees is responsible for determining those positions to be assigned a specific supplement and the corresponding amount, setting the total amount to be allocated as productivity supplements and additional payments, and approving the criteria by which they are allocated and distributed, in addition to the amounts of compensation for services.
3. The Board of Trustees must be informed annually of the remuneration of all members of the discretionary staff.
Article 141. Selection of administrative and service staff
1. The members of the administrative and service staff are selected through open competition based on the principles of equality, merit, capacity and transparency.
2. Any vacancies in the administrative and service staff are filled by open competition or by discretionary appointment, in agreement with the list of job positions.
3. It is the responsibility of the Governing Council to determine the vacancies for administrative staff and civil services to be filled during the corresponding budget year. Likewise, the Governing Council must decide which percentage of these positions are to be allocated to internal promotion and approve the selection procedures used to fill all remaining vacancies.
4. Vacancies in the administrative and service staff are filled in accordance with the provisions of the Collective Agreement for non-statutory staff of the Catalan public universities.
5. All criteria for filling job positions, the content of the open competition procedures and the composition of the selection committees must be regulated for beforehand.
Article 142. Periodic assessment
The members of the administrative and service staff must be assessed periodically, as part of the commitment to accountability and continuous improvement that the Universitat Rovira i Virgili upholds. It is the responsibility of the Governing Council to approve the regulations for assessing the administrative and service staff.
Article 143. Regulations governing training and refresher courses
The Governing Council approves the regulations governing training and refresher courses for the administrative and service staff which, among other things must enable them to improve the quality of their professional services, their professional career path and their overall education.
TITLE VI. Economic system
CHAPTER 1. Finance and budget
Article 144. Economic and financial independence
The Universitat Rovira i Virgili is an economically and financially independent institution according to current legislation.
Article 145. Economic resources
To fulfil its goals, the Universitat Rovira i Virgili has the following resources at its disposal:
a) The current and capital transfers that the Catalan Government consigns in the annual budgets.
b) Any subsidies or grants provided by other administrations, bodies, and public or private institutions.
c) Income from providing the academic and administrative services for study programmes leading to official degrees.
d) Income from providing the academic and administrative services for study programmes leading to diplomas and degrees or activities not included in the section above.
e) Income from bequests, legacies or donations.
f) All income from the contracts referred to in article 83 of the Organic Law of Universities, generated directly by the University or through foundations or similar instrumental institutions.
g) Any permanent or temporary income generated by the assets or securities that the University holds as assets.
h) Any proceeds from the sale of property and securities or from the disposal or transfer of fixed assets.
i) Any income from credit operations entered into in pursuit of the University's goals.
j) Any surplus from the treasury.
k) All other income that the University may generate from other activities not provided for in this article.
Article 146. Annual budget
1. The budget of the Universitat Rovira i Virgili is public, unique and balanced, and includes all the University's income and expenditure for one calendar year.
2. The budget must be accompanied by the list of job positions.
3. The annual budget proposal must be drawn up by the Office of the General Manager, following the guidelines of the Board of Directors, and in line with the University's teaching, research and transfer objectives and the principles of social commitment.
4. The budget must be approved by the Board of Trustees at the proposal of the Governing Council.
5. If the budget is not approved before 1 January of the corresponding financial year, the previous year's budget is automatically extended until the new one is approved.
Article 147. Budget execution
1. It is the responsibility of the rector to authorise expenses and order payments although this responsibility may be delegated.
2. Agreement must be reached on any transfers to be made between different concepts and chapters in compliance with current legislation and the University's own regulations.
3. It is the responsibility of the Board of Trustees at the proposal of the rector to approve any extra income that might be generated during the financial year.
Article 148. Debt
Should the University be granted a loan by a public or private institution, the statement of expenses must necessarily include the required items to return the loan and the annual interest until it is fully repaid.
Article 149. Long-term planning
1. The University can draw up its long-term plan on the basis of the plans made in this regard by the Catalan Government. In order to maintain its long-term nature, the plan must be reviewed and updated every year and another year must be added.
2. The long-term plan must include:
a) The creation, modification and dissolution of faculties, schools, departments, institutes, services or other centres and structures.
b) The creation, modification and phasing out of degree programmes.
c) Any variations in the teaching and research staff and the administrative and service staff.
d) Plans for constructing new buildings or extending and substantially modifying existing ones.
e) Plans to increase or modify the University's general facilities.
f) The general investment plan, for both teaching infrastructure and research infrastructure.
g) The financial plan.
h) All other decisions that affect the teaching, research and internal organisation of the University in the medium term.
3. The draft long-term plan must be approved by the Board of Trustees at the proposal of the Governing Council.
Article 150. Accounting
The Universitat Rovira i Virgili must record all income and expenditure in accordance with the principles of budgetary, asset and analytical accounting.
Article 151. Annual accounts and budget management report
1. The annual accounts serve to document the budgetary and financial year before the competent bodies and the university community.
2. The annual accounts must be approved by the Board of Trustees at the proposal of the Governing Council.
3. The annual accounts consist of the balance sheet, the income statement, the final settlement of the budget and the report, as well as the other documents required by the general accounting plan at the Universitat Rovira i Virgili. The annual accounts must also include a budget management report.
Article 152. Annual account audit
In accordance with current legislation, the annual accounts must be submitted to an external audit. The corresponding audit opinion must be attached to the annual accounts.
CHAPTER 2. Assets and contracts
Article 153. Composition of assets
The assets of the Universitat Rovira i Virgili are all of its properties, fees, investments and liabilities.
Article 154. Acquisition and disposal
1. The University may acquire, own, encumber and dispose of all types of assets.
2. The University can accept donations and transfers of assets from corporate entities set up by the URV or from other natural or legal persons.
3. Any inventoriable or documentary materials that are acquired or received as a donation must be regarded as assets of the University, except in those cases in which it has expressly been agreed that they be assigned to other institutions.
4. The University can transfer some of its assets to the URV Foundation, to other institutions that the University assists in carrying out their activities and to other natural or legal persons in accordance with current legislation.
5. At the proposal of the general manager, it is the rector who has the power to acquire and dispose of moveable assets. The Board of Trustees must set the cost limit above which his/her consent is required.
6. Any acts of disposal of fixed assets owned by the university must be agreed by the Governing Council, with the approval of the Board of Trustees, in accordance with current legislation.
Article 155. Public and private property
1. The Universitat Rovira i Virgili holds the title to all the public property it requires to fulfil its functions and to any other public-sector body that, if so agreed, should have the same purpose in the future.
2. The public property that the University holds the title to is regarded as property belonging to the University itself as long as it is reclassified by the legally established procedures.
Article 156. Asset protection and inventory
1. The rector and the University's governing and representative bodies are obliged by law to protect and defend the University's property. This protection and defence involve inventory, registration in the Land Registry if necessary, and demarcation, as well as claims for the recovery of property, rights of possession and any other sort, including the eviction of occupants without title.
2. In conjunction with the faculties, schools, departments, University research institutes, services and other University structures, the Office of the General Manager is responsible for drafting and updating the general inventory of University property, which must be included in the property accounts.
3. At the proposal of the Governing Council and in compliance with current legislation, the Board of Trustees must approve the disposal of any assets and the procedure for prioritising the destination of those assets.
Article 157. University residences and residential colleges
1. At the initiative of the rector and with the authorisation of the Board of Trustees, the Governing Council can create University residences and residential colleges that provide members of the University community with accommodation.
2. The rector can authorise new University residences and residential colleges, and set the regulations for how they are run by natural or legal persons other than the University through the management of public services, the concession of public works or any other system envisaged in the current legislation
Article 158. Signing the contract
1. By virtue of its autonomy, the Universitat Rovira i Virgili has full capacity to enter into contracts, within the framework of the rules that regulate the public sector.
2. It is the responsibility of the rector, or the person to whom he/she delegates, to approve the conditions of contract.
3. In accordance with this statute and current legislation, it is the responsibility of the rector, or the person to whom he/she delegates, to approve and sign contracts and agreements on behalf of the University.
4. The agreement of the Board of Trustees is required to enter into investment contracts of more than one year and for which it is necessary to commit public funds from future budget years.
TITLE VII. Reform of the Statute
Article 159. Initiative
1. The initiative for the reform of the Statute lies with the rector, the absolute majority of the members of the Governing Council or a quarter of the members of the Senate.
2. Only proposals to amend the Statute that have been made known to all members of the Senate at least one month in advance can be submitted to a vote in the Senate.
Article 160. Procedure
1. It is the responsibility of the Senate to approve the reform of the Statute by an absolute majority of its members. If the Statute is being adapted to legal provisions enacted after it came into force, the vote of the majority of the Senate members in attendance is sufficient.
2. The written request for the initiation of the reform procedure must be justified and accompanied by the signatures of the individuals who subscribe to it. It must be addressed to the Senate Board and must include the alternative text proposed, unless the request is for a total reform, in which case the Senate will be responsible for preparing the draft.
3. The Senate's Regulations must specify the procedure and the deadlines for reforming the Statute, which must include the constitution of a Senate statute committee that will debate the new text and submit it to the university community for consultation and participation. In the event that it needs to be adapted to subsequent legislative provisions, the committee needs only to inform the university community.
4. Proposals for the reform of the Statute cannot be submitted within the three months prior to the end of the Senate's term of office
5. When a proposal for reform is rejected, it cannot be submitted for consideration again within the same term of office of the Senate, unless it is an adaptation to subsequent legal provisions.
ADDITIONAL PROVISIONS
Primera. Identitat institucional
One. Institutional identity
1. The University's coat of arms is a graphic representation of the coat of arms of the Estudi General de Tarragona, the first university in Tarragona set up by Cardinal Gaspar Cervantes de Gaeta in 1572, in accordance with the Tridentine norms. The rectangular, Renaissance-style shield displays the four traditional Catalan bars as wavy lines. On the left-hand side, it is red on a yellow background and, on the right-hand side, sanguine on tenne. Framing the shield there is a border of mouldings. Another border frames the whole, surrounded by an upper inscription reading Universitat Rovira i Virgili and a lower inscription with the motto Sapientiae Liberi Libertati Sapientes, in light grey on a white background. The design of the shield is as follows:
2. The image of the University is a graphic adaptation of the original logo created by Antoni Tàpies, with sanguine and black on a white background. The design is the following:
Two. Deployment and application of the Statute
It is the responsibility of the Governing Council to approve any rules not envisaged in this statute that may be necessary for the Statute's deployment or application.
Three: Groups
On the entry into force of this statute, and for purposes of representation on certain governing bodies, the departments of the Universitat Rovira i Virgili are grouped as follows:
Group A: Basic Medical Sciences; Medicine and Surgery; Nursing; Psychology
Group B: Anthropology, Philosophy and Social Work; English and German Studies; Catalan Studies; Romance Studies; History and History of Art
Group C: Private, Procedural and Financial Law; Public Law; Economics; Communication Studies; Business Management; Geography; Pedagogy
Group D: Biochemistry and Biotechnology; Analytical Chemistry and Organic Chemistry; Physical and Inorganic Chemistry
Group E: Electronic, Electric and Automatic Engineering; Computer Engineering and Mathematics; Mechanical Engineering; Chemical Engineering; Architecture
Four. Acting dean or director
If faculties, schools, departments, university research institutes or other new structures are created, the rector has the authority to appoint the acting dean or director, until they are fully constituted in accordance with the provisions of this statute.
Five. Gender-balanced or parity representation
Gender-balanced or parity composition means that neither sex shall exceed 60% of the group of representatives or be less than 40%, and the tendency must be for 50% of each sex.
Sixth. Faculties and schools
At the moment of entry into force of this statute, the faculties and schools of the Universitat Rovira i Virgili are:
- Faculty of Education and Psychology
- Faculty of Legal Sciences
- Faculty of Business and Economics
- Faculty of Oenology
- Faculty of Nursing
- Faculty of Arts
- Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences
- Faculty of Chemistry
- Faculty of Tourism and Geography
- School of Architecture
- School of Engineering
- School of Chemical Engineering
Seven. Departments
At the moment of entry into force of this statute, the departments of the Universitat Rovira i Virgili are:
- Anthropology, Philosophy and Social Work
- Biochemistry and Biotechnology
- Basic Medical Sciences
- Private, Procedural and Financial Law
- Public Law
- Economy
- Electronic, Electrical and Automatic Engineering
- Computer Engineering and Mathematics
- Mechanical Engineering
- Chemical Engineering
- English and German Studies
- Communication Studies
- Catalan Studies
- Romance Studies
- Geography
- Business Management
- History and the History of Art
- Nursing Sciences Research
- Medicine and Surgery
- Pedagogy
- Psychology
- Analytical Chemistry and Organic Chemistry
- Physical and Inorganic Chemistry
TRANSITIONAL PROVISIONS
One. Adaptation of the University's regulations
1. Within a maximum period of twelve months after the entry into force of this statute, the corresponding governing bodies must draft the regulations provided for in this document and adapt the operating rules.
2. Until the regulations derived from this Statute are approved, the articles that do not contradict it from Agreement GOV/23/12, of 27 March, which approves the modification of the Statute of the Universitat Rovira i Virgili, shall remain in force.
3. Within a period of six months, the regulations governing the statutory committees established in this text must be adapted to the University Statute and approved.
Two. Procedures initiated before the entry into force of this statute
This statute cannot be applied to procedures initiated before it enters into force.
Three. Term of office of the current governing bodies
1. The rector, who was elected in accordance with the Statute of the URV approved by Agreement GOV/23/2012, of 27 March, shall continue until the end of the term of office. When the term of office comes to an end, a new rector must be elected.
2. The Senate, elected in accordance with the Statute of the URV approved by Agreement GOV/23/2012, of 27 March, must continue with its current composition until the end of the term of office. When the term of office comes to an end, a new Senate must be elected.
3. The Governing Council shall continue to exercise its functions until a new Senate is constituted, in accordance with the previous paragraph
4. Deans and directors of schools and departments shall continue to hold their positions for the duration of their term of office according to the previous regulation
5. Faculty and school boards, and departmental councils shall continue with their current composition for the remainder of their term of office in accordance with the previous regulation. The term of office of the next board of the Faculty of Tourism and Geography and the council of the Department of Geography shall be until 25 February, 2025, in line with the term of office of the other faculty and school boards and department councils.
Four. Term of office of the ombuds officer
The term of office of the current ombuds officer shall continue until the term for which he/she was elected comes to an end or he/she is dismissed for any the reasons provided for in this statute
Five. University school full professors, senior lecturers or collaborators
The transitional provisions of Organic Law 4/2007 apply to those people who, on the entry into force of Organic Law 4/2007, of 12 April, which amends Organic Law 6/2001, of 21 December, were appointed or contracted as university school full professors, senior lecturers or collaborators at the Universitat Rovira i Virgili.
Six. Teaching and research staff
1. Until the URV introduces its own regulation, article 160.3 of the Statute approved by Agreement GOV/23/2012, of 27 March, remains in force.
2. Until the URV introduces its own regulation and as long as there are University school professors, senior lecturers and collaborators, the rank of university school professor is understood to be equivalent to that of senior university lecturer and the rank of collaborator to university school senior lecturer.
Seven. Publication of agreements in the University's Official Gazette
Until the new model for publishing agreements is established as part of the framework of transparency laws, the URV's Official Gazette remains as the channel though which the agreements and resolutions of general governing bodies are published.
REVOCATION PROVISION
Agreement GOV/23/2012, of 27 March, which approves the amendment of the Statute of the Universitat Rovira i Virgili, is revoked and the full new text will soon be published.
SINGLE FINAL PROVISION
Entry into force
This statute enters into force on the same day that it is published in the Official Gazette of the Catalan Government.
