University of Aldesey/Draught

The University of Aldesey

Seal of the University of Aldesey
Latin: Universitas Lendartiensis apud Aldesiam
Type	Public
Established	1256
Religious affiliation	Church of Nortend
Endowment	£100 million
Chancellor	Lord Bishop of Chepingstow
Vice-Chancellor	Martin de Hazels
Students	9,000
Location	Lendert-with-Cadell , Great Nortend
Languages	English, Latin, Greek
Colours

The University of Aldesey, formally the Chancellour, Masters and Scholars of the University of Lendert at Aldesey (Latin: Universitas Aldesiensis or Chancellarius, Magistri et Scholares Universitatis Lendartiensis apud Aldesiam) is an ancient collegiate university in Great Nortend located in Lendert-with-Cadell. To-day, the University consists of four faculties, eight schools and twenty four houses with a broad academic focus on the liberal arts. In 2018, there were around 9,000 students studying at the University. Graduates of the University occupy an exclusive and prestigious place in Erbonian society, forming the majority of lawyers, physicians, clergymen, academics, politicians, nobility, research scientists, military officers, senior civil servants and schoolteachers.

History

The University developed out of the monastic school of Lendert Abbey in the 10th and 11th centuries. In 1256, Edmund IV granted a charter to establish a university in Lendert to the Lord Bishop of Chepingstow, who held ordinary jurisdiction over the city until the creation of the see of Lendert. Instead of its original location in the close of the Abbey, the new University of Lendert settled on Aldesey, which was then a small village upon two islands in the Wessert to the west of the main city. Non-monastic scholars were prevented from living at Peterhall, and instead attached themselves to the parish church of St. Mary the Virgin, whose rector obtained a charter in 1264 to form Ladyhall.

Sampser Reforms

In the 19th century, it was increasingly recognised that the University was failing to advance learning and science, especially in the arts. In particular, the lack of further formal courses of study in the arts resulted in the University's declining importance in the burgeoning fields of natural philosophy and history. Lord Sampser was appointed in 1878 by Parliament to undertake a wholesale reform of the University, leading to the publication of the Sampser Report which recommended the establishment of the degrees of Bachelor and Doctor of Science and of Letters within the Faculty of Arts which occured in 1883 with the passage of the University Act. Furthermore, the practice of termly written examinations was formalised, among other sundry reforms.

Organisation

Punts on the Lither at Dumcourt Bridge.

The governing body of the University is the Great Congregation, comprising all Masters of Arts and Doctors of Science, Letters, Music, Physic, Laws or Divinity. The Congregation votes on the University's statutes and exercises control over academic matters such as examinations, rustication, matriculation, curricula and teaching, as well as graces, dispensations and degrees. Congregation normally meets only every three years and delegates its powers to the smaller Lesser Congregation, or Convocation of Regent Masters, which has power over academic matters. Statutes are deliberated upon by Convocation, and if agreed to, referred back to Congregation.

The University also consists of the four faculties, being those of Arts, Laws, Physic and Divinity. Within the Faculty of Arts are the sub-faculties of Letters and Science, the former consisting of the schools of Languages, Music, Philosophy and History, and the latter the schools of Mathematics, Astronomy, Natural Philosophy (Physics and Chemistry) and Natural History (Biology and Geology). Unusually, the Faculty of Laws includes the schools of Economics and Politics, as well as the schools of Civil Law and Canon Law. The faculties are responsible for the lecturing, research and examination of students.

Parallel to the faculties are the twenty four houses of scholars — each either a college or a hall — which are independent of the University and responsible for the lodging, tutelage and nourishment of their students. The houses are separated into three nations, although these are of little importance. Students are admitted to a house through the process of matriculation and thereby become members of the University in statu pupillari. Henceforth, they are bound by the University's statutes which are enforced by the University's proctors, constables and beadles, who have the power to fine and confine, and in extreme cases, to rusticate or ban (expel).

Academic profile

Admission

Prospective students apply to matriculate by application to the houses of scholars, generally on the basis of good results in the Exhibition Examinations. These are public examinations taken at the end of the Sixth Form to prove scholastic competence and potential entitlement to a Crown Exhibition. However, as passing the Exhibitiones is not a prerequisite to admission, houses may admit students at their discretion. Several houses restrict admission either partially or fully to students from particular schools. Furthermore, many matriculate international students, although not all, on the basis of a separate Matriculation Examination. This examination may also be taken by state school pupils, and older candidates, in theory, but it is quite rare.

Undergraduates are graded into five ranks — gentlemen, exhibitioners, commoners, battelers and servitors. Women are only admitted to Saint Elisabeth Hall, which was established in 1915 as the only provision for ladies under the Ladies’ University Halls Act. Not being formally a house, lady students are admitted to the University, rather than matriculate; however, they otherwise enjoy much the same status as male undergraduates.

Arts course

The academic dress of a Master of Arts.

An degree in the Arts is the only initial, or undergraduate, degree offered by the University of Aldesey. The curriculum for the Arts involves attendance at lectures, supplemented with repetitions (tutorials) and disputations (debates). A disputation is a kind of debate in the form of thesis and dissertation, followed by response and defence. Lectures for undergraduates are given by regent masters and involve exposition and instruction of the subject matter, as well as questions and discussion. Examination at the University is typically by a written paper and viva voce examination. Collations are minor examinations taken at the end of each lecture course. They do not contribute to one’s final degree.

After Matriculation, a student is known as a Freshman. The Freshman over two years hears eight compulsory lectures on „Science” and „Letters”, the former covering Logic and Mathematics and the latter Classical Literature and History. At the end of his second year, the Freshman „responds” by undertaking the Responsions (also known as the „Littles”). After responding, the student (then known as a Sophister) hears eight lectures of his own choice offered by any of the various schools of the University. At the end of his fourth year, the student (then known as a Questioner) „determines” by undertaking the Determinations (also known as the „Greats”) entitling him to be presented for his Bachelor of Arts degree.

The Bachelor may then continue in residence for a further four years to undertake a higher degree, meanwhile attending disputations, and giving repetitions to the undergraduates. At the end of this term, the Bachelor undertakes a formal disputation known as his Quodlibetica, after which he is entitled to incept as Master of Arts. The Quodlibetica may be dispensed by grace for students completing their Particulares examination. Before the annual ceremony of Comitia, the Inceptor attends a formal ceremony called Vesperies. The next day at the Comitia he is presented to the Chancellour who admits him to the degree of Master of Arts. To then be admitted to the Great Congregation, the new Master of Arts must take the Oath and give a first lecture known as his Principium.

Higher courses

The higher faculties are those of Laws, Physic and Divinity, in which the University admits students to bachelor's degrees and doctorates. Furthermore, higher study in the Faculty of Arts is possible in either Science or Letters. By ancient statute all students in higher faculties must have incepted as Master of Arts first before graduating with their higher degree. Study for a taught higher bachelor's degree involves attending lectures and taking the Generales and Particulares examinations at the end of the second and fourth years respectively, while a degree by research involves a Quodlibetica thesis and dissertation.

After attaining bachelorhood, the bachelor may seek to obtain a doctorate after up to another period of study or research. Like for a Master of Arts' Quodlibetica, the Bachelor produces a formal thesis and dissertation known as the Sollempnes. Thereafter he may incept as a Doctor which involves the solemnities of the Vesperies ceremony followed by the Principium lecture with Resumptio.