Timeline

Senate timeline: 1850 to the present

Above: The original seal of the University of Sydney prior to the granting of the Arms of the University in 1857, the University of Sydney Archives.

• 1850-1899
• 1900-1949
• 1950-1999
• 2000 - present

1850-1899:

• 1 October 1850: The Act of Incorporation 1850 established the University of Sydney.
• 24 December 1850: 16 Fellows of Senate were appointed by proclamation in the NSW Government Gazette.

• 3 February 1851: The first meeting of Senate, chaired by William Charles Wentworth, was held - in the Chambers of the Speaker of the NSW Legislative Council. (Click here to access Wentworth's biography in the Australian Dictionary of Biography.)
• 3 March 1851: The first Vice-Chancellor (Vice-Provost), Sir Charles Nicholson, was elected.
• 17 March 1851: The first Chancellor (Provost), Edward William Terrick Hamilton, was elected and the first Secretary, Dr Richard Greenup, was appointed.
• 10 April 1851: Senate meetings were now held in Sydney College.

• 11 October 1852: The inauguration ceremony for the University of Sydney was held in the Hall of Sydney College, now Sydney Grammar School, in College Street.

• 1854: The Mace, the symbol of the authority of Senate, was acquired in the name and on behalf of Queen Victoria.

• 14 May 1857: The present Arms of the University were granted by the College of Heralds, London.
• 13 December 1857: The present Arms of the University were adopted by Senate.

• 1861: The titles of Provost and Vice-Provost were altered to Chancellor and Vice-Chancellor respectively, although there was no change to their respective offices.

1900-1949:

• 1900: The Act of incorporation 1850 was amended by subsequent Acts enlarging the scope of the University and the whole were consolidated in the University and University Colleges Act 1900.

• 12 October 1909: The former Library room in the Main Building was to be fitted for meetings of Senate (Building and Grounds Committee minutes).

• 6 February 1911: The first Senate meeting to be held in the Senate Room (formerly the Library).

• 1919: Dame Constance Elizabeth D'Arcy was elected a graduate Fellow of Senate, the first woman to be elected to Senate.

• 12 December 1924: The amendment of the University and University Colleges Act 1900 (as amended) on the recommendation of Senate received Royal Assent, providing that the Vice-Chancellor as Chief Executive Officer was appointed by Senate; the earlier elected position of Vice-Chancellor became the Deputy Chancellor.
• 1924: Sir Mungo William MacCallum was the first Vice-Chancellor appointed and Cecil Purser was the first Deputy Chancellor elected under the new executive arrangements.

• 1938: The Senate Room was redecorated.

• 1943: The first female Deputy Chancellor, Dame Constance Elizabeth D'Arcy took up office.

1950-1999:

• 5 February 1951: A Special Senate meeting was held in celebration of the centenary of the first meeting of Senate on 3 February 1851.

• 28 August 1952: A Senate Dinner to celebrate the University's Centenary was held in the Refectory of the University Union.
• 29 August 1952: A Ceremony of Conferring of Honorary degrees, part of the University's Centenary, was held in the Great Hall.

• 1955: The title Vice-Chancellor was changed to Vice-Chancellor and Principal.

• 1990: The University of Sydney Act 1989 replaced the University and University Colleges Act 1900 (as amended).
• 1 January 1990: Under the new University of Sydney Act 1989, the membership of Senate, previously 31, was now 22.

• 1 June 1991: The first female Chancellor, Emeritus Professor Dame Leonie Kramer, took up office.

• 4 August 1997: The first meeting of Senate was held in the refurbished Senate Room.

2000 - present:

• 3 February 2001: A formal dinner celebrated the Sesquicentenary of the first meeting of Senate and paid tribute to the contribution of some 90 Fellows, past and present, who attended.

• 11 October 2002: A ceremony was held to mark the Sesquicentenary of the inauguration of the University of Sydney.

• 5 May 2003: Senate approved the establishment of the position of Pro Chancellor.

• 21 December 2004: The NSW Government assented to amendment of the University of Sydney Act 1989 (as amended) to change Senate's constitution.

• 1 June 2007: Her Excellency Professor Marie Bashir AC CVO, Governor of New South Wales, took up office as Chancellor.

• 4 February 2008: Alan Cameron AM took up office as Deputy Chancellor.

• 11 July 2008: Dr Michael Spence took up office as Vice-Chancellor and Principal.