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The collection of papyri in the University Library is of some antiquity and unclear provenance.

The University of St Andrews was the first university in Scotland. In 1410 a school of higher studies was established and on 28 February 1411/12 the society of masters and scholars received formal incorporation through a charter granted by the Bishop, Henry Wardlaw. Full University status was conferred on 28th August 1413 by a series of 6 papal bulls issued by Pope Benedict XIII of the Avignon line.

The constitution of the University was modelled on that of Orleans and other French universities in which the dominance of the teaching masters was modified by the authority of the Bishop-Chancellor and by the participation of all members of the academic society in the election of its administrative head, the Rector. As Chancellor, the Bishop of St Andrews - from 1472 an archbishop - exercised general supervision over the University and conferred degrees on candidates examined and attested by the Dean and masters of the appropriate faculty - arts, theology or canon law. For the annual election of the Rector, masters and scholars were divided into four nations (Albania, Angusia, Laudonia and Britannia). In 1419 the University acquired its first building, the so-called Chapel and College of St John the Evangelist in South Street. This was no more than a small chantry college adapted to support the masters of the Faculties of Theology and Arts and to provide accommodation for their lectures and meetings. In 1430 Bishop Wardlaw founded a pedagogy for the Faculty of Arts on an adjoining site. The pedagogy soon absorbed its older neighbour and endured for rather more than 100 years when it was in turn absorbed in St Mary's College.

In 1450 James Kennedy, Bishop of St Andrews founded the first fully organised and endowed collegiate society within the University - St Salvator's College - for the study of Arts and Theology. The chief feature of the building remains the magnificent collegiate church. In 1512 the College of St Leonard was founded by Alexander Stewart, Archbishop of St Andrews and John Hepburn, Prior of St Andrews. This was a 'college of poor clerks' associated with the Priory of St Andrews and primarily intended for the education of novices of the Augustinian Order in Arts and Theology. Finally in 1537/38, Archbishop James Beaton reorganised the old Pedagogy as a seminary for the training of secular priests in Arts, Theology and Canon Law. It was known as the New College or St Mary's College. It was through the college endowments that an adequate teaching staff was secured and maintained. There was a degree of discipline exerted within the colleges and their rigidity of organisation gradually extended into the constitution of the university.

In 1579 there was enacted the 'New Foundation of the University and Colleges of St Andrews'. This preserved the main features of the medieval constitution but assigned rather greater powers of supervision over the University to the Chancellor and over the colleges to the Rector. The colleges, which had already acquired a monopoly of teaching, were also completely reorganised. St Salvator's College and St Leonard's College became predominantly 'colleges of philosophy' or Arts while St Mary's College became a college of Reformed Theology. Despite these changes, the colleges retained their original residential character. A series of royal visitations, notably in 1588, 1597 and 1599, attempted to reform the university, and, after 1597, the King imposed a council consisting of the Chancellor, Conservator and four others to supervise the administration of the university. After 1605 the Archbishop acted as ex officio Chancellor and wielded considerable control over the University and the Council seems to have ceased to exist. The New Foundation was somewhat modified in 1621 and again in 1642, 1661 and 1695, but its main features persisted almost until the reform of 1858 and throughout this whole period the University remained closely associated with the Reformed Church.

From 1560 until 1689 with the exception of two short periods, the position of Chancellor continued to be held ex officio by the Archbishops of St Andrews. The Rector was elected annually by the four nations (now Fifa, Angusia, Laudonia and Albania), but the office came to be held virtually in rotation by the three college heads to whom there were subsequently added the Professors of Divinity. In 1642 there is the first mention of the Senatus Academicus, consisting of 'the whole Principals, Professors and Regents of the University'. A common University library was founded in 1612.

After the Revolution of 1689, despite the persisting autonomy of the colleges, the authority of the Senatus Academicus came to be supreme in the University. It exercised many of the powers hitherto vested in the Faculties and in the Comitia or General Congregation of the University. The Rector now functioned primarily as President of the Senatus. It was the Senatus, too, which, after the abolition of Episcopacy in the Established Church claimed the right to appoint the Chancellor, a nobleman selected from outwith the University and holding his office for life.

In 1747, during a period of acute depression in the University, the two Arts colleges were combined under one Principal as the United College of St Salvator and St Leonard. At the same time the Faculty of Arts finally abandoned the system by which each of the Regents in turn took a class through the entire four years of the Arts curriculum. Under the professorial system, gradually introduced during the preceding period, each teacher of the United College became a specialist in a particular branch of study in the manner already prevailing among the Divinity teachers of St Mary's College. The colleges continued to be predominantly residential until the close of the eighteenth century.

From 1826 to 1830 and again in the 1840s the University was subjected to searching investigations by Royal Commissions on the Universities of Scotland. These resulted in radical alterations to the constitution of the University, which were eventually embodied in the Universities (Scotland) Act of 1858. While maintaining the constitutional and financial autonomy of the colleges and reserving the control of courses of study, examinations and discipline to the Senatus Academicus, the Act created a University Court with extensive powers of supervision over the older bodies.

The President of the Court was the Rector, who was now to be chosen for a term of three years from outwith the ranks of the Principals and Professors by the matriculated students of the University. The place of the Rector as President of the Senatus was assigned to the senior of the two college Principals. In addition to the University Court the Act of 1858 introduced a General Council composed mainly of graduates of the University and having the right to elect the Chancellor, who acted as its President. Like the Senatus, the General Council also elected an Assessor on the University Court, the membership of which was completed by the Senior Principal and Assessors appointed respectively by the Chancellor and the Rector.

The dominance of the University Court in the academic constitution was further emphasised by the Universities (Scotland) Act of 1889 and ordinances of the Commissioners appointed under that Act. The Court now acquired control over the property of the colleges then comprised in the University and over all appointments other than those in the patronage of the Crown. After the expiry of the Commissioners' powers the Court was also given authority to pass Ordinances effecting minor changes in the Constitution of the University within the framework of the Acts of 1858 and 1889.

In view of its increased responsibility, the membership of the Court was enlarged to include all the college Principals, the civic heads of St Andrews and Dundee and additional Assessors from the Senatus and the General Council. The Principal of the United College was to act as Principal of the University and President of the Senatus. University Lecturers and Assistants were to supplement the instruction hitherto conducted entirely by the Professors.

An important duty assigned to the Commissioners of 1889 was to affiliate the University College founded at Dundee in 1881 "and make it form part of the University with the object, interalia, of establishing a fully equipped conjoint University School of Medicine'. The affiliation and partial incorporation of the college in the University of St Andrews was eventually effected in 1897 and in 1898 the Conjoint School of Medicine was established at Dundee. As a result of these and other changes the University now comprised four Faculties: Arts, Divinity, Science (including Engineering) and Medicine, to which degrees in Education, Dentistry and Law were subsequently added. Women students were admitted to all courses of study in 1892 and halls of residence for their accommodation were inaugurated at St Andrews in 1896 and at Dundee in 1917. Collegiate residence for men students was revived at St Andrews in 1921 and inaugurated at Dundee in 1946.

An unresolved problem in all these developments between 1897 and 1953 was the constitutional relationship between University College, Dundee and the University in which it had been partly incorporated by the Commissioners of 1889. In 1951 a Royal Commission was appointed with full powers to inquire into this and other related problems, and in 1953 the principal recommendations of the Commission received legislative sanction in the University of St Andrews Act.

The Act dissolved the governing bodies of University College and placed its property and endowments in the hands of a reorganised University Court. The two St Andrews colleges, which had retained their corporate status in 1889, were reconstituted as "unincorporated societies of teachers and students". The teachers and students of all parts of the University in Dundee were formed into a third society subsequently designated Queen's College. In accordance with the Commissioners' proposals, the colleges as such were allotted no administrative functions, but two College Councils were established - one for the United College of St Salvator and St Leonard and St Mary's College, and one for Queen's College. Since 1954 when the new constitution came fully into operation, the United College has commonly been known as St Salvator's College and the Council of the United College and St Mary's College as St Salvator's College Council. Dundee School of Economics was incorporated in the University in 1955 and new Faculties of Law, Applied Science and Social Science were established. In 1967, in terms of a Royal Charter, Queen's College became the University of Dundee. The College of St Leonard was reconstituted at St Andrews in 1974 to care for the interests of all postgraduate workers in the University.

In January 1997 the Senatus agreed to the creation of an Academic Council which is a smaller executive body carved out of Senate, responsible for all the business of Senate. The Senatus remains the sovereign academic body and now meets less regularly.

(See University Calendar, History and Constitution (University of St Andrews, 1987 ed.)

The earliest known library in St Andrews was that of the Priory of the Cathedral which was founded not later than 1144. There are various references to books held there and gifts and bequests of books during the thirteenth to fifteenth centuries. The early records of the Faculty of Arts indicate that there was a desire within the University to acquire books but that they were very scarce. In 1456 there was an attempt at a Faculty meeting to found a common University Library, known as the 'library of the Faculty of Arts and of the College of St John the Evangelist'. The earliest record of borrowings dates from 3 October 1459. Some of the books of William Schevez, appointed archbishop in 1478, were the earliest printed books known to have reached St Andrews and survive in the University library.

The chief libraries of the University were those of the colleges. St Salvator's College (1450) had a library from an early date and its earliest known collection was of books for the choir (1479). In 1534 a rectorial visitation recommended the cleaning and repair of the Library, the chaining of the books which remained and the retrieval of those which had strayed. During the upheaval under Cardinal David Beaton, assassinated in 1546, the treasures of St Salvator's College were removed to the Castle for safekeeping and it seems likely that the books were also transferred, and subsequently captured by the French. A commission of 1588 found no proper inventories of the library. The post of college library keeper was established in 1534. It received its largest bequest, of 380 books, from Archdeacon William Moore in 1684.

St Leonard's College (1512) had the best library in St Andrews until the foundation of the present University library. It arose, both in building and as a collection of books, from the Priory Library, being based in the old Senzie Chamber of the Priory. Prior John Hepburn, one of the founders of the College, made gifts of books to the Library, a number of which have descended to the University Library. His example was followed by a number of his successors. GH Bushnell suspected that the successive Principals' bequests were regarded as bequests to their successors and thus that the same books were regularly re-bequeathed to the College library, along with those added by each Principal (see Salmond, Henderson's Benefaction, 1942, p. 37). The practice was continued after the Reformation with more substantial gifts, for example, from the Earl of Murray, Commendator of the Priory, of a fine collection of books to St Leonard's College and from George Buchanan, principal of the College to 1570.

In 1566 Mary Queen of Scots indicated her intention of founding a library in the University through an autograph postscript to her testamentary inventory. However, the Greek and Latin books she had promised were eventually incorporated into the Royal Library. St Mary's College does not seem to have had a very significant college library, although books given by Archbishop Hamilton and James and David Beaton do survive in the University collection. In 1588 there was found to be "no perfect inventory, nor common books". Various late sixteenth century inventories list about 100 volumes.

Though there are these indications of a pre-Reformation Common Library of the University, the present University Library dates from 1611-12 when it was re-founded by King James VI and I at the instigation of Archbishop Gledstanes, the nucleus of the collection consisting of donations made by the Royal Family, by Archbishop Abbot of Canterbury and by other leading figures of the period. The prime intention and purpose of the re-foundation was the support of the Episcopalian church as promoted by the King, who did not make provision for a Library building but was concerned that a new building should be erected. The site of the old library of the Faculty of Arts and the College of St John on South Street was chosen and work began in 1612. This was at the centre of the University and on common property, while St Mary's College to which it was adjacent did not have an established library of its own. What remained of the ancient building of Wardlaw's Pedagogy was incorporated in the new Library (see Bushnell's article in Salmond, op. cit., note 1, p 42). Until the Upper Hall in the Library became ready for occupation in 1643, the University Library was housed in St Mary's College and the duty of looking after it probably devolved on a regent or student of that college. The completion of the original library building was made possible by the munificence of Alexander Henderson, the Covenanter, a former student and regent in the University and one of the University Commissioners of 1642.

In 1711 the library became entitled to copyright privileges under the Act of that year, and by 1764 the growth of the collections made it necessary to remodel and extend the library building, to which, in 1783, the libraries of St Leonard's and St Salvator's Colleges were transferred. In 1837 the copyright privileges were replaced by an annual Parliamentary grant of 630, later consolidated in recurrent grants from the University Court. Many of the Library's most valuable accessions have continued to come, however, from private benefactions. The present University Library building situated between North Street and The Scores was opened in 1976. It is fully air-conditioned on four levels. It houses the University's rare book and manuscript and muniment collections as well as the bulk of book and periodical holdings. The library is also constantly updating its Information Technology services and has provision for the use of on-line and computer based resources.

The Office of Librarian of the University dates from 1642, when the General Assembly's Commissioners established the post as a bursary in St Mary's College. By the 1660s, the librarianship had become the responsibility of the three colleges. In 1720 the office was formally combined with that of Secretary of the University, and for most of the period from then until 1892 carried with it also the duties of Quaestor. In 1899 the Librarian relinquished his secretarial duties. The Librarian is an ex officio member of the Senatus Academicus.

The University of St Andrews was the first university in Scotland. In 1410 a school of higher studies was established and on 28 February 1412 the society of masters and scholars received formal incorporation through a charter of Henry Wardlaw, Bishop of St Andrews. Full university status was conferred on 28 August 1413 by a series of bulls of Pope Benedict XIII.

Early congregations and faculty meetings were held in the priory and other ecclesiastical buildings in the town. In 1419 the University acquired its first building, the so-called Chapel and College of St John the Evangelist in South Street. In 1430 Bishop Wardlaw founded a Pedagogy for the Faculty of Arts on an adjacent site. This absorbed St John's College and, in turn, the Pedagogy was absorbed by St Mary's College, founded by James Beaton in 1538. In 1450 James Kennedy, Bishop of St Andrews, founded St Salvator's College in North Street, the first fully organised and endowed collegiate society within the University. In 1512 St Leonard's College, associated with the Cathedral Priory, was founded by the Archbishop and Prior of St Andrews. These three colleges provided both a place of residence and of much of the teaching within the early university. In 1747 St Salvator's College and St Leonard's College amalgamated to form the United College of St Salvator and St Leonard, based on the North Street site, which was largely rebuilt by the 1840s. The University built new buildings in and redeveloped areas of the town centre during the twentieth century, notable buildings including St Salvator's Hall, the Buchanan building and the University Library. University College, Dundee was founded in 1881, based in premises on Perth Road, and became affiliated to the University of St Andrews in 1897. That part of the University based in Dundee became Queen's College in 1953 and then the University of Dundee by Royal charter in 1967. During the 1960s the University of St Andrews began to expand to the west of the town onto the area known as the North Haugh, outside the boundaries of the medieval burgh. This has a science site and halls of residence.

The original bulls established that the University should have Faculties of Theology, Canon and Civil Law, Arts, Medicine and other lawful faculties, with power to grant Doctorates and Masterships in these faculties, and to present candidates for licence. The Faculties of Arts and Theology were those of continuous major importance at St Andrews. Most students studied for four years in Arts and belonged to one of the colleges where they were taught by the same Regent throughout their course. They were expected to have already studied Grammar, and took Logic and Rhetoric in their early days at University. They then progressed to Physics, Metaphysics and the Ethics of Aristotle. Lectures were mainly concerned with expounding set books. After two and a half years students generally proceeded to a bachelor's degree. The licence was awarded at the end of the fourth year and came to be synonymous with the award of a mastership. Not all students graduated. Under the 'New Foundation' of 1579 St Salvator's (the Old College) and St Leonard's Colleges became predominantly 'colleges of Philosophy' or Arts and St Mary's College (the New College) became a college of Theology.

The practice of regenting was gradually superceded by the professorial system and was finally abolished in 1747. The first Professorships were supported by collegiate endowments and until 1953, although teaching in the University, most Professors held their chairs in one or other of the colleges. Endowed professorships of Divinity or Systematic Theology and Biblical Criticism date from 1580. Continuous provision has been made for instruction in Logic and Metaphysics, Moral Philosophy and Natural Philosophy since 1450, with formal chairs from 1747. Six chairs derive from the post-Reformation reorganisation of the university, three with teaching from 1574: Greek (formal chair from 1702), Hebrew and Oriental Languages (formal chair from 1688) and Mathematics (Regius chair from 1668); three with teaching from 1579: Humanity (chair from 1747), Ecclesiastical History (chair from 1707) and Physiology (chair from 1721). Chairs of Chemistry, Natural History and English Literature were founded between 1747 and 1897. Chairs of Anatomy, Botany, Modern History, Practical Theology and Christian Ethics, Geology, Political Economy, French, German and Astronomy were established between 1898 and 1953. Many of these were re-founded for St Andrews after the establishment of Queen's College, Dundee in 1953. Many other chairs have been established since this date and many personal chairs have been created since 1969 which cease to exist when their holders demit office.

Degrees of Bachelor and Doctor of Science were instituted in 1876. A conjoint school of Medicine was established at Dundee in 1898. After the foundation of the University of Dundee in 1967 it was no longer permitted to grant degrees in medicine at St Andrews and the last medical graduation took place in 1972. However, pre-clinical medical training continues within the Faculty of Science. After 1897 the University had four faculties: Arts, Divinity, Science, including Engineering (formed in 1897) and Medicine (organised in 1862). The Faculty of Law was re-established in 1955. Faculties of Applied Science (1955) and Social Science (1960) were added. With the foundation of the University of Dundee in 1967 the Faculties of Medicine, Law, Applied Science and Social Science ceased to exist within the University of St Andrews. Women students had been affiliated with the University since 1877 through the Ladies Literate in Arts scheme and were admitted to full courses of study from 1892. Higher degrees of D.Phil, D.Litt and D.Sc were available in all subjects after 1889. A doctorate of Medicine was available from 1907 and the Ph.D from 1920.

The original constitution of the university was modelled on that of Orleans and Paris. The Chancellor exercised general supervision over the University and conferred degrees. All members of the academic society participated in the election of its administrative head, the Rector. Students belonged to one of the colleges and through the college endowments an adequate teaching staff was secured and maintained. The Faculties controlled teaching and the admission to degrees. In 1579 the New Foundation assigned greater powers of supervision over the whole University to the Chancellor and over the colleges to the Rector. The office of Chancellor was held ex officio by the Archbishops of St Andrews almost continuously until 1689. The Rectorship came to be held virtually in rotation among the three college heads and the professor of Divinity. The Senatus Academicus (made up of all Principals, Professors and Regents of the University) is first mentioned in 1642 and became the dominant administrative body after 1690. It exercised many of the powers formerly vested in the Faculties and the General Congregation of the University and the Rector's prime role was as President of Senatus. It claimed the right to appoint the Chancellor after the abolition of the episcopacy in 1689.

Various Royal Commissions from 1826 onwards led to the Universities (Scotland) Act of 1858. This maintained the constitutional and financial autonomy of the colleges and reserved the control of courses of study, examinations and discipline to the Senatus, but created a University Court with extensive powers of supervision over the older bodies. The President of Court was the Rector, now chosen for a three year term from outwith the University by the matriculated students. The Presidency of Senatus was held by the senior of the two college Principals who acted, in effect, as Principal of the University. The Act also introduced a General Council composed mainly of graduates of the University which meets twice yearly to receive reports on the University and which has the right to elect the Chancellor who acts as its President.

Under the Universities (Scotland) Act of 1889 the University Court acquired general financial and administrative control over the University and, in particular, over the property of the colleges and all appointments other than those in the patronage of the Crown. It was also able to make minor changes by Ordinance to the University constitution. The President of Senatus was to be the Principal of the United College, de facto Principal of the University. Senatus retained the government of academic matters. In 1997 the Senatus agreed to the creation of a smaller executive body, Academic Council, which is responsible for all business of Senatus and to which it reports.

University College, Dundee was formed in 1881 and was affiliated and partially incorporated into the University of St Andrews in 1897. The University of St Andrews Act of 1953 dissolved the corporate status of the United College, St Mary's College and University College, Dundee. It also reorganised the University Court to receive the property and endowments of the dissolved governing bodies of the Dundee college. It reconstituted the two St Andrews Colleges as unincorporated societies, forming a third society out of teachers and students of all parts of the University in Dundee as Queen's College. In 1967 Queen's College was created the University of Dundee by Royal Charter.