{"id":"university-colleges-act-1926","name":"University Colleges Act 1926","slug":"university-colleges-act-1926","collection":"act","jurisdiction":"wa","status":"in_force","isInForce":true,"actNumber":null,"makingDate":null,"administeringDepartment":null,"currentVersion":{"id":110860,"registerId":"wa-university-colleges-act-1926-current","compilationNumber":null,"startDate":"2026-04-03","status":"InForce","reasons":null,"registeredAt":null},"sections":[{"sectionNumber":"1","sectionType":"section","heading":"University Colleges Act 1926","content":"![Crest]()Western Australia\n\nUniversity Colleges Act 1926\n\nWestern Australia\n\nUniversity Colleges Act 1926\n\nContents\n\n1. Short title 1\n\n2. Interpretation 1\n\n3. Land may be set apart for purposes of Colleges 1\n\n4. Grants of such land 2\n\n5. Trust 3\n\n6. Buildings to be approved by Senate 3\n\n7. Land not to be leased, and mortgages to be subject to the Trust 3\n\n8. Rules 3\n\nNotes\n\nCompilation table 5\n\nDefined terms\n\n  \n\nWestern Australia\n\nUniversity Colleges Act 1926\n\nAn Act to establish and endow Residential Colleges within the University of Western Australia.\n\nWHEREAS it is desirable to encourage and assist the establishment of residential colleges within the University of Western Australia, in which colleges domestic supervision and opportunities for study shall be provided for students of the University.\n\nBe it therefore enacted by the King’s Most Excellent Majesty, by and with the advice and consent of the Legislative Council and Legislative Assembly of Western Australia, in this present Parliament assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows: —\n\n##### 1. Short title\n\nThis Act may be cited as the *University Colleges Act 1926*.\n\n##### 2. Interpretation\n\nThis Act, unless the content otherwise indicates, the following terms have the meanings set against them respectively: —\n\n  University — The University of Western Australia.\n\n  Senate — The Senate of the University.\n\n  College — A residential college within the University.\n\n  Trustees — The Trustees of a College.\n\n##### 3. Land may be set apart for purposes of Colleges\n\nAny body of persons, corporate or unincorporate, desiring to obtain an area of land for establishing a College under the provisions of this Act, may apply to the Senate to set apart for the purposes of such College an area of University land.\n\nSuch application shall be signed on behalf of such body of persons by trustees authorized in that behalf, and such trustees must satisfy the Senate —\n\n(a) That the constitution of the College will provide that the College shall always be governed in every respect by a Council.\n\n(b) That within five years the Trustees will have available the sum of fifteen thousand pounds at least for the purpose of erecting all necessary buildings on and improving the said area,\n\nand thereupon the Senate may, with the consent of the Governor, set apart for the purposes of the College an area of University land not exceeding 2.03 hectares.\n\n[Section 3 amended: No. 8 of 2009 s. 127.]\n\n##### 4. Grants of such land\n\nIf, within five years from the date of the Governor’s consent as aforesaid, the Council of the College satisfies the Senate that: —\n\n(a) the College then has available for building upon and improving the said area of land a sum of at least six thousand pounds in cash, or in investments approved by the Senate, and also a further sum of nine thousand pounds at least in such investments, or represented by binding and responsible promises to provide such sum when required, and that the whole sum is to be devoted exclusively to the erection of college buildings and improvements on the said area of land, and will be so expended within a further period of five years; and that\n\n(b) the College will be able to provide its students with satisfactory supervision, tuition, and opportunities for study,\n\nthe Senate shall thereupon report such fact to the Governor, and recommend that the said area of land be granted in fee simple to the trustees of the College, and the Governor is hereby authorized to grant such title notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in the *University of Western Australia Act 1911*, or any other Act.\n\nProvided that if within five years from the date of the Governor’s consent the Council of the College does not satisfy the Senate as aforesaid, the setting apart of the area of land under section three shall be cancelled.\n\n##### 5. Trust\n\nThe said land shall be held by the Trustees subject to the provisions of this Act, and upon trust for and to be used as a College for University students, and for such other classes of student (if any) as the Senate may approve, and for no other purpose whatever.\n\n##### 6. Buildings to be approved by Senate\n\nNo buildings shall be erected or altered or added to, and no improvements shall be made on, the said land unless the plans and specifications and designs have first been submitted to and approved by the Senate.\n\n##### 7. Land not to be leased, and mortgages to be subject to the Trust\n\nThe said land shall remain in sole possession of the College, and the College shall not, nor shall the trustees lease or let the same or any part thereof, or mortgage or encumber the same, or any part thereof, unless the mortgage or encumbrance is made subject to the provisions of this Act and the trust aforesaid.\n\n##### 8. Rules\n\nThe Council of the College shall have power from time to time to make and establish all such rules for carrying into effect the several provisions and objects of this Act as to the said Council shall seem expedient, and such rules from time to time to repeal, alter, or amend.\n\nNotes\n\n1. This is a compilation of the *University Colleges Act 1926* and includes the amendments made by the other written laws referred to in the following table.\n\nCompilation table\n\n| **Short title** | **Number and year** | **Assent** | **Commencement** |\n| --- | --- | --- | --- |\n| *University Colleges Act 1926* | 47 of 1926 | 23 Dec 1926 | 23 Dec1926 |\n| *Statutes (Repeals and Miscellaneous Amendments) Act 2009* s. 127 | 8 of 2009 | 21 May 2009 | 22 May 2009 (see s. 2(b)) |\n\n\nDefined terms\n\n*[This is a list of terms defined and the provisions where they are defined. The list is not part of the law.]*\n\n**Defined term Provision(s)**\n\nCollege 2\n\nSenate 2\n\nTrustees 2\n\nUniversity 2\n","sortOrder":0}],"analysis":{"flash_summary":{"complexity_score":3,"scope_assessment":{"changed":true,"description":"The Act’s core scheme remains but s.3 was amended in 2009 (see compilation table and s.3 note) to alter the maximum area that may be set apart (now recorded as 2.03 hectares). No other substantive scope expansions or new powers are evident in the compiled text."},"complexity_factors":["Conditional grant regime requiring staged financial tests and time limits (fundraising and investment thresholds; five‑year deadlines) (s.3–4).","Trust obligations limiting permitted uses and vesting title in trustees subject to statute (s.5).","Administrative discretion concentrated in the University Senate and the Governor for setting apart land and approving grants (s.3–4).","Planning control: Senate approval required before erecting, altering or improving buildings (s.6).","Restrictions on leasing, mortgaging or encumbering the land unless those encumbrances remain subject to the statutory trust (s.7).","Council power to make internal rules implements the Act but delegates operational detail to colleges (s.8).","Short, tightly drafted Act with limited defined terms reduces interpretive complexity (s.2).","Minor later amendment affecting the land‑area cap (2009 amendment to s.3) introduces a historical change point (compilation note; s.3)."],"plain_english_summary":"This Act allows the University Senate to set aside up to 2.03 hectares of University land for residential colleges and, if specified fundraising and building conditions are met within set time limits, to recommend fee‑simple grants of that land to college trustees. Trustees must hold the land on trust for students, obtain Senate approval for building works, and are restricted from leasing or mortgaging the land except subject to the Act, affecting college councils, trustees, the Senate and students."},"issue_detection":{"absurdities":[],"contradictions":[]},"flash_summary_failed":{"failed":true,"reason":"A positive credit balance is required for all requests, including BYOK, so fallback providers remain available. Add credits at https://vercel.com/d?to=%2F%5Bteam%5D%2F%7E%2Fai%3Fmodal%3Dtop-up to continue.","source":"analysis-cron"},"kimi_summary":{"content_quality":"ok","complexity_score":2,"scope_assessment":{"changed":false,"description":"The legislation remains tightly focused on its original purpose: establishing and endowing residential colleges at the University of Western Australia. The only amendment since 1926 was a technical update converting imperial measurements to metric (5 acres to 2.03 hectares). The scope has not expanded beyond the original intent."},"complexity_factors":["Only 8 sections total, with minimal cross-referencing","Just 4 defined terms in the interpretation section","Simple conditional structure: apply → prove funding → get land → maintain trust","Single amendment in 2009 (metric conversion of land area from 5 acres to 2.03 hectares)","No nested exceptions or complex procedural requirements","Straightforward trust mechanism with clear restrictions"],"plain_english_summary":"**What this law does:**\n\nThis is a 1926 Western Australian law that sets up a system for creating **residential colleges** (student dormitories with academic support) at the University of Western Australia.\n\n**How it works:**\n\n- **Groups wanting to build a college** can apply to the University Senate (the University's governing body) to set aside University land for this purpose.\n- **To qualify**, they must show:\n  - The college will always be run by a Council (a governing board)\n  - They have £15,000 available to build within 5 years\n- **If approved**, the Governor can grant the land to the college's trustees (legal managers), but only after the college proves it has:\n  - £6,000 in cash or approved investments\n  - Another £9,000 promised or invested\n  - Ability to provide proper student supervision and study facilities\n- **Important restrictions:**\n  - The land must always be used for student housing and education—nothing else\n  - Building plans must be approved by the University Senate\n  - The land cannot be leased out or mortgaged unless the lender agrees the land stays subject to these rules\n  - Colleges can make their own internal rules\n\n**Why it matters:**\n\nThis law created the legal framework for the residential college system at UWA—places like St George's College, Trinity, and others. It ensured colleges had proper funding and governance while keeping University oversight over land use and academic standards. The system still operates today, though the financial amounts are now outdated."},"summary":{"complexity_score":1,"scope_assessment":{"changed":false,"description":"Scope cannot be assessed as the legislative text was unavailable. The source URL returned a 'page no longer available' error, providing no substantive content to analyse."},"complexity_factors":["Legislative text was not retrievable — complexity cannot be meaningfully assessed","Only metadata and an error page were returned rather than substantive content","No provisions, definitions, schedules, or operative clauses were available for analysis"],"plain_english_summary":"## University Colleges Act 1926 (WA)\n\n**⚠️ Content Unavailable**\n\nThe actual text of this Western Australian legislation could not be retrieved. The page hosting the *University Colleges Act 1926* is no longer available at its previous web address due to system upgrades on the Western Australian legislation website.\n\n**What we do know:**\n- This is a **Western Australian Act** dating from **1926**\n- It likely relates to the establishment, governance, or regulation of **university colleges** in Western Australia\n- The full text may be accessible via the [Western Australian Legislation website](https://www.legislation.wa.gov.au) by searching directly\n\n**If you need this legislation:**\n- Visit legislation.wa.gov.au and search for 'University Colleges Act 1926'\n- Contact the Parliamentary Counsel's Office Helpdesk directly\n\n*No reliable legal analysis can be provided without the actual legislative text.*"}},"importantCases":[],"_links":{"self":"/api/acts/university-colleges-act-1926","history":"/api/acts/university-colleges-act-1926/history","analysis":"/api/acts/university-colleges-act-1926/analysis","conflicts":"/api/acts/university-colleges-act-1926/conflicts","importantCases":"/api/acts/university-colleges-act-1926/important-cases","documents":"/api/acts/university-colleges-act-1926/documents"}}