The School of the Biological Sciences encompasses the Faculty Board of Biology and the Faculty Board of Veterinary Medicine and is represented on the Faculty Board of Clinical Medicine. It has responsibilities across three Triposes (the Natural Sciences Tripos, Medical and Veterinary Sciences Tripos and Psychological and Behavioural Sciences Tripos).
It shares the Graduate School of Life Sciences, Graduate Committee and Medical Education Committee with the Clinical School. It has its own Degree Committee. It includes nine Departments, the Psychometric Centre and Centre for Family Studies, plus five major research Institutes and an animal hospital. The School is a key player in the Cambridge Conservation Initiative as well as the majority of Cambridge Strategic Initiatives. The School is associated with the Museum of Zoology and the Botanic Garden. It also takes responsibility for the University Biomedical Support Service (UBSS) in conjunction with the current Director of Health and Safety. Key officers of the School plus details of relevant Research Ethics Committees (Human Biology, Psychology) can be found on the School' s website. Various subcommittees report to the Council, as required. Long-standing committees include the UBSG (responsible for the biofacilities across Cambridge) and the Biocentrum Re-development Group.
Formal representation on the Council of the School (its most senior decision-making body) is outlined in Chapter 8 of the University' s Statutes and Ordinances. Heads of School Institutes, as well as Heads of Departments, are currently co-opted on to the Council, together with representatives of the three Faculty Boards. In addition, the Head of the Botanic Garden and a representative from the School of Technology attend as observers.
