Syndic

Syndic (Late Lat. syndicus, Gr. vvvdiKos, one who helps in a court of justice, an advocate, representative), a term applied in certain countries to an officer of government with varying powers, and secondly to a representative or delegate of a university, institution or other corporation, entrusted with special functions or powers.

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The meaning which underlies both applications is that of representative or delegate. Du Cange (Gloss, s.v. Syndicus), after defining the word as defensor, fair onus, advocatus, proceeds "Syndici maxime appellantur Actores universitatum, collegiorum, societatum et aliorum corporum, per quos, tanquam in republica quod communiter agi fierive oportet, agitur et fit," and gives several examples from the 13th century of the use of the term. The most familiar use of "syndic" in the first sense is that of the Italian sindico, who is the head of the administration of a commune, answering to a "mayor"; he is a government official but is elected by the communal council from their own members by secret ballot.

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Nearly all the companies, gilds, and the university of Paris had representative bodies the members of which were termed syndici. Similarly in England, the senate of the university of Cambridge, which is the legislative body, delegates certain functions to special committees of its members, appointed from time to time by Grace, i.e. a proposal offered to the senate and confirmed by it; these committees are termed "syndicates" and are permanent or occasional, and the members are styled "the syndics" of the particular committee or of the institution which they administer; thus there are the syndics of the Fitzwilliam Museum, of the University Press, of the Observatory, of local examinations and lectures, of the Antiquarian Committee, etc.

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Du Cange: REDIRECT Charles du Fresne, sieur du Cange...

13th century: As a means of recording the passage of time, the 13th century was that century which lasted from 1201 to 1300. In the history of European culture, this period is considered part of the High Middle Ages....

Secret ballot: The secret ballot is a voting method in which a voter's choices are confidential. The key aim is to ensure the voter records a sincere choice by forestalling attempts to influence the voter by intimidation or bribery. It is also known as the Australian ballot, because it originated in Australia d...