Fellowship
Fellowship in a college,- a station of privilege and emolument enjoyed by one who is elect-d a member of any of those endowed societies which in the English universities are; called colleges. The person so elected shares the benefits of the foundation in common with the other, members, and from such participation derives the name of fellow, the Latins name for which in the statutes of most of the colleges is socius. SEE UNIVERSITY. In Oxford and Cambridge " the fellowships Were either constituted by the original founders of the colleges to which they belong, or they have been since endowed. In almost all cases their holders must have taken at least the first degree of bachelor of arts or student in the civil law. One of the greatest changes introduced by the commissioners under the University Act of 1854 was the throwing open of the fellowships to all members of the university of requisite standing, by removing the old restrictions by which many of them were confined to founder's kin, or to the inhabitants of certain dioceses, archdeaconries, or other districts. Fellowships vary greatly in value. Some of the best at Oxford, in good years, are said to reach £700 or even £800, whilst there are others which do not amount to £100, and many at Cambridge which fall short of that sum. Being paid out -of the college revenues which arise from land they also vary from year to year, though from this arrangement, on thee other hand, their general value with reference to the value of commodities is preserved nearly unchangeable, which would not be the case if they consisted of :a fixed payment in money. The senior fellowships are the most lucrative, a system of promotion being established among their holders; but they all confer on their holders the privilege of occupying apartments in the college, and generally, in addition, certain perquisites as to meals or commons. Many fellowships are tenable for life, but in general they are forfeited should the holder attain to certain preferments in the Church or at the bar, and sometimes in the case of his succeeding to property above a certain amount. In general, also, they are forfeited by marriage, though this disability may now be removed by a special vote of the college, permitting the fellow to retain his fellowship notwithstanding his marriage. With the single exception of Downing College, Cambridge, in which the graduates of both universities are eligible, the fellowships are confined to the graduates of the university to which they belong."
