Bedel

The bedel (from medieval Latin pedellus or bidellus, occasionally bidellus generalis, from Old High German bital, pital, "the one who invites, calls"; cognate with beadle) was, and is to some extent still, an administrative official at universities in several European countries, and often had a policiary function at the time when universities had their own jurisdiction over students.

In the medieval English universities in Oxford and Cambridge, the bedel was an administrative assistant of the chancellor and the proctors.

The bedel was, among other things, to collect fines and fees, keep rolls of scholars with the license to teach, and participate in ceremonial dress in academic processions and on other similar occasions.

The only words that a pedel utters in public are "Hora Est", announcing that the allotted time for a Ph.D. examination has expired.

The Italian word bidello, the person whose work is to check classrooms and schedules and, in the past, to signal the end of the class, has the same origin.