(1) The purpose of this policy is to delineate roles and responsibilities with respect to the academic governance of the University. (2) For the purpose of this policy: (3) The Academic Senate (Senate) is the peak academic body in the University, and as a forum for academic debate, policy development and decision-making, is responsible to the Board of Trustees (Board) for: (4) Subject to the By-law and University Rules, and to any decision of the Board of Trustees, the Senate will decide the University's policies and procedures on: (5) In approving an academic policy of the University, the Senate may authorise a committee of the Senate, or an office-holder of the Senate or the University, to approve procedures or guidelines for implementation of the policy across the University. These procedures or guidelines will be published in the University's central policy register, "Policy DDS." (6) Subject to the By-law and to any decision of the Board, the Senate will, at the request of the Board or at the discretion of the Senate, advise the Board and the Vice-Chancellor and President on: (7) The Board approves the conferring of the academic awards for higher doctorate degrees of Doctor of Letters and Doctor of Science. (8) Subject to any directions from the Board the following delegations are made with respect to approving the conferral of other academic awards of the University: (9) These delegations cannot be further delegated. Any exercise of the delegations under sub-clauses (8b), (8c) and (8d) must be reported to the next appropriate meeting of the Senate. Any exercise of the delegation under sub-clause (8e) must be reported to the next appropriate meetings of the School Academic Committee and the Senate. (10) The Senate may establish such standing and other committees to assist it in the carrying out of its functions. The Senate must oversee and coordinate advice from its standing committees by: (11) The terms of reference including the role, function and membership categories of the Standing Committees of the Senate and School Academic Committees are as approved and/or amended by the Senate from time to time. (12) The Vice-Chancellor and President and the Chair, Academic Senate are, by virtue of office, members of all Senate committees. (13) The Senate consists of: (14) The Ex Officio Members of the Senate are: (15) The Elected Members of the SenateSenate are: (16) The appointed members of the Senate are three members, each of whom may be a student or a member of staff, whom the Vice-Chancellor and President may appoint, in consultation with the Chair, Academic Senate, for the purposes of achieving gender balance, consistent with the Gender Equality Policy and an informed perspective on matters under consideration. (17) Elected and appointed members of the Senate hold office for two years, and are eligible to re-nominate or be re-appointed as the case may be for three further consecutive terms. (18) The position of an elected or appointed member of the Senate becomes vacant where the member: (19) If there is a casual vacancy in the office of an elected or appointed member the following provisions apply: (20) By votes of two thirds of its membership in favour of motions of no confidence and recommendation to the Board, the Senate may initiate action by the Board for removal from office of a chair or deputy chair of the Senate, or of any committee of the Senate, where the chair or deputy chair has committed a serious breach of the terms of reference of the committee in question. (21) The qualifications for candidacy and voting for the elected members of the Senate and its committees and for the election procedures to be followed are as provided for in the Elections Policy as approved by the Vice-Chancellor and President. The Senate may vary these provisions with respect to their application to the Senate and its committees where it considers that it is reasonable or necessary to do so. (22) In the case of elections conducted for student positions on the Senate and its committees, where the position remains vacant after the conduct of the election, the Chair, Academic Senate or committee may call for expressions of interest from the relevant group of qualified students, and the Senate or committee may fill the vacancy on the basis of expressions of interest that have been received. (23) The Senate must meet at least four times each year. At the discretion of the Chair, meetings may be conducted and members may participate with the aid of electronic communication technologies. (24) The Chair presides at meetings of the Senate. If the Chair is absent from a meeting, the Deputy Chair presides. (25) If the Chair and Deputy Chair are both absent from a meeting, the members of the Senate present must elect a Chair for that meeting. (26) At any meeting of the Senate, a quorum is one half (or if one half is not a whole number, the whole number next higher than one half) of the total number of its members then in office. (27) The Senate may make Standing Orders for the conduct of its meetings and those of its committees consistent with this Part. (28) Elected members of the Senate may only nominate another person to stand in for them in their absence from meetings of the Senate, or of one of its working parties or sub committees, if that absence is the result of academic study leave, or sudden illness or misadventure. A nomination for that purpose must be made, in writing, to the Chair, Academic Senate, who will determine whether, and for which specified meetings, the nominee may attend the Senate, its working parties and sub committees as a member. If such a temporary replacement is approved by the Chair, the replacement may attend meetings specified by the Chair and exercise all rights and functions of the absent, substantive member. (29) Nil. (30) Nil.Academic Governance Policy
Section 1 - Purpose and Context
Section 2 - Definitions
Top of PageSection 3 - Policy Statement
Part A - Functions of the Academic Senate
Part B - Delegation for Approval to the Conferral of Academic Awards
Part C - Academic Senate Committees
Part D - Membership of the Academic Senate
Terms of Office
Vacancies
Casual Vacancies
Removal from Office of Chairs and Deputy Chairs
Qualifications for Candidates and Voters and Election Procedures
Part E - Academic Senate Meeting Procedures
Meetings of the Academic Senate
Absence of Members from meetings of Senate and its Committees
Section 4 - Procedures
Section 5 - Guidelines
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