ACADEMIC BOARD

STANDING ORDERS AND RULES OF PROCEDURE

Standing Orders

The Board shall conduct its meetings and other business in accordance with its own rules of procedure and customary practice, subject to the University By-laws and Council resolutions, allowing all reasonable discretion to its President. Customary practice here refers to the process by which the Board's business is conducted through a presiding member (normally the president) and proceeds on the basis of resolution. More formal rules or standing orders, such as those described in Joske and other widely available publications may be used only as a general guide. Members should note that in the conduct of Board meetings, all reasonable discretion is allowed to the presiding member.

Rules of Procedure of Meetings of the Academic Board

The following Rules of Procedure shall be implemented by the Board to facilitate the conduct of its business and may be varied by the Board from time to time, as appropriate. These Rules should be read in conjunction with the By-law, Section 2 and the University of New South Wales Rules.

1. Schedule of Meetings of the Board

Meetings of the Board shall be held at 10.00am on the first Tuesday of each month, with the exception of the month of January.

2. Duration of Meetings

Meetings of the Academic Board shall terminate at the end of two hours unless the members present vote for a continuation of not more than one hour.

3. Adjournment of Meetings and Maintenance of the Quorum

The President may adjourn an ordinary, an adjourned or a special meeting of the Academic Board in appropriate circumstances, for example, if it was clear that it was unlikely that a quorum would be maintained, a long contentious item of business was about to be discussed, and it seemed advisable that the President should adjourn the meeting before commencing discussion on that item rather than cutting off discussion in mid-stream.

The President shall not adjourn a meeting to prevent a motion or amendment being put save with the approval of two thirds of the meeting present. This discretion shall not limit any other powers of the President to adjourn a meeting.

4. Adjourned Meetings of the Board

If a meeting of the Board is adjourned, the President shall re-convene the meeting at 10.00am on the Tuesday following the adjourned meeting.

5. Method of Voting at Meetings

At all meetings of the Board, voting shall be on the voices or, at the discretion of the President or on the request of any two members of the Board, by a show of hands.

A ballot may be used only when it is required by an existing resolution of the Board, or at the discretion of the President or when the Board is electing members to a committee or office where more than one nomination has been received. When a ballot is taken, it shall be conducted in such form as the President may direct provided its secrecy is preserved. The President would exercise discretion to take the secret ballot not only on the President's own initiative but also if the President discerned feeling in the meeting that such a measure was desirable.

6. Absence from Meetings of the Board or its Committees

a. of the President

A Deputy President shall take the Chair at meetings of the Board in the absence of the President. In the case of a meeting of the Board where both President and Deputy Presidents were absent, then the members of the Board shall elect a presiding member from among their number.

At any meeting of a Board Committee, in the absence of the presiding member the members present shall elect a presiding member.

b. of elected members of the Board

Under Resolution AB94/98, the Academic Board adopted the following policy and procedures for Leave of Absence from meetings of the Academic Board for elected members:

(i) The Board record absences and apologies lodged by a member who is unable to attend a meeting.

(ii) The Board consider granting leave of absence only when a member

• has missed two consecutive meetings, and
• seeks leave (in writing) to miss a third meeting (whether before or after the meeting) giving reasons for each absence.

(iii) The Board may grant leave for one or more meetings, at its discretion. Except in unusual circumstances, leave will not be granted where SSP (or equivalent approved leave) is the primary reason for absence.

7. Preparation of Agendas

All papers concerning items for consideration for inclusion on the agenda shall be received by the Committee Officer of the Board by the Thursday which falls twelve days before the next meeting of the Board.

The draft agenda and accompanying documents shall be considered and finalised, including determination of agenda items to be starred for discussion and of confidential items, by the Agenda Committee at a meeting to be held approximately eight days before the next meeting of the Board.

The finalised agenda and papers shall be dispatched by the Committee Officer of the Board on the Wednesday which falls six days before the next meeting of the Board.

8. Items for Inclusion on the Agenda

In general, agenda items which touch upon significantly common subject matter will be grouped together on an agenda to avoid the possibility of the Board's adopting conflicting resolutions.

The agenda shall include a "Committees" Section to be presented in two parts: Part A to include only those resolutions of its Committees which require action by the Board; Part B to include, by means of subject headings, items for information of the Board.

9. Scheduling of Academic Board Business

The Academic Board's business relating to specific matters will be scheduled as follows:

April: Report on misconduct cases, Session 2, previous year. Annual report on the number of graduates eligible to receive the award of Pass with Distinction and the number who did receive it.

May: Reports by Presiding Members of Undergraduate Studies and Committee on Education on significant matters relating to the work of the Academic Board, to be submitted in writing.

June: Reports by Presiding Member of Postgraduate Coursework Committee on significant matters relating to the work of the Academic Board, to be submitted in writing.

July: Reports by Presiding Members of the Committee on Research and the Academic Services Committee on significant matters relating to the work of the Academic Board, to be submitted in writing.

October: Report on misconduct cases from Session 1.

November: Report on the University's Educational Profile and negotiations with DEET.

December: Annual review of Academic Board's progress and outcomes. Report by Presiding Member of Pre-University and Alternative Education Committee on significant matters relating to the work of the Academic Board, to be submitted in writing.

10. The order in which Agenda items shall be considered by the Board

In exceptional circumstances, the Board may give consideration to a recommendation for the re-ordering of an agenda in order to ensure that major items are considered at a time when it is likely that attendance at the meeting is such that any resolution would reasonably represent the views of a significant proportion of the membership of the Board. Such items would normally be included on the agenda in such a position as to ensure that they were considered early in meetings.

11. Confidentiality

The Academic Board's Agenda Committee shall recommend which items on the agenda are to be presented as confidential and identify any item within a report as confidential, ensuring that the agenda and relevant documentation is clearly marked to that effect, as appropriate.

At the beginning of the Academic Board meeting the agreement of the members shall be sought for the recommendations of the Agenda Committee on which items are confidential.

Confidential items shall be dealt with at the beginning of the meeting, after which Observers will be admitted.

If a confidential item emerges in the course of discussion, after Observers have been admitted, then those Observers shall be requested to leave for the duration of that discussion. Any member who intended to bring before the Board a matter which might be ruled as confidential shall inform the President of this intention before the Board meeting.

Members of the Board should be aware that there are limits to the degree of protection they may claim in relation to defamation and maintenance of confidentiality in discussion of Board matters.

12. Tabling of Reports at Meetings of the Board

In general, all matters coming before the Board shall be considered first by the Agenda Committee. In exceptional circumstances, reports may be tabled and considered without having first been considered by the Agenda Committee in those cases where the President has determined a need for urgency.

13. Motions without Notice

The Board shall permit consideration of an item of business or a motion of which prior notice has not been given, provided that two thirds of the members present and voting at the meeting, and the Presiding Member, consent, such permission to be given at the commencement of the meeting at which the matter is to be considered.

14. Notice of Motion

(a) The rights of members of the Board to place motions on notice on Board agenda.

Any members of the Board may give notice of a motion, the notice to be supported by such additional material as might be agreed to by the President. Members of the Board who might wish to give notice of a motion should, however, be aware of the time constraint involved, including the need to allow for possible consultation with the President about the form of the motion. Notices of motion should be included with the main agenda, which is finalised 8 days before the Board meeting. Advice of intention to give notice of a motion should therefore reach the Committee Officer to the Board at least 12 days prior to the Board meeting. The precise wording of the motion, as it is to be put, need not be finalised at that time, although the substance of the intended motion must be clear; the final wording shall not introduce new material.

The President would rule a motion out of order and not allow it to be published with the agenda if, following discussion with the member wishing to put the motion on notice, the President was satisfied the motion was seriously in breach of confidence within the University or may be defamatory. In all other situations the President would permit a notice of motion to be published even though the President might consider a motion to be out of order. If the President considered a published notice of motion to be out of order the President could give notice on the agenda that a ruling to this effect would be made when the motion came up for discussion. Such a ruling could, of course, be challenged at the meeting in the normal way.

In all situations where the President declined to have a notice of motion circulated in advance of a meeting of the Board, the President would report the matter in Part 1 of the President's Report, ie, the report would be in writing and distributed in advance of the meeting. The President's written report would of course be phrased in such a way as to eliminate confidential or possibly defamatory matter.

The question whether a motion on notice was in order, if contested, would in all cases be determined in the normal manner at the meeting of the Board, either at the commencement of the meeting or when the motion came up for discussion. This would include motions withheld from the agenda by the President, but such motions, if determined by the Board to be in order, would normally only be open to debate at a subsequent meeting, since the actual wording of such motions would not have been previously made available to the Board.

Where a published notice of motion involved material that was, in the President's opinion, defamatory (and legal advice might be sought on this prior to release of the agenda, if time permitted), the President might direct that part of the agenda be released only to members of the Board and that only members of the Board be present when the motion was discussed. The record of such discussion might be held, if necessary, in a special minute book, to which access would be restricted. It would be important to observe these procedures in order to be able to claim qualified privilege in the event of legal action being taken for defamation.

(b) Procedures in cases where a Notice of Motion impinges on the subject matter of another item on the same agenda.

When a member of the Board submits a notice of motion, this action might well be taken without knowing what other matters were to be considered at the same meeting. Alternatively, a notice of motion might be intended to have a bearing on another matter on the same agenda. The fact that a motion on notice has a bearing on another matter on the same agenda is no reason for the motion to be declared out of order. The motion might be intended to broaden the scope for discussion on the common subject matter, or to be taken in lieu of an amendment to another motion, an amendment which would otherwise be ruled out of order because it went beyond the substance of the other motion.

Such a motion on notice in no way constrains normal procedures in relation to the other agenda item, either in relation to general conventions on procedure at meetings, or in relation to particular procedures of the Academic Board.

To the extent, however, that a Board resolution on one agenda item and a motion on notice, if carried, might conflict, there would generally be practical advantages in considering the two items as a sequence in the meeting.

15. Academic Board Nominations for Membership of University Committees

The Policy Advisory Committee shall make recommendations to the Academic Board in respect to nominations for membership of University committees.

In order to effect rotation of members on the Honorary Degrees Committee of Council, the membership of the current Academic Board nominees on that Committee shall be brought to a close the day before the October meeting of Council in even numbered years; a principal member and an alternate shall be nominated at the September Academic Board; the term of office shall be for two years.

16. Membership of Academic Board Committees

The appointment of Academic Board members to Academic Board Standing Committees occurs at the August Board meeting in even numbered years.

Nominations for appointment to Standing Committees, including student members and Board members, are sought following the Board meeting in July each even year.

Where more nominations are received than there are positions available, an election will be conducted during the August Board and the results reported to the meeting. Ballots shall be conducted in such form as the President may direct, provided that the need for confidentiality is preserved. (refer section 5 above).

The Secretariat will liaise with Faculty Presiding Members and Deans on filling the category of membership that provides for Faculty representation. Where there are insufficient student members of the Academic Board to serve on its Standing Committees, the Secretariat will liaise with the student association on filling any gaps in representation.

17. Academic Board Officers - Ex-Officio Membership of other Committees etc

The President of the Academic Board is a member ex officio of the following committees:

Academic Board Agenda Committee and
Academic Board Standing Committees:
Policy Advisory Committee
Committee on Education
Committee on Research
Academic Services Committee
Undergraduate Studies Committee
Postgraduate Coursework Committee
Pre-University and Alternative Education Committee

Council Committees:
Finance Committee
Honorary Degrees Committee
Student Affairs Committee
Nominations and Remuneration Committee

Senior Selection Committees:
Chair selection committees
Conjoint Chair and associate chair selection committees
Emeritus Chairs committee
Alumni Scholarships Selection Committee
Qualifications Committees
Gender Equity Strategy Committee
University Medals Committee
Committee of Chairs of Academic Boards/Senates of Universities in NSW and ACT
Council of the University College, ADFA

The Deputy Presidents of the Academic Board are members ex officio of the following committees:

Standing Committees of the Academic Board:
Academic Board Agenda Committee
Policy Advisory Committee
Committee on Research
Committee on Education
Postgraduate Coursework Committee
Undergraduate Studies Committee
Academic Services Committee
Pre-University and Alternative Education Committee

Senior Selection Committees:
University Medals Committee Personal Chairs Committee
Emeritus Chairs Committee
Qualifications Committees
International Exchange Advisory Committee
Tutorial Staff Merit Payment Committee
The New South Wales Fulbright Awards Selection Committee

The Deputy Presidents are also Senior Grievance Resolution Consultant to the Registrar.

The Presiding Member of the Postgraduate Coursework Committee is a member ex-officio of the University Foundation Allocation Committee.

18. Standing Committees

The Standing Committees of the Academic Board and their ex-officio membership are shown below.

a) Committees
Academic Board Agenda Committee
Policy Advisory Committee
Committee on Research
Committee on Education
Postgraduate Coursework Committee
Undergraduate Studies Committee
Academic Services Committee
Pre-University and Alternative Education Committee

b) Ex Officio Members

Academic Board Agenda Committee:
President of the Academic Board
Deputy Presidents of the Academic Board
Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic)
Registrar

Policy Advisory Committee:
1. President and Deputy Presidents, ex officio
2. Vice-Chancellor
3. Deputy Vice Chancellor (Academic), ex officio
4. Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research) or nominee ex officio
5. Presiding Members of Academic Services Committee, Committee on Education, Committee on Research, Postgraduate Coursework Committee, Pre-University and Alternative Education Committee, Undergraduate Studies Committee, ex officio

In attendance:
Registrar or nominee, ex officio

Committee on Research:
1. President and Deputy Presidents, ex officio
2. Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research), ex officio 
3. Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Research Strategy) and Dean of Graduate Research, ex officio
4. Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Students) & Registrar (or nominee), ex officio

Committee on Education:
1. President and Deputy Presidents, ex officio
2. Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic) (or nominee), ex officio
3. Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Students) & Registrar (or nominee), ex officio
4. Presiding Members of the Undergraduate Studies Committee and of the Postgraduate Coursework Committee
5. Director of Learning & Teaching @ UNSW (or nominee), ex officio
6. Director of the Learning Centre (or nominee), ex officio

Postgraduate Coursework Committee:
1. President and Deputy Presidents, ex officio
2. Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic), ex officio
3. Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Students) & Registrar (or nominee), ex officio

Undergraduate Studies Committee:
1. President and Deputy Presidents, ex officio
2. Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic), ex officio
3. Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Students) & Registrar (or nominee), ex officio

Academic Services Committee:
1. President and Deputy Presidents, ex officio
2. Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic), ex officio
3. Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Students) & Registrar (or nominee), ex officio
4. Executive Director – Finance and Operations (or nominee), ex officio
5. Executive Director – University Services (or nominee), ex officio
6. Director of IT at UNSW (or nominee), ex officio
7. University Librarian (or nominee), ex officio
8. Director, Learning & Teaching@UNSW (or nominee), ex officio

Pre-University and Alternative Education Committee
1. President and Deputy Presidents, Academic Board, ex officio
2. Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Students) & Registrar or nominee, ex officio
3. Pro-Vice-Chancellor (International) or nominee, ex officio
4. Chief Executive Officer, UNSW Global, ex officio
5. Director, Foundation Studies or nominee, ex officio
6. Director of Learning Centre or nominee, ex officio
7. Director, Nura Gili or nominee, ex officio