AGY-3514 | Academic Senate [Charles Sturt University]

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The inaugural meeting of the Academic Senate of Charles Sturt University (CSU) was held on 23 April 1991. (1) The establishment of the Academic Senate was approved in principle by the Board of Governors resolution BG 90/162. (2) The Academic Senate replaced the Interim Academic Senate which was disbanded in February 1991. The terms of reference approved for the Academic Senate by the Board of Governors were:
- to be the principal academic body of the University;
- to advise the Board of Governors and the Vice-Chancellor on matters relating to teaching, scholarship and research within the University;
- to be responsible for monitoring the academic policies of the University;
- to determine the list of graduands specifying the award and the level of award for each;
- to advise the Vice-Chancellor on the teaching and research profiles for the University and on the spread of the profile across the Faculties;
- to consider and report on all matters referred to it by the Board of Governors or by the Vice-Chancellor; and
- to have such other powers, duties and functions as may be determined by the Board of Governors from time to time. (3)
Initially, the membership of the Academic Senate comprised of the following members:
- the Vice-Chancellor;
- each of the Chief Executive Officers of the Members of the University (Mitchell, Murray and Riverina);
- the Deans of the Faculties of the University;
- six persons nominated by the University of New South Wales, the sponsoring University;
- the Executive Director of Planning and Development;
- the University Librarian;
- one nominee of the Vice-Chancellor;
- one undergraduate student representative;
- one postgraduate student representative; and
- one person elected by and from each of the Faculty Boards of the University. (4)
However, with the changing administrative structure of the University, the membership of the Academic Senate also changed to reflect this. In 2001, the membership of the Academic Senate had grown to include;
- an elected member of the Professoriate (Presiding Officer);
- an elected member of the Professoriate (Deputy Presiding Officer);
- the Vice-Chancellor;
- the Deputy Vice-Chancellor
- Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Learning and Student Support);
- Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Planning and Development);
- Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Public Affairs);
- Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Research and Graduate Training);
- the Deans of the five Faculties;
- an elected member from each of the five Faculty Boards;
- the Executive Director of Library Services;
- the Director of Aboriginal Education;
- one undergraduate student nominated by the student associations;
- one postgraduate student nominated by the student associations. (5)
Administratively, the CSU Academic Senate reported directly to the CSU Board of Governors, and after 1999, the CSU Council. The Academic Senate was also charged with establishing a number of Committees to which it could delegate responsibilities. These included; the Academic Awards Committee (which certified that students had met the requirements of their courses and were eligible to graduate), the Academic Programs Committee (previously the Undergraduate Studies Committee – advising on all undergraduate programs, with delegated authority to approve new and revised programs submitted to it by the Faculties), the Academic Appeals Committee (decides student appeals against exclusion and other academic decisions), the Quality Audit Committee (responsible for auditing the effectiveness of the Academic Senate’s policies), the Board of Graduate Studies (previously the Higher Degrees Committee – advising on matters relating to higher degree research programs), the Student Equity Committee, the Research Management Committee (advising on research management and development, and the allocation of research grants), the University Medals Committee (awards University medals to outstanding students) and the five Faculty Boards. (6) Endnotes:
(1) Minutes of the inaugural meeting of the CSU Academic Senate, 23 April 1991, p.1.
(2) Charles Sturt University Academic Manual, (see http://www.csu.edu.au/acadman/b2m.htm.)
(3) Agenda papers for the meeting of the CSU Board of Governors, Meeting 1/91, 6 March 1991, p.215.
(4) Agenda papers of the meeting of the CSU Academic Senate, Meeting 2/92, 21 April 1992.
(5) Charles Sturt University Academic Manual, op. cit.
(6) Charles Sturt University Administrative Manual, (see http://www.csu.edu.au/adminman/gov/GOV33.rtf), and CSU Annual Report 2001, p.45.