University Secretary's Department Statutes and Regulation

Statute 5.1 - Academic Structures

 

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Establishment of academic units

5.1.1
  1. Following consultation with the Board, Council may establish academic units within the University including (but not limited to) faculties, departments, schools, research centres and institutes.
  2. Notwithstanding sub-section (1), the vice-chancellor may establish academic units as provided in section 5.1.4.
  3. Council determines what is an academic unit for the purposes of this statute.
  4. A power to establish any academic unit for the purposes of this statute also includes the power to disestablish that academic unit, and to vary the terms on which any academic unit was established.
  5. Nothing in this statute affects the continuing existence for the time being of an academic unit established under previous legislation of the University.

Structure and governance of faculties

5.1.2
  1. For each faculty, including a graduate school established as a faculty, Council must approve its name, and endorse and monitor its structure and governance arrangements. To obtain Council’s endorsement, those arrangements must include provisions deemed appropriate by Council, including the following –
    1. an academic structure which is appropriate to undertake the teaching, research and other academic functions of the faculty;
    2. an appropriate executive structure, to support the dean as the accountable officer for the faculty;
    3. a mechanism for collegial consultation with academic and professional staff on matters pertaining to the faculty;
    4. a mechanism for consultation with representatives of students from within the faculty; and
    5. a mechanism by which a body, that includes external representatives from graduates, any relevant professional bodies, government agencies and industry partners, has advisory input to the faculty and its executive.
  2. In addition to any powers and duties conferred upon faculties by any other statute or by regulation, each faculty must-
    1. report to Council or the Board on any matter referred to it by Council or the Board;
    2. deal with any relevant matter brought before it by the dean or other relevant officer of the University; (
    3. advise Council or the Board, either directly or through the vice-chancellor or provost as appropriate, on relevant matters pertaining to administration, research and studies within its scope and the curriculum for each of the degrees and diplomas pertaining to that faculty, and also for any University degrees and diplomas which have been assigned to the faculty for administrative purposes; and
    4. administer, subject to the direction of the provost and of the Board, any University courses pertaining to it or which have been assigned to the faculty for administrative purposes.
  3. In order to enable Council to monitor the approved governance arrangements for each faculty as provided in sub-section (1), the dean of such faculty must report to Council any material changes to its governance structure and practice.
  4. Subject to the statutes and regulations of the University, each faculty will regulate its own procedures.

Establishment of graduate schools other than faculties

5.1.3
  1. Following consultation with the Board, Council must determine the name and number of graduate schools that are not established as faculties.
  2. Council must endorse and monitor the governance arrangements of those graduate schools established as academic units within faculties. To obtain Council’s endorsement, those arrangements must include provisions deemed appropriate by Council, including the following –
    1. the appointment of a responsible officer as head of the graduate school (who may also be the dean of the faculty) to transact the business of the graduate school, who must implement the policies determined by the University generally and by the faculty, and ensure that the graduate school properly discharges its academic and administrative functions;
    2. a mechanism for collegial consultation on all academic matters related to courses offered though the graduate school, including departments outside the faculty where they teach into courses offered by the graduate school, and on other matters within the graduate school;
    3. a mechanism for receiving input from relevant graduate student groups; and
    4. a mechanism by which one or more advisory bodies, which include external members with expertise in fields relevant to the coursework programs of the graduate school, have advisory input.

 

Establishment of academic departments, schools (other than graduate schools) and research centres

5.1.4
  1. The vice-chancellor may establish academic departments, schools (other than graduate schools) and research centres for the purpose of organising the academic activities of the University.
  2. Before establishing a department, school or research centre, the vice-chancellor must consult with the Board and any faculty or other academic unit with which it may be associated.
  3. On the establishment of an academic department, school or research centre, following appropriate consultation, either the dean of the relevant faculty or otherwise the vice-chancellor must appoint a head of that unit. The head is responsible through the faculty or graduate school for its management in accordance with the statutes, regulations and policies of the University. The head is obliged to give effect to the policies of the relevant faculty or graduate school, and of the Board, and is responsible for ensuring that administrative procedures within the academic unit conform to the requirements of the University and the appropriate faculty or graduate school.
  4. Without limiting the operation of this section 5.1.4, where any academic unit of the University is to be operated by a separate legal entity, the University must by regulation determine the name, composition, purposes and governance arrangements for each such academic unit. Where such an academic unit forms part of a larger academic unit already covered by a regulation made under this Statute 5.1, no further regulation is required for the purposes of this section 5.1.4(4).
  5. The establishment of any academic unit in accordance with section 5.1.4(1) is to be reported to the next meeting of Council and of the Board.

Establishment of institutes and other academic units

5.1.5
  1. Where Council establishes an academic unit of the University as an institute or by way of another named unit, not being a department, school or research centre established under section 5.1.4, it must by regulation determine the name, composition, purposes and governance arrangements for each such unit.
  2. Notwithstanding the provisions of sub-section (1) above, where Council establishes cross-disciplinary institutes to promote research linkages and collaboration across the University, it may determine the governance arrangements of all such institutes by a single regulation.

Powers and duties of deans

5.1.6
  1. In accordance with procedures determined by Council from time to time, Council must appoint a dean for each faculty, including each graduate school established as a faculty. In addition to any other powers and duties conferred or imposed on a dean by Council or by the vice-chancellor, the dean-
    1. is responsible for the execution in the faculty of the policies of the faculty and the University;
    2. exercises a general superintendence over the educational, research and administrative business of the faculty and its departments and schools;
    3. is accountable for the finances of the faculty;
    4. is responsible for effective consultation within the faculty and for representing the interests and positions of the faculty at meetings of committees within the University and of the Board, and otherwise as required by the vice-chancellor;
    5. works in cooperation with other deans in pursuing collaborative and cross-faculty activities;
    6. when appropriate, must inform Council or other bodies of faculty resolutions;
    7. must inform the faculty of any resolution of Council or the Board affecting the faculty and must provide other information as may be necessary for the performance of the faculty’s functions; and
    8. has access at all times to the books, accounts and records of the faculty and the departments and schools of the faculty and may obtain from any relevant officer of the University such information as is required to perform the duties of dean effectively.
  2. Nothing within this or any other statute of the University is to be read as diminishing the accountability of a dean to the vice-chancellor, or to such other officers as the vice-chancellor determines, for the performance of his or her duties.

Publication arrangements

5.1.7
  1. The university secretary must maintain and publish a consolidated list of all academic units.
  2. The names of all faculties and graduate schools established by Council are to be set out in a regulation under this statute 5.1.
  3. Each faculty and graduate school must publish, in a form approved by the university secretary, and accessible throughout the University, details of its constituent departments, schools and research centres, including details of their management and governance arrangements.
  4. Each faculty and graduate school must publish details of the membership and frequency of meetings of its governance body discharging the functions set out in sections 5.1.2(1) and 5.1.3.
  5. The Board must publish details of similar information pertaining to those departments and schools which are responsible directly to the Board or which do not otherwise come within the responsibility of a faculty or graduate school.

 

 
[Enacted by Council 7/9/09 – approved by the Minister 22/12/09.]

 

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