THE AUSTRALIAN NATIONAL UNIVERSITY
 
Australian National University Act 1991
 
AUSTRALIAN NATIONAL UNIVERSITY ACADEMIC BOARD STATUTE 2013
 
The Council of The Australian National University makes this Statute under section 50 of the Australian National University Act 1991.
 
Dated: 15 February 2013.
 
 
 
 
 
Professor the Hon Gareth Evans AC QC FASSA
Chancellor
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1  Name of Statute
1.1        This is the Australian National University Academic Board Statute 2013.
2  Commencement
2.1        This Statute commences on 15 February 2013.
3  Definitions
3.1        In this Statute, unless the contrary intention appears:
Board means Academic Board established under section 4;
Rules means Rules made under this Statute.
4  Establishment of Board
4.1        There is to be an Academic Board established for the University with the powers and functions mentioned in this Statute and the Rules.
5  Chair and Deputy Chair of Board
5.1        The Council, on the recommendation of the Vice-Chancellor, is to appoint a person to Chair the Academic Board.
5.2        The Board is to appoint one of its members to be the Deputy Chair of the Board.
5.3        The term of appointment of the Chair of the Board is to be 2 years, but may be renewed for 1 further term of 2 years.
5.4        The Chair may, where necessary, undertake executive action on behalf of the Board between meetings and must report any such action back to the Board as soon as practicable.
6       Constitution of Board
6.1        The Academic Board consists of the following members:
              (a)   the Chair appointed under section 5;
              (b)   the Deputy Vice-Chancellors;
              (c)   the Pro Vice-Chancellors;
              (d)   the Registrars;
              (e)   the Deans of the ANU Colleges;
               (f)   the Dean of the ANU Medical School;
              (g)   4 persons elected from among the number of the Deans or Directors of academic schools or centres as mentioned in an Order made by the Vice-Chancellor for the purpose;
              (h)   3 academic staff elected from among their number in the ANU College of Arts and Social Sciences;
               (i)   3 academic staff elected from among their number in the ANU College of Asia and the Pacific;
               (j)   3 academic staff elected from among their number in the ANU College of Business and Economics;
              (k)   2 academic staff elected from among their number in the ANU College of Engineering and Computer Science;
               (l)   2 academic staff elected from among their number in the ANU College of Law;
             (m)   3 academic staff elected from among their number in the ANU College of Medicine, Biology and Environment;
              (n)   3 academic staff elected from among their number in the ANU College of Physical and Mathematical Sciences;
              (o)   2 members of the general staff elected from among their number;
              (p)   1 postgraduate student appointed by the Vice-Chancellor in consultation with the President of the Postgraduate and Research Students' Association Inc.;
              (q)   1 undergraduate student appointed by the Vice-Chancellor in consultation with the President of the Australian National University Students' Association Inc.;
              (r)   if there is no indigenous person holding a position on the Board, the Vice Chancellor, after consulting with the Tjabal Indigenous Higher Education Centre is to nominate 1 member of the academic staff who is an indigenous person to be a member of the Board.
6.2        The Chair of the Board with the agreement of the Board may appoint up to 5 additional members to provide a diversity of views if the Chair believes the current membership of the Board does not reflect the academic and cultural diversity of the University.
6.3        Subject to subsection 6.4, the term of appointment of each elected or appointed member of the Board is to be 2 years, but may be renewed.
6.4        The term of appointment of each appointed member of the Board mentioned in paragraph 6.1(p) and (q) is to be 1 year, but may be renewed.
7  Functions and powers of Board
7.1        For section 4, the functions of the Academic Board include:
              (a)   operating with the assistance of specialist committees: Education, Research, Access and Equity;
              (b)   accrediting and reaccrediting programs and changes to existing programs;
              (c)   ensuring the maintenance of the highest standards in teaching, scholarship and research within the University;
              (d)   approving Degrees and other awards;
              (e)   discussing and developing policy recommendations in relation to the University’s academic matters;
               (f)   maintaining an effective overview of the academic activities of the University and advising and assisting in their coordination;
              (g)   advising on the academic aspects and content of the University’s strategic plan;
              (h)   providing a forum to facilitate information flow and debate within the University and between the senior executive officers of the University and the wider academic community;
               (i)   reporting to the University Council at intervals, and in the manner specified by the University Council, on the performance of its functions.
7.2        The Board may perform such other functions, undertake such other responsibilities or exercise such other powers as the Vice-Chancellor from time to time directs or as are set out in the Rules.
7.3        The Board may appoint committees in accordance with the Rules to assist it in carrying out its functions.
7.4        In giving advice to the Council or the Vice-Chancellor, the Board may consult with University policy committees, committees of the Board or other University bodies or members.
7.5        The Chair of the Board is to provide the Council with such reports relating to the operations of the Board as the Council requests.
8       Board meetings
8.1        The Chair of the Academic Board is to convene all meetings of the Board and preside at all meetings of the Board at which he or she is present.
 
[Note: It is expected that the Board will meet at least 6 times per year.]
8.2        At a meeting of the Board, 50% of its members constitute a quorum, or, if that number is not a whole number, then the next whole number greater than the first-mentioned number.
8.3        The Chair of the Board must convene a meeting of the Board at any time if asked to do so by at least 50% of the members.
8.4        The procedure at meetings of the Board is to be determined by the Chair taking into account the advice of the members.
8.5        The Vice-Chancellor is to nominate officers of the University to provide secretariat and other support to the Board.
8.6        At a meeting of the Board, the Chair has a deliberative and a casting vote.
8.7        If the Chair is for any reason unable to convene or chair a meeting of the Board or otherwise perform the functions or duties of Chair of the Board, the Deputy Chair is to act in the place of the Chair.
8.8        If an elected academic staff member from a College is unable to attend a meeting, the Head of that College may nominate an alternate to attend that meeting.
9       Vacancies
9.1        If an elected or appointed member is absent for 3 meetings of the Board without the approval of the Chair, the member may be removed from the Board and the Chair may appoint a person who would otherwise be eligible for election or appointment to the position to complete the remainder of the former member’s term of office.
9.2        If an elected position of a member falls vacant due to:
·         the resignation of the member; or
·         the death of the member; or
·         the member ceasing to hold the requisite qualifications for the position;
the Chair may appoint a person who would otherwise be eligible for election to the position to complete the remainder of the former member’s term of office.
10     Repeal
10.1      The Australian National University Academic Board Statute 2012, as amended and in force immediately before the commencement of this Statute, is repealed.
11  Rules and Orders
11.1      The Council may make Rules not inconsistent with this Statute, prescribing all matters required or permitted by this Statute to be prescribed, or necessary or convenient to be prescribed, for carrying out or giving effect to this Statute and, in particular, may make Rules about the following matters:
              (a)   setting out powers and functions of the Board;
              (b)   providing for the organisation and operations of the Board;
              (c)   establishing and regulating the operations of University committees and subcommittees established under the Rules or by the Board.
11.2      For the purposes of paragraph 6.1(g), the Vice-Chancellor may make an Order setting out the names of relevant schools and centres.
 
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