1. Preamble

1.1 The University of the Sunshine Coast Academic Board and its Standing Committees conduct their business in accordance with these Standing Orders.

1.2 Standing Committees of the Academic Board follow the same protocols as the Academic Board as set out in these Standing Orders and Chairpersons of Standing Committees have the same powers as the Chairperson of the Academic Board with respect to their committees unless otherwise stated.

1.3 Clauses contained in the Standing Orders may be suspended at a meeting, provided that a two-thirds majority of voting members agree to the suspension.

1.4 Any matters not covered in these Standing Orders shall be determined by decision of the Chairperson.

2. Membership

Chairpersons and Deputy Chairpersons

2.1 The Chairperson of the Academic Board is determined by Council.

2.2 The Chairperson holds office for a term, not longer than 2 years, decided by the Council. Council may elect to renew the term of office at the end of the Chairperson’s tenure. A chairperson may only serve two terms consecutively.

2.3 The Vice-Chancellor and President will nominate a member from amongst the academic community on the Academic Board as Deputy Chairperson of the Academic Board for a two-year term.

2.4 During a vacancy in the office of Chairperson of the Academic Board; and during all periods when the Chairperson of the Academic Board is absent from duty or, for any other reason, cannot perform the functions of the office, the Deputy Chairperson of the Academic Board is to act as the Chairperson of the Academic Board.

2.5 The Chairperson of the Academic Board will appoint the Chairperson for each Standing Committee of the Academic Board.

2.6 The Chairperson of the Academic Board will appoint a Deputy Chairperson of Standing Committees of the Academic Board on the recommendation of the Chairperson of that Standing Committee for a specified term.

2.7 The composition of the Academic Board is approved by Council.

2.8 The composition of Standing Committees of the Academic Board is approved by the Academic Board.

Co-option of members
2.8 The Chairperson of the Academic Board may co-opt members to the Academic Board for a specified length of time where particular expertise is required.

2.9 A co-opted member will have full voting rights.

Visitors
2.10 The Chairperson may invite people with expertise in areas relevant to the Academic Board’s work, to meetings having visitor status.

2.11 Visitors do not have voting rights but may participate in discussion.

Observers
2.12 Anyone may attend a meeting as an observer with the permission of the Chair.

2.13 Observers do not have voting rights and are not permitted to participate in discussion.

Equity
2.14 Gender balance on the Academic Board will be maintained as far as possible.

2.15 Nominating persons and bodies will be asked to consider the gender balance of the Academic Board when making nominations to it.

Nominees
2.16 A nominee on the Academic Board may not further delegate a nominee to the position they hold.

2.17 A member or observer may not send a proxy to a meeting on their behalf if they are unable to attend.

2.18 An elected member may nominate a replacement for themselves, with full voting rights, in the event that they will be unable to attend meetings for 6 months or more. The Chairperson of Academic Board approves the replacement nominee in advance of attending a meeting.

2.19 The term of office of any nominees will expire at the same time as the term of office of the member that they represent.

3. Meetings

3.1 At least five meetings of the Academic Board will be scheduled in every year.

3.2 A meeting schedule for the following year is approved by the Academic Board in Semester 2, each year.

3.3 Standing Committees of the Academic Board will meet at least 4 times a year, unless otherwise stated in the Committees’ Terms of Reference and Composition document.

3.4 The Chairperson may convene additional meetings of the Academic Board as required.

3.5 Not less than seven days’ notice of a special meeting of the Academic Board will be given to members.

3.6 The Vice-Chancellor and President may summon a special meeting of the Academic Board or a Standing Committee, for the purpose of considering any business to be submitted by the Vice-Chancellor and President.

3.7 The Chairperson may hold over any items of business until to the following meeting.

Order of Business

3.8 Items of business will be considered in the order set out in the agenda unless permission is sought by the Chairperson or members to change the order under “Order of Agenda Items”.

Starring of agenda items

3.9 At the beginning of the meeting, the Chairperson will invite members to star any unstarred agenda items for discussion.

3.10 The Chairperson will move a resolution to accept any unstarred agenda items containing recommendations as approved without further discussion.

Quorum

3.11 The quorum at any meeting of the Academic Board and its Standing Committees will be one-half of the voting members unless otherwise stated in the Academic Board/Committees’ composition and terms of reference document.

3.12 If after 20 minutes of the meeting’s scheduled commencement a quorum is still not present, the Chairperson will carry over any items requiring resolution to the following meeting, including any matters that have already been considered that require resolution.

3.13 If a quorum lapses during a meeting, the Chairperson will carry over any remaining items requiring resolution to the following meeting.

3.14 If a meeting is inquorate, the Academic Board may opt to continue discussing remaining agenda items, but no resolutions will be made.

3.15 The Secretary will take notes throughout an inquorate meeting and these will be circulated to members following the meeting as Meeting Notes.

Rules of Debate

3.16 Ideally, each starred item will receive a brief introduction from the relevant member.

3.17 Following the introduction, the Chairperson will open the matter for discussion. Discussion is usually informal, and questions are frequently decided by consensus. The Chairperson may take part in the Academic Board’s discussions.

Motions and voting

3.18 If a vote is required to determine a matter, it will normally be taken by a show of hands.

3.19 A decision will be made by a simple majority of votes.

3.20 In the case of an equality of votes, the Chairperson has a second, or casting vote.

3.21 Members’ dissent, abstention, or vote in relation to any matter will be recorded in the minutes upon request.

3.22 Members seeking to put a motion without notice need the approval of the Chairperson prior to the motion being put to the Academic Board.

Vested interest

3.23 Where a member has a vested interest in a matter before the Committee, the member may participate in discussion on the matter, after first declaring that interest, and must abstain from any decision-making on the matter.

4. General

Minutes

4.1 All proceedings of the Academic Board will be recorded by the Secretary.

4.2 A copy of the minutes will be circulated to members as soon as practicable.

Executive action/expedited approval

4.3 Approval of urgent items, deemed by the Chairperson as not requiring consultation with members, may be given by the Chairperson on behalf of the Academic Board/Committee under delegated authority.

4.4 The Chairpersons of Standing Committees of the Academic Board may recommend to the Chairperson of the Academic Board (or the Academic Board) that urgent items be considered by executive action.

4.5 A decision by the Chairperson to approve an item by expedited/executive action will only be made following consideration of any potential quality assurance issues or conflicts of interest, which could result from the Academic Board/Committee being excluded from the decision-making process.

4.6 A report on any Expedited/Executive Action taken by the Chairperson is noted at the next meeting.

4.7 A memorandum requesting executive approval or expedited approval for an item must be sent to the Chairperson via the Secretary.

Flying minutes

4.8 Where a decision of the Academic Board or Standing Committee, requiring consultation with members, is needed before the next scheduled meeting, the Chairperson may authorise a flying minute.

4.9 Members are provided with the relevant paperwork (usually by email) and are asked to confirm their vote by flying minute (return email) by a specified date.

4.10 If a recommendation by flying minute is not approved by two thirds of members, the Chairperson will determine whether the matter will be referred to the next meeting for discussion.

4.11 The Secretary prepares a report on the outcome of a flying minute for noting at the next meeting and the resolution made by flying minute is recorded in the minutes of that meeting.

Working Groups

4.12 The Academic Board may establish ad hoc committees and working groups as required.

Elections

4.13 Elections will be conducted in a manner prescribed by the Academic Board.

Induction

4.14 New members of the Academic Board will be invited to attend an induction session prior to their first meeting or as required.

4.15 Existing members will be invited to attend the inductions for new members.

4.16 New members will be provided with relevant support materials such as the Academic Board Handbook as part of the induction process.

Last revised:  Approved by Council on 20 December 2022.