Statute 2.5 - The Academic Board

(1) The Academic Board is a committee of the University Senate.

(2) The Academic Board shall consist of:

1. the Chair, Academic Board;
2. the Vice-Chancellor and President;
3. the Provost and Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic);
4. the Chief Operating Officer;
5. the Deputy Vice-Chancellors;
6. the Vice President and Director, Identity & Mission;
7. the Pro Vice-Chancellor (Global and Education Pathways);
8. the Pro Vice-Chancellor (Indigenous);
9. the Pro Vice-Chancellor (Research);
10. the Executive Deans of Faculties;
11. two Professorial Academic Staff members being two Professors at Level E from each Faculty elected in accordance with clause (4) of Statute 8.3 - Elections to the Academic Board by and from the professoriate of the Faculty employed at Level E (excluding those Professors who are members of the Academic Board ex officio) to serve for a period of two years;
12. two non-Professorial Academic Staff members at Levels A to D from each Faculty elected in accordance with clause (5) of Statute 8.3 - Elections to the Academic Board by and from the non-Professorial Academic Staff of the Faculty employed at Levels A to D to serve for a period of two years;
13. the Academic Registrar;
14. the Library Director;
15. the Director, Centre for Education and Innovation;
16. the Director, Pathways;
17. the Director, Student Experience;
18. the Deputy Provost;
19. an external Professor or Associate Professor appointed by the Chair, Academic Board;
20. two Students elected by all enrolled Students (including undergraduate, postgraduate coursework and postgraduate research Students) in accordance with Statute 8.3(6) to serve for a period of one year commencing 1 January;
21. the Chairs of Academic Board committees, if not otherwise members of the Academic Board.

(3) Members of Academic Board must act in the best interests of the University and exercise due care and diligence in preparing for and participating in the activities of the Academic Board.

(4) Elected and appointed members vacate their position if absent from consecutive meetings of the Academic Board without leave from the Chair.

(5) The Academic Board is responsible for all academic matters and exercises its responsibility consistent with the Catholic Mission and Values of the University. As informed by data and analysis, it will advise the Senate and the Vice-Chancellor and President on all developments and initiatives, including quality and standards, relating to the University's curriculum, teaching and research activities. In addition to the powers and functions of the Academic Board described in Clause 25 of the Constitution, the Academic Board shall be responsible to the Senate:

1. to exercise all Delegations provided to it by the Senate;
2. to set data-driven institutional benchmarks for academic activities, and to monitor, analyse and initiate action to improve performance against internal and external benchmarks;
3. to promote excellence and innovation in and monitor and oversee quality of teaching and learning, research and research training in the University; 
4. to monitor and contribute to the identification and remediation of academic risk;
5. to monitor institutional performance, education and remediation in the areas of academic and research integrity;
6. to monitor and oversee quality assurance and improvement in relation to the academic functions of the University;
7. to provide leadership to and communicate regularly with the University community regarding academic matters;
8. to foster, maintain and provide advice to Senate regarding Academic Freedom;
9. to formulate and coordinate the development, periodic review and maintenance of academic policies and procedures, and approve new and amended policies and procedures where permitted by the Delegations of Authority Policy and Register;
10. to approve new award and non-award courses of study;
11. as part of the process of internal accreditation of courses of study, to monitor and systematically review all existing courses of study;
12. to consider and take action on reports from the Standing Committees of the Academic Board, from Faculties and from business units;
13. where appropriate, to refer matters to the Standing Committees of the Academic Board, to Faculties and to business units within the University, for consideration and report;
14. to advise on academic aspects of the formulation and review of the University's Strategic Plan;
15. to endorse and oversee the implementation of the University Learning and Teaching and Research Plans;
16. to ensure that course development and review, teaching and learning, research and research training align with the University's Strategic Plan; 
17. to foster discourse on issues related to higher education and the University's educational plans and strategies;
18. to provide advice on relevant recommendations of internal and external reviews of the University's organisational units; and
19. to undertake regular reviews of the Terms of Reference of its Standing Committees and to approve those Terms of Reference.

(6) Only a person of the rank of Professor or Associate Professor will be eligible to serve as Chair, Academic Board.

(7) The Chair, Academic Board will be appointed by the Senate upon the recommendation of the Vice-Chancellor and President, subject to fulfilment of the following process:

1. No less than ten (10) weeks prior to the expiry of the Chair, Academic Board's term of office, Academic staff employed by ACU at Level D (Associate Professor) and Level E (Professor) in accordance with the terms of the Enterprise Agreement and whose salary is prescribed by Part A of Schedule 1 of the Enterprise Agreement, will be invited to indicate their willingness to serve as Chair. Such persons will be given no less than two (2) weeks in which to respond and will be required to submit a written statement as to their suitability for the office.
2. At the conclusion of the process prescribed by clause 7(a), all members of Academic Board will be notified of the names of any Professor or Associate Professor who has indicated a willingness to serve, along with a copy of their written statement.
3. The Vice-Chancellor and President will then invite members of Academic Board to indicate, in writing, their support for any persons identified under clause 7(b) or any other Professor or Associate Professor who is a member of Academic Board. This process will be undertaken in confidence and members of Academic Board may provide reasons for their support, or otherwise. Members of Academic Board will be given no less than three (3) weeks to communicate with the Vice-Chancellor and President under clause 7(c).
4. The Vice-Chancellor and President will consider the views so received under clause 7(c) and is at liberty to consult with members of Academic Board at their discretion.
5. On completion of the steps required by clauses 7(a) through 7(d) above, the Vice-Chancellor and President will make a recommendation to Senate for the appointment of Chair, Academic Board.

(8) The Chair, Academic Board is appointed for a three-year term of office. An incumbent Chair, Academic Board is eligible for re-appointment for a second term, up to a total limit of two terms of consecutive service (that is, a maximum of six years). Appointment as Chair, Academic Board for more than two terms of consecutive service is not permitted.

(9) Where a casual vacancy in the role of Chair, Academic Board occurs, the provisions in clause 9 or 10 shall apply until such time as a new Chair has been appointed.

(10) A member appointed to fill a casual vacancy in the role of Chair, Academic Board shall hold office for the remainder of the vacating Chair's original term of office.

(11) The Academic Board shall elect, in accordance with Statute 8.3(3), one of its Academic Staff members to be Deputy Chair for a term of two years. Only a person of the rank of Professor or Associate Professor will be eligible to serve as Deputy Chair of the Academic Board. Any person so elected shall be eligible for re-election for a second term, up to a total limit of two terms of consecutive service (that is, a maximum of four years). Appointment as Deputy Chair of Academic Board for more than two terms of consecutive service is not permitted.

(12) The Deputy Chair is to act as Chair in the absence of the Chair or during any vacancy in office of the Chair, Academic Board.

(13) In the absence of both the Chair and Deputy Chair at any meeting, the members of the Academic Board present must elect a person who is a member of the Academic Board to chair the meeting. Any such election shall be conducted at the direction  of the Secretary or the Director, Legal, Assurance and Governance.

(14) The Academic Board may appoint such Standing Committees as it thinks fit and may by resolution delegate any of its powers, authorities, duties and functions (other than this power of delegation) to any such committee, or to any officer of the University. Every delegation under this section shall be revocable by resolution of the Academic Board and no such delegation shall prevent the exercise or discharge by the Academic Board of any of its powers, authorities, duties or functions.

(15) The Academic Board shall meet:

1. on such occasions as may be necessary for the despatch of its business but not less frequently than once per semester; and
2. when convened:
   1. by the Chair at their discretion; or
   2. on the written request of the Chancellor, the Vice-Chancellor and President or ten members of the Academic Board.

(16) The Academic Board shall regulate its own proceedings at its meetings.

(17) A majority of the members of the Academic Board shall constitute a quorum and the Academic Board may function notwithstanding a vacancy in its membership from time to time so long as a quorum remains.

(18) At a meeting of the Academic Board, each Academic Board member shall have one (1) vote.