Academic board
March 2005
by Peter Cardwell
Academic Board and Collegial Governance
The chair of Academic Board, Assoc Professor Adrian Vicary, gave a special presentation on the Committee’s structure and its role in the University’s collegial governance. Prof Vicary introduced his presentation with a summary of UniSA’s functions in preserving, extending and disseminating knowledge through teaching, research and scholarship. He also spoke of the University’s close relationship with industry, the professions and the community, as well as its special role in meeting the educational needs of Indigenous people and equity groups.
Academic Board was established by, and reports to, Council pursuant to the University of South Australia Act 1990. The chair is an ex officio member of Council under the Act. In line with its terms of reference Academic Board is required to report to Council on each of its meetings, to consider matters referred to it by Council and to receive reports from its sub-committees, Divisional Boards and Whyalla Board. The Board’s main role and functions are:
- To act as a forum for the debate of University-wide academic issues.
- To foster excellence in teaching, learning and research in the University.
- To oversee quality assurance and the administration of academic matters.
- To approve proposals for the development of undergraduate and postgraduate courses.
- To approve policies and procedures related to teaching, learning, research and student administration.
- To provide advice on the development of the annual Institutional Assessment Framework and associated matters.
- To provide formal input into the corporate planning process through the review of priorities and parameters for the annual Corporate Plan.
Following a review of Academic Board in 2003, the membership has risen from 37 to 40 to enhance its representative nature. This includes the chair and deputy chair elected from the University, Senior Management Group members holding ex officio membership, the Directors of the Flexible Learning Centre, the Library and Student and Academic Services, the Dean of Graduate Studies, the Dean of Whyalla, three academic staff members from each Division, five elected students, a representative of the Professoriate, a Heads of School representative, a general staff representative, an academic staff representative from the portfolio of Access and Learning Support, a Whyalla staff representative, a Director from a University recognised Research Institute or Centre and a representative of Divisional Managers.
Academic Board has five standing sub-committees: Academic Policy and Program Review Committee (APPRC), the University Teaching and Learning Committee (TALC), Research Policy Committee (RPC), Research Degrees Committee (RDC) and Student Services Advisory Committee (SSAC). Each of these committees has a Charter and terms of reference, and are required to report to Academic Board at least twice a year. Divisional and Whyalla Boards also report to the Board.
In concluding his presentation, Prof Vicary described in some detail the role and function of APPRC, which recommends to Academic Board new coursework programs and amendments to existing coursework programs and courses at undergraduate and postgraduate levels. In addition, APPRC carries out the development and review of academic policies on quality assurance and improvement in relation to these programs.
Internal Transfer between programs 2005
In accordance with the University’s Internal Program Transfer Policy, Academic Board received and noted lists of programs for which internal transfer will be permitted in the Divisions of Business and IT, Engineering and the Environment from Study Period 2, 2005. It was noted that internal transfer only applies to those programs for which significant commonality exists in the early years of the program or where students wish to transfer from a double degree to one of the contributing single degrees.
New Indigenous Scholarships
New Indigenous Scholarships were approved for introduction in the Division of Business. The scholarships valued at $4,000 per annum will provide a living allowance to contribute to independent academic study for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students admitted to a full-time undergraduate program offered by the Division. Preference will be given to applicants who wish to study the Bachelor of Commerce, Bachelor of Tourism and the Bachelor of Applied Science (Recreation Planning and Management).
Program Development
The following program development proposals were approved:
Division of Education, Arts and Social Sciences
Category B Amendment – Master of Catholic Education.
New Program – Bachelor of Applied Language and Intercultural Communication.
Division of Health Sciences
Category B Amendment – Bachelor of Applied Science (Human Movement and Health Studies).
New Program – Bachelor of Applied Science (Human Movement and Health Studies) with Bachelor of Education (Middle and Secondary).
Division of IT, Engineering and the Environment
B Amendment – Master of Facilities and Asset Management.
New Program – Master of Human Factors and Safety Management Systems.