University Rules:
Academic Board Rules


1.	These Rules are made pursuant to Statute No. 24 Academic Board.

2.	Constitution of the Board:

       (a)	The constitution of the Board shall be:

       i.	Vice-Chancellor; 
       ii.	Deputy Vice-Chancellors; 
       iii.	Pro-Vice-Chancellors; 
iv.	From each Faculty with an Executive Dean:
(1)	Executive Dean;
(2)	Two Heads of School nominated by the Faculty Board;
(3)	Two Professors nominated by the Faculty Board;
(4)	Two Academic Staff members elected by the Faculty;
       v.	For the Faculty of Regional Professional Studies: 
       (1)	Dean;
(2)	Two Academic Staff members, elected by the Faculty, at least one of whom will be a Senior Lecturer or above;
vi.	Director of the Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts;
vii.	Head of Kurongkurl Katitjin Centre for Indigenous Australian Education and Research; 
       viii.	President, Academic Staff Association or nominee; 
ix.	President of the Student Guild or nominee, and up to two coopted students nominated by student organisations accepted by the Board as appropriate to make such nominations, at least one being a postgraduate student;
       x.	Up to three members co-opted by the Board.
       
(b)		The Board may appoint observer-participants and admit observers to its meetings. 

[Rule 2 amended by Amending Rule No 6 of 2010] 
[Rule 2 amended by Amending Rule No 1 of 2007]
[Rule 2 amended by No 3 of 2003]
[Rule 2 amended by No 3 of 2002]
[Rule 2 amended by No 4 of 2001]

3.	The Board shall have an Executive consisting of the Chairperson and Deputy Chairperson of the Board and the Vice-Chancellor.  The Executive shall consult with the Chairperson(s) of the relevant Board Committee(s) and will report decisions taken to the next meeting of the Board for its endorsement.

(a) the terms of reference for the Executive shall be:

i. To make decisions, subject to any limits imposed by the Academic Board, on matters that arise between Academic Board meetings which would ordinarily be decided by the Academic Board and which cannot await determination until the next Academic Board meeting, and report to Academic Board accordingly at its next meeting for noting. 
ii. To advise on and make recommendations to Academic Board concerning matters of strategic importance, or sensitivity or commercial (or other) confidentiality, including the formation of ad hoc task forces to address such matters. 
iii. To make decisions on matters delegated to the Executive by the Academic Board. 

(b) The Chairperson of the Board shall be the Chairperson of the Executive. 

(c).The Manager, Academic Governance, as Secretary, shall be in attendance at the Executive meeting. 

[Rule 3 amended by Amending Rule No 6 of 2010]

4.	Terms of Office

	(a)	Members who hold office ex-officio will be members of the Board for the period they hold their respective ex-officio office.

	(b)	Members who are elected or nominated hold office for a period not exceeding three years, as specified in the notice of election or nomination as the case may be, and shall be eligible for re-election except that in the case of members holding office under section 2(a)(ix) the terms of office shall be for a period of one year.

	(c)	Members who are co-opted hold office for a period not exceeding three years, as specified in the notice of co-option, and shall be eligible for a further period of co-option.

	(d)	A person elected as Chairperson shall hold office for a period not exceeding three years and will be eligible for re-election;

	(e)	A person elected as Deputy Chairperson shall hold office for a period not exceeding three years and will be eligible for re-election.

5.	Deputy Representation

	(a)	Where a designated or ex-officio position is occupied by a person who has been formally appointed as acting in that position then that person has all the rights of the designated or ex-officio member.

(b) Bodies may elect deputies for members whom they have elected under Rule 2 for the same term that those persons are elected, and those deputies may attend meetings in the absence of the primary member and will have all the rights of the primary member.

(c) Bodies may nominate deputies for Board members whom they have elected under Rule 2 for the same term that those persons are nominated, and those deputies may attend meetings in the absence of the primary member and will have all the rights of the primary member

6.	Meetings

	(a)	The Chairperson of the Board shall preside at all meetings at which he or she is present.  If the Chairperson is not present at any meeting the Deputy Chairperson shall preside.

	(b)	If at any meeting of the Board the Chairperson is not present and the Deputy Chairperson is not present the members present shall elect a member to preside at that meeting and such a member has all the powers and duties of the Chairperson of the Board.

	(c)	The Board shall hold such meetings as are necessary for the performance of its functions.

	(d)	The Vice-Chancellor or Chairperson of the Board may at any time convene a meeting of the Board and shall convene a meeting of the Board when requested in writing by any four members of the Board.

	(e)	Subject to the requirements of this section the Board may regulate its own procedure in such manner as it thinks fit.

	(f)	Personal Interest
		A member of the Board is not entitled to vote either on the Board or on any committee of the Board including the Executive of the Board, on any question in respect of which he or she has a material personal interest, and if a member of the Board so votes his or her vote shall be disregarded.

	(g)	At a meeting of the Board not less than one half of the total number of members for the time being forms a quorum where the expression 'for the time being' means the full number of members constituting the Academic Board less any vacancies, and less any member who has an approved leave of absence.

	(h)	In the event of a quorum not being present within 30 minutes after the time appointed for a meeting the meeting shall be adjourned to a time not later than fourteen days after the date of such adjournment.

	(i)	At a meeting:

		(i)	all motions shall be passed on the basis of a majority of the valid votes of members present;

		(ii)	the Chairperson of the Board shall have a deliberative vote only;

		(iii)	when any question voted upon by the Board results in an equal number for and against, the Chairperson of the Board shall declare the question lost.

	(j)	A resolution of the Board shall not be rescinded unless notice of the intention to propose such rescission is placed on the agenda of a meeting.

	(k)	No act or thing done by the Board is invalidated, prejudiced or affected by reason of any vacancy in the membership of the Board or any failure to appoint or elect any member of the Board, or any defect or irregularity in the appointment or election of any person purporting to be a member so long as a quorum of the Board remains.

[Rule 6 amended by Amending Rule No 6 of 2010]

7.	Committees of the Board

	(a)	The Board from time to time may:

		(i)	appoint Committees either for general or specific purposes;

		(ii)	require a Committee to advise the Board in respect of any matter or class of matters;

		(iii)	require a Committee to report to the Board on its activities at such times and in such manner as the Board directs.

	(b)	The membership of Committees appointed by the Board shall be determined by the Board.

	(c)	For each Committee:

		(i)	the Chairperson shall be as specified in its composition;

		(ii)	the Committee shall elect a Deputy Chairperson from among its members;

		(iii)	up to three persons may be co-opted for periods not exceeding two years, and shall be eligible for a further similar period of co-option.

	(d)	The Vice-Chancellor shall be an ex-officio member of all Committees established by the Board.

(e)	The Manager, Academic Governance will appoint an Executive Officer to each Committee.

	[Rule 7 amended by Amending Rule No 6 of 2010]
 	[Rule 7 amended by Amending Rule No 1 of 2007]



Approved: Council - 9 December 1993. Effective from 8 March 1994.
Amended: Council - Rule Amendment 1 of 1995 (30 March 1995), Rule Amendment 3 of 1995 (22 June 1995),
Rule Amendment 1 of 1998 (26 March 1998), Rule Amendment 3 of 1998 (30 July 1998),
Rule Amendment 5 of 1999 (21 October 1999).
Rule Amendment 4 of 2001 (7 December 2001).
Rule Amendment No 3 of 2002 (21 February 2002).
Rule Amendment No 3 of 2003 (22 August 2003)
Amending Rule No 1 of 2007 (22 March 2007)
Amending Rule No 6 of 2010 (9 December 2010)


For further information contact: 		Janice Tracey
Manager, Governance Services 
Edith Cowan University 
Telephone: 6304 2453 
Facsimile: 6304 2661 
Edith Cowan University
Academic Board Rules