• Section 1 - Purpose
• Scope
• Section 2 - Policy
• Section 3 - Procedure
• Requesting Amendments to the Delegations of Authority Policy or Register
• Minor Amendments
• Other Amendments
• Appointing an Agent
• Section 4 - Guidelines
• Section 5 - Definitions

Section 1 - Purpose

(1) This Procedure provides instructions on how to request an amendment, deletion or addition to the Delegations of Authority Register in accordance with the Delegations of Authority Policy. This includes documenting the appointment of an Authorised Agent. 

Scope

(2) This Procedure applies to all University bodies, committees, officers and employees.

Section 2 - Policy

(3) Refer to the Delegations of Authority Policy.

Section 3 - Procedure

Requesting Amendments to the Delegations of Authority Policy or Register

(4) Requests for an amendment, deletion or addition must be submitted to the Policy Enquiries Contact and include the following information:

1. proposer's name and position;
2. amendment requested including (reference to) any relevant existing Delegations;
3. justification;
4. proposed date of effect of amendment; and
5. evidence of endorsement by the existing Delegate (if relevant).

(5) Governance Services will determine whether the amendment is minor or otherwise. Following the outcome of a request, the Director, Governance Services or the Policy Manager will provide information on that outcome to the relevant Proposer.

Minor Amendments

(6) Minor amendments are those arising from an approved management action, provided that these do not represent a substantive change to a Delegation.

(7) Governance Services will:

1. publish amendments to the Delegations of Authority Policy and/or Delegations of Authority Register;
2. submit minor amendment requests as required, for the Vice-Chancellor's approval (noting amendments that are considered administrative, for example update of approved changes to position titles/department or area titles may be made by the Director, Governance Services as the Vice-Chancellor's Authorised Agent);
3. advise the proposer and the Delegate (if relevant) of the outcome;
4. update the Delegations of Authority Policy and/or Delegations of Authority Register on Policy Central; and
5. advise any other relevant stakeholders of the update.

(8) An annual report on amendments to the Delegations of Authority Policy and/or Delegations of Authority Register will be submitted to the Audit and Risk Committee.

Other Amendments

(9) Amendments that will change the scope, intent or application of delegated functions (for example the deletion or addition of a Delegation or changes to a delegated function) will be submitted to the Audit and Risk Committee for consideration and approval (if deemed appropriate) or, in the case of amendments to Financial Expenditure Delegations, to the Finance and Facilities Committee for consideration and approval (if deemed appropriate).

(10) Amendments approved by the Audit and Risk Committee or the Finance and Facilities Committee will subsequently be reported to Council.

(11) Approved amendments will be documented through the upload of an updated version of the Delegations of Authority Register on Policy Central by Governance Services.

Appointing an Agent

(12) The appointment of an Authorised Agent must:

1. be submitted in writing to the Policy Enquiries Contact by the Delegate;
2. specify the function(s) which the Authorised Agent will be exercising for and on behalf of the Delegate (this may be a general or limited authority); and
3. specify the period for which the Authorised Agent may act.

(13) Authorised Agent appointments that exceed 12 weeks must be published on the Delegations of Authority Register. The insertion of details of Authorised Agents in the Delegations of Authority Register and changes to those details are considered minor amendments and will be dealt with in accordance with clauses 6 – 8 of this Procedure.

(14) Note: Clause 13 of the Delegations of Authority Policy states that where a person is duly appointed as a temporary or acting occupant of an office, that person has the authority delegated to the position in which they are acting unless otherwise specified in the Delegations of Authority Register. Accordingly, in such circumstances there is no need to write to the Policy Enquiries Contact to appoint an Authorised Agent.

Section 4 - Guidelines

(15) Nil.

Section 5 - Definitions

(16) The following definitions apply for the purpose of this Procedure:

1. Authorised Agent means an officer or employee who is authorised in the Delegations of Authority Register to exercise a Delegation for and on behalf of a Delegate.
2. Delegate refers to a body, committee, officer or employee authorised to act and to make decisions concerning a specified power as delegated by Council and documented in the Delegations of Authority Register, or in a separate resolution of Council.
3. Delegation is an act of Council under section 17 of the Macquarie University Act 1989(NSW) which confers the authority to act and the power to make decisions to a specific body, committee, officer or employee of the University.
4. Delegations of Authority Framework is the Delegations of Authority Policy, the Delegations of Authority Procedure and the Delegations of Authority Register.
5. Delegations of Authority Register is the official record of the University's delegated functions and authorities, together with the approved delegate for each delegation, as authorised by Council. The Register can be accessed via the Associated Documents tab of the Delegations of Authority Policy on Policy Central.
6. Financial Expenditure Delegation is a Delegation that allows the Delegate identified in section 2 (Finance and Property) of the Delegations of Authority Register to financially commit the University and/or incur debts or liabilities for the University not exceeding the limits assigned to the Delegate band approval level.
7. Reserved Powers of Council are authorities retained by Council.