• Section 1 - Establishment
• Section 2 - Membership
• Section 3 - Functions and Responsibilities
• Section 4 - Meetings
• Section 5 - Variations
• Section 6 - Definitions

Section 1 - Establishment

Background

(1) Each Faculty will establish a Faculty Board as set out in the Faculty Rules under clause 12.

Purpose

(2) The Faculty Board is the academic governance body of each Faculty with general responsibility for any academic matter related to the functioning of the Faculty.

Authority

(3) The Faculty Board has authority delegated by Council as specified in the Delegations of Authority Register section 5, Delegation References 5.6, 5.11 and 5.15 and noted in Section 3 of these Terms of Reference. The Faculty Board is the authorised agent of Academic Senate to carry out functions as detailed in the Delegations of Authority Register section 5, Delegation References 5.1, 5.3, 5.4, 5.5 and 5.9, and is also authorised by the Registrar to carry out functions as detailed in the Delegations of Authority Register section 6, Delegation Reference 6.9 and noted in Section 3 of these Terms of Reference.

Section 2 - Membership

(4) The members of the Faculty Board are:

1. the Executive Dean of the Faculty (ex-officio);
2. the Deputy Deans of the Faculty (ex-officio);
3. the Associate Deans of the Faculty (ex-officio);
4. the Head or Dean of each Department or School of the Faculty (ex-officio);
5. the Faculty Executive Director (ex-officio);
6. at least one member elected by and from the continuing academic staff from each Department or School of the Faculty;
7. at least two student members elected by and from students enrolled in courses belonging to the Faculty;
8. one member elected by and from the continuing non-academic staff of the Faculty; and
9. one member co-opted from the academic staff outside the Faculty.

(5) The Chair may co-opt additional members from the continuing academic and professional staff to assist the Faculty Board to discharge its functions effectively. Co-opted members must be approved by a resolution of the Faculty Board.

(6) The Chair may allow observers to attend Faculty Board meetings.

Term of office

(7) The term of office for members elected under clauses 4 (f), (g) (h), and (i) will not exceed two years.

(8) The term of office for members co-opted under clause 5 will not exceed two years.

(9) Elected or appointed members of Faculty Boards are eligible to serve no more than three consecutive terms.

Appointment and Role of Chair

(10) The Executive Dean of the Faculty will Chair the Faculty Board.

(11) The Chair of the Faculty Board will nominate a Deputy Chair from the Deputy or Associate Deans of the Faculty.

Casual vacancies

(12) Where a casual vacancy occurs during the term of membership of an elected member, the following process will be used to fill the vacancy:

1. The next eligible nominee from the most recent election will be appointed to fill the vacancy, as long as that person still meets the eligibility criteria for the position.
2. If there are no eligible nominees, a call for expressions of interest will be made. All eligible nominees will be considered for appointment to the casual vacancy by a panel comprising the Chair, Deputy Chair, and such other members of the Faculty Board the Chair may wish to include.
3. In either case, the Chair of the Faculty Board will approve the appointment of the nominee to fill the casual vacancy.

Section 3 - Functions and Responsibilities

Faculty Board responsibilities

(13) The Faculty Board will:

1. exercise its delegation to approve final grades for students in a unit of study;
2. exercise its delegation to determine conditions for Faculty specific prizes and scholarships (with the exception of philanthropic scholarships);
3. exercise its delegation to determine a Faculty’s unit offerings, including the approval of new units and the amendment, renewal or disestablishment of existing units;
4. review and endorse nominations from Heads of Departments/Deans of School and forward nominations to the University Medals Committee in accordance with the University Medal Policy and Procedure (section 3 – Procedures);
5. exercise its authorisations from the Academic Senate relating to courses of study, course components, and units of study in accordance with the Delegations of Authority Register (section 5 – Academic Matters);
6. exercise its authorisations relating to recognition of prior learning for coursework programs in accordance with the Delegations of Authority Register (section 6 – Student Administration and Student Services);  
7. carry out other functions relating to courses of study, course components, units of study and micro-credentials as specified in relevant University policies and procedures;
8. monitor the quality and standard of the Faculty’s academic activities, including but not limited to:
   1. reviewing student cohort data for admissions, progression, retention and completion;
   2. reviewing feedback from students on the quality of their learning experience, including teaching, supervision, and the overall delivery of units of study;
   3. the regular review of units, courses and course components (including annual health checks) as set out in the University’s curriculum lifecycle framework;
   4. benchmarking of data;
   5. external accreditation;
   6. academic integrity;
   7. research integrity; and
   8. third party arrangements (including for course delivery and research training).
9. report to the Academic Senate on any systemic issues identified that adversely affect the quality and standards of the Faculty’s academic activities, actions to address these issues, and the effectiveness of the actions;
10. discuss new and emerging risks relating academic activities (including mitigating actions) and report materials risks to the Academic Senate;
11. following a request from the Academic Senate, report on the Faculty’s compliance with the University’s external standards and internal standards (policies and procedures) relating to academic activities, including staff/scholarship, learning, teaching, curriculum, and research and research training;
12. oversee the Faculty’s alignment with the curriculum architecture requirements of the University, including delivery of an Indigenous connected curriculum;
13. oversee research and research training activities in the Faculty;
14. receive and consider reports, minutes or submissions from sub-committees of the Faculty Board;
15. nominate members of the Faculty Board to vacant positions on the sub-committees of Academic Senate;
16. ratify executive decisions made by the Executive Dean (in their capacity as Chair of the Faculty Board) between meetings of the Faculty Board;
17. discuss and report on any other matter referred to it by Academic Senate, the Vice-Chancellor, the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic), the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research), or the Executive Dean.

Establishment of sub-committees and working groups

(14) The Faculty Board may establish sub-committees to report to the Board on academic matters including:

1. courses of study for undergraduate and postgraduate studies;
2. research;
3. Higher Degree Research training; and
4. teaching and learning.

(15) The membership of such sub-committees will be determined by the Faculty Board and is not limited to members of the Faculty.

Section 4 - Meetings

Frequency

(16) The Faculty Board shall meet:

1. at least four times in each year;
2. whenever summoned by the Chair of the Faculty Board; and
3. whenever summoned upon the written request of the Vice-Chancellor, Academic Senate or of one-third of its members.

Quorum

(17) The number of members who constitute a quorum must be at least half the membership of the Faculty Board plus one, other than those members absent on approved leave and student members not attending the consideration of confidential matters as outlined in clause 20.

Agendas and Minutes

(18) The Faculty Board will be supported by Governance Services in accordance with the University’s standard committee servicing protocols.

Conflicts of interest

(19) Where a member has an actual, potential, or perceived conflict of interest, they must declare this prior to discussion of the item of business.

(20) Student members elected under clause 4(g) are exempt from considering confidential matters relating to:

1. student results;
2. student prizes, awards, and scholarships;
3. University Medal nominations; and
4. student discipline.

Reporting

(21) The Faculty Board will report to Academic Senate after each meeting.

Standing Orders

(22) The Academic Senate and Academic Senate Committees Procedure will apply to the conduct of Faculty Board meetings.

Section 5 - Variations

(23) Variations to the terms of reference of the Faculty Board must be approved by the Vice-Chancellor.

Section 6 - Definitions

(24) For the purpose of this document:

1. Faculty Board – means the Faculty Board of each of the University’s faculties, being the Faculty of Arts, the Macquarie Business School, the Faculty of Medicine, Health and Human Sciences, and the Faculty of Science and Engineering.