• Section 1 - Overview
• Curriculum Committee
• Objectives
• Section 2 - Curriculum Committee Membership
• Membership
• In attendance
• Appointment procedure for appointed members
• Acting ex officio members
• Term of office
• Co-opted members
• Gender representation objectives
• Section 3 - Curriculum Committee Functions
• Functions
• General
• Authority
• Section 4 - Related Committees
• Section 5 - Authorities
• Committee of Academic Board
• Section 6 - Conduct of Curriculum Committee Business
• Reporting
• Meetings
• Business papers
• Quorum
• Use of technology
• Resolutions
• Confirmation of minutes
• Self-review
• Secretary to Curriculum Committee
• Standing Orders
• Section 7 - Definitions and Interpretation
• Definitions
• Interpretation
• Curriculum Committee governing documents

Section 1 - Overview

Curriculum Committee

(1) The Curriculum Committee is established as a University Committee to support the Academic Board.

(2) These Terms of Reference for the Curriculum Committee prescribe the following:

1. the members and observers of the Curriculum Committee, and the members' method and term of appointment;
2. the functions of the Curriculum Committee; and
3. other matters in connection with the Curriculum Committee and its operation.

(3) The establishment of this Committee and of the Terms of Reference of the Committee to carry out the business of the Academic Board are actions authorised under Section 23 of the UNE By-law 2005. The provisions of these Terms of Reference take effect as a Council Rule made under Section 29 of the UNE Act.

Objectives

(4) The role of the Curriculum Committee is to oversee and report to the Academic Board on the courses offered by the University. 

Section 2 - Curriculum Committee Membership

Membership

(5) The members of the Curriculum Committee are as follows:

1. Chair:
   1. The Chair of the Curriculum Committee is appointed by the Chair of Academic Board after a call for expressions of interest from Level D/E academic staff.   The Chair of Academic Board may ask the Curriculum Committee to recommend a candidate for appointment.
2. Deputy Chair:
   1. Any member of Curriculum Committee who is a staff member can be appointed as the Deputy Chair by the Chair of Academic Board for a period of up to two (2) years.
   2. Any power conferred on the Chair by these Terms of Reference and associated Standing Orders may be exercised by the Deputy Chair in the Chair’s absence. The Deputy Chair is not required to meet the eligibility of the Chair position when taking on the power conferred on the Chair by these Terms of Reference.
3. Ex officio members:
   1. Executive Principal Education Futures;
   2. Director of Learning and Teaching Transformation;
   3. Director, Education Quality (or nominee);
   4. Executive Principal Student Experience (or nominee);
   5. Associate Deans Teaching and Learning;
   6. Chairs of the Faculty/Portfolio Education Committees (normally the Associate Deans Teaching and Learning);
   7. Chair of Academic Board (or nominee who is a senior academic at Level C or above and an elected member of the Board);
4. Appointed members
   1. One senior member of academic staff at Level C or above who is well-versed in course and curriculum design from each Faculty, appointed by the Dean (or nominee);
   2. One junior academic member of staff (Level A or B) from each Faculty, appointed by the Committee after an expression of interest process;
   3. One member of academic staff who identifies as being of Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander descent, appointed by the Chair after an expression of interest process;
   4. One undergraduate Current Student appointed by the Chair after an expression of interest process; and
   5. One postgraduate coursework Current Student appointed by the Chair after an expression of interest process.
5. Current Student members:
   1. The Current Student members may be student representatives elected to Academic Board, but it is not a requirement.

(6) The Curriculum Committee can co-opt members in order to achieve or maintain gender diversity.

In attendance

(7) At the discretion of the Chair, the Committee can also invite non-voting individuals as observers to
attend regular or individual meetings, provide appropriate expertise as necessary, and contribute to discussion upon
invitation by the Chair.

Appointment procedure for appointed members

(8) Appointed members of the Curriculum Committee are appointed when a vacancy occurs. 

Appointments

(9) Appointment of members will be made as per these Terms of Reference and the Standing Orders of Academic Board and Committees.

Automatic vacancy of an appointed representative

(10) An appointed position becomes vacant automatically if:

1. the appointed member is absent without prior leave from the Chair from three consecutive Curriculum Committee meetings; or
2. the appointed member loses his/her original qualification for appointment.

Acting ex officio members

(11) An ex officio member of the Curriculum Committee includes a person who has been appointed on an 'acting' basis to the role.

Term of office

Ex officio members

(12) The ex officio members will be Curriculum Committee members while they hold their primary office.

Appointed members

(13) The term of office of an appointed member is two years. Appointed members may stand for re-appointment.

Co-opted members

(14) Members co-opted under Clause 6 will have tenure for one year, renewable to a maximum of three years.

Gender representation objectives

(15) Gender representation shall accord with the Gender Representation on Decision-Making and Advisory Committees Policy.

Section 3 - Curriculum Committee Functions

Functions

(16) The functions of the Curriculum Committee are to oversee the academic governance of the following aspects of the University’s curricula:

1. The overall composition and profile of the University’s courses;
2. Course reviews;
3. The establishment and disestablishment of courses at the University; and
4. Significant Course Amendments, including gradual changes over time. Significant Course Amendments include changes to:
   1. Course title;
   2. Qualifications awarded;
   3. Course level learning outcomes affecting more than 30% of the course (e.g. through the introduction of a new major or a concomitant increase or reduction in overall volume of learning);
   4. Design or delivery of the course that engenders markedly different graduate attributes.

(17) The Curriculum Committee will consider, and if it deems fit, endorse the graduation lists of students (other than higher degree research students) as required under the University’s Graduation Rule. 

(18) The Curriculum Committee will provide assurance (or otherwise) to the Academic Board that students have opportunities to participate in Academic Governance.

(19) The Curriculum Committee may exercise such other authority as may be delegated to the Curriculum Committee under a University Rule, Policy or Procedure. 

General

(20) The Curriculum Committee may form working groups from time to time to undertake specific projects and tasks related to their functions.

Authority

(21) The Curriculum Committee is authorised to seek data and information from the University through the Executive Principal Education Futures to meet the Curriculum Committee's duties and functions.

Section 4 - Related Committees

(22) Each Faculty will have a committee that oversees its courses and units at a Faculty level.

Section 5 - Authorities

Committee of Academic Board

(23) The Curriculum Committee is established as a committee of Academic Board to perform the functions set out above and all matters ancillary to those functions.

Section 6 - Conduct of Curriculum Committee Business

Reporting

(24) The Curriculum Committee reports to the Academic Board, including in an annual report of the Committee’s performance of its functions.

Meetings

(25) The Curriculum Committee will meet up to nine times per year (usually eight) or otherwise as required in order to perform its functions.

Business papers

(26) Unless the Chair directs otherwise, Curriculum Committee business papers will be distributed to Curriculum Committee members and official attendees, at least seven days prior to the meeting, or such shorter period as is practicable.

(27) Public disclosure of business papers, minutes and other information received by the Curriculum Committee should be made via the Chair or Secretary of the Curriculum Committee.

Quorum

(28) At any meeting of the Curriculum Committee, one half of the voting membership plus one constitutes a quorum.

Use of technology

(29) For its business papers, meetings and otherwise to conduct its business, the Curriculum Committee and its members may use technology including telephone, video-conferencing, telepresence, email and internet as arranged by the Chair and/or Secretary to the Committee.

Resolutions

(30) The Curriculum Committee may pass a resolution by 'flying minute' provided that the resolution has been approved by a simple majority of Curriculum Committee members at the time the resolution is made.

Confirmation of minutes

(31) Draft minutes will normally be circulated to members for comment promptly after each meeting. Next, the minutes (with any necessary changes) will be circulated for adoption by the Curriculum Committee. The minutes will be finalised and adopted when they have been approved by a majority of the members that were present at the relevant meeting. Alternatively, the minutes may be included in the business papers for the next Committee meeting and considered and adopted by the Committee at that meeting.

Self-review

(32) Once in every twelve-month period, the Curriculum Committee shall devote part of one meeting to the review of its policies, practices and procedures over the preceding twelve months.

Secretary to Curriculum Committee

(33) The University Secretariat will provide secretarial and administrative support to the Curriculum Committee.

Standing Orders

(34) The Standing Orders of Academic Board and Committees relate to the conduct of meetings and business of the Curriculum Committee. To the extent of any inconsistencies between these Terms of Reference and the Standing Orders, the Standing Orders prevail.

Section 7 - Definitions and Interpretation

Definitions

(35) Words and phrases used in this document have the following meanings unless the context requires otherwise:

1. Academic Governance means the framework of policies, structures, relationships, systems and processes that collectively provide leadership to and oversight of the University’s academic activities (teaching, learning and scholarship, and research and research training) at an institutional level.
2. Course means a syllabus, a curriculum, a training package, units of study, or structured workplace learning, the successful completion of which leads to the conferral of an award on the student by the University (including but not limited to a regulated qualification under the Australian Qualifications Framework).
3. Current Student means a person who is at the time a Student and who is enrolled in one or more units;
4. Senior Executive means the Vice-Chancellor and Chief Executive Officer and his/her direct reports above Director level;
5. Student means a person who has been accepted into a course at the University and is entitled to enrol in units for the purposes of that course;
6. UNE Act means the University of New England Act 1993 (NSW); and
7. UNE By-law means the University of New England By-law 2005 (NSW).

Interpretation

This document should be interpreted using the following principles:

(36) Where Curriculum Committee membership is defined by reference to an office held (e.g. 'Chair of Academic Board'), that office-bearer is an ex officio member and has all of the same rights and responsibilities (including voting) as other committee members whilst holding the office specified.

(37) This document does not override or otherwise affect:

1. the Authorities Retained by Council Rule; or
2. the Vice-Chancellor Functions Rule.
3. However, it operates as a delegation of certain authorities that have been retained by Council.

Curriculum Committee governing documents

(38) The existing Terms of Reference and any other documents governing the Curriculum Committee at the time these new Terms of Reference are approved are replaced and have no further operation.