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Graduation Rule

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Section 1 - Overview & Scope

(1) Graduation is the culmination of the student learning journey for a particular award and a source of both celebration and responsibility of the University for quality control and due diligence.

(2) A function of the UNE Council is to confer, rescind and correct such degrees, diplomas, certificates and other awards. Under this Rule the Council delegates some Council functions to the Vice-Chancellor and Chief Executive Officer, and Academic Board. The Council retains the governance role in overseeing all delegated functions.

  1. Part A Sets out principles
  2. Part B sets out key roles, responsibilities and delegations

Part A -  Principles

Principles

(3) The University will formally confer on Students who satisfy the requirements of a course in which they are enrolled, the relevant award, in accordance with the University of New England Act 1993 (NSW)

(4) Students who have completed Course requirements must graduate and are not permitted to defer graduation and will not be permitted to enrol in further units in that Course.

(5) Students are deemed to be Graduates when the University has conferred their degree.

(6) The conferral date noted on the Testamur (and digital TTestamur) and digital Australian Higher Education Graduation Statement (AHEGS) is the date of the appropriate graduation ceremony. When the conferment is In Absentia, the date will be the date the award is conferred by the University.

(7) A completed major will appear on the Testamur and Academic Record (Transcript), according to relevant Course Rules.

Part B - Part B Key roles, responsibilities and delegations

(8) For Higher Degree Research awards, the Council delegates to the Vice-Chancellor and Chief Executive Officer, and to the Deputy Vice-Chancellor Research, the authority to approve the conferral of an award to a Student who has met the requirements to graduate  from a higher degree research Course at the University.

(9) For awards other than those in Clause (8), the Council delegates to the Vice-Chancellor and Chief Executive Officer, and to the Deputy Vice-Chancellor,  the authority to approve the conferral of an award to a Student who has met the requirements to graduate from a Course  at the University.

(10) The Council will confer the award on an approved Graduand at an official University graduation ceremony, unless     the graduand has received permission to graduate In Absentia.

(11) The Council delegates to the Vice-Chancellor and Chief Executive Officer, and to the Deputy Vice-Chancellor Research, the authority to permit a Student to graduate In Absentia, and to confer the award In Absentia, where a Student has approval to graduate from a higher degree research Course at the University.

(12) The Council delegates to the Vice-Chancellor and Chief Executive Officer, and to the Deputy Vice-Chancellor, the authority to permit the Student to graduate In Absentia and to confer the award to the Student In Absentia, where a Student has approval to graduate from a Course at the University other than a higher degree research Course.

(13) Council reserves the authority for the rescission of an award that has been conferred by the University. Any proposed rescission of award must be reported to the Council as per the Rescission of an Award/ Correction of an Award Procedure(see also UNE Delegations Framework Rule).

Rescission of an Award

(14) The Council may rescind conferral of an award in accordance with the Rescission of an Award/ Correction of an Award Procedure.

(15) The decision to rescind the conferral of an award is made by Council on the recommendation of the Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Deputy Vice-Chancellor Research or the Vice-Chancellor and Chief Executive Officer. The Council decision is final.

Correction of an Award

(16) The Council delegates to the Deputy Vice-Chancellor or Deputy Vice-Chancellor Research, as relevant, or Vice-Chancellor and Chief Executive Officer, the authority to correct an award for one of the following reasons:

  1. amendments or corrections to names of the graduate;
  2. corrections to the title of the award, for minor typographical errors; and/or
  3. other minor typographical errors to the award.

(17) All other corrections must be submitted to University Secretariat for approval of the Council.

Responsibilities

(18) A Student is eligible to graduate from the Course in which they are enrolled if they have met the requirements in Clause 19(a)(i-v).

(19) In exercising the authority to approve the conferral of an award, to permit a Student to graduate In Absentia or to confer an award In Absentia, the Vice-Chancellor and Chief Executive Officer, Deputy Vice-Chancellor Research or Deputy Vice-Chancellor must certify that they are satisfied that:

  1. the Student:
    1. has met the Course rules and other Course requirements to graduate;
    2. does not have a financial debt to the University, other than a debt that the University has agreed may be repaid after graduation;
    3. does not have an unresolved disciplinary case or appeal;
    4. is not subject to a current exclusion or expulsion from the University; and
    5. has returned all University property.
  2. The decision to approve the Student for graduation has been endorsed by:
    1. The University's Graduate Research Committee, for a higher degree research student; and
    2. the Curriculum Committee, for a student other than a higher degree research student.

(20) The person making the certification referred to in clause (19) above must:

  1. ensure that a copy of the signed and dated certification is:
    1. provided to the University's designated Graduation Officer without delay; and
    2. stored in the correct file in the University's corporate records management system.
  2. report the exercise of delegated authority under this rule to the Council through the University Secretary and provide an  assurance that the requirements of this Rule have been met.
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Section 2 - Authority and Compliance

(21) The UNE Council, pursuant to Section 29 of the University of New England Act 1993 (NSW), makes this University Rule.

(22) This Rule is consistent with the Higher Education Support Act 2003, and Higher Education Standards Framework (Threshold Standards) 2021.

(23) The delegation of Council powers under this rule is made pursuant to Section 17 of the University of New England Act 1993 (NSW).

(24) UNE Representatives and Students must observe this Rule in relation to University matters.

(25) The Rule Administrator, the Director Governance and University Secretary, is authorised to make policies and associated information for the operation of this University Rule. The policies and associated information must be compatible with the provisions of this Rule.

(26) This Rule operates as and from the Effective Date.

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Section 3 - Definitions

(27) For the purposes of this Rule the following definition applies:

Graduation Officer means the person assigned to the role of coordinating all activities related to the graduation process. This will normally be the Executive Principal Student Journey, or delegate.